On May 23, Dawsons Auctioneers will sell a watch formerly owned by British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill, which was given to him by one of his predecessors.
The watch, which carries an estimate of £20,000 to £30,000 (about $25,000–$38,000), was given to Churchill in 1905 by Liberal Party leader Herbert Henry Asquith. It includes an inscription from Asquith, who later became the U.K.’s first Liberal prime minister: “To Winston with gratitude H.H. Asquith, Xmas 1905.” Churchill’s coat of arms is engraved on the watch cover.
Churchill originally had started his political career with the Conservative Party. In 1904, he crossed the floor to the Liberal Party, after disagreeing with Conservative leadership on tariff reform. His move helped the Liberals gain power that year. By the time Churchill became prime minister in 1940, he had rejoined the Conservatives.
“To hold a minute repeating pocket watch…believed to be a gift [to Sir Winston Churchill] from another former prime minister, H.H. Asquith in 1905, is nothing short of surreal,” said Edward Langmead, watch specialist at London-based Dawsons Auctioneers, in a statement.
The timepiece is a “full hunter” pocket watch, meaning it has a protective lid that can be opened to reveal the watch face.
Photo courtesy of Dawsons Auctioneers
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