WILLIAM DOYLE AUCTIONS FORGOTTEN TREASURES

William Doyle Galleries, New York, N.Y., achieved total sales of nearly $450,000 at its Contents of Abandoned Safe Deposit Boxes Auction in July. The sale offered 596 lots from unclaimed safe deposit boxes of Banco Central de Hispano, Dime Savings Bank and Home Savings of America, as well as pieces from private collectors.

Jewelry stole the show when an Art Deco platinum necklace with 82 diamonds weighing about 8 carats achieved the top sale of the day at $18,400. Other top jewelry sales were an 18k white gold, jade and diamond ring that sold for $9,487; a platinum and diamond bracelet that sold for $4,025; and a Tiffany & Co. 18k gold hunting case watch with chain that sold for $4,370.

A collection of 15 U.S. $20 gold Coronet coins from 1894 to 1907 sold for $10,925.

CARTIER JOINS AUCTION FOR AUTHENTICATION

“The Magical Art of Cartier” sale by Antiquorum Auctioneers and French auctioneer Etude Tajan in Geneva, Switzerland, Nov. 19 should be especially exciting for the cautious auction shopper.

Cartier has agreed to lend its technical support to examine each piece in the auction. Cartier will issue a certificate of authenticity for validated pieces, and only pieces authenticated as Cartier merchandise will be sold.

This extra measure has been taken in response to a growing number of “fakes,” objects made from parts of Cartier jewelry and other miscellaneous pieces found in auctions and identified incorrectly as Cartier. Cartier is providing the technical support to reclaim its exclusive ownership.

In addition to acquired pieces listed on page 211 of JCK, September 1996, several other exceptional lots will be highlighted at the sale:

A square astronomic gold men’s wrist watch made by Cartier Paris in 1964 for King Hassan II of Morocco and bearing the royal monogram
An Indian-style necklace made of platinum and 29 baroque emerald drops with diamond stud tips, capped with pave-set diamonds. It was made by Cartier London in 1938 for British actress Merle Oberon.
Cartier’s exclusive “tutti frutti” jewelry from the 1920s.

The 500 lots to be offered during the sale will be exhibited in nine major cities around the world during a preauction tour. The exhibition will visit the French Embassy in New York, N.Y., Oct. 19 to 23.

Antiquorum USA, 609 Fifth Ave., Suite 503, New York, NY 10017; (212) 750-1103, fax (212) 750-6127.

FINE JEWELRY SALE PLANNED IN CHICAGO

The focus will be on watches and jewelry at Leslie Hindman Auctioneers in Chicago, Ill., Oct. 8.

A large collection of men’s wrist watches on the auction block includes a stainless steel Rolex Cosmograph Daytona (presale estimate $8,000 to $10,000), an 18k yellow gold Rolex Oyster Cosmograph Tachometer ($6,500 to $7,500), an 18k yellow gold Rolex Oyster Perpetual day-date ($4,000 to $6,000) and an 18k yellow gold Rolex Oyster Perpetual Submariner wrist watch ($4,000 to $6,000).

Other highlights will include a men’s 18k yellow gold and diamond ring ($32,000 to $36,000), a men’s 18k yellow gold and cat’s-eye chrysoberyl ring ($12,000 to $18,000) and a women’s platinum and diamond ring ($10,000 to $12,000).

Leslie Hindman Auctioneers, 215 W. Ohio St., Chicago, IL 60610; (312) 670-0010, fax (312) 670-4248.

ANTIQUORUM PLANS ULYSSE NARDIN AUCTION

Antiquorum Auctioneers will celebrate the 150th anniversary of Swiss watchmaker Ulysse Nardin this year during its sale of Important Collectors’ Watches, Wrist Watches and Clocks Oct. 13 in Geneva.

The auction will feature 150 lots of Ulysse Nardin chronometers, deck watches and marine chronometers, watches and wrist watches. Each will be accompanied by a certificate of authenticity by Ulysse Nardin.

Exceptional lots will include a silver and gold minute-repeating pocket chronometer with chronograph made for the Chicago Exhibition of 1893 (presale estimate $64,000 to $80,000) and a rare gold pocket chronometer with one-minute tourbillon regulator, ($48,000 to $56,000). The auction also will feature 450 lots from other watchmakers and a collection of horological books ranging from the 18th to 20th centuries.