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A minute repeating full hunter pocket watch given as a gift to Winston Churchill from Liberal politician H.H. Asquith is set to sell at Berkshire auction house Dawsons.
The watch by renowned maker Sir John Bennett is engraved ‘To Winston with gratitude H. H. Asquith Xmas 1905‘ and was attributively given for Churchill ‘crossing the floor’ from the Conservatives to the Liberals in May 1904, which contributed to the subsequent General Election victory for the Liberals in December 1905.
The watch has a compelling provenance, with documents confirming its purchase from Hennell Ltd. on October 14, 1983 by the Rt. Hon. David Cole, 6th Earl of Enniskillen. Further documentation reveals that the watch was passed down from the Earl of Enniskillen, within the family, to the present owner.
The watch is expertly hand-engraved with Winston Churchill’s coat of arms, with minute precision and correct for the period, without the honour of the order of the Garter which was not bestowed to Churchill until 1953.
The rare pocket watch looks set to be the highlight of the auction house’s Fine Jewellery, Watches and Silver auction on May 23.
