Hitler’s Gift Watch Makes $70,000 At Auction - Jul 17th, 2007
Geneva, Switzerland:An historically important pocket watch has made its way to auction as a result of the work of John Farkas and Connie Rose of Antiques and Estate Auctioneers.
The watch, an 18K gold, hunting-cased, keyless pocket watch, which is described as a "minute-repeating" watch by A. Lange & Sohne, Glashutte, I/SA, B/Dresden, No. 91764, realized $70,000 at a May 12 auction.
According to the archives at A. Lange & Sohne, the watch was made in 1938, and sold on December 12, 1938, to Adolf Lunser, Berlin, a company that was the official supplier to the German government and the Third Reich.
The watch was then presented to Dr Theodor Gilbert Morell by Adolf Hitler on July 22, 1944. The exceptional watch was inscribed in German "22.7.44 mit den herzlichsten Wünschen," which loosely translates as "July 22, 1944, with most cordial wishes."
Morell was Hitler's personal physician, and was well known in Germany for his extremely unconventional and alternative medical treatments. Historians have come to believe that Morell's practices may have contributed to Hitler's ill health.
After more than 60 years, the watch was still in pristine condition, and included the original box, spare mainspring, certificate and guarantee from A. Lange & Sohne, which only added to its desirability. Research showed that Europe would be the most profitable location for the auction.
