“But it remains for me only a little time to dream of my destiny.” The great novelliste american Edgar Allan Poe and knew all of the poets that Chronos hung on the thread of our lives. On 12 June, in New York, Christie’s will auction the watch pocket of the author of great Stories in the context of a sale of thematic books and historical manuscripts of american literature. The estimate of this rare object is 120,000 dollars that is about 107.000 euros.
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The auction house in new york describes this piece as a pocket-watch, gold dial guilloché – that is to say, decorated with a tracery of engraved lines. The hours are written in roman numerals. This little treasure was created by a master French watchmaker at the beginning of the Nineteenth century.
to Sell his watch to settle a debt
According to Christie’s, Poe would have been able to offer this valuable pocket watch during the short period of time, from February 1841 to April 1842, where for one of the few times in his life, he will receive a regular salary as editor of the Graham’s Magazine . Very quickly a victim of bankruptcy, Edgar Poe would have to separate from his watch to settle part of its debts. The auction house has the deed of assignment entered into between the poet and J. W. Albright.
The shows of Edgar allan Poe will be retained by the heirs of the Albright family for more than 50 years until it was sold, to 1894, to a jeweler in Wisconsin. It will continue to change owners several times before being acquired in 1977 by the family Schmidt. On 12 June, Christie’s intends to write with this exceptional auction, a new extraordinary story of the saga of the auction.
● The Raven Edgar Poe translated by Charles Baudelaire
