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Historic FRITZ KUHN Nazi Bund Leader HAMPDEN ca. 1893 Mens 14K Gold Pocket Watch
Estimated price for orientation: 1 800 $
Category: Mens Vintage Fine Jewelry
Class:
Description
A RARE HISTORIC FIND from a watch collector's estate; an antique American made Hampden Watch Company 14K solid goldhunter case men's pocket watch in great condition. The case is stamped "DUEBER, CHAMPION, 14K". The watch is currently running and keeping time (in 24 hours it was within 2 minutes). The movement is marked with the H W CO' logo and the flag with an 'H' on it, 811726 (serial number, presumed circa 1893) and 'SAFETY PINION'. The watch is stem wind and lever set. The movement has gold jewel settings and is presumed to have at least 15 jewels; there are a couple long scratches on the plates.The screws are all 'blued', which adds a nice touch!All the covers close tightly; although there is a 'gentle' dent to the front cover, at the '3:30' position, which keeps the cover from 'fully' seating against the main case; perhaps a .020 inch gap near the pendant tapering down to a .010 inch gap near the hinge. There is a dent to the cuvette cover at the 6 o'clock position. There are a couple small dings and light scratches to the rest of the case;with many 'swirling' deeper scratches to the inside of the cuvette cover. Please see the 12 detailed pictures. The glass crystal is in great condition, as is the white enamel dial. The blued steel hands look good with some scratchesat the center 'hubs', as seen under magnification. My Father purchased this watch back in the late 1960's or early 1970's, I was in high school and remember him referring tothe watch as belonging to Fritz Kuhn, the German-American Bund leader back in the 1930's. I have no other provenance,written or otherwise. There are several photos of Fritz Kuhn on the Internet, one I saw was of him standing in a room with Adolf Hitler; unfortunately NONE of the pictures that I saw showed him looking at his watch (this watch)! When I first looked at the watch I wondered what the significance of the"PHILIDELPHIA, 1901", under his name on the inside of the front cover was. From my 'little' research; it does correspond to;"The National German-American Alliance (NGAA; German: Deutschamerikanischer National-Bund), was a federation of associations in the United States founded in , on October 6, 1901. The mission of the NGAA was to "promote and preserve in America"; it essentially sought to resist the of in America. At the peak of its growth, around 1916, the national organization had chapters in forty-five states, and the District of Columbia, and a membership of approximately 2.5 million people."Other names appear on the watch; on the inside rear cover is "GOTTL. KUHN, THAL - 1907", on the outside of the cuvette is,"WILH. KUHN, 1930" and an interesting 'hand-scratched engraving' on the inside of the cuvette, "FITCHENBURG, GER, 4/20/45".I could not find an exact city in Germany by that name; the date is curiously 10 days prior to Hitler's death.I did NOT do any research as to who these other people's name are (presumed family members); but if you are a GERMAN - AMERICAN BUND history enthusiast, this could be a once in a lifetime opportunity to own a piece of HISTORY!Please ENJOY the 12 detailed pictures.The case measures 53.0mm in diameter and has a total height (including extended bow) of 76.9mm and a thickness of 16.7mm.THE TOTAL GROSS WEIGHT OF THE WATCH IS 115.3 GRAMS. THE WEIGHT OF THE CASE (AS SEEN IN THELAST PICTURE (WITHOUT THE BEZEL, GLASS, MOVEMENT) IS 54.5 GRAMS.REFERENCE INFORMATION: From The Internet"In the late 1930s, the German-American Bund, led by its popinjay dictator Fritz Kuhn, was a small but powerful national movement, determined to conquer the United States government with a fascist dictatorship. They met in private social halls and beer garden backrooms, gathered at private resorts and public rallies, developed their own version of the SS and Hitler Youth, published a national newspaper and for a brief moment, of their own imagined glory, seemed poised to make an impact on American politics. But while the American Nazi leadership dreamed of their Swastika Nation, an amalgamation of politicians, a rising legal star, an ego-charged newspaper columnist, and denizens of the criminal underworld utilized their respective means and muscle to bring down the movement and its dreams of a United Reich States." I found the watch as shown in the pictures and I am NOT a watch expert, I am selling this watch "AS IS / AS FOUND",with no implied warranty or guarantee and NO return, so please bid accordingly.The collector died over 2 decades ago and collected from the 1960's -1980's; so I presume a good clean and oil are due!A RARE HISTORICAL FIND THAT WOULD MAKE A GREAT ADDITION TO YOUR COLLECTION! Please see the detailed pictures for what is included and its condition.
Description
A RARE HISTORIC FIND from a watch collector's estate; an antique American made Hampden Watch Company 14K solid goldhunter case men's pocket watch in great condition. The case is stamped "DUEBER, CHAMPION, 14K". The watch is currently running and keeping time (in 24 hours it was within 2 minutes). The movement is marked with the H W CO' logo and the flag with an 'H' on it, 811726 (serial number, presumed circa 1893) and 'SAFETY PINION'. The watch is stem wind and lever set. The movement has gold jewel settings and is presumed to have at least 15 jewels; there are a couple long scratches on the plates.The screws are all 'blued', which adds a nice touch!All the covers close tightly; although there is a 'gentle' dent to the front cover, at the '3:30' position, which keeps the cover from 'fully' seating against the main case; perhaps a .020 inch gap near the pendant tapering down to a .010 inch gap near the hinge. There is a dent to the cuvette cover at the 6 o'clock position. There are a couple small dings and light scratches to the rest of the case;with many 'swirling' deeper scratches to the inside of the cuvette cover. Please see the 12 detailed pictures. The glass crystal is in great condition, as is the white enamel dial. The blued steel hands look good with some scratchesat the center 'hubs', as seen under magnification. My Father purchased this watch back in the late 1960's or early 1970's, I was in high school and remember him referring tothe watch as belonging to Fritz Kuhn, the German-American Bund leader back in the 1930's. I have no other provenance,written or otherwise. There are several photos of Fritz Kuhn on the Internet, one I saw was of him standing in a room with Adolf Hitler; unfortunately NONE of the pictures that I saw showed him looking at his watch (this watch)! When I first looked at the watch I wondered what the significance of the"PHILIDELPHIA, 1901", under his name on the inside of the front cover was. From my 'little' research; it does correspond to;
"The National German-American Alliance (NGAA; German: Deutschamerikanischer National-Bund), was a federation of associations
in the United States founded in , on October 6, 1901. The mission of the NGAA was to "promote and preserve
in America"; it essentially sought to resist the of in America. At the peak of its growth, around 1916, the national
organization had chapters in forty-five states, and the District of Columbia, and a membership of approximately 2.5 million people."Other names appear on the watch; on the inside rear cover is "GOTTL. KUHN, THAL - 1907", on the outside of the cuvette is,"WILH. KUHN, 1930" and an interesting 'hand-scratched engraving' on the inside of the cuvette, "FITCHENBURG, GER, 4/20/45".I could not find an exact city in Germany by that name; the date is curiously 10 days prior to Hitler's death.I did NOT do any research as to who these other people's name are (presumed family members); but if you are a GERMAN - AMERICAN BUND history enthusiast, this could be a once in a lifetime opportunity to own a piece of HISTORY!Please ENJOY the 12 detailed pictures.The case measures 53.0mm in diameter and has a total height (including extended bow) of 76.9mm and a thickness of 16.7mm.THE TOTAL GROSS WEIGHT OF THE WATCH IS 115.3 GRAMS. THE WEIGHT OF THE CASE (AS SEEN IN THELAST PICTURE (WITHOUT THE BEZEL, GLASS, MOVEMENT) IS 54.5 GRAMS.REFERENCE INFORMATION: From The Internet"In the late 1930s, the German-American Bund, led by its popinjay dictator Fritz Kuhn, was a small but powerful national movement, determined to conquer the United States government with a fascist dictatorship. They met in private social halls and beer garden backrooms, gathered at private resorts and public rallies, developed their own version of the SS and Hitler Youth, published a national newspaper and for a brief moment, of their own imagined glory, seemed poised to make an impact on American politics. But while the American Nazi leadership dreamed of their Swastika Nation, an amalgamation of politicians, a rising legal star, an ego-charged newspaper columnist, and denizens of the criminal underworld utilized their respective means and muscle to bring down the movement and its dreams of a United Reich States."
I found the watch as shown in the pictures and I am NOT a watch expert, I am selling this watch "AS IS / AS FOUND",with no implied warranty or guarantee and NO return, so please bid accordingly.
A RARE HISTORICAL FIND THAT WOULD MAKE A GREAT ADDITION TO YOUR COLLECTION! Please see the detailed pictures for what is included and its condition.The collector died over 2 decades ago and collected from the 1960's -1980's; so I presume a good clean and oil are due!