Patek Philippe

REF 1461 STAINLESS STEEL WRISTWATCH WITH FANCY LUGS MADE IN 1944

VAT applies to hammer price and buyer's premium

Lot Closed

November 12, 09:58 AM GMT

Estimate

10,000 - 15,000 CHF

Lot Details

Description

FORMER PROPERTY OF COL. RAYMOND MARSH, USMA

Patek Philippe

REF 1461

STAINLESS STEEL WRISTWATCH WITH FANCY LUGS

MADE IN 1944

Dial: silvered

Calibre: cal. 10-110 manual winding, 18 jewels

Movement number: 911'999

Case: stainless steel, snap-on back

Case number: 635'472

Dimensions: 32 mm

Signed: case, dial and movement

Accessories: Patek Philippe Certificate of Origin, letter addressed to Col. Raymond Marsh, presentation case and Extract from the Archives confirming date of sale on August 14th, 1945

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This fresh to the market stainless steel Patek Philippe reference 1461 is a great vintage watch in its own right. Adorned with attractive claw-shaped lugs, the watch has a nice present on the wrist despite its rather traditional case measuring 32 mm. What gives the watch even greater value is its impressive provenance, stemming from the distinguished US colonel Raymond Marsh. Besides having been retained in attractive condition, the watch is accompanied by its Certificate of Origin, presentation case, and personal letter to the owner from the Patek Philippe manufacture after a servicing of the balance wheel.

With the help of the United States Military Academy we are able to present the below biography:

COL Raymond Marsh, USMA

In our Register of Graduates and Former Cadets of the United States Military Academy, his entry reads:

Cullum Number* 5347 Raymond Marsh

B-NY 19Oct90:FA-OD:PunX:OCh Ord 43: AdmnO RIA 44-45: G4Div SHAEF 45: HqOMG US Ger 45-47 (CR): Ret dsb; 47 COL: D-8Feb71.

*a graduate's Cullum number is simply a way to keep track of a graduate

In "translation" from the West Point/Army shorthand to ordinary language, that means:

He was born in NY state on October 19, 1890. He entered the Field Artillery (FA) branch of the US Army after graduation, and served in their Ordnance Department/Davison (OD). He served in the Punitive Expedition into Mexico sometime during the period from March 1916-Feb 1917 (PunX). He served in the Office of the Chief of the Ordnance Division (OCh Ord) in 1943. He was the Administrative Officer at Rock Island Arsenal (AdminO RIA) in Illinois from 1944-1945. He served either in the office of or as the G4 in the G4 Division of the Supreme Headquarters of the Allied Expeditionary Force (G4Div SHEAF) in 1945. He served in the Headquarters of the Military Government for Germany (HqOMG US Ger) from 1945-1947, and received a Commendation Ribbon award for that service. He retired, disabled, at the rank of COL, in 1947, and died on February 8, 1971.

SHEAF had offices in a variety of countries in Western Europe during the war, and was officially dissolved on July 14, 1945.