Antique Waltham Pocket Watch ~ Provenance of Artist Sarah Elizabeth Truax (c. 1890s)

Includes Original Photograph + Written Provenance Documentation Offered is a late-19th-century American Waltham Watch Company hunter-case pocket watch that belonged to Sarah Elizabeth Truax (1872–1959) ~ a renowned and listed early California artist Sarah Elizabeth Truax was a student of the Art Institute of Chicago and an award-winning artist who exhibited at the Panama-California International Exposition in 1916 and taught alongside Charles Reiffel, one of California's early Impressionists. They also painted together plein air and even painted her in a well known painting. (important she was a highly trained and professional artist long before Reiffel began to teach himself to paint). She was deeply rooted in the development of the Southern California plein-air movement and remains a recognized figure in early American art history. This watch was owned, worn, and kept by Truax throughout her lifetime, often worn on a chain around her neck, and has remained in her family since her death in 1959. It has never entered the open market. The Watch • Maker: American Waltham Watch Company (Waltham, Massachusetts) • Era: Circa 1890s • Movement: Fully mechanical (non-battery), featuring a Safety Barrel and 17 jewels, indicative of a higher-quality Waltham movement for the era • Dial: Roman numerals with sub-seconds register • Case: Engraved hunter case, believed to be high-quality gold-filled, typical of premium American watches of the period • Decoration: Original factory / jeweler-applied floral and scroll engraving • Engine-turned seashell (fan) pattern inside the dust cover • Pearl-white push-button crown • Personalization: Exterior engraved with the initials “SET”, added during Truax’s lifetime to denote ownership The spring-loaded hunter cover opens and closes securely ~ an impressive survival detail for a watch over 130 years old. Mechanical Condition This is a traditional mechanical watch, not quartz or battery-powered. It has been stored in its original presentation case since Truax’s death and has not been regularly run for decades. The movement appears very clean on visual inspection. As with any antique mechanical watch that has been dormant, professional servicing is recommended before regular use. No claims are made regarding current timekeeping accuracy. But with all movement watches, they must be worn to keep time. Original Photograph & Locket Use The watch retains the original photograph of Sarah Elizabeth Truax that she herself kept inside the case during her lifetime. This is not a later addition or commemorative insert. Truax used the inner compartment of the hunter case as a personal keepsake, effectively wearing the watch as both a timepiece and a locket. The photograph remains with the watch and is included in the sale, preserving the object exactly as she left it. It’s possible I might have a photo of her with the watch, if so I will share copy of photo. Provenance • Owned and worn by Sarah Elizabeth Truax for her entire adult life • Retained by her until her death in 1959 • Passed directly to her niece, who served as executor of her estate (my grandmother) • Passed by direct family descent to the current owner • Written provenance documentation will be included, detailing ownership history, artist background, and contextual significance There is no break in the chain of custody. Why This Piece Matters While comparable Waltham pocket watches exist, comparable artist-owned personal artifacts with intact contents do not. This watch is not being offered merely as an antique timepiece, but as a primary personal artifact belonging to a documented early California artist ~ preserved with original photograph, original case, and uninterrupted provenance. Appropriate for: • Serious private collectors • California art historians • Institutional or archive acquisition • Museums focused on women artists, California art, or regional history • Those interested in daughters of the Revolution (Sarah was thru her grandfather thru her mother’s line fought in the Revolution and his diaries as in a museum, also her father ran away as a teen and fought in the civil war in an important battle, documentation of this, he eventually became a horse and buggy doctor and checker champion that published books on it. Also thru her mothers line related to royalsand rebels and founding fathers). Summary • Late-19th-century American Waltham pocket watch • Mechanical movement with Safety Barrel and 17 jewels • Original engraved hunter case with owner initials • Retains the original photograph kept inside by Sarah Elizabeth Truax • Stored in original presentation case since 1959 • Written provenance documentation included • Preserved as found, unpolished and unaltered Price: $5,500 OBO This price reflects provenance, historical significance, intact personal contents, and rarity as an artist-owned artifact, not merely the intrinsic value of the watch.

Condition

Used (normal wear)

Type

Antique Waltham Pocket Watch ~ Provenance of Artist Sarah Elizabeth Truax (c. 1890s)