Clara Bow Anklet Cartier Watch & Note
Watch
APPRAISER:
Hi, Rachel.
GUEST:
Hi.
APPRAISER:
You've brought in some very interesting items today, items owned by the silent screen star Clara Bow, an original flapper girl. How did you get these items?
GUEST:
Well, I went to a garage sale with my granddaughter. And we bought a whole box of jewelry with some other stuff.
APPRAISER:
Approximately when did you do that?
GUEST:
About two or three months ago.
APPRAISER:
Okay, and what did you pay?
GUEST:
$26 for the whole box of stuff.
APPRAISER:
That's not everything that we're seeing here, right?
GUEST:
No, no, there was a lot of other stuff.
APPRAISER:
We're only seeing the things that you decided to bring in. Okay, well, let's kind of cover what you've got here. First of all, you've got a Cartier ermeto purse watch. All handmade in Art Deco style in enamel. It opens and closes, and on the back it's got Clara Bow's name on it.
GUEST:
Uh-huh.
APPRAISER:
Then at the bottom, it's very hard to see, but you've got the original Cartier registration numbers. It's a really excellent piece. You also have an anklet that was given to Clara Bow by a lover of hers, Warren Burke. Okay, so it's Clara Bow, initials on the cover and Warren Burke on the back.
GUEST:
I got the watch, and I couldn't figure out what was wrong with it. I thought maybe it was broken or something, okay? And I saw the little note in there, pulled it out, and I couldn't believe the little note was in that little watch, stuck inside it there.
APPRAISER:
Let's see how you pulled it out. You went to the back.
GUEST:
Yeah, back there.
APPRAISER:
And inside of this.
GUEST:
This right there. That little note was crumbled up into the watch.
APPRAISER:
So we just started, you and I, to read this note because it's very small and hard to read. Okay, it says, "Daniel Freeman to Clara Bow on her 22nd birthday, 29th of July, 1928. And I take it as a souvenir from her on February 10th, 1929. They said it was gone, and it was in the bureau. On the 13th of February, I left 512 Bedford Drive, my little dream girl's home. God likes her. She is a girl to feel loving for, and she broke my heart, the little darling."
GUEST:
(laughs)
APPRAISER:
So we just discovered just now that he stole these items from Clara Bow. Well, I think its historical and movie value is substantial. The watch is wonderful, the note's fantastic. I would say in the neighborhood of $3,000 to $4,000 for the whole series.
GUEST:
(laughing) Wow. Whoa.
APPRAISER:
I think it's really wonderful.
Appraisal Details
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