|
The Cartier tank watch, engraved on the back, was given to
the then-U.S. first lady by her brother-in-law Prince Stanislaw
"Stas" Radziwill, and she was photographed many times wearing
it, Christie's said in a statement.
The watch will be sold on June 21, along with a simple picture
painted by Kennedy to mark a 50-mile hike in Palm Beach in 1963
that Radziwill and other friends of the Kennedys undertook to
promote fitness.
Christie's described the watch, and the accompanying painting
which was previously unknown to the public, as "two of the most
important historic artifacts to surface in recent years from the
golden era of the Kennedy Presidency."
"Together with Jackie’s painting, these two objects capture the
spirit of another era, a time where friendship and the 'can-do'
optimism of the generation seemed to make anything possible,"
said John Reardon, international head of Christie's watch
division.
Christie's said the current owner of the watch wished to remain
anonymous but would donate a portion of the auction proceeds to
the National Endowment for the Arts.
Most of Jacqueline Kennedy's personal belongings were auctioned
in 1996, following her death of cancer in 1994 at age 64. The
1996 auction at Sotheby's in New York raised some $34 million,
more than seven times pre-sale expectations.
(Reporting by Jill Serjeant; Editing by Bernadette Baum)
[© 2017 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2017 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
|
