A very rare 1950s Blancpain Fifty Fathoms diver's wristwatch, circa 1955. Case numbered 1323. The 17 jewel automatic movement is an AS calibre 1361N, signed Blancpain.
16/04/2024
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In circular stainless steel case with rotating bezel with black insert, case 41mm diameter. The black enamel dial signed ‘Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Rotomatic Incabloc’. The watch is accompanied by an extensive history file of service receipts with documentation and photographs detailing the restoration carried out by Blancpain in 2017.
Norman Malthouse was training to be a deep sea diver and, as a young man, he would save up his money to make his journey from Brentwood in Essex and travel on his Lambretta to the South of France each summer to Club Alpin Sous Marin in Cannes between 1954 and 1957. He recalls "During the summer of 1957 I was staying with friends and brushing-up my diving skills with one of the 'Club Alpine Sous-Marin' dive monitors having been instructed by him in '56. We were joined by two more people who were known to my friends as experienced divers and we set off in a small boat and headed for the rocks local to the Antheor lighthouse. All the chatting was in French of course, when one of these gentlemen turned to me, and in perfect English, said that he noticed that I did not have a dive watch. Next to no time he was taking his own watch off and offering it to me saying that he 'made them' and I could have this one at Factory price, this was an offer that I could not refuse." (The gentleman who gave him the watch was Jean-Jacques Fiechter, owner of Blancpain).
Saturday 21st June 10am - 1pm at Esplanade Hall, Kings Quay Street, Harwich CO12 3ES.
18/18/2025
Featuring in our July Fine Art sale is a fascinating collection of 38 lots on paper, removed from a substantial 19th century album which has been in the possession of the same family since it was compiled.
17/06/2025
Lot 970 in our Fine Art sale on July the 1st and 2nd is this unassuming Edwardian watercolour interior scene, guided at £300-500.
16/06/2025