The Art of American Horology & Colle...

New York, Nov 28, 2001

LOT 449

Bulova, USA, "Bulovitas", cal. 10BM, made for Senator Harry Byrd in 1951.Fine and rare, 18K gold keyless pocket watch designed as a coin.

USD 2,500 - 3,200

Sold: USD 2,530

C. three-piece, back cover inscribed along the periphery "Burovitas, 1951" and in the center "100" over laurel-leaf wreth, fluted border, coin edge, front with fluted border around the gold bezel. D. silvered and matte, letters forming the name "HARRY BYRD" instead of numerals, subsidiary seconds. Gold "Feuille" hands. M. 22,6 mm (10 '''), rhodium-plated, 21 jewels, straight line lever escapement, monometallic balance with self-compensating blued steel Breguet balance-spring, protective brass coer.Dial, case and movement signed.Diam. 38 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AA

Very good
Case: 3-6

Good

Slightly oxidized
Movement: 3

Good
Dial: 3-01

Good

HANDS Original

Notes

Harry Flood Byrd, 1887-1966Harry Flood Byrd, a Democratic Senator from the State of Virginia was born in Martinsburg, Berkeley County, West Virginia on June 10, 1887.Byrd entered the newspaper publishing business in 1903. Not long after he became publisher of the Winchester Star. Around 1906, he was very involved in agricultural pursuits specializing in growing as well as storing apples and peaches near Berryville, Virginia. Between 1908 and 1918, he served as president of the Valley Turnpike Company. He was a member of the state senate from 1915-1925, served as the state fuel commissioner in 1918 and went on to be elected chairman of the Democratic state comittee in 1922. Between 1926 and 1930, he served as the Governor of the State of Virginia. In 1933, he was appointed and subsequently elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate, filling the vacancy caused by the resignation of Senator Claude Swanson. Byrd was re-elected in 1934, 1940, 1946, 1952, 1958, and 1964. In all, he served in the US Senator for thirty two years before his resignation in November of 1965. During his tenure as Senator, he served as Chairman of numerous committees: Committee onules, Committee on Finance, Joint Committee on the Reduction of Nonessential Federal Expenditures, as well as the Joint Committee on Internal Revenue Taxation.He was succeeded in the senate by his son, Harry F. Byrd Jr. who served for eighteen years.