The watch, lot 334, was described as an 18 carat double-cased gentleman’s repeater chronometer, the dial marked JM Wendt of Adelaide and Broken Hill, with an inscription saying it was presented to Chas Tucker, JP, mayor of Port Adelaide 1890-1893. The price was in line with the presale estimate of $4000 to $5000.
Tucker, born in Walkerville, SA, in 1857, was quite a colourful character. Also mayor of Adelaide in 1894-98, he was associated with various copper mining and shipping ventures in the state. He became Member for Alexandria in 1902 but a few years later, in 1907, was disgraced – being convicted of having defrauded Customs during the 1890s, and pocketing more than 30,000 pounds. After Adelaide’s longest criminal trial, he was sentenced to two years hard labour. According to Wikipedia, the local paper the Observer cautioned against “the pretensions of smooth tongued and clever individuals of gentlemanly address and suitably captivating manners”.
Auctioneer Bruce Small says the buyer of the watch was a local collector.
He says the sale created huge interest due to the large content of gold and Australian items, with bidding from the phones, the internet and a large crowd in the room. As well as Wendt, makers represented included Henry Steiner, Stevenson, Brunkhorst, Basse, Perryman, McDougall and Wagner.
A gold locket by Steiner, lot 174, fetched $3000 including premium and an 18ct cigarette case weighing 356gms, lot 190, brought $14,400.