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Rare 17th-Century Jeweled Watch Leads Dreweatts Auction; F.P. Journe Sets Record at Phillips

market-auction · 2026-09-04

Dreweatts is set to auction a rare pendant watch crafted by John Snow, dating from 1625 to 1630, on September 10, with an estimated value between £25,000 and £35,000. There are only a handful of Snow's pieces in existence. This auction is part of a series of sales running from September 5 to 11. Additionally, Phillips New York witnessed the sale of an F.P. Journe Chronomètre à Résonance "Souscription No. 007" for $13,922,000, breaking several world records. In Milan, Finarte sold Giorgio de Chirico's "Niobe" (1921) for €387,100 and introduced a new Memorabilia department. Christie's Paris auctioned a limited edition 2024 Hermès Birkin handbag for €635,000, contributing to a total of €5.84 million. The Vicenzaoro September event showcased over 1,300 exhibitors. The Art Business Conference took place in London on September 9, while Sotheby's will auction a British poster for "The Bridge on the River Kwai" on September 10, estimated at £3,000 to £5,000.

Key facts

  • Dreweatts auctions a rare pendant watch by John Snow, made in Salisbury around 1625–30, on September 10, estimated at £25,000–35,000.
  • Phillips New York sold an F.P. Journe Chronomètre à Résonance 'Souscription No. 007' for $13,922,000, a world record for F.P. Journe and for an independent watchmaker.
  • The Phillips watch sale achieved a white-glove result: all 158 lots sold, totaling $75.8 million.
  • Finarte Milan sold Giorgio de Chirico's 'Niobe' (1921) for €387,100, the top lot of the first half of the year.
  • Finarte's Memorabilia department in Rome sold unpublished letters by Lucio Battisti for over €80,000.
  • Christie's Paris sold a Hermès Birkin Faubourg Rouge Sellier (2024) for €635,000, a world record for the category.
  • Vicenzaoro September (Sept 4–8) featured over 1,300 exhibitors, with VO Vintage and VIOFF – Golden Road in parallel.
  • Parcours des Mondes in Paris (Sept 8–13) focused on arts of Africa, Oceania, Asia, and the Americas; Artcurial offered the Jean-Jacques Rotthier collection.
  • The Art Business Conference London took place on September 9.
  • Sotheby's London auctions an original British poster for 'The Bridge on the River Kwai' on September 10, estimated at £3,000–5,000.

Entities

Artists

Institutions

  • Dreweatts
  • Phillips
  • Finarte
  • Christie's
  • Sotheby's
  • Artcurial
  • Vicenzaoro
  • VO Vintage
  • VIOFF – Golden Road
  • Parcours des Mondes
  • The Art Business Conference London
  • Hermès

Locations

  • Newbury
  • Salisbury
  • New York
  • Milan
  • Rome
  • Paris
  • Vicenza
  • London

Sources