JEWELLERY, DECORATIVE & FINE ARTS AUCTION Tuesday, 18 February 2025 - 10:00 AM start
A rare 1879 New Zealand locomotive interest presentation 18ct yellow gold locket,
Lot Details
the hinged oval locket with a steam engine applied and in relief, the reverse engraved with 'Presented to J. Edwards by the Loco. Enginemen and Firemen as a mark of Esteem Auckland 15/2/79', opening to reveal two compartments, bail stamped 'J.A 18C'. 50mm. 21.6g. Note: J.A is possibly John Ayres an Albert St. Auckland Jeweller recorded as working, c.1875. Note: The Albion was built at Fairhaven, Massachusetts in 1816; registered at Gibraltar, 1865-1871; in late 1871 it was sold to Louis Nathan and Andrew Wardrop for the sum of £2600. At the time of the sale, Albion was engaged in whaling in the South Pacific, sailing out of the Bay of Islands with one season’s haul of 900 barrels of whale oil alone. Possible that this brooch was commissioned to recognise the sale or to show appreciation for Captain Thomas’ years of service. Captain Albert A Thomas is described as a “whaling master” and had served on several vessels. Papers of the time suggest that he had planned to settle in Aotearoa with his wife and family. Karl Duffner was based in Queen Street, Auckland and may have at one stage been in partnership with Adolph Kohn and likely to have been a contemporary and certainly a rival of Anton Teutenberg.
