Description
Zenith Star 1934 Black Starr & Frost Vintage Mens 14K Gold Watch - Gifted by Legendary TV Host Ed Sull 1934 BLACK STARR & FROST by Zenith Vintage Mens 14K Gold Watch - Gifted by Legendary TV Host Ed Sullivan
Gifted by Iconic Hollywood TV Host - Classic & High Grade - Certificate of Authenticity
Today's offering showcases this elegant and high-grade Art Deco Zenith watch gifted by legendary Hollywood TV host Ed Sullivan with original inscription on the back.
The inscription reads, "To Harry - My Favorite Life Saver!! - Sincere Regards - From - Ed Sullivan - July 11, 1934."
In early vintage times, Zenith Watch Co. was one of the very fine watchmakers in the world at the time, and built watches for sale mainly under their own name and but also through the premier retailers from the era. Some of Zenith's watches were retailed by Tiffany & Co.
This watch was specially for Black, Starr & Frost-Gorham a prestigious New York retailer ranking with Tiffany & Co. and Cartier, the watch bears the distinguished company's name on the dial. Founded in 1810, the company is the oldest continuously operating jewelry firm in the United States; in 1962 it purchased Cartier's U.S. operation.
The watch features a very classic and pleasing design with Breguet numeral dial. Quite frankly, we had to purchase the watch without being able to see who the maker was inside and thought that there was a good chance that it would be Patek Philippe because its case and dial look very much like some Patek references from the era.
It has all of its original parts and is in excellent condition. We have left the case unpolished just as we received it. It comes with what appears to be the original band and buckle; they were installed on it when we acquired it.
One of our watchmakers has disassembled the movement (engine) down to its last screw and cleaned and oiled the movement making it ready for immediate enjoyment; otherwise we have left the rest of the watch untouched.
Included with the purchase is a one-year our international warranty on the movement and its function and a full-page custom printed Certificate of Authenticity from our company.
Accompanying it is a Certificate of Authenticity and Provenance from a well-known auction house.
Ed Sullivan:
Edward Sullivan, besides being an impresario, sports and entertainment reporter, and syndicated columnist for the New York Daily News and the Chicago Tribune New York News Syndicate, was best known as an American television personality. He was the creator and host of the television variety program The Toast of the Town, renamed to The Ed Sullivan Show in 1955. Broadcast from 1948 to 1971, it set a record as the longest-running variety show in US broadcast history and was ranked No. 15 on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time. "It was, by almost any measure, the last great TV show," said television critic David Hinckley. "It's one of our fondest, dearest pop culture memories."
Sullivan was a broadcasting pioneer during the early years of American television. As critic David Bianculli wrote, "Before MTV, Sullivan presented rock acts. Before Bravo, he presented jazz and classical music and theater. Before the Comedy Channel, even before there was The Tonight Show, Sullivan discovered, anointed and popularized young comedians. Before there were 500 channels, before there was cable, Ed Sullivan was where the choice was. From the start, he was indeed 'the Toast of the Town'."
The Beatles first appearance on the show on February 9, 1964 was the most-watched program in TV history to that point, and remains one of the most-watched programs of all time.
Sullivan was known for embracing diversity on his show, booking many African American acts and country music acts, while the genres had yet to be embraced on television.
Our new Celebrity Collection:
I'm excited to have recently launched a new collection that is composed of 44 watches owned by 25 iconic celebrities. It may be the largest current collection of celebrity-owned watches in the world. It will be constantly changing and is currently headlined by watches and clocks owned by some of the most legendary Hollywood actors and actresses, musicians, comedians, and entertainers:
The King, Elvis Presley. (Just sold)
The King of Pop, Michael Jackson.
The King of Comedy, Jerry Lewis.
The Artist Formerly Known as Prince
Hollywood icons Steve Martin, Burt Reynolds, Olivia Newton-John, Bob Hope, and Mickey Rooney.
Legendary musicians Johnny Cash, Frank and Nancy Sinatra, Beatles drummer Ringo Starr, and Hank Williams, Jr.
Further filling the current collection are watches from King Edward VIII and the Duchess of Windsor, beloved Hollywood host Ed Sullivan, heavyweight boxing champion Jack Dempsey, Academy award-winning actresses Loretta Young and Doris Day, Emmy award-winning actress Valerie Harper, Phyllis McGuire of the chart-topping McGuire sisters, Elvira Mistress of the Dark (Cassandra Peterson), fashion designer to the stars Nolan Miller, and Green Bay Packer Mike Bucchianeri.
It also includes rare watches given by heads of state: A prototype 18K gold Buren Microrotor gifted by His Royal Majesty Ibn Saud, former King of Saudi Arabia; a Felsa given by former Libyan Colonel and Head of State Muammar Al Qathafi; and a Longines given by Highness Khalifa bin Salman Al-Khalifa former Prime Minister of the State of Bahrain. All three watches are new-old-stock in presentation shadow box frames with photos.
Recently sold was a watch given a handful of years after the Civil War concluded by the Vice President Elect to honor an Army commander who went on to receive the Medal of Honor.
This is a significant, exciting, and constantly changing new collection you won't want to miss! Stay tuned over the coming weeks for photos of other special pieces from the collection!
Detailed Appraisal:
Manufacturer: Zenith
Country of origin: Switzerland
Date gifted: July 11, 1934
Serial no.: 2,938,901
Functions: Hours, Minutes, Subsidiary Seconds
Designed for: Men
Case material: 14K gold
Case markings (inside): 14K, Zenith Watch Co., 327503, Switzerland
Case condition: Presents as close to mint with only very light signs of previous polishing. The hallmark remains very crisp.
Dimensions: 22mm diameter (excluding the crown) by 39mm long lug tip-to-tip
Dial: Silver warmed to a light sepia, signed Black Starr & Frost Gorham, applied gold Breguet numerals, outer railroad minute track
Please inquire if you would like it refinished.
Hands: Original, gold "batons"
Movement markings: Zenith Watch Co., Swiss, 17 Jewels, Adjusted to Temp; Adj. 2 Pos.
Movement type: Very high grade, Zenith, manually wound, two positions adjustment and adjusted for temperatures for precision timekeeping, rhodium plated, fausses cotes decoration, 17 jewels, lever escapement, bimetallic compensation balance, Breguet balance spring
Movement jewels: 17 rubies
Band: It appears to be the original band and buckle; they were installed on it when we acquired it.
We also stock lizard and a variety of others straps in various prints, skins, and colors. Please ask us if you're interested.
Width between lugs: 17mm
Crystal: Mineral glass, excellent condition
Serviced: One of our watchmakers has disassembled it down to its last screw and cleaned and oiled it making it ready for immediate enjoyment.
Timing: Timed to precision on a state-of-the-art computerized system.
Your watch is important to us, and we will take care of it for its lifetime. We provide the best after sale care in the business with an experienced team of watchmakers both of whom each have over forty years of experience and a large number of parts.
Warranty: 1-year international warranty. Please message us for details.
Box/Papers: BOX - A custom watch presentation box from our company; PAPERS - A full page, laminated Certificate of Authenticity from our company.
SKU 7782
