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John Wilkes Booth's Watch

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John Wilkes Booth's Watch
09-06-2012, 07:58 PM, (This post was last modified: 09-06-2012, 07:59 PM by BettyO.)
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BettyO Offline
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John Wilkes Booth's Watch
I don't know the provenance on this; but it is interesting....

Would love to know the real history - what do you all think? Looks "period" to me. It's obviously NOT a stem winder which, although they existed, would make the watch somewhat suspect

Here is the URL of the website: http://civilwartalk.com/threads/john-wil...tch.75851/

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"The Past is a foreign country...they do things differently there" - L. P. Hartley
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09-06-2012, 08:21 PM, (This post was last modified: 09-06-2012, 08:26 PM by J. Beckert.)
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J. Beckert Offline
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RE: John Wilkes Booth's Watch
I've always wondered what happened to Booth's watch, Betty. Thanks for posting that.

Mr. Kauffman's new book "In the Footsteps of an Assassin" has a photo of a watch chain Booth once owned. It's clearly not the heavy, ornate one he was photographed wearing so many times, but still neat to see. If anyone else has that book, did you notice the modern photo of the Mudd bed Booth slept in doesn't match either of the ones in the period photo?

Was there an article accompanying these photos, Betty? I'd like to know the provenance on this.

It's definitely of the period and I've never seen one with the two smaller recessed dials on the face like this one. I'd imagine it was an expensive piece in it's day.
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09-06-2012, 08:37 PM,
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BettyO Offline
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RE: John Wilkes Booth's Watch
Hey, Joe!

Unfortunately there was no provenance on this item. I'd LOVE to know the history behind it.
"The Past is a foreign country...they do things differently there" - L. P. Hartley
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09-06-2012, 08:42 PM,
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RE: John Wilkes Booth's Watch
Can you contact the poster and ask for some background on this? I'm very interested in this piece.
"There are few subjects that ignite more casual, uninformed bigotry and condescension from elites in this nation more than Dixie - Jonah Goldberg"
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09-06-2012, 08:45 PM,
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BettyO Offline
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RE: John Wilkes Booth's Watch
(09-06-2012, 08:42 PM)J. Beckert Wrote: Can you contact the poster and ask for some background on this? I'm very interested in this piece.

Sure, Joe! I think you have to belong to that forum -- but I can check....
"The Past is a foreign country...they do things differently there" - L. P. Hartley
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09-07-2012, 06:30 AM,
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BettyO Offline
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RE: John Wilkes Booth's Watch
I have contacted the "powers that be" regarding the watch and they have promised to get back with me shortly. I'll alert everyone as to just what this could possibly be..... hang tight!
"The Past is a foreign country...they do things differently there" - L. P. Hartley
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09-07-2012, 07:20 AM,
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RJNorton Offline
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RE: John Wilkes Booth's Watch
(09-06-2012, 08:21 PM)J. Beckert Wrote: If anyone else has that book, did you notice the modern photo of the Mudd bed Booth slept in doesn't match either of the ones in the period photo?

Joe, are you referring to slight differences in the headboard and baseboard? I was comparing the photo in Kauffman's new book to the photo in Hal Higdon's book. If that is what you are talking about, then I think I see what you mean.
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09-08-2012, 09:53 AM,
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J. Beckert Offline
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RE: John Wilkes Booth's Watch
Sorry, Roger, I missed the question. Yes - that's what I meant. The new photo doesn't match either bed in the old photo.
"There are few subjects that ignite more casual, uninformed bigotry and condescension from elites in this nation more than Dixie - Jonah Goldberg"
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