Description:

ADOLF HITLER PRESENTATION GOLD POCKET WATCH GIVEN TO HEINRICH HIMMLER
An extraordinary and most desirable association piece of the highest quality, a superb A. Lange & Sohn, Glashutte gold cased pocket watch presented by Adolf Hitler to Reichsfuhrer-SS HEINRICH HIMMLER (1900-1945), the leader of the notorious SS who was in large part responsible for the deaths of millions of Jews, disabled, prisoners, and other innocents, who had befriended Hitler in 1923 and marched with him during the Beer Hall Putsch the same year. The watch is period-engraved on the case: ‘Weihnachten 1935 in herlichner Freundschaft' (‘Christmas 1935 in sincere friendship') followed by Hitler's engraved facsimile signature. The watch is fully described in an accompanying certificate issued by the German Watch Museum, Glasshutte in 2013 and signed by the curator. It describes the watch as a ‘Gold men's pocket watch with quarter repeater, Cal. 43, brand DUF. Manufacturer A. Lange & Sohne Glasshutte. Work No. 99907…Buyer Adolf Lunser, Berlin Date of Sale 16.12.35 Price of Sale 966 RM…Movement diameter 43 mm (flat version), gold hinged case with goutte clasps, fineness 0.585, case shape ‘Royal', brand DUF (Deutsche Uhrenfabrikation), 22 jewels, ratchet spring fine adjustment, quarter repeater, 3-part enamel dial, ‘Empire' numerals, 24-hour display (1-12 and 13-24), gold pear hands, case gold weight 67.7 g. Assessment: The identity of the watch with the above information is confirmed. Engraving on the hinged case: Christmas 1935, in cordial friendship, A. Hitler (gift to Heinrich Himmler)' Additional provenance is provided by a copy of the original invoice from A. Lange & Sohn to Berlin jewelers ‘A. Lunser'. The statement corresponds with the museum's information, confirming the date Dec. 16, 1935, price of 966 RM, and the serial number ‘99907'. The watch is further mentioned in an article 'Die Hitler-Uhren' ('The Hitler Watches') published in 'Glashutte Damals XXII' (copy included). 'Sister' watch 99906 is shown, whereas our watch, 99907, was in a private collection at the time and not included in detail. However, it appears in the listing of watches sold by A. Lange & Sohn to Lunserfrom 1934-39. Additionally, watches with identical engravings appear in the article, as does Himmler's name as a recipient of one of these extravagant gifts. We know that Hitler favored gifting gold watches and pens to his closest friends at Christmas, including Hermann Goring and Joseph Goebbels whose received watches of the highest quality. Goebbels' pocket watch disappeared at war's end, likely discovered by a Russian officer and soon melted down. However, Goring's watch survived the war. His gift from Hitler was a ‘Grande & Petite Sonnerie Clockwatch – Minute Repeating', also manufactured by A. Lange & Sohn but in 1905 and very rare. It too was purchased by Berlin jeweler A. Lunser and sold to Hitler. In 2006, Goring's watch brought over $600,000 at auction. Himmler's gift from his Fuhrer has a fascinating history, according to a 1987 letter (included) from SS-Brigadefuhrer and Generalmajor of the Waffen-SS THEODOR WISCH (1907–11 January 1995). Wisch was a commander of the SS Division Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler (LSSAH) and a recipient of the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords. He assumed command of the LSSAH in April 1943 and was seriously wounded in combat on the Western Front by a naval artillery barrage in the Falaise Pocket on 20 August 1944, and replaced as division commander by SS-Brigadefuhrer Wilhelm Mohnke. In his letter, Wisch writes: ‘…The Reichsfuhrer SS Heinrich Himmler had gone to northern Schleswig-Holstein. In the turmoil he decided, to make his way to the British Headquarters to negotiate a joint effort with Montgomery against the Russians advancing towards Europe. On his journey he had to find a way to the west across the River Elbe. Through my mediation, he was taken over by my well-known Major Walter Eggemann [(1911-1956), SS Major and Kommandufuhrer], recipient of the Knight's Cross…Panzer Das Reich Division, in the region of Brunbuttel, where Himmler crossed the river in a boat. At Bremervorde he [Himmler] was taken into British captivity, taken to the headquarters in Luneburg were he then committed suicide. As Himmler parted from Major Eggeman on the Elbe, he gave him his gold Glashutte watch he had received from Adolf Hitler Christmas 1935. Walter Eggemann died towards the end of the fifties. His widow left the watch to me. On the inside of the watch cover is engraved: ‘Christmas 1935'. Also engraved ‘in cordial friendship Adolf Hitler' [and] the manufacturer's mark and the fabrication number 99907. On 11 May 1987 I sold the watch to Mr. John-Jacob Engellau…' In 2013, the watch was consigned to German auctioneers Hermann Historica, possibly by Engellau's son though this cannot be fully proven. At the 66th Hermann Historica auction of May 8, 2013 the watch was bought by a well-known collector. The watch was not recognized at the time for its high quality and was instead described by Hermann as essentially ornamental and it bore a low estimate. Soon after the auction, our consignor, a collector of watches owned by notable individuals, learned of the piece and negotiated a private purchase with the auction purchaser. He then set forth obtaining substantiating documentation from the German Watch Museum in Glasshutte, had the watch cleaned after noting it had never been opened, and obtained an evaluation from Etienne Lemenager of Geneva auctioneers Antiquorum Geneve S.A. According to our consignor, following careful inspection confirmed its historical value, describing it as one of the ‘biggest sensations since the war's end', as this watch, as well as the Goebbels watch, had been thought to have been lost forever. This is undoubtedly one of the most significant World War II items to be offered in decades, a true piece of criminal evidence linking the two greatest mass murderers in world history.

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March 26, 2026 10:00 AM EDT
Elkton, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $499 $20
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $999,999 $10,000
$1,000,000 $1,999,999 $50,000
$2,000,000 + $100,000