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Mike Wood · 1 July 2016, 08:35 PM

I was very pleased to come across this silver cigarette box at a small auction in the south of England recently.

The auctioneer's listing described it as a gift from Hans Wilsdorf to his business partner Alfred Davis, the founders of Rolex.

The pre-sale estimate was a very modest £60... I submitted a bid m-a-n-y times more to secure this little piece of Rolex history!

Luck was on my side, and including commission it came to just over £74!!

After the sale, the auctioneer put me in touch with the vendor, the daughter-in-law of Alfred Davis (now in her late 80's), who very kindly wrote me a nice letter of provenance to accompany the box.

This certificate contains the relevant paragraphs:

I'm really thrilled to add this box to my collection for less than the cost of an empty Rolex watch box... and of course, it won't be for sale!

A very nice little find, I hope you'll agree!

HAGWE!

MW

dysondiver · 1 July 2016, 08:45 PM

well done indeed

Old Expat Beast · 1 July 2016, 08:47 PM

Wow, what a great find, Mike. Congratulations. And to be in touch with a relative of Alfred Davis, too. I've often wondered what became of him. Is his family still in the Rolex loop in any way?

It's interesting to hear another angle on how the name came about, too.

Thanks very much for posting.

cop414 · 1 July 2016, 08:53 PM

Fabulous story Mike, thanks for sharing it.

Haywood_Milton · 1 July 2016, 08:58 PM

Excellent! Well done indeed Mike :-)

crowncollection · 1 July 2016, 09:05 PM

Super find congrats

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

1William · 1 July 2016, 09:17 PM

Nice. Thanks for sharing.

andromeda160 · 1 July 2016, 10:30 PM

Very nice score, what a beautiful cigarette box, with an even better story to boot. I'd imagine it's worth more than 74 pounds without the provenance.

mannyv11 · 1 July 2016, 10:33 PM

Awesome Mike and congrats on a fantastic piece =)

MonBK · 1 July 2016, 10:34 PM

What a find Mike.

Do you even smoke?

How about turning it over to someone who does?

Mike Wood · 1 July 2016, 10:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MonBK

Do you even smoke?

I don't...but I can store my chewing gum!

MonBK · 1 July 2016, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Wood

I don't...but I can store my chewing gum!

It will be a Frankenbox.

fizz · 1 July 2016, 10:53 PM

Wow...great story and good job getting that letter. Always exciting, fun and engaging to read stuff like this.

bdex75 · 1 July 2016, 10:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MonBK

What a find Mike.

Do you even smoke?

How about turning it over to someone who does?

Agree. Great find and what a great opportunity to meet the daughter in law.

You could take up smoking in the name of Rolex??

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Dr.Smellody · 2 July 2016, 12:06 AM

That's awesome. What a find!

2ar2c1 · 2 July 2016, 02:25 AM

the right place at the right time, nice.

jban5 · 2 July 2016, 02:58 AM

That's a pretty amazing piece of history and a swell item to boot.

It couldn't have found itself in better company.

Nice that the auction house offered the introduction, your reputation for trustworthiness must be well known.

joli160 · 2 July 2016, 06:00 AM

Very cool find

Snow-Dweller · 2 July 2016, 06:08 AM

Congratulations on a great find. I hope you enjoy it to the full.

datejust24 · 2 July 2016, 06:15 AM

very cool piece of history....however...if your gonna take up smoking...don't start to smoke cigarettes

ref1655 · 2 July 2016, 06:28 AM

outstanding...you have probably procured the ultimate in Rolex-related paraphernalia.

BNA/LION · 2 July 2016, 06:46 AM

Sweet!

dbhak22 · 6 July 2016, 03:58 PM

Very cool! Thanks for sharing. These are the types of stories that make this forum great, :)

TickTopia · 6 July 2016, 04:05 PM

Very cool

1 July 2016, 08:35 PM	#1
Mike Wood "TRF" Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Real Name: Mike Wood Location: Liverpool UK Watch: Listen & Learn! Posts: 609	A gift from Hans Wilsdorf to Alfred Davis... I was very pleased to come across this silver cigarette box at a small auction in the south of England recently. The auctioneer's listing described it as a gift from Hans Wilsdorf to his business partner Alfred Davis, the founders of Rolex. The pre-sale estimate was a very modest £60... I submitted a bid m-a-n-y times more to secure this little piece of Rolex history! Luck was on my side, and including commission it came to just over £74!! After the sale, the auctioneer put me in touch with the vendor, the daughter-in-law of Alfred Davis (now in her late 80's), who very kindly wrote me a nice letter of provenance to accompany the box. This certificate contains the relevant paragraphs: I'm really thrilled to add this box to my collection for less than the cost of an empty Rolex watch box... and of course, it won't be for sale! A very nice little find, I hope you'll agree! HAGWE! MW

1 July 2016, 08:53 PM	#4
cop414 TRF Moderator & 2024 DATE-JUST41 Patron Join Date: Apr 2012 Real Name: Tim Location: Pennsylvania Watch: 14060M Posts: 71,828	Fabulous story Mike, thanks for sharing it. __________________ Rolex Submariner 14060M Omega Seamaster 2254.50 DOXA Professional 1200T Card carrying member of TRF's Global Association of Retro-Grouch-Curmudgeons TRF's "After Dark" Bar & NightClub Patron P Club Member #17 2 FA ENABLED

1 July 2016, 08:58 PM	#5
Haywood_Milton "TRF" Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Real Name: Yes, it is ! Location: Cheshire & Mersey Watch: Military issue Sub Posts: 1,319	Excellent! Well done indeed Mike :-) __________________ Comex:5513,5514,1665x2,16800x2,16600 Mil sub:5517x2,5513x9,5512 Submariner:6536/1x2,5508,5513 PCG u/line & double SWISS (America's Cup),5513 giltx2, 5513 m-firstx2,5513 gloss WGx2,1680 Red,1680 White Mk1 & Mk2 Sea-Dweller:1665 DRSDx3,Great Whitex3 GMT-Master:6542x2 (1 Bakelite),1675x8 (2 gilt), 16750 & SeaKing 116710LN Explorer:1016x6 (1 gilt),5500x3,14270 Blackout, Orange 1655 x4 Milgauss 1019x3 Cosmo 6263 *RNCD DSSD 116660.

1 July 2016, 09:05 PM	#6
crowncollection "TRF" Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Real Name: David Location: australia Posts: 20,157	Super find congrats Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk __________________ watches many

2 July 2016, 06:00 AM	#18
joli160 2024 ROLEX DATEJUST41 Pledge Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: NL Watch: Yachtmaster Posts: 14,352	Very cool find __________________ Day Date 18238, Yachtmaster 16622, Deepsea 116660, Submariner 116619, SkyD 326935, DJ 178271, DJ 69158, Yachtmaster 169622, GMT 116713LN, GMT 126711.

1 July 2016, 08:45 PM	#2
dysondiver "TRF" Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Real Name: tom Location: northern ireland Watch: my fins Posts: 10,063	well done indeed

1 July 2016, 08:47 PM	#3
Old Expat Beast TRF Moderator & 2024 DATE-JUST41 Patron Join Date: Jul 2013 Real Name: Adam Location: Hong Kong Watch: SEIKO Posts: 28,362	Wow, what a great find, Mike. Congratulations. And to be in touch with a relative of Alfred Davis, too. I've often wondered what became of him. Is his family still in the Rolex loop in any way? It's interesting to hear another angle on how the name came about, too. Thanks very much for posting.

1 July 2016, 09:17 PM	#7
1William 2024 ROLEX DATEJUST41 Pledge Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: North Carolina Watch: Rolex/Others Posts: 44,731	Nice. Thanks for sharing.

1 July 2016, 10:30 PM	#8
andromeda160 Banned Join Date: Dec 2012 Real Name: Greg Location: michigan Watch: Rolex Oyster Posts: 4,046	Very nice score, what a beautiful cigarette box, with an even better story to boot. I'd imagine it's worth more than 74 pounds without the provenance.

1 July 2016, 10:33 PM	#9
mannyv11 "TRF" Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Real Name: Manny Location: MA Watch: DD,Sub,GMT,Daytona Posts: 4,448	Awesome Mike and congrats on a fantastic piece =)

1 July 2016, 10:34 PM	#10
MonBK Banned Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Kingstown Posts: 58,281	What a find Mike. Do you even smoke? How about turning it over to someone who does?

1 July 2016, 10:53 PM	#13
fizz "TRF" Member Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: UAE Posts: 370	Wow...great story and good job getting that letter. Always exciting, fun and engaging to read stuff like this.

2 July 2016, 12:06 AM	#15
Dr.Smellody "TRF" Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Salem, OR Posts: 5,198	That's awesome. What a find!

2 July 2016, 02:25 AM	#16
2ar2c1 "TRF" Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: in a house Posts: 537	the right place at the right time, nice.

2 July 2016, 02:58 AM	#17
jban5 "TRF" Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: USA Watch: 5513~1675x2~1680~ Posts: 523	That's a pretty amazing piece of history and a swell item to boot. It couldn't have found itself in better company. Nice that the auction house offered the introduction, your reputation for trustworthiness must be well known.

2 July 2016, 06:08 AM	#19
Snow-Dweller 2024 Pledge Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Real Name: Clive Location: The Alps Watch: collections change Posts: 6,275	Congratulations on a great find. I hope you enjoy it to the full. __________________ . The path from WIShood to WISdom can have many turnings... ——————————————————————————————————— . 16803. 16570. 18038. 114300. BB58. GMW-B5000D.

2 July 2016, 06:15 AM	#20
datejust24 "TRF" Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Real Name: Chris Location: Cincinnati,Ohio Watch: Rolexssss Posts: 3,504	very cool piece of history....however...if your gonna take up smoking...don't start to smoke cigarettes

2 July 2016, 06:28 AM	#21
ref1655 Banned Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: SF Bay Area Watch: 1655/MkI Posts: 1,100	outstanding...you have probably procured the ultimate in Rolex-related paraphernalia.

2 July 2016, 06:46 AM	#22
BNA/LION 2024 ROLEX DATEJUST41 Pledge Member Join Date: May 2011 Real Name: Larry Location: San Diego, CA Watch: ROLEX Posts: 25,206	Sweet! __________________ ✦ 28238 President DD 18K/YG ✦ 16610LN SS Sub ✦ 16613 18K/SS Serti ✦ 16550 Exp II Non-Rail Cream Dial ✦ Daytona C 116500 ✦ 126710 BLRO GMT-Master II ✦ NEXT-->? ⛳ Hole In One! 10/3/19 DMCC 5th hole, par 3, 168 yards w/ 4-Iron.

6 July 2016, 03:58 PM	#23
dbhak22 2024 Pledge Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Real Name: Daniel Location: PNW Watch: ♛ Posts: 2,960	Very cool! Thanks for sharing. These are the types of stories that make this forum great, :) __________________ GMT II (16710) \| Explorer I (1016) \| Datejust I (116234) \| Submariner (1680) \| Day-Date (1803) \| Royal Oak (25594) \| FOIS (2998 spec) \| Submariner (16808)

6 July 2016, 04:05 PM	#24
TickTopia 2024 Pledge Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Wild West, USA Posts: 1,408	Very cool

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