FR EN
1 / 5
a piece of paper with writing on it next to a piece of paper with writing on ita piece of paper with writing on it sitting on top of a tablea close up of a piece of paper with writing on itseveral old envelopes are on display in a glass caseseveral old envelopes with stamps and a wax seal on a table
Rossini

163 - PHILIPPE, Jean Adrien (1815–1894), French watchmaker and inv…
See original version (French)

Estimate €300 - €500
Sale commission
Description
PHILIPPE, Jean Adrien (1815–1894), French watchmaker and inventor, co-founder of the Patek Philippe watchmaking brand in Switzerland. Signed autograph letter addressed to Joseph Antoine BENASSY. Geneva, 17 August 1875. 2 pp. in-8. Envelope preserved. A rare letter from the master watchmaker addressed to J.-A. Benassy, his future son-in-law who would go on to become director of Patek Philippe. Philippe refers to the upcoming weddings of his two daughters: Louise Antoinette PHILIPPE (born in 1853), who is to marry his correspondent, the watchmaker Joseph Antoine BENASSY, and the marriage of his third daughter, Renée Justine Alexandrine PHILIPPE (born in 1856), to Charles Arthur William Tufnell Klug. ‘[…] I have some news to share with you which, I hope, will not upset you too much. It concerns a three-week delay in our marriage plans. The reason is as follows: Mr Klug has asked to bring his wedding forward from the date that had originally been set. We had initially thought that the wedding would not take place until spring, but once the arrangements were finalised, and given that the young couple are able to see each other every day, we realised that it could not be put off for so long. Louise’s wedding naturally speeds things up, and has led all our acquaintances to remark that they cannot understand why we are not holding both ceremonies at the same time, on the same day. Indeed, as it is impossible to wait until next spring, given Mr Klug’s impatience, it would be truly strange and almost ridiculous to hold the weddings of two sisters a month or six weeks apart, when the first would barely have returned from her honeymoon […]. As for holding both weddings on 22 September, that is not feasible because of all the preparations involved, and because of the Klug family. We have therefore thought of postponing it to 15 August. I say the 15th without wishing to fix that exact day; I mean around the 15th. I spoke to Louise about this minor inconvenience and your plans; she is rather upset about it, though she has understood the need to make a decision and will resign herself to it, albeit with a bit of a pout, but it will pass. Please do be so kind as to let me know if you accept our arrangements; even if there is a slight tinge of resentment involved, it will be just like Louise’s: it will pass […]’. Louise Antoinette and Joseph Antoine did indeed marry two months later, on 18 October 1975. Following the death of Jean Adrien Philippe in 1894, Joseph Antoine Benassy took over the management of Patek-Philippe watches. RARE. Enclosed: 5 envelopes addressed to Messrs Patek, Philippe & Co.
See original version (French)
Auto-translation. Refer to original language for legal validity.
About the sale CLASSICAL ART, Asian collection, antique paintings & works of art
Auction location
Auction time 11/04/2026 at 2:00 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
You may also like