American 18K gold full hunter lever pocket watch Circa 1887

Gold full hunter by E. Howard & Co.
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An American gold keyless wind pocket watch by E. Howard & Co., Boston, circa 1887. Cut and compensated bimetallic balance movement. White enamel dial, black Roman numerals, black outer minute track with Arabic numeral markers, subsidiary seconds at 6 and blued steel Roman style hands. 18 Carat engine turned hinged open face full hunter case, cuvette engraved ‘Hiram W. Johnson 21 Sept 2d 1887’. Case, dial and movement signed. With Hiram Johnson election campaign pamphlet, letter addressed to Hiram Johnson’s wife, related research.

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Diameter: 52 mm
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Signed: E. Howard & Co. Boston
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The current lot belonged to Hiram Warren Johnson (1866-1945) who was born in Sacramento, California and attended the public schools before going on to the University of California at Berkeley where he studied law. After qualifying and practicing from 1888 he moved to San Francisco in 1902. He became assistant district attorney of San Francisco and was one of the founders of the Progressive Party in 1912 and a nominee for Vice President of the United States with Theodore Roosevelt. He was Governor of California between 1911 and 1917 and elected as a Republican to the United States Senate in 1916 but, preferring to continue as Governor, did not assume his senatorial duties until March 1917. He was re-elected in 1922, 1928, 1934 and again in 1940 and served until his death.