Lot 321, Auction 3/19/2026: 19th C. Gold Watch Fob on Rattlesnake Skin Strap

$520.00

In stock

United States, ca. 19th to early 20th century CE. This unusual watch fob pairs a gold swivel clasp and decorative gold seal mount with a stitched rattlesnake-skin strap, likely assembled from earlier 19th century components. The seal edge bears an incised mark that appears to read “PALPOG” (maker or meaning unknown). Accompanied by a typewritten note: “Watch fob made of rattlesnake skin. It was made by Lucy Baking Powder. The metal parts were taken from an old fob belonging to the father of Grace Rozendal while she was living with her aunt and uncle who were living on the reservation where they home steaded.” While this provenance cannot be verified, the account aligns plausibly with a historically documented Grace Rozendal associated with that region (see extended description below). Size of snakeskin: 5.25″ L x 1.25″ W (13.3 cm x 3.2 cm); fob: 1.5″ L x 1″ W (3.8 cm x 2.5 cm); gold quality: 52% to 67% (equivalent to 12K+ to 16K+)

The South Dakota State Historical Society holds transcripts and stories attributed to Grace Rozendal (b. 1905). A brief summary in the Women’s History Archives notes that she lived near the Cheyenne River Reservation, and her collection includes reminiscences of homesteading and interactions with Cheyenne communities, making the note’s association with this watch fob a plausible possibility.

Condition: Rubbing and fading to the gold surface of the seal. Clasp and other gold fittings are intact and excellent. Snake skin has some fraying to peripheries, but otherwise intact and stable.

Provenance: private Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, USA collection

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