Bill Anderson discovered a Chelsea Clock Co. Chelsea Comet bearing the initials "J.F.K." and spent decades researching its provenance. He bought the clock on eBay in 1999 for $280 after a New Hampshire dealer acquired it at an estate sale in Wellesley, Massachusetts. Anderson, a retired watchmaker and collector, pursued information through online hobbyist message boards and sought records at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. His inquiries led to archives stored in a refrigerated vault in a former limestone mine in Pennsylvania. The search became an enduring personal quest that combined historical interest, collecting zeal and the lure of a Camelot connection.
It looked like a ship's wheel, a kitschy bit of decor you might see at a nautically themed bar. But he was drawn to it because of its maker. Timepieces from Chelsea Clock Co. were renowned for their design and precision. The company's clocks could once be found on Navy battleships during World War II, and adorned mantels, walls and desks at the White House for presidents ranging from Dwight Eisenhower to Joe Biden.
Anderson, a retired watchmaker and collector, was particularly interested in the base of the Chelsea Comet, which was engraved with the initials "J.F.K." John Fitzgerald Kennedy? Although watch collectors obsess over celebrity ownership, and a Camelot connection counts for a lot, the prospect of a payday was only part of the allure for Anderson. The mystery of the clock's provenance - could it possibly be the real deal? - has animated his life for years.
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