south bend display case

[Lindell V. Riddle]

OK here's your answer: NO, YES, AND NO!

South-Bend did not manufacture any of the sample cases as such, but they did have movement sample cases.

For quite a few years all movements were shipped to the retail jeweler in what the factory referred to as "Skeleton Cases". These were glass on front and back with a nickle outer ring around the circumference on both sides.

The ones I have and all that I have seen carry a patent date of May 14, 1907, and above the patent date, "SOUTH-BEND WATCH CO., SOUTH BEND, IND."

To open and close you "twist" the two sides in opposite directions and pull it apart. The least common have a hole that would allow the jeweler access to wind the movement, set the hands and run it for inspection prior to being cased.

I'm sure what you were hoping to find is the "Salesman's Sample" or exibition-type case such as you might associate with Hamilton, Illinois and other makes with a crown and bow as well as the watch manufacturer's name.

I can only tell you there are no known examples of such cases or even so much as a printed reference or photograph.

I have in my collection a very elaborate leather-covered 2-watch presentation-style box marked "SOUTH-BEND The Studebaker RAILROAD WATCH".

The piano-hinged top is secured with a high quality latch, and the box opens up to reveal the two display wells that show both the 17-jewel 223 and the 21-jewel 229 "The Studebaker" resting in velvet-lined wells.

The watch movements are both housed in plain polished but un-marked 18-size display cases with glass front and back. I would say that if "South-Bend" marked display cases existed they would have been included with this beautiful and immensely rare set.

I can tell you that if such a thing as you are seeking should ever surface it would be highly sought after and very expensive.

I wish I could tell you there were such things, and that I had a number of them for you to choose from, but I am afraid the answer is simply "no".


Lindell V. Riddle

The Studebaker Watch Company

<southbend@adelphia.net>

[Kent]

Lindell:

Surely you mean 323 and 329 "The Studebaker"s in 18-size cases, or 223 and 229 "The Studebaker"s in 16-size cases?

Kent

[Lindell V. Riddle]

Kent,

Whoa! Of course you are right, 18-size "The Studebaker" models in question are the open-faced 17-jewel 323 and 21-jewel 329 both maked "The Studebaker" in script on the movement.

( 2-MANY 2"S AND 3'S... OH WELL! )

As you know Kent, there is one other 18-size "The Studebaker" and that is the hunter-cased 21-jewel 328 which is extremely rare. We believe less than 200 of the grade 328 were actually produced.

In 16 size, we have two "The Studebaker" models and THOSE are the 17-jewel 223 and the 21-jewel 229 and both are marked "The Studebaker" in script on the movement.

The aforementioned five models are the only "The Studebaker" watches produced. They are all lever-set and RR grade. They came only with "South-Bend" on the dial. They have beautifully finished plates and are highly sought after today.

There is considerable confusion involving two lesser grade watches built between 1923 and 1929 and sold through mail-order advertising by The Studebaker Watch Company. These are the 16-size and the 12-size "8 adjustment" PENDANT-SET NON-RAILROAD GRADE watches we call "mail-order Studebakers". These were built in big volume and are very commonly available today.

The mail-order Studebaker watches had STUDEBAKER in bold, block letters on the movement, plainly finished plates, and were the ONLY watches ever produced with "Studebaker" on their painted dial. It is NEVER correct for one of those watches to be equipped with a "South-Bend" dial, and it is never correct for any other watch to say "Studebaker" on the dial.

Remember this, the only watches that will correctly have "Studebaker" on the dial are the lesser grade pendant-set "mail-order" watches. They will have 7-digit serial numbers that start with a "1" whereas the five high-grade "The Studebaker" lever-set RR watches will have 6-digit serial numbers that will NEVER start with a "1".

For years, unscrupulous sellers have been switching dials, in order to confuse the unsuspecting buyer, so the lesson is to look very carefully and avoid buying inaccurate, "put-together" watches.

I apologize for my earlier mistake in typing and I hope at least some of this information is of help.


Lindell

[LStratton]

corkball54
I have several NOS 16s glass back display cases with string tags on them from the South Bend Watch Co. The cases are not marked and I have never seen a marked one. No way to tell if these are original or not or if someone just put these tags on them.

Lindel
Why do you think that the glass back display cases on the watches in your leather 2 watch box are original? When this box was making the rounds several years ago, the watches were not included.