Case Question

[Jerry Treiman]

My first thought is that it might have been gold plated at a later date. Is there any sign of wear-through? I will try later this evening to look at some references to identify the casemaker, if someone else does not beat me to it. Nice watch, by the way -- the 1870 model Crescent St. is an important item in the history of railroad watches.

[Tom McIntyre]

The lion passant only means sterling when it is accompanied by the town mark and date letter. In this case it might mean sterling, but there is no guarantee. On the other hand it is an 1870 model Crescent St., which is a high grade watch, so it is likely to be sterling.

Tom McIntyre
Waiting...
Tommy the JOAT's Web (http://www.AWCo.org)

[Jerry Treiman]

I could not find any notations in my sources referring to P.B. & Co., unless it is a later version of Peters & Boss (Philadelphia 1856-1860). Is the case gold-colored or is that a trick of the lighting? With this particular movement, and without town or date marks typical of English silver, I am assuming that this must be an American-made case. There have been several discussions recently about American cases with English-style hallmarks.

[John Pavlik]

I have a listing for a Piquet Bros from New york. Active from 1856-1876. Dates match. I think this is a gold case. I am not an expert but I was under the impression the lion passant signified in American cases it is the "real" thing, be it gold or silver. Much like the Eagle hallmark. The initialing of this case appears to be American an not the British way of marking cases...As always open to correction...

John Pavlik

[Hans Dahlke]

s.t.

I think that the initials are those of Palmer Batchelder & Co. of Boston, a large wholesale distributor or supply house. They also made (that should probably read "fitted") cases for E. Howard movements. My movement was sold by the E. Howard Co. to P.B. & Co. (according to what Dana Blackwell wrote from the factory records). The case is coin silver and marked COIN, so yours may very well be gold. Mine does not have the lion hallmark. Dana also mentioned that this company had a disastrous fire that destroyed their whole building (I don't remember if he said when, probably in the late 1880s).

Hans