Kent
07-04-2001, 07:48 AM
Stuart:
Admiral was a brand of Swiss watch that showed up frequently in Canada, although some examples have appeared in the U.S. and U.K. It was most likely a trade name and not the watch manufacturer's name. A friend of mine in the U.K., in Bristol, has a 21-jewel version, also in a Dennison case.
The Collingwood name on the dial indicates that the watch was contracted for, and marketed by, Collingwood. In the U.S., such watches are referred to as a 'private label,' or 'contract,' watch. Just about all the watch companies, including the Swiss firms, would mark both the watch movements and/or the dials in just about any manner for any customer who wished to pay for the service. I don't have any exact references for the costs, but I've heard (read?) that, for some companies, if five or more watches were ordered, there was no charge for marking the movements. Special dials were said to cost 25 or 50 cents each. These watches were contracted for by a large range of companies, from Sears, Roebuck down to the smaller jewelers in the little towns.
You should be able to find Collingwood in directories of English firms. Judging by examples of Admiral watches that I've seen, the period of 1905 - 1925 would be about right.
Regarding the Dennison case, "This was the most successful and best known of the English watch case manufacturers ..." says "Watch Case Makers of England," Philip T. Priestley, NAWCC Bulletin Supplement 20, Spring, 1994, on page 69. It was founded in Birmingham in 1874 by Aaron Lufkin Dennison (ALD), a person instrumental in the development of the American watch industry. A detailed history of the man and his company can be found in issues of the Horological Journal issues March - July 1986. This is the publication of the British Horological Institute (http://www.bhi.co.uk/).
Hope this helps,
Kent
[This message has been edited by Kent (edited 07-04-2001).]
Admiral was a brand of Swiss watch that showed up frequently in Canada, although some examples have appeared in the U.S. and U.K. It was most likely a trade name and not the watch manufacturer's name. A friend of mine in the U.K., in Bristol, has a 21-jewel version, also in a Dennison case.
The Collingwood name on the dial indicates that the watch was contracted for, and marketed by, Collingwood. In the U.S., such watches are referred to as a 'private label,' or 'contract,' watch. Just about all the watch companies, including the Swiss firms, would mark both the watch movements and/or the dials in just about any manner for any customer who wished to pay for the service. I don't have any exact references for the costs, but I've heard (read?) that, for some companies, if five or more watches were ordered, there was no charge for marking the movements. Special dials were said to cost 25 or 50 cents each. These watches were contracted for by a large range of companies, from Sears, Roebuck down to the smaller jewelers in the little towns.
You should be able to find Collingwood in directories of English firms. Judging by examples of Admiral watches that I've seen, the period of 1905 - 1925 would be about right.
Regarding the Dennison case, "This was the most successful and best known of the English watch case manufacturers ..." says "Watch Case Makers of England," Philip T. Priestley, NAWCC Bulletin Supplement 20, Spring, 1994, on page 69. It was founded in Birmingham in 1874 by Aaron Lufkin Dennison (ALD), a person instrumental in the development of the American watch industry. A detailed history of the man and his company can be found in issues of the Horological Journal issues March - July 1986. This is the publication of the British Horological Institute (http://www.bhi.co.uk/).
Hope this helps,
Kent
[This message has been edited by Kent (edited 07-04-2001).]