18S Hampdens and pinned dials

[HenryB]

I am slowly putting back together Hampden No. 707654 (18S Anchor - In- Shield grade), made about 1890.
(And incidently thank you Greg F. for the Yoke Springs, turns out I need both, as I broke the first one).

It had a pinned dial, with no provision for any side mounting dial screws. I thought that was unusual, to see a pinned dial in 1890.

I had noticed the same pinned dial arrangement previously on a 425xxx Railway I have).

Question for you repair guys, what has been your experience with 18S Hampdens and pinned dials ?

Did Hampden go all pinned dials, then switch finally over to screw dials?

Does the 16S Hampdens also have pinned dials around 1890 ?

[Tom Huber]

Hi Henry, I have seen pinned dials around the 1890 period also. It seems that Hampden was using up some earlier parts to complete watches.

Also of note are the model 2 "Railway" grades. From the earliest Springfield models( I have one from the first run) up to at least 647,xxx, two dial feet are pinned and the third is screw mounted.

I have a "New Railway" grade model 2, SN 784,xxx that has all three feet screw mounted.

Tom

[HenryB]

Tom
After your post, I re-examined the HC Model 2 Anchor in Shield Grade (17 J and about the third best grade of 18S Hampden was manufacturing in 1890, after the Special and New Railways) and the double sunk dial indeed had two feet pinned and the the third foot (at 12 o'clock) is screwed from the side. Fortunately for me the screw was not tight after I removed the pins.

So maybe the cutoff on 18S HC double sunk two foot pinned dials is somewhere between 704xxx and 784xxx ??

[HenryB]

Mistake in my previous post, the position of the one screwed dial foot is 3:00 on the dial, with the screw hole right next to the winding arbor.

[Kent]

Henry:

Just in case anybody doubts that the 17-jewel Anchor and John C. Dueber Special Hampden grades were used in railroad time service, take a look at what some Watch Inspectors of the New York Central & Hudson River Rail Road (http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y284/walt845/1896_Dec_NYCHR_Inspectors_LR.jpg) had to say on the subject.

The fine print under the locomotive in the letterhead reads:
"Empire State Exparess, Engine 999, Tuesday, May 9th 1893.
112-1/2 Miles an Hour - One Mile in 32 Seconds."

[HenryB]

Wonderful attachment Kent and thank you for showing it.

Personally, I am an 18S nut, and will have to do a bit of reading to figure out the the top grades of 18S Hampden at different points in time.

In 1890, The Railways had virtually been phased out of manufacturing the year before, so then the Anchor Grade moved up to take its place for the "Third Spot" in the Hampden Hierarchy.

But there were not that many Anchors produced, so five years later, what watch held the Number 3 spot ?

When did the John C. Dueber Specials, 21 J The Dueber Watch Co, and the John Hancocks and others enter and leave the picture ?

Actually kinda interesting thought.

Certainly the highest recommended article on my list, is the October 2005 NAWCC Bulletin-The Railroad Corner article by Kent Singer and Ed Uberall--Article on the Highgrade Hampdens.

[Kent]

Going into 1890, Dueber-Hampden's 15-jewel Railway grade was at the top of their line, But as 1890 progressed, the company sent out press releases indicating that it was preparing a new line of 17-jewel watches. The 17-jewel Special Railway grade was announced in the spring of 1890, but quantities may not have appeared until late 1890. It was followed by the 17-jewel New Railway and the Anchor grades. At the same time, the John C. Dueber and John C. Dueber Special grades, seemingly introduced during 1890 were Upjeweled to 17 Jewels (http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y284/walt845/1891_Oct_Hampden_JCD_Spcl_LR.jpg).

Probably to use up existing stocks, the Railway grade was offered as a center-jeweled watch (i.e., upjeweled to 17-jewels). Nevertheless, it was Discontinuted (http://static.flickr.com/28/44404828_a7f3510db7_o.jpg) by the fall of 1891.

The 1896 Marshall Field Jewelry Catalog was still offering the 17-jewel Special Railway, New Railway, Anchor and John C. Dueber Special grades. This can be seen at:
elginwatches.org/scans/sales_catalogs/1896_Marshall_Field/m_pg_191.html
To view, go to the Elgin Watch Collectors Site Home Page at elginwatches.org, then copy and paste the address in your browser's address bar and click on 'Go'.

In 1898, Montgomery Ward (http://static.flickr.com/44/137200854_413836622d_o.jpg) was still offering the 17-jewel Special Railway, New Railway, John C. Dueber Special and John C. Dueber grades. The Anchor grade may still have been in production at that time, but I'm not sure.

Meanwhile, the 21-jewel John Hancock and 23-jewel Special Railway and New Railway grades had become available by January 1898 (http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y284/walt845/1898_JanHampden_JH-SR.jpg).

Around 1900, the 21-jewel Special Railway grade was introduced.

I'm not clear when the 21-jewel North American Railway and Dueber Watch Co. grades became available, but the 17-jewel John C. Dueber was Reintroduced (http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y284/walt845/1908_Jun_24_JCD_LR.jpg) as a railroad grade watch, adjusted to five positions.

Note: These are all 18-size watches I've been discussing.

[HenryB]

Very Fascinating Kent, and thank you for taking the time to "dig up" all the information and brochure.:clap::clap: