Ball Waltham Up/Down wind indicater!

[Ball992B]

I observed today what I would consider to be a very rare watch.
This was at the regional in St. Louis.

It was a 21 jewel Ball Waltham up/down wind indicater.
It was in a Watham style antique stirrup bow case.
I did get to wind it up from a dead start.

It was not for sale, only for lookin at.

The condition was Extra fine.

I was told that only 50 were made and that quite possibly only a handful remain.

I thought I would post this as a witness that this animal do exsist.

[Ball992B]

I observed today what I would consider to be a very rare watch.
This was at the regional in St. Louis.

It was a 21 jewel Ball Waltham up/down wind indicater.
It was in a Watham style antique stirrup bow case.
I did get to wind it up from a dead start.

It was not for sale, only for lookin at.

The condition was Extra fine.

I was told that only 50 were made and that quite possibly only a handful remain.

I thought I would post this as a witness that this animal do exsist.

[Kent]

Ball992B:

What was the serial number? Up until this moment, I thought that there were only 19-jewel Waltham-Ball Wind Indicators.

Kent

[Ball992B]

Kent,
I didn't get the serial. What is worse is I didn't get the young fella's name either.

Evidently his father or grandfather was a RR watch inspecter. I do remember only that he was from Iowa as under his name was his home town on his ID card for the show.

I had only known of the 19 jewel version (never seen one) through reading.

I did buy an up/down Vanguard from him. And just missed a 161A in a 2 tone case #173 by way of hem-haw.

He also had, not for sale a 23j Maximus U/D in a signed Maximus case. Also not for sale a 23J 60 hr Sangamo special in the original Aluminum box.

Lets assume I am mistaken (I read 21 jewels on the movement) How accurate is the information of only 50 19 jewel models produced? Don

[Kent]

Don:

I've never before heard any stories about the number of Ball Wind Indicators made. I once asked Bill Meggers about them and he replied that only two or three were known to exist (as survivors).

The two serial numbers that I know about are both 19-jewel Waltham-Ball's, B234,852 and B235,985. Pictures of both of these have been published (although one was published in a mail-order dealers list).

Kent

[rrstd]

Ball992B,

I am quite familiar with the particular watch you are refering to and believe it is a 19J. I will email the owner and verify.

Rhett



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[Ball992B]

Kent & Rhett,
Maybe old Ball992B's eye's are getting bad.
It may well have been a 19. 3 was the number this young fella had mentioned that were known.

What a crazy watch. He had a scad of ORC, RRT, & RRF&E buttons and pins and a couple fobs that belonged to either his father or grandfather. This ring a bell Rhett? Don

[Kent]

Rhett:

I hope that you'll also get the serial number.

Thanks,
Kent :smile:

[rrstd]

Ball992B and Kent,

I checked with the owner. The subject watch is infact a 19J. Kent for your records the serial number is B234878.

Rhett

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[JohnL]

I've also heard the number "50" of these UP/Down Ball Indicators as the production number. I don't have any hard evidence other than to say I've been told by Other collectors who have had this watch in their collection that the number produced was 50, 19J Ball Up/down's.

[Kent]

Rhett:

Thanks for checking up on it. That's one more in the data base now!

Kent :smile: