Keystone-Howard Series 11

[Kent]

I've been fooling around with the Keystone-Howard Series 11 and have come up with the following information and estimated runs/production. If anyone has examples of Series 11s that in-between the runs listed as maybe being continuous, or are outside of those runs, I'd appreciate knowing the serial number, case material, case type and bow type (oval, antique -sometimes referred to as French, or Safety Bow) - Thanks!

(Keystone - Howard) Railroad Chronometer, Series 11
Its hard to determine exactly when the series 11 was introduced. It apparently doesn't appear in any Keystone-Howard literature until 1919 (but perhaps a copy of an earlier ad or catalog page will come to light). The series 11 doesn't appear in Howard Watches - Catalogue No. 7, E. Howard Watch Works, 1918 (reprinted by the Arlington Book Co., Fairfax, VA, undated, but probably mid-1980’s). But, as strong of an indication of lack of availability that is, the absence doesn’t necessarily mean that the series 11 wasn’t being made at that time. Only a year later, the series 11 is included in a Keystone Watch Case Co. Material Catalog, Keystone Watch Case Co., 1919. reprinted by Clock Works Press, Shingle Springs, CA, 1999.

The earliest pricing that can be found is $75.00 in an April 1922 mail-order ad for L.W. Sweet (http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y284/walt845/1922_Apr_Railroad_Trainman_Pg_271.jpg). For comparison, a June 1922 ad from the same company offered a 21-jewel Bunn Special in a 20-year case for $57.50, or a 992, also in a 20-year case, for $60.00. Both of these are a little early to be in factory cases. SCAN & POST AD

The position of the series 11 in the Keystone-Howard line can be seen by its relative pricing, which is now $80.00 (Cat. No. 1195), on a 1926 Distributor Catalog Page (http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y284/walt845/1926_Otto_Young_Catalog.jpg). The series 10 movement in the same case is $90.00 (Cat. No. 1095).

Based on information in a data base of railroad watch information that Ed Ueberall and Kent Singer maintain, there were approximately 23,600 series 11 watches made.

If the runs shown as possibly being continuous actually are, the total is approximately 25,400.

If the runs (except the last) begin and end at even thousands (there are no reported watches in-between), the total is approximately 26,300.

There are several series 11 watches reported outside of the runs shown below, and there are several non-series 11 watches reported within those runs. These may represent small runs, or perhaps more likely, they are errors in reporting or transcribing.

The size of the early (lower serial numbered) runs, consisting of 5,000 and 6,000 watches, suggests that the serial numbers were pre-assigned as a block and that smaller runs were built within the block as needed. It is highly unlikely that a company the size of Keystone-Howard would have built 5,000 of one grade of watch without building other grades in-between. Thus, serial number vs. date tables based upon the serial numbers being in chronological order are flawed to a greater or lesser extent.

Note that the double bar "Safety Bow" case shown on the 1926 Distributor Catalog Page (http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y284/walt845/1926_Otto_Young_Catalog.jpg) is a late development, only appearing on the last five runs of series 11's .

Serial Numbers of Keystone-Howard Series 11 Railroad Chronometer Watches
1,181,001 - 1,187,000 - 6,000 - May be continuous run with following run
1,188,101 - 1,189,600 - 1,500 - May be continuous run with previous run
1,260,001 - 1,265,000 - 5,000___________________________________
1,283,001 - 1,283,400 - 0,400 - May be continuous run with following run
1,283,801 - 1,284,000 - 0,200 - May be continuous run with previous run
1,311,001 - 1,313,000 - 2,000 - May be continuous run with following run
1,313,301 - 1,314,000 - 0,700 - May be continuous run with previous run
1,317,001 - 1,319,000 - 2,000 - Only one reported in Safety Bow Case
1,360,001 - 1,362,700 - 2,700 - Many (if not all) in Safety Bow Case
1,374,001 - 1,375,000 - 1,000 - Many (if not all) in Safety Bow Case
1,378,201 - 1,379,000 - 0,800 - Many (if not all) in Safety Bow Case
1,385,001 - 1,386,000 - 1,000 - Many (if not all) in Safety Bow Case
1,396,001 - 1,396,300 - 0,300 - Many (if not all) in Safety Bow Case

Total Series 11 Prod: - 23,600 (approximately)

[rrwatch]

To add a little to Kent's data....

All of the Series 11 Railroad Chronometers seem to have come from the factory with either a single sunk Arabic or a single sunk Montgomery dial. We do not have examples of any of these dials with 24 hour markings.

The last two runs,
1,385,001 - 1,386,000 - 1,000 and
1,396,001 - 1,396,300 - 300
were adorned with a circular damaskeening pattern, rather than the plain brushed finish found on the earlier movements.

The Series 11 also used two different barrel bridges, one to accommodate a small round click, the other a long, straight, bar shaped click. How these were distributed though the runs in not known.

[John Pavlik]

Kent and Ed,

Great information....If I may ask...What do you base the late double bar case information on.. that it is Not being shown earlier ?? Just questioning the example I have.. Movement #1186390 with white gold filled Dbl bar case # 1587840... I bought this from a lady that had it under a dome..that not being to unusual, but it had a plastic crystal, the kind that yellows.. and yup, all the hands were rusted.. so much so that when I touched them they fell apart.. all 3... other than that the case and movement appear to be unused..Could you tell me when the old plastic crystals started.. If this movement was switched to a new case it must of been a long time ago..

[Kent]

Kent and Ed,
...
What do you base the late double bar case information on.. that it is Not being shown earlier ??
...


Well, the earliest catalog representation we have of the double bar Safety Bow case is that 1926 catalog page. We'd love it if somebody could post a scan of an earlier catalog sheet or ad, or at least report its existence, along with the watch catalog number (the one shown in 1926 is No. 1195).

Ed and I have been accumulating data on surviving examples for a long time now and that's what the table posted above is based upon. The data has come from direct observation in antique shops, at chapter meetings and regional & national convention marts; reports from other watch collectors; offerings in a number of mail-order dealer lists; eBay and other internet watch sales sites; other internet picture postings, such as this message board; and pictures with descriptions in publications, including the Bulletin.

Thanks for describing your series 11, that is one more to add to the data base.


...
Could you tell me when the old plastic crystals started.. If this movement was switched to a new case it must of been a long time ago..

I think that there have been previous posts on when the plastic crystals became available - I'll leave the searching for them to others (I'm not too good at it). However, my impression is 1915, but they may be earlier than that.

I sincerely doubt that series 11 serial number 1,186,390 originally came in a Safety Bow case. But, the original owner could have liked them when they became available and had it changed at that time.

[rrwatch]

Germanow-Simon Machine Company, now GS Supplies Co, started out in 1916, according to their website, http://www.gssupplies.com/. They were one of the largest US manufacturers of plastic watch crystals. I do not know if there were plastic crystals made prior to 1916.
A yellow/green crystal is one of the oldest of the plastic crystals, and as you note, can be destructive to hands and cannon pinions when left on a watch after they change color. The more modern crystals do not have this problem.

[John Pavlik]

Thank you both....Don't ya just wonder how some of these case movement things from long ago happen . :confused:

[Kent]

Sometimes it is very clear how case changes happen. Here is an excerpt from the 1925 watch repair ledger of Dr. George F. Ritchie, a CPR watch inspector in Calgary, Alberta. It shows him putting a new case, dial and (heavy) hands on an 18-size, 21-jewel Waltham (model 92 Crescent St.) along with cleaning it.