Ball Hampden Hi Grade

[BILL KAPP]

Hi guys and gals,

Another one sold on ebay last week.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MEWA:IT&ih=017

Interesting Moorehouse style dial on this one!

I haven't figured out how to do those URL's correctly so you will have to copy/paste the above.

To my knowledge, there are just over 30 of these Ball Hampdens known to survive. 80 percent of them are superior grades and 10 percent of them are Hi grades, the remaining 10 percent are just marked Ball's Standard, Cleveland O.

Anyone who knows of any other Ball Hampden's not on my list located at

http://williamkapp.tripod.com/id29.htm , it would be appreciated if you would let me know.

happy hunting,

Bill Kapp

[Fred Hansen]

Your link worked just fine for me and congrats on the buy Bill!

If you can take some photos or have the seller's permission to use the auction images it would be great to see photos added to this thread, as the eBay link will die within a few months.

I'd also be interested to know if the dial is signed by Josiah Moorhouse on the rear ... these dials sure seem to have that "look" ... but a few similar other Hampden-Ball dials I've seen haven't been signed on the rear.

Fred

[BILL KAPP]

Thanks Fred,

Its in the mail, when I get it, I will take it to chap 52's watch wiz, Marty.

He will take it apart, determine what needs repair and i will be there with my camera, just like I did with the RRWCO. It would be neat if that dial was signed!

My pics aren't the greatest, but I have gotten a little better! Should be good enough for our purposes. Strangely enough, my camera takes better pics than my new scanner, even tho the scanner copies print beautifully. Hi tech meets low talent!

Did you notice that the movement serial number is the lowest reported so far? Excepting of course that Whitcomb/Ball that the museum has.

There are two lower numbers on my list but they are Hampden marked movements with Ball PL dials. We will never know if they were married or were bought by Ball that way.

happy hunting,

[Jerry Treiman]

Are the train parts for this watch standard Hampden material? It looks like it is missing the barrel, and possibly the escape wheel and pallet fork as well.

[BILL KAPP]

Jerry,

I will let you know after we get it taken apart. Fortunately I have access to standard Hampden material, but hopefully it won't be too bad.

Either way, I am delighted with this puppy and feel fortunate to be the new caretaker. Any restoration will be done correctly and with the greatest care and respect.

For those of you who are not NAWCC members, this is one of the reasons why land based chapters and general membership is so important. The knowledge base and willingness to share information and skills make membership not only a true bargain but a delightful experience.

I love the research and acquiring these little treasures, but without the help and observations of all of you, I would be lost. I have minimal mechanical skills and am greatful for the assistance that I get from internet and land based sources.

Happy hunting.

[BILL KAPP]

Hi again,

Well, we have taken it apart. It needs a barrel and mainspring, roller jewel, pallet fork, two broken jewels, two broken screws, and the case screws.

That said, it will be beautiful when it is finished. I am thrilled to be its caretaker.

This is the earliest Hampden Ball to have surfaced to date and it is one of three marked Ball's Standard Hi Grade.

The Moorehouse style dyle has markings on the back.
Appears to be 8/21 and then 9 ' C. I specula
te that this is similar to the fergueson almost look alikes that were probably done to avoid the fees invlolved. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery!

The case is two pieces with the anit magnetic shield being an insert. Both are marked as Walthams. one is pat from 79 and the other in 83.


Happy hunting,

[BILL KAPP]

Hi again guys and gals,

Well it is finished. A total of 6 jewels needed to be replaced in addition to the repairs I mentioned above. It also needed to be restaffed and one of the pillars had a broken screw that had to be dealt with.

After restoration and adjusting, it is keeping time to a few seconds a day. The coin silver case shined up respectable enough. It has a few character dents on the bottom 6 position. The glass 3/8 in crystal is badly scratched and I think i will try to polish the worst of the scratches out but keep the old glass.

Other examples of Moorehouse style dials, including a pic sent to me by Fred Hansen can be seen at:

http://williamkapp.tripod.com/id29.htm

Happy hunting,

[Bryan Eyring]

Fine choice keeping this in it's original case. Many with less scruples would have opted to recase it.

Good job on preserving our horological history and congratulations on your acquisition!


Regards,
Bryan

[BILL KAPP]

Thanks Bryan,

A nice feature of this case is that it is coin silver and relatively soft and plyable. If I run across a skilled metal worker, I will get their opinion on working out the small dents from about the 4-7 O'clock positions. The big ugly stain seen in the ebay pics was just some sort of grease or lacquer spill. It peeled right off.

I am thrilled with its overall appearance! Mint would be nice and of course everyone wants the best example possible, but when you are dealing with small quantities like this with only 3 known survivors, you take what you can get.

Happy hunting,
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[BILL KAPP]

Hi again guys and gals,

I found this ad in the March 1888 monthly journal of the BLE. Looking thru the late 80's and early 90's journals, there are a lot of ads for non magnetic movements and shields as well as a Deuber full page ad debunking the concept.

This ad that I am posting is most probably the very shield that was found in my Ball Hampden High Grade.
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