18 Size Bunns

[ben_hutcherson]

These have always been an interesting watch to me. They tend to be quite well finished and have 15-19j, but they are often overshadowed by their "big brother" 21j+ Bunn Specials.

I've acquired several, and mostly as private labels. Still, some variants tend to be on the scarce with low 3 digit and two digit production numbers.

I have some that I will try to show later, but in the mean time here's one of what's probably the more recognized patterns. This one is 17j, and came to me with a grade-appropriate dial from a Kentucky(Louisville) jeweler.



So, let's see what you all have!

 

[luvsthetick]

Here is one I have had for years.

 

[terry hall]

PL also


I'll have to dig for others, will take a while

 

[terry hall]

believe found one mo...

 

[Christopher Burris]

I can add a few

 

[terry hall]

great assortment, one grade 103 in the mix?

 

[ben_hutcherson]

This one is my favorite Bunn, even though the two-toning is rather weak on it.

This watch has two things that make me like it.

First of all, Fred sold it to me at the Dayton National a few years back because it IS my favorite PL-Fred Pieper, Covington KY. I have several watches marked for them, including a beautiful earlyish 21j Bunn Special(I'd love to find a 24j-one got snatched on Ebay around Christmas for $50). Pieper was prolific RR watch inspector in Covington, and of course these higher grade PLs from him tick a lot of boxes for me in that they ARE higher grade PLs from a Kentucky jeweler.

Fred didn't point it out to me(although I'm sure he knew) that it's actually a fairly low production variant. I don't know what the exact numbers are(not sure anyone does) but this is a 17j pendant set Bunn. PS is somewhat more common in 16j Bunns, but I understand that the 17j ones are not so easy to find.

 

[ben_hutcherson]

BTW, I have to once again give my thanks to the Honorable Director Sir John Cote for his multitude of lighting advice. I've been fighting for years to get photographs of some of these watches where the damaskeen was visible and all the markings were legible. He advised me that there's no one size fits all solution, but I've hit on something that gets most of the watches I throw at it with only minimal tweaking. I have to thank him immensely for initial and continuing advice and feedback. The above is a 3-light set up, and I never would have tried what he suggested for one of the three lights without his input.

 

[John Cote]

Ben,

You nailed that Pieper Bunn photo; Close to perfection.

 

[StanJS]

Here is a Bunn Model 6 17J. They made 3390 of these.

 

[StanJS]

Here is Bunn Model 4 16J. they made 300 of these.

 

[J. Graham]

I can add a few

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Gorgeous pieces!!

 

[ben_hutcherson]

Here is Bunn Model 4 16J. they made 300 of these.

View attachment 469381

Considering that I show a 17j from the same run as yours, I think it's safe to say that the actual total of 16j Model 4s is less than reported in the literature.

Putting aside the 16/17j distinction, production figures for the Model 4 Bunn are 400 total with 300 designated 16j and 100 as 17j. I've heard speculation as to whether or not the last run was even completed, and of course an unknown number of 16j ones were finished as 17.

It's interesting to me that my 17j example is in the first block of 10 of that particular run, and it's probably not a leap to think that the first 10 were finished as such-and probably all for Pieper.

 

[ben_hutcherson]

Ben,

You nailed that Pieper Bunn photo; Close to perfection.

Thanks John-coming fro you that's quite a complement.

As I said, you get the credit for more or less telling me the set-up to use.

 

[kevin h]

I always keep an eye open for private labels , here is a 17j Tripp Special , Bunn- 1256630