18sz bunn special...

[Eric Kroon]

how uncommon are the 18 sz bunn specials adjusted to six positions? If at all! thanx

 

[Eric Kroon]

how uncommon are the 18 sz bunn specials adjusted to six positions? If at all! thanx

 

[Russ Snyder]

Not sure which way you are asking the question. If you mean, "Are 18s Bunn Specials commonly adjusted to 6 positions?" then the answer is "Yes, always!"

On the other hand, if you are asking how MANY 18s Bunn Special were made, then there were quite a few, but not as many as the 16s Bunn Specials.

If you'd like to restate the question and expand on it a bit, I'll try to answer. Just not sure what you're asking.

Russ

 

[John Cote]

I think what Butlercreek might be asking is how many 18s Bunn Specials were marked "Adjusted to 6 Positions".

Russ is, of course, right. Factory ads clearly show that all 18 Bunn Specials were adjusted to 6 positions, however, some of the early ones were not marked as such. Just how many were marked is a complicated issue though. There is a way to get at a number in the fine book "Illinois Watch Co. Encyclopedia and Price Guide" by Meggers and Ehrhardt. This number, however is not accurate. As Russ, I and some others have discovered, some early examples, which are listed as not marked in this book are, in fact marked.

There are 2 theories as to why this may be, and both theories may be partially right. First is that people could send their watches back to the factory to be upgraded to Double Roller, and that when they came back, they were marked both "Double Roller" and "Adjusted to 6 Positions". The other theory is that many early movements sat around the factory for a few years before they sold. By the time they sold, other Bunn Speials had gone out the door with the new markings. Rather than sell the old stock for less, the factory went back and re-marked them.

Anyway, My estimate is that somewhere between 31 and 32 thousand 21 jewel open face 18s Bunn Specials were marked "Adjusted to 6 Positions". All but a few of the 23j 18s Bunn Specials were marked this way.

JohnCote
President, Indiana Chapter 18 - NAWCC
Member Chapter 149 (Member #105)
http://www.interstatetime.com

 

[Greg Davis]

Mine is simply marked "Adjusted". I guess it never made it back to the factory for updates...

150941
Ch.149 member #77

 

[Russ Snyder]

Following up what John Cote observed, here are the counts I show for those 18s Bunn Specials marked "6 Positions" (or some variation of that marking):

21-jewel = 34,631
23-jewel = 5,750
24-jewel = 3,022
26-jewel = 320

HOWEVER, some of these watches are from "split runs" which included more than one type marking and/or damaskeening pattern. Thus, the actual number may be slightly more or less than the figures I listed above.

Of those 18s Bunn Specials NOT marked "6 Positions", I show the following totals:

21-jewel = 30,677
23-jewel = 100
24-jewel = 10,780

Discounting those runs for which there is incomplete information (and therefore it is unknown which version they are), these figures would indicate that just over half, or 51.3% were marked "6 Positions".

Russ

 

[John Cote]

Just a note to say that Russ and I are in complete agreement on the figures. His number for 21 jewel Bunn Specials differs from mine only because he is counting hunters and open face together.

To Greg Davis,

I think you ought to send it back to the factory for the upgrade. If you don't do it on your own, the railroad may make you do it to keep up with the standard.

JohnCote
President, Indiana Chapter 18 - NAWCC
Member Chapter 149 (Member #105)
http://www.interstatetime.com