Hamilton Private Labels, Please add to the list

[Jim Haney]

I looked though about 15 pages of old post on this subject and I saw alot of indivual post for a specific Hamilton private label, but didn't see a general post for listing your private labels.

So, lets start one !


Daunt's "Guaranteed Special"
Serial # 405506,a 924 with Gilt Trimed, there are 2 watches on the ledger page sold to Burr-Freeer and it has a small 4 after the sold date, which was 11-2-1905. Must denote something?

 

[ben_hutcherson]

Re: Hamilton Private Labels, Pleasse add to the list

Here's a 974 double signed for M.A. Selbert Frankfort, KY


This store is still in business, and in the same location where it has been for the past 100+ years.






Manfield, Ohio

 

[Jim Haney]

Re: Hamilton Private Labels, Pleasse add to the list

This one is called "The Hamilton". Serial # 35240

It is a 931, only 4000 made and has a badly damaged dial with " LeBron" on it.

It was sold to Stein & Ellobgen & Co.Chicago on 6-26-1899

 

[Jim Haney]

Re: Hamilton Private Labels, Pleasse add to the list

A lowely 974P Serial # 1094461.
Cool Dial signed
L.Lyle Bentz,
Martinsburg, WVA

 

[Jim Haney]

Re: Hamilton Private Labels, Pleasse add to the list

A 975 GT Special Serial # 329225, Sold to H.F. Hahn Co.Chicago. on 3-6-1905.

There is a "S" notated by the sold to date in the Ledgers, Indicating Special Finish.

Ed Rathke
Mayville, Wis.

 

[John Pavlik]

Re: Hamilton Private Labels, Pleasse add to the list

An earlier one....

 

[John Pavlik]

Re: Hamilton Private Labels, Pleasse add to the list

Higher grade...

 

[Norman Bliss]

Re: Hamilton Private Labels, Pleasse add to the list

Hamilton 975, SN 303,402, sold 8/13/1903 to Seligman Jlry Co. in Chicago. Signed "E.B. Lewis, Dwight, Ill." on dial and movement; gilt trim. B&B case appears original, engraved "F.J. Welter, 1916" on cuvette. E.B.Lewis is probably Everett B. Lewis, b. 1871 or 1872.

 

[Norman Bliss]

Re: Hamilton Private Labels, Pleasse add to the list

My first PL. Hamilton 974, SN 356,709, sold 8/31/1907 to H.A. Osgood & Sons, Lewiston, ME. Signed "M.W.Bassett" on dial, "M.W. Bassett, Hartford, Conn." on movement; gilt trim. Merton W. Bassett, b. 1872, served in the Spanish-American war, then bought out another Hartford jeweler in 1906. He had a growing business, becoming a 'HallMark' jeweler, thus selling Hallmark (Illinois) watches. Retired due to ill health in 1931. Lived in Newington CT after he retired; I bought this watch from a dealer in Newington, CT in 2005. Dealer put it in the display case. Bassett died in 1950. Interestingly, I see no mention of Hamilton in his ads after 1907.

 

[John Cote]

Re: Hamilton Private Labels, Pleasse add to the list

This continues to be my favorite Hamilton PL...

 

[Jim Haney]

Re: Hamilton Private Labels, Pleasse add to the list

This is serial # 53025 which is listed in the Price Guide as Early 16 size. What the He-- does that mean?


It is a 973 and whoever is responseable for the Price guide has had these 3 serial number blocks listed like this for years, when all they have to do is LOOK at the Ledgers and they would know what grade they are.

Hamilton never produced any grade as "Early 16s"

This watch is a grade 973 and a PL for N.V. Cole, MichiganCity, Ind. and sold to him on 6-5-1897

 

[Nathan2307]

Re: Hamilton Private Labels, Pleasse add to the list

From 1900 Roswell NM...Jewelers name Park and Morrison

 

[Jim Haney]

Re: Hamilton Private Labels, Pleasse add to the list

I thought that name was familiar sounding.

 

[doug sinclair]

Re: Hamilton Private Labels, Pleasse add to the list

I have two Canadian private label, 18-size Hamiltons, marked on dial only. Any sense in my posting pictures?

 

[Mike LaForest]

Re: Hamilton Private Labels, Pleasse add to the list

I would at least like to know the names of the Canadian cities, Doug. Go ahead and post pictures.
Meanwhile, here is a '925' movement from Paris.

 

[Jerry Treiman]

Re: Hamilton Private Labels, Pleasse add to the list

Here is a grade 974 (#62205) that I used to own and have posted elsewhere --

 

[Nathan2307]

Re: Hamilton Private Labels, Pleasse add to the list

I thought that name was familiar sounding.​

Attached Thumbnails

From what I can gather Daniel S. Parks owned a jewlery concern in Denver CO. He sent his then employee Harry Morrison to Roswell to open a branch operation there. I'm kind of foggy as to when all this took place but by the time my watch was made in 1900 Mr. Morrison was a partner. By 1907 Morrison had bought Parks out. It all ends in 1920 when Mr. Morrison's business goes belly up... What year is your watch? Love the dial!!

 

[Jim Haney]

Re: Hamilton Private Labels, Pleasse add to the list

Nathan,
Thanks for the research on them. I had not checked on the business. My dial was on a 940 in the 990000 range, after the company went out of business and too late for the Ledgers to see who it was sold to.

This is what makes Private Labels so much more interesting than company watches.
Thanks

 

[doug sinclair]

Re: Hamilton Private Labels, Pleasse add to the list

I bought these Hamiltons at an NAWCC regional in Portland about 20 years ago. I suspect they had been overlooked because of the obscure P/L names on the dials. The 21-jewel 940 is a P/L for G M Rioch in Kenora, Ontario, Canada. The Dingwall Limited is a 19-jewel 944. I like it best because of the safety barrel with the jewel in the barrel bridge. Somewhat showier I would think. Dingwall was located in a major railroad hub 100 years ago or so- Winnipeg, Manitoba, Camada. To this day I wonder how these were passed up.

 

[Jim Haney]

Re: Hamilton Private Labels, Pleasse add to the list

Doug,
Thanks for posting them,

Did you see who they were sold to in The Hamilton Ledgers.

Most Canadian watch went through the Montreal Watch Case co.

 

[doug sinclair]

Re: Hamilton Private Labels, Pleasse add to the list

Jim,

The 940 is listed only as Montreal- probably Montreal Watch Case Co., and the case is a Crescent Watch Case Co. The 944 is listed as Montreal Watch Case Co., and it is in a Wadsworth case.

Interesting in that the serial number look up ledger also shows a serial number 479017 which is a grade 926! The Ehrhardt blue book lists S # 479017 as a 944! I wonder how THAT might have happened!

 

[burt]

Re: Hamilton Private Labels, Pleasse add to the list

I think this watch is a origional combination P.L. that's from my home state. It's a 17 jewel (adj.to temp only) 934 ser #5258 which was finished on 2-10-1896 and sold on 3-23-1896 to a James G.Martin of Wilkes-Barre,Pennsylvania. Martin is listed as a Jeweler in the 1880 and 1890 city directories being located at 118 S.Main St. His home was listed as being located on Lincoln near Northhampton. While I don't collect the non-railroad grade Hamiltons I really liked the"umbrella, hands" on this one.

 

[crsides]

Re: Hamilton Private Labels, Pleasse add to the list

Moosejaw - busy busy dial

974 Mvt is not PL marked

 

[doug sinclair]

Re: Hamilton Private Labels, Pleasse add to the list

Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan! Indeed there is such a place! I managed a jewellery store there from '69 to '71. NOT a period in time my wife of 45 years likes to recall. I remember the Chrichton name, but I don't know if the store was still there when we lived there. Moose Jaw was a major railroad hub in the era of your Hamilton.

 

[Jim Haney]

Re: Hamilton Private Labels, Pleasse add to the list

A cool 978.

This is triple signed. The TASCO threw me for several years until somone smarter than I was figured it out, but we still don't know what the S.C.O. means


TASCO, is, The Albert Samuels Company.

 

[Buchaneer]

Re: Hamilton Private Labels, Pleasse add to the list




I bought this private-label watch on eBay in February, 2011 it is a Hamilton Grade 940 Serial No. 566416 The Hamilton Ledgers indicate that it was finished October 11, 1907 sold October 11, 1907 to the Montr

 

[Jim Haney]

Re: Hamilton Private Labels, Pleasse add to the list

It may be more appropriate to start a new topic on your question, but as a quick answer 600 is not a great deal in the production numbers, when you consider how many watches were be sold in a short time frame and also consider how much longer it would take to make up PL dials vs. the standard Hamilton dial that could be slapped on in a few minutes

 

[Buchaneer]

Re: Hamilton Private Labels, Pleasse add to the list



That was an interesting 16 size "BC Creighton Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan" private-label he must of done a lot of business as I have this example of dial with a Grade 992 movement, and another with a double sunk 24-hour dial and this example a Hamilton 18S Grade 936 Serial No. 244483 with pivate-label, double sunk, bold Arabic 24-hour dial marked "BC Creighton, Moose Jaw, Sask." it has one Hamilton 24-hour minute hand, but is missing the hour hand according to the Hamilton Ledgers 244483 Date Finished June 27, 1903, Date Sold July 17, 1903 to the Montr

 

[Jim Haney]

Re: Hamilton Private Labels, Pleasse add to the list

Larry,

As you may have noted in tracking these Hamilton PL watches ,or just regular watches, from Hamilton sold to A. N. Anderson there was usually a LONG time between the finishing room date to the sold to date.

Anderson was granted very low special prices to buy the OLD remaining stock of watches as much as a 30-40 % discount on these watches.

The most collectable and expensive Hamilton watches today, were deadend models that included the 946's & 947's,with as much as 12 years difference between the finished date and sold to date.

If have NAWCC membership you can access Lowell Halligan's records on the different grades and production numbers and he mentions Anderson, specifically as a Minneapolis dealer who sold mostly to the lumber camps in the Northwest and he must have had a great market to move these Hi-Grade watches that he bought for $20 and the regular price was about $36.

 

[crsides]

Re: Hamilton Private Labels, Pleasse add to the list

Lambert Bros, NY

 

[Buchaneer]

Re: Hamilton Private Labels, Pleasse add to the list


Hello Jim I have noticed the time gap between the dates finished, and the time sold to A.N. Anderson, I have a Hamilton 18 size, Grade 946 Serial No. 549769 Date finished February 11, 1913 Date sold May 27, 1913 With an A.N. Anderson EXTRA Montgomery dial He must've had a pretty lucrative sideline buying out these movements at such a discounted price, and selling them, Minneapolis, and Winnipeg had great railway connections built by James Jerome Hill "The Empire Builder" a Canadian who eventually built the Great Northern Railway, and controlled the Northern Pacific, and the Chicago, Burlington, & Quincy Railroad

 

[Grant Perry]

Re: Hamilton Private Labels, Pleasse add to the list

Here is my 936 James Tracey Special from Ottawa, Ontario.

 

[Buchaneer]

Re: Hamilton Private Labels, Pleasse add to the list



Here are some more examples of Hamilton private labels "BC Creighton, Moose Jaw, Sask." first an 18 Size, 21 jewel, Grade 940 with a Single Sunk 24 hour Arabic dial. The other two are Hamilton 16 size, 21 jewel, Grade 992's one with a Single Sunk 24 hour Arabic Montgomery dial, the other a Double Sunk 24 hour Arabic dial both have 24-hour hands.

 

[doug sinclair]

Re: Hamilton Private Labels, Pleasse add to the list

Good to see you on line, Larry. We've missed you.

 

[Buchaneer]

Re: Hamilton Private Labels, Pleasse add to the list

It's good http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o291/buchaneer/HamiltonGrade926DingwallDSRNinblack24-hourinreddial.jpg
to be back Doug, especially now since I finally figured out how to post multiple images, here is another Hamilton 18 size, 17 jewel, Grade 926 private-label movement Serial No.108614 marked DR Dingwall, Winnipeg in this case the movement was delivered to the safe February 19, 1900 and shipped March 27, 1900 To the Montr

 

[Buchaneer]

Re: Hamilton Private Labels, Pleasse add to the list


I haven't quite got it mastered yet, here is a picture of the Dingwall Hamilton private label dial.

Larry

 

[Jim Haney]

Re: Hamilton Private Labels, Pleasse add to the list

Larry,
It is a nice fact that you have found Dingwall used 2 AGENTS to purchase watches from. Who knows, maybe a better discount , etc.

You pic's won't enlarge?

 

[Kent]

Re: Hamilton Private Labels, Pleasse add to the list

Since others have posted examples having only a private label dial, here's my No. 992 bearing its Time-King dial. Like other watches whose movement only carries the standard markings, there's no way of knowing if the dial is original to the movement.

I don't think that there is anything that makes the No. 992 movement stand out from other 992s of the era. I bought the watch decades ago 'cause the dial really attracted me - which is what it was probably originally designed to do. This watch marks the beginning of my liking for marginal minute dials.

At one time I might have known whose label it was, but if I recorded it, I've lost track of the record and I no longer remember.

 

[Jim Haney]

Re: Hamilton Private Labels, Pleasse add to the list

Kent,
The dial only is correct on these series of" TIME" related dials.

There is a Bulletin artice No.330, Feb 2001 on page 110 by Art Zimmerla which explains these dials.

http://nawcc.org/images/stories/2000/articles/2001/330/330_109.pdf

 

[Kent]

Re: Hamilton Private Labels, Pleasse add to the list

Thanks Jim!

According to that Answer Box reply, the Time-King dial was a private label for S & N Katz, Baltimore, MD.

I've got it properly recorded now where it won't get lost again.

 

[Kent]

Re: Hamilton Private Labels, Pleasse add to the list

capnfred posted some pictures of his grandfather's grade No. 930, privately labeled "E. P. Sundberg & Co, Fargo ND" in this recent thread.

 

[Jim Haney]

Re: Hamilton Private Labels, Pleasse add to the list

This is a PL from Colorado. The watch is a Hayden W. Wheeler.

H.C. Morse, Rocky Ford, Colo.


History of Rocky Ford




The Indian scout and tracker, Kit Carson, actually named Rocky Ford, long before there were any houses and long before G. W. Swink and Asa Russell built their adobe store. There was a ford (shallow crossing) on the Arkansas River, and it had a shale and rock bottom, so Kit Carson named this area The Rocky Ford Crossing Place.




http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocky_Ford_Station

 

[Jim Haney]

Re: Hamilton Private Labels, Pleasse add to the list

Robert & Loup, Denver, Colo. Serial # 39427 a 935 w/DS dial

 

[Nigel Harrison]

Re: Hamilton Private Labels, Pleasse add to the list

 

[Greg Frauenhoff]

Re: Hamilton Private Labels, Pleasse add to the list

11820 Victor Engstrom, Wyo.
125217 C. C. Patton, Canon City, Colo.
543839 D. C. Jaccard
161619 B & M Special
7289 M. H. Swift, Turner, Ill.
9122 W. W. Denney, Aurora, Ill.
124819 Marcy & Co. Special
124702 Sam Cohen & Co., Victor, Colo.
136022 Rovelstad
39344 Robert & Loup, Denver, Colo.
18003 W. B. Studley, Rockland, Mass.
75220 J. S. Lewis, Ogden, UT
33707 Fenlon's, Montrose, Colo.

 

[Bob McClelland]

Re: Hamilton Private Labels, Pleasse add to the list

993 sn 715010 Gmelich & Schmidt, Boonville, Mo.

 

[Jerry Treiman]

Re: Hamilton Private Labels, Pleasse add to the list

Grade 927 for Henry C. Hoppe in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. [Ordered through Stein & Ellbogen of Chicago].

View attachment 150492 View attachment 150493

 

[tlewingdon]

Re: Hamilton Private Labels, Pleasse add to the list

Greg, do you have a date on the Sam Cohen & Co My great-grandfather was the watchmaker there

11820 Victor Engstrom, Wyo.
125217 C. C. Patton, Canon City, Colo.
543839 D. C. Jaccard
161619 B & M Special
7289 M. H. Swift, Turner, Ill.
9122 W. W. Denney, Aurora, Ill.
124819 Marcy & Co. Special
124702 Sam Cohen & Co., Victor, Colo.
136022 Rovelstad
39344 Robert & Loup, Denver, Colo.
18003 W. B. Studley, Rockland, Mass.
75220 J. S. Lewis, Ogden, UT
33707 Fenlon's, Montrose, Colo.

 

[luvsthetick]

Re: Hamilton Private Labels, Pleasse add to the list

A 927 for J. F. Maxson, Waterloo, Indiana.

 

[Tref]

Re: Hamilton Private Labels, Pleasse add to the list

Jim,

Thank you for starting this topic!