Ingraham Movement Date

[dashley]

Hi,

I saw this movement on ebay and noticed the plates were held together by pins instead of nuts. It looked pretty old so I bought it. Just want to make sure I'm reading this right. Usually I see the Ingraham date split, month on the left of the brand and year on the right.

This one is different. It reads.

E. INGRAHAM CO.
PATE .8.78 NOV 11.79
BRISTOL CONN.

I'm not sure if that an "E" In PATE. Hard to read it.

Is this a NOV 11. 1879 Movement? I think it is but want to check.

Thanks

Dan

 

[Steven Thornberry]

The patent dates refer to features of the movement that allow for turning back the minute hand without harming or interfering with the strike mechanism. If I remember correctly, they were granted to Anson Atwood who was superintendent of Ingraham's movement factory for a while. I would not say that the movement was made in 1879, but was made after the latest patent date, Nov. 11, 1879.

The use of the name "E. Ingraham Co." indicates that the movement was made after the company assumed that name in 1884. Prior to then, you would have seen "E. Ingraham & Co." on the movements.

Ingraham did not begin routinely dating their movements with the well known month-year code until April 1897. I have seen some few, however, dated "03 97," or March 1897.

The best I can say about the date of your movement is that was made between 1884 and April 1897. That said, however, I have also seen some Ingraham movements carrying both the two patent dates and the month-year date code.

Forgot to add that I do not know when Ingraham began using nuts to hold together the plates, but if this one has pins, I would be willing to place it before 1890.

 

[dashley]

Opps I forgot to post the pic's

 

[dashley]

Thank you very much Steven for the answer and also the history of the Ingraham dating. I really do appreciated it.
Everything was there but the verge. It's actually not very worn. It's never been re-bushed. I took a spray bottle of
some mean-green cleaner and after just several squirts it came to life.