Just when I thought I was out—Another Major Ariston Find

[rschussel]

Background

I have been collecting 12 size Ariston's for over 30 years. As the Marshall Fields private label Ariston brand (made by Illinois) is sought more than most other Illinois contract watches, I had always believed that all of the 12 size Ariston variants and grades were well established. But in the past two years I purchased the following 12 size Ariston's which had not been reported.

21j Grade 509 variant

17j Grade 273 (previously unknown)

19j Grade 273 Hunter (previously unknown)

Recent Acquisition Grade 255

Several days ago, I acquired a 12size Grade 255 17j open-faced Ariston movement with the proper dial (see pictures). Until now, no Grade 255 Ariston's have been reported.



About 50,000 grade 255 were produced from 1904 to 1921 in 15j, 17j and 19j with all but 250 being 17j.

The below table shows the 12 size Ariston's sold from about 1905 to 1912. The bolded movements in the table are my recent acquisitions.

GRADE Jewels O/H Production 255 Ariston USA 17j O N=50? 273 Ariston 17j O N=80 273 Ariston 17j H N=50 273 Ariston 19j H N=90 273 Ariston 19j O N=? 299 Ariston USA 21j O N=70 299 Ariston USA 21j H N=70 299 Ariston USA 23j O N=30 299 Ariston USA 23j H N=20
With my more recent Ariston acquisitions it now seems highly likely that for Grades 255,273 & 299 that Marshal Fields & Co. sold all of the different jeweled versions (17j to 23j) of these grades The remaining question is whether a 17j Grade 255 Hunter also exists. Why do I keep getting pulled back in?

[musicguy]

Fantastic!!!


Rob

 

[PatH]

Background

I have been collecting 12 size Ariston's for over 30 years. As the Marshall Fields private label Ariston brand (made by Illinois) is sought more than most other Illinois contract watches, I had always believed that all of the 12 size Ariston variants and grades were well established. But in the past two years I purchased the following 12 size Ariston's which had not been reported.

21j Grade 509 variant

17j Grade 273 (previously unknown)

19j Grade 273 Hunter (previously unknown)

Recent Acquisition Grade 255

Several days ago, I acquired a 12size Grade 255 17j open-faced Ariston movement with the proper dial (see pictures). Until now, no Grade 255 Ariston's have been reported.

View attachment 732792 View attachment 732793

About 50,000 grade 255 were produced from 1904 to 1921 in 15j, 17j and 19j with all but 250 being 17j.

The below table shows the 12 size Ariston's sold from about 1905 to 1912. The bolded movements in the table are my recent acquisitions.

GRADE Jewels O/H Production 255 Ariston USA 17j O N=50? 273 Ariston 17j O N=80 273 Ariston 17j H N=50 273 Ariston 19j H N=90 273 Ariston 19j O N=? 299 Ariston USA 21j O N=70 299 Ariston USA 21j H N=70 299 Ariston USA 23j O N=30 299 Ariston USA 23j H N=20
With my more recent Ariston acquisitions it now seems highly likely that for Grades 255,273 & 299 that Marshal Fields & Co. sold all of the different jeweled versions (17j to 23j) of these grades The remaining question is whether a 17j Grade 255 Hunter also exists. Why do I keep getting pulled back in?

Discovering these missing links is what keeps bringing us back, and makes this such a wonderful hobby! Can't tell you how many times I've kind of given up on finding a missing piece of the puzzle, and moved on to other things. Then all of a sudden, I'm reading about something that is seemingly unrelated and run across a missing piece - sometimes it's included in what I'm reading, but almost as often, it's on the same page, in a footnote, etc. that leads me to the piece.

Keep on hunting and having fun!!