I can't seem to find one, but is there a forum on here for posts where individuals show photos of the original owners of their watches?
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Photo of Original Watch Owners
- Thread starter swhite1750
- Start date
Welcome to the NAWCC Forum
There are many posts here that show photos of
owners and jewelers but not one centralized thread.
So, if you have one(a photo) use this thread that you just started.
Rob
There are many posts here that show photos of
owners and jewelers but not one centralized thread.
So, if you have one(a photo) use this thread that you just started.
Rob
I own twelve watches with Civil War provenances, eleven of which are definitively identified to specific individuals. I have some kind of image of all eleven original owners. The twelvth watch has a putative Confederate provenance, and I have a picture of that individual too. Here is a sampling of some of the watches and owner images I have. For some reason, the two images of General Fuller both appear twice.
![Fuller-John-Wallace[1].jpg](https://mb.nawcc.org/data/attachments/602/602271-7b3e91f5193222ed0b9f1b2e219d8392.jpg "Fuller-John-Wallace[1].jpg")
![150px-J_W_Fuller_ACW[1].jpg](https://mb.nawcc.org/data/attachments/602/602272-d78d24590bc9e57efd5ab703de7225ba.jpg "150px-J_W_Fuller_ACW[1].jpg")
I have original owner photos for a fair number of watches in my collection, but because I found them on the internet, I am not going to post those photos here, but here are two watches for which I have owner photos, both from my Elgin C.H. Hulburd collection. C. H. Hulburd was Elgin's top-of-the-line presentation watch, its "prestige" watch.
Fred C. Kelly's Hulburd
This Hulburd was made around 1924. It is in a 14k solid white gold open face original Elgin snap case, #11,580,081. I bought this watch from Michele Kelly, who told me that the watch had been her grandfather's, Fred C. Kelly.
According to Wikipedia: "Fred Charters Kelly (1882-1959) was an American humorist, newspaperman, columnist and author. Kelly was born in 1882 in Xenia, Ohio and studied at the University of Michigan (1900-1902). He began his newspaper career in 1896 as a local correspondent for a small- town newspaper and wrote a humor column for the Cleveland Plain Dealer for five years. His 'Statesmen, Real and Near' column (1910-1918) was the first Washington, D.C. news column to be syndicated. During World War I, Kelly served briefly as special agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigation. After the war, Mr. Kelly bought and operated a farm in Peninsula, Ohio where he continued to support himself as a free-lance writer. In addition to his journalistic work he was the official biographer of the Wright brothers, and worked to bring the Kitty Hawk from the British Museum in London to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C."
According to Michele Kelly: "This watch belonged to my grandfather Fred C Kelly. He was a writer who was the first nationally syndicated columnist. He wrote many books on such subjects as the stock market, raising dogs and fellow Ohio humorists. He was most recognized for editing the autobiography of the Wright Brothers, Miracle at Kitty Hawk, which I believe is still being published. He was great friends with Orville Wright and is credited for bringing the Wright Brothers plane to the Smithsonian. My father just passed away at age 98 and he claimed to be the last living person to shake hands with Orville Wright."
Clifton O Page's Hulburd
This watch was made around 1928. It is in a 4k solid yellow gold original Elgin case, by Schwab & Wuischpard # 175,873, inscribed C.O. Page from the Directors of Park School, May 1939. It was originally packaged in a "mock book" box, with blue and yellow velvet and silk lining. The book spine is imprinted semper fidelis and Elgin. It also came with an original leather traveling case. The watch fits into an inner pocket, so that it can be used as a table top travel clock. This is the last style iteration of the C. H. Hulburd line, by which time the watches were being fitted with dials marked Lord Elgin.
Its original owner was Clifton Orville Page, headmaster of the Park School for Boys in Indianapolis from 1928-1939. Park School was founded in 1914. It later merged with Tudor Hall School to form the Park Tudor School. Page was born in Maine in 1891. He went to Bowdoin College in Maine, where he was a member of the Delta Upsilon fraternity. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa in 1913. By 1916, he was on the faculty of Springfield Technical High School, where he taught music. He is the faculty member in the middle of the top row of a 1916 photo I have. Page married Dorcus Irene Allen. Page was headmaster of the Detroit University School of Detroit before or after he was headmaster of the Park School. In 1952, an Arthur S. Sullivan tune to which Page had written the lyrics, was published; it was a choral piece for soprano, alto, tenor, and bass. Page died in Pennsylvania in 1980 at the age 88.
Fred C. Kelly's Hulburd
This Hulburd was made around 1924. It is in a 14k solid white gold open face original Elgin snap case, #11,580,081. I bought this watch from Michele Kelly, who told me that the watch had been her grandfather's, Fred C. Kelly.
According to Wikipedia: "Fred Charters Kelly (1882-1959) was an American humorist, newspaperman, columnist and author. Kelly was born in 1882 in Xenia, Ohio and studied at the University of Michigan (1900-1902). He began his newspaper career in 1896 as a local correspondent for a small- town newspaper and wrote a humor column for the Cleveland Plain Dealer for five years. His 'Statesmen, Real and Near' column (1910-1918) was the first Washington, D.C. news column to be syndicated. During World War I, Kelly served briefly as special agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigation. After the war, Mr. Kelly bought and operated a farm in Peninsula, Ohio where he continued to support himself as a free-lance writer. In addition to his journalistic work he was the official biographer of the Wright brothers, and worked to bring the Kitty Hawk from the British Museum in London to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C."
According to Michele Kelly: "This watch belonged to my grandfather Fred C Kelly. He was a writer who was the first nationally syndicated columnist. He wrote many books on such subjects as the stock market, raising dogs and fellow Ohio humorists. He was most recognized for editing the autobiography of the Wright Brothers, Miracle at Kitty Hawk, which I believe is still being published. He was great friends with Orville Wright and is credited for bringing the Wright Brothers plane to the Smithsonian. My father just passed away at age 98 and he claimed to be the last living person to shake hands with Orville Wright."
Clifton O Page's Hulburd
This watch was made around 1928. It is in a 4k solid yellow gold original Elgin case, by Schwab & Wuischpard # 175,873, inscribed C.O. Page from the Directors of Park School, May 1939. It was originally packaged in a "mock book" box, with blue and yellow velvet and silk lining. The book spine is imprinted semper fidelis and Elgin. It also came with an original leather traveling case. The watch fits into an inner pocket, so that it can be used as a table top travel clock. This is the last style iteration of the C. H. Hulburd line, by which time the watches were being fitted with dials marked Lord Elgin.
Its original owner was Clifton Orville Page, headmaster of the Park School for Boys in Indianapolis from 1928-1939. Park School was founded in 1914. It later merged with Tudor Hall School to form the Park Tudor School. Page was born in Maine in 1891. He went to Bowdoin College in Maine, where he was a member of the Delta Upsilon fraternity. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa in 1913. By 1916, he was on the faculty of Springfield Technical High School, where he taught music. He is the faculty member in the middle of the top row of a 1916 photo I have. Page married Dorcus Irene Allen. Page was headmaster of the Detroit University School of Detroit before or after he was headmaster of the Park School. In 1952, an Arthur S. Sullivan tune to which Page had written the lyrics, was published; it was a choral piece for soprano, alto, tenor, and bass. Page died in Pennsylvania in 1980 at the age 88.
As per the request of a member I am going to move this
thread to Horological Misc | NAWCC Forums so that we can include
all watches.
Rob
thread to Horological Misc | NAWCC Forums so that we can include
all watches.
Rob
This watch was presented to Shailer Mathews by his parents in 1890. Later, while Dean of the Divinity School at the University of Chicago, he provided testimony for the defense at the famous Scopes Monkey Trial. The movement is Waltham's top 14-size model of the day.
This i sone of my favorite watches becuase it is an exquisite example of case making watchmaking and is part of a very interesting family history. I posted picture of it in the Christmas watch forum
post #18.
I also summarized the life of the woman who received it in 1885.
Here is her picture.
This is from before her marriage.
She was a force of nature.
post #18.
I also summarized the life of the woman who received it in 1885.
Here is her picture.
This is from before her marriage.
She was a force of nature.
This Waltham Colonial-A Maximus was an anniversary gift to W.S. Miller from the Board of Directors of the Standard Oil Company.
Miller was, at the time of presentation, a Director and Vice-President of Standard Oil of California and ultimately became Chairman of the Board of this great company.
Miller was, at the time of presentation, a Director and Vice-President of Standard Oil of California and ultimately became Chairman of the Board of this great company.
This is watch with an interesting history.
Amos Adams Lawrence gave this watch to Alexander Hamilton Vinton in about 1852.
Note the inscription, "Patent Lever Chronometer" This is Hutton's patent for his variant fo teh Savage lever, and not the hybrid Robin type escapement that came much later.
Here is the transmittal Letter from Lawrence to Vinton
This is Lawrence's third letter to Vinton on the watch he promised him. He wrote tha upon receipt he read Huttons not about how it was adjsuted and packed ans forwarded it to Vinton un opened and asked him to Engrave it Alex H Vinton from his Friend Amos A. Lawrence. Teh lettter goes on to hope that his children will not derange it.
Amos Lawrence was a son of one of the Lawrences of Lawrence Mass, named for his fatehr and Uncle. Lawrence Kansas is named for Amos Lawrence who was a major funder of the abolitionists includeing John Brown. Vinton was his minister, who recruited him in his church and abolitionism. There are many streets in MAss named for Vinton.
Sine this is about owners pictures:
Here is A. A. Lawrence from
https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=AwrEzNy8nQZikGsAZheWnIlQ;_ylu=c2VjA2ZwLWF0dHJpYgRzbGsDcnVybA--/RV=2/RE=1644629564/RO=11/RU=https://www.digitalcommonwealth.org/search/commonwealth:sq87ft24t/RK=2/RS=vSFcdy_iT2X0_urIsgGWWmPnO1Y- Digital Commonwealth
Here is A. H. Vinton
The upper part shows he had it engraved as per Lawrence's request.
The second owner was his nephew. He was no where near as significant as these first two but his was a Bishop and was a founder of the Worcester art Museum. which is a superb institution.
From Find Grave.
He passed to Vinton Freedly, who was Cole Porter's producer on Broadway. He was tehe "Vin" in teh now gone Alvin Theater.
From Find a grave
Here is more bio information
en.wikipedia.org
Vinton's father was a prominent lawye who wrote most of the commercial law for the state of Michigan. Evicently there were not Episcopal clergy inteh family when it went to Vinto Freedley buyt he passed it to a relative who was.
This is her portrait in the Pomfret Connecticut Library where she volunteered for many years.
Here is her husband.
Black and white photograph taken during the Eighty-Sixth Annual Commencement of Bryant College of Business Administration, on August 5, 1949, in the Albee Theatre in Providence, RI.
I have not found much on David Vinton Johnson whose heirs passed to Jones Horan who sold it to me.
The watch itself is remarkable
It is a freesprung temperature compensated lever with a helical balance spring.
Amos Lawrence was not in London but his uncle was the US ambassador there and evidently spotted Hutten's lever chronometer watches at the Great London Exposition. He and his company bought it directly, avoiding going through the Bond company who represented Hutton in Boston. Bond was not pleased and hauled Hutton into a London Law office and made him promise not to do this again.
Hutton and the Bonds were otherwise very close collaborators with Hutton training a Bond in chronometer making. (A Bond notebook of Hutton lessons is in the Harvard Archive) Bond and Lawrence were both Harvard trustees so this transaction would have been noticed, and Lawrences were not on the Bond mailing list. That must have been a scene!
The Hutton lever has been replaced with a simple table roller, American banking pins, and a Swiss raised tip tooth escape wheel. The lever is an English type and may be the original with a re-worked fork. My guess is that the Hutton design wore out the pallet fork some time during the 100 plus years the watch was worn. The repair was done very well. To me it's part of the history and it is staying as it is as long as this one is mine.
Note to Clint Geller: "Does a watch that belonged to people who forced the US Civil War count as a Civil War watch? "
It is one of my favorites.
Amos Adams Lawrence gave this watch to Alexander Hamilton Vinton in about 1852.
Note the inscription, "Patent Lever Chronometer" This is Hutton's patent for his variant fo teh Savage lever, and not the hybrid Robin type escapement that came much later.
Here is the transmittal Letter from Lawrence to Vinton
This is Lawrence's third letter to Vinton on the watch he promised him. He wrote tha upon receipt he read Huttons not about how it was adjsuted and packed ans forwarded it to Vinton un opened and asked him to Engrave it Alex H Vinton from his Friend Amos A. Lawrence. Teh lettter goes on to hope that his children will not derange it.
Amos Lawrence was a son of one of the Lawrences of Lawrence Mass, named for his fatehr and Uncle. Lawrence Kansas is named for Amos Lawrence who was a major funder of the abolitionists includeing John Brown. Vinton was his minister, who recruited him in his church and abolitionism. There are many streets in MAss named for Vinton.
Sine this is about owners pictures:
Here is A. A. Lawrence from
https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=AwrEzNy8nQZikGsAZheWnIlQ;_ylu=c2VjA2ZwLWF0dHJpYgRzbGsDcnVybA--/RV=2/RE=1644629564/RO=11/RU=https://www.digitalcommonwealth.org/search/commonwealth:sq87ft24t/RK=2/RS=vSFcdy_iT2X0_urIsgGWWmPnO1Y- Digital Commonwealth
Here is A. H. Vinton
The upper part shows he had it engraved as per Lawrence's request.
The second owner was his nephew. He was no where near as significant as these first two but his was a Bishop and was a founder of the Worcester art Museum. which is a superb institution.
From Find Grave.
He passed to Vinton Freedly, who was Cole Porter's producer on Broadway. He was tehe "Vin" in teh now gone Alvin Theater.
From Find a grave
Here is more bio information
Vinton Freedley - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
Vinton's father was a prominent lawye who wrote most of the commercial law for the state of Michigan. Evicently there were not Episcopal clergy inteh family when it went to Vinto Freedley buyt he passed it to a relative who was.
This is her portrait in the Pomfret Connecticut Library where she volunteered for many years.
Here is her husband.
Black and white photograph taken during the Eighty-Sixth Annual Commencement of Bryant College of Business Administration, on August 5, 1949, in the Albee Theatre in Providence, RI.
I have not found much on David Vinton Johnson whose heirs passed to Jones Horan who sold it to me.
The watch itself is remarkable
It is a freesprung temperature compensated lever with a helical balance spring.
Amos Lawrence was not in London but his uncle was the US ambassador there and evidently spotted Hutten's lever chronometer watches at the Great London Exposition. He and his company bought it directly, avoiding going through the Bond company who represented Hutton in Boston. Bond was not pleased and hauled Hutton into a London Law office and made him promise not to do this again.
Hutton and the Bonds were otherwise very close collaborators with Hutton training a Bond in chronometer making. (A Bond notebook of Hutton lessons is in the Harvard Archive) Bond and Lawrence were both Harvard trustees so this transaction would have been noticed, and Lawrences were not on the Bond mailing list. That must have been a scene!
The Hutton lever has been replaced with a simple table roller, American banking pins, and a Swiss raised tip tooth escape wheel. The lever is an English type and may be the original with a re-worked fork. My guess is that the Hutton design wore out the pallet fork some time during the 100 plus years the watch was worn. The repair was done very well. To me it's part of the history and it is staying as it is as long as this one is mine.
Note to Clint Geller: "Does a watch that belonged to people who forced the US Civil War count as a Civil War watch? "
It is one of my favorites.
Last edited:
I am cheating by reproducing here a post I made in another thread:
Another watch with an interesting provenance is my 18k Non-Magnetic Watch Co. minute repeater, chronograph, with perpetual calendar and moonphases.
In this posting, I will focus on this watch's provenance. For other information about the watch and more photos, see Non-Magnetic Watch Co. Minute Repeater, Chronograph, Perpetual Calendar
The original owner of this watch was W. Horace Locher. He was born in Sacramento, California on July 16, 1869. He died in Little Neck, New York, in February 1936. Here is how he looked at age 21.
Here is Locher at age 26.
Locher was a successful life insurance agent. He spent his mature years in St. Louis, living at 5129 Vernon Ave. See Google Earth and Google Earth
Locher left the watch to his daughter, Elizabeth Anne Locher, who married Frank Warner. She and Frank were famous folklorists. They wrote a book about their work together: Traditional American Folk Songs from the Anne and Frank Warner Collection. See Frank Warner (folklorist) - Wikipedia. They found -- and performed -- such songs as Tom Dooley and He's Got the Whole World in his Hands.
I bought the watch from Anne's and Frank's son.
Another watch with an interesting provenance is my 18k Non-Magnetic Watch Co. minute repeater, chronograph, with perpetual calendar and moonphases.
In this posting, I will focus on this watch's provenance. For other information about the watch and more photos, see Non-Magnetic Watch Co. Minute Repeater, Chronograph, Perpetual Calendar
The original owner of this watch was W. Horace Locher. He was born in Sacramento, California on July 16, 1869. He died in Little Neck, New York, in February 1936. Here is how he looked at age 21.
Here is Locher at age 26.
Locher was a successful life insurance agent. He spent his mature years in St. Louis, living at 5129 Vernon Ave. See Google Earth and Google Earth
Locher left the watch to his daughter, Elizabeth Anne Locher, who married Frank Warner. She and Frank were famous folklorists. They wrote a book about their work together: Traditional American Folk Songs from the Anne and Frank Warner Collection. See Frank Warner (folklorist) - Wikipedia. They found -- and performed -- such songs as Tom Dooley and He's Got the Whole World in his Hands.
I bought the watch from Anne's and Frank's son.
Hi Jon,
Regards,
Graham
I agree that the conversion is part of the watch's history and it should remain as it is, but I can't help feeling that it's somewhat diminished by this. Having had the privilege of being intimately acquainted with an example of Hutton's variant of the Savage in its original state, I can't help feeling some regret that it was felt necessary to do this work. However, I can quite understand that re-making the jewelled components of the escapement would have been extremely daunting, whereas making the lever would have been a relatively simple task.
Regards,
Graham
I got distracted and never completed the post.... it was a little tongue in cheek, though it might be true.
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