I can get the ball rolling. My latest addition is American Watch Company Grade 19 Jewel Model 1859 Movement SN 40,126 with Fitts's patented reversing center pinion and double sunk dial, in what I believe to be the original gold hunting case, marked "T.B.B." This movement was finished in November of 1860, the same month in which Abraham Lincoln became President Elect of the United States. (South Carolina seceded the following month, on December 20. Lincoln was inaugurated on March 4, 1861, after six more states had seceded.) The NAWCC.org Waltham Serial Number Lookup utility suggests that Waltham made 260 AWCo Grade Model 1859 movements, but surviving examples seem to be fewer and farther between than that number would suggest. SN 40,126 is out of the last and longest run of these, and it is only 18 numbers away from the example Tom McIntyre shows on his excellent website, AWCo.org. If anyone knows who "T.B.B." might have stood for, I'd appreciate your sharing that information. A better photographer than me, who can identify himself if he wishes, shot these pictures.
Well, I didn't actually specify the last watch one added to one's collection, did I? My bad. Give us a look when your watch is re-assembled, please.
London Tremont. This one reassembled by the English Watch Co., from left over material after the sale by Dennison in 1867, to the Anglo American Watch Co. Case hallmark 1876. ***Note, my last watch for the European collection, is a Verge by Baird, 1826. Keith R...
The last watch I added was this Illinois, 16-size, 16 jewel, grade 116 private label for John S. Allen & Co. of Minneapolis. The grade 116 was Illinois' highest grade 16-size movement at the time it was produced. Relatively scarce with only 423 of this configuration made. Housed in a nice Keystone 25-year gold filled case.
This was my last purchase. Replaced wrong dial in bad shape with correct dial and put in another case because original case was missing front bezel. Rob
I collect junk. So, fair warning. 17 jewel Waltham Model 1883 from a mixed run. Born in 1891 and housed in a Waltham swingout case. She's been abused badly and still has some issues I'll have to sort out before I can carry her. Hands are factory spade from Marty.
Clint did say, "Most Recent Addition to Your Collection" so yours looks good to me. One person's junk is someone else's collection(or is it the other way around). Rob
I had an empty 18s KW-KS case that needed a resident. I spotted and purchased a lot of a dozen homeless movements that contained a nice Hampden KW-KS movement. (I have shown this in another thread). Got lucky, all movements had nice dials and most had 3 hands. In addition to the Hampden, the lot also contained this Ingersoll-Trenton. I just happened to have an empty 16s I-T case.
I just put this in the Hampden private label thread, but here's my grade No. 42 for C.P. Barnes. Nothing special or rare but a nice original watch that crosses No. 42 off of the list.
Bought from a knowledgeable and friendly contributor to this forum. Hamilton 936 SN 939. Next in line for overhaul. Per Halligan: "Comparatively few of this grade were made up with special names on dials and plates." Many thanks.
My most recent addition to my pocket watch collection is this Elgin 571 in the 3057 stainless case. Not rare, not especially exciting, but it completes my 571 collection, with both the stainless case and the enamel Montgomery dial. That is, it completes it until some other variant suddenly needs to be acquired!!!
Not my most recent (that fits in with another thread, so I'll post there), but this is my best recent purchase. Happy with the watch but not the Hamilton salesman's case, as I've said elsewhere on the forums. Are there any Rockford folks who can suggest what I should look for if I want to replace the case?
Found an unusual one recently. A.C. Roebuck Special by U.S. Watch Co. Not much out there on this one that I can find.
Added this Illinois 18s, grade 65E a few months ago. I'm a fan of the 2 tone Illinois watches, and own several. The wavy pattern makes this one stand apart from the rest. 3623 total production in 1909.
This Waltham Opera Watch just arrived today. It dates from around 1917 and is in a case by the Dubois Watch Case Co. which sports an early case pendant construction that was not used for very long.
A fellow member brought me a Keystone Standard Watch Co. watch to clean and could not get it off my mind because of its dust proof design. I got this one last month and was really impressed that the Keystone case shows little if no wear and the mica window is intact.
I have a weakness for Vanguards, a weakness for 1892's and a weakness for bargains, so was pleased that the seller accepted my silly offer on this one. Looking forward to finding out what's wrong with it and getting it up and running again.
I found this on Wikipedia..maybe it will shed some light on your watch. In 1863, Richard Warren Sears was born in Stewartville, Minnesota to a wealthy family, which moved to nearby Spring Valley.[9] In 1879, Sears' father died shortly after losing the family fortune in a speculative stock deal.[9] Sears moved across the state to work as a railroad station agent in North Redwood, as well as in Minneapolis. While in North Redwood, a jeweler refused delivery on shipment of watches. Sears purchased them, then sold them at a low price to the station agents and made a profit. He started a mail-order watch business in Minneapolis in 1886, calling it "R.W. Sears Watch Company." Within the first year, he met Alvah C. Roebuck, a watch repairman. In 1887, Sears and Roebuck relocated the business to Chicago; later that year, the R.W. Sears Watch Company published Richard Sears' first mail-order catalog, offering watches, diamonds, and jewelry. In 1889 Sears sold his business for US$100,000 ($2.8 million today) and relocated to Iowa, intending to be a rural banker.[10] Sears returned to Chicago in 1892 and established a new mail-order firm, again selling watches and jewelry, with Roebuck as his partner, operating as the A. C. Roebuck watch company. In 1893, they renamed the company to Sears, Roebuck & Company and began to diversify the product lines offered in their catalogs.
Hamilton 992B. Oh, and to answer Clint's inquiry in his first post about "T.B.B.", wouldn't that be The Big Bopper?
Two arrivals in the post today. I did say earlier that I had a weakness for Vanguards so when this poor thing received no bids I had to bring it home. Dated 1941 I'm guessing that this has seen a thing or two, broken staff and a little water damage, but it will get a 1st class service and can happily be a bookend as the 'newest' Vanguard in my collection.
The second arrival today, my budget confines me to buying at the 'junk' end of the market so I'm over the moon with the whole package of this one, possibly the most original watch in my collection and it just didn't get the bids. I will put a picture of the BWR grade 27 on the BWR thread. Case is a Dueber g/f with anchor/serpent trademark.
I have been absent from the horology forums, and collecting/servicing, for a couple of years but seem to have made up for it the past week. The above 1941 Vanguard 1623 is proving a challenge with it's water damage so this 1949 992B is making up for it (I will put up a separate post regarding questions I have on this Hamilton)
I love to see the success that Mark UK is achieving, collecting good watches that no-one else bids on! I have yet to find the secret.
Latest addition is a triple hinge early JBoss 20yr case sporting a 17j Hampden New Railway sn 902477 gilt engraving and gilt screws and regulator model 3 like on pg 24 of the Hampden book. No wear on the case, keeps great time needs new fleur delis hands, double sunk Roman numeral dial with red 5 min markers.
Got this one running yesterday. 15 jewel 6s Elgin from 1900. The screws holding down the cap jewel on the main plate were rusted in place around the heads but the threads were fine. A little penetrating oil and some heat from the trusty soldering gun broke them loose. It does have a "risky" jewel on the 3rd wheel in the top plate. The jewel has 2 cracks along the outer edge. They aren't connected but the jewel is at risk for shattering. They are pressed in types and I don't have a Seitz tool so I can't replace it. But the jewel is otherwise just fine. For an "occasional carry" watch, there shouldn't be any problems. She runs strong otherwise. Right now she's living in a Nickle hunter case quietly hidden in my pants pocket.
Found another piece of the puzzle. An interesting G.M. Wheeler series two movement from a late smaller run. 13 jewels in settings! Pull out lever. Bought it to document it and bring light to yet another variation of early stemwinding G.M. Wheelers. It will live in this nickel case untill I build a wall unit to place my early series 2 Elgin movements into. I really didn't expect to see 13 jewel G.M. Wheelers, this was an exciting one to bring home.
No secret John, I look for other folks 'junk' that is within budget and repairable, this can often lead to nice surprises! The market seem to be cyclical as the last quarter of 2019 was pretty barren but the start of 2020 has been a bonus for me for sure
I know the feeling, the above 1623 Vanguard had 4 screws corroded in place, one on the main bridge plate, one on the pallet bridge, and two holding cap jewels, so lots of patience with oil and heat. I eventually got 3 of them out but the fourth had to be drilled as the head had corroded off. It is a truly wonderful feeling when a stubborn screw finally breaks free and you haven't broken anything else in the process
Just arrived this cold wintry day from sunny California, is this 16-size Elgin "Father Time" of Grade 454, Model 15. My newly acquired 21 jewel railroad grade timepiece was made circa 1921 & features a Winding Indicator.
My last purchase of 2019, #1277913, Montgomery Ward Co; Extra Railroad Timer, on a 21 Ruby Jewel Bunn Special grade movement. Dial DS but not marked Montgomery Ward as is expected, a replacement at some point, but will do for now.
This is only a dial, but I figured Clint would appreciate seeing it. I THINK it fits an N-size Howard
Nice dial, Ben. I think I have seen it before, before you owned it. I'd have to check, but it may be the earliest signed and dated Howard Moorhouse dial I have seen.
I have one of these only it's a model 4. It looks identical right down the the jewel settings - SN 990926 [ELGIN] Online Elgin Database It lives in the Fahy's #1 coin case I posted the stem question about on the repair forum the other day. It's probably 5 or 6 in line to be repaired and serviced. It's a wreck. As usual.
Ah the grade 82! Yes sir the earlier ones are 13 jewels, I have one that's a bit higher than yours. It was a wreck also when it came through the door. The movement I showed above represents the actual G.M. Wheeler grade stemwind movements. It's strange because it's the only observation of a 13 jewel original G.M. Wheeler, observations have all been 11 untill now. The other comparable movements with 13 jewels marked G.M. Wheeler are labeled grade 63 in the 1896 serial list , and still retain their keywind arbor from what I've seen. The grade 82 was actually a series two movement untill 874001, where it was changed to the series/model 3. It never had a keywind arbor, and is quick train (18000) as opposed to the G.M. Wheeler and grade 63 being slow train (16200) still retaining a keywind arbor. These models (2-4) are largely defined by their setting mechanisms. Here is a series/model two. This is an early variant with a slide lever, this quickly changed to the standard pull out lever. Notice the goofy toothed ring for setting. Heres a model 3. I won't get into the model 4 but it's actually in my opinion the best and most simple design. Grade 82 remained 13 jewels untill the run at 1630001-1640000. This is a fantastic run for being an Elgin nerd because you see 13 jewels with plain regulators, 15 jewels with patent regulators and then there are smaller numbers of 13 jewels with patent regulators(this is the only run I've seen this happen). On top of that, you can find all varieties either marked G.M. Wheeler or Elgin Natl Watch Co! It's a sickness... I tell you.... After that run they are all 15 jewel with patent regulator. Thank you! I have a strange fascination with the grade 82... On top of my early stemwinders haha.
Do you have a clearer / better pic of the setting system for this movement (the S-2)? Also, does it take a special canon pinion to engage with the goofy gear? The gear appears to be toothed on both the inside and outside. I ask because I'm looking at a BW Raymond that is supposed to be an S-4 from 1896 or so with the same sort of goofy setting mechanism, except it's a pull out lever instead of a a sliding one. It looks original but it's weird to my eyes.
It's not a series 4 then, it's a series 2. It does take a special Canon pinion. The series 4 is usually reserved for the low grade movements from what I've noticed. Here are the patents for the series two, pulled from the pocketwatchdatabase. I'll get you some good pictures of the pullout lever and cannon pinion in a little bit here.
My most recent acquisition - and my 5th Sangamo Special. I really like these watches, arguably some of the best Illinois ever made: Illinois Watch Company, 16 size, 23j, Model 9, s/n 2970044, ca: 1916 - "Sangamo Special"; 3 Finger, False Bridge; Red Engraving on Movement (2210 total 23j Sangamo Specials were False Bridge movements produced from 1915-1917); Adjusted to temperature, 6 positions, isochronism. Diamond, ruby & sapphire jewels in raised gold settings, oval top & bottom pallet jewels, sapphire jeweled barrel, gold balance screws, rounded & polished gold train wheels, gold guard pin, patent regulator, crosshatched damaskeen pattern, nickel movement, small inset escape cap jewel. Open Face; Double-sunk glass enamel Arabic numeral dial, 10K Gold Filled NAWCo “Security” Railroad Model Case Richard
