Springfield Watch Co Logo?

[Tom McIntyre]

I just picked up a watch for a friend of mine and when I was looking at it I noticed a strange logo in place of the abbreviation "No." next to the serial number.

The watch is an Illinois Model 3, Stuart grade.

I am I just slow to notice this? I don't recall ever seeing any discussion of it. The abbreviation is normal on my slightly later Stuart.



Tom McIntyre
2nd VP Elect
Tommy the JOAT's Web

 

[Tom McIntyre]

I just picked up a watch for a friend of mine and when I was looking at it I noticed a strange logo in place of the abbreviation "No." next to the serial number.

The watch is an Illinois Model 3, Stuart grade.

I am I just slow to notice this? I don't recall ever seeing any discussion of it. The abbreviation is normal on my slightly later Stuart.



Tom McIntyre
2nd VP Elect
Tommy the JOAT's Web

 

[Jon Hanson]

Yes, this is the Springfield Watch Co. logo and is on the earlier named grades.

Jon

Jon Hanson, nawcc#8801
President chapter 149

 

[Greg Davis]

Yep, I have one like that.

150941
Ch.149 member #77

 

[Jon Hanson]

I just looked at dozens of movements below 52 someodd thousand and they all have it! :biggrin:

The earlier ones have a much smaller logo.

Jon Hanson, nawcc#8801
President chapter 149

 

[Fred Hansen]

In Megger's Illinois book (page 58) they give the end of 1879 as an enddate for this marking.

And the date given for this run of Stuart's is March 1879.

Fred

 

[Tom McIntyre]

Thanks for the page reference Fred. That will teach me not to just read the model reference material. I have had the book since its publication and had never read that section.

Tom McIntyre
2nd VP Elect
Tommy the JOAT's Web

 

[Russ Snyder]

Tom et al.,

Illinois stopped using this style number prefix (SWCo.) roughly the same time they discontinued using dials marked "Illinois Springfield Watch Co." There are some of each which show up in 1880, but by 1881 they are pretty much gone.

This number prefix isn't found on ALL Illinois watches prior to 1879, however, as some of the lower grade watches (e.g. Interior and S.W.C.) had no prefix.

I own two early Grade "2" watches marked on the movement "Ill's Springfield Watch Co." (112,017 and 112,939), both from 1878, and neither of them has the SWC prefix.

However, a Grade "1" of mine (44,455) from 1876 is marked on the movement "Springfield Watch Co., Springfield, Ill." and it has the SWC prefix. Likewise, my Grade "2" (59,166) has the same movement marking AND the SWC prefix.

As with a lot of Illinois watch features, "more-or-less" seems to be a good modifier to use with most conclusions.

Russ