The Riverside - Waltham's most popular movement grade

[Jerry Treiman]

Many of our regulars on the board know that I am often touting Waltham's Riverside-grade models. The Riverside is not only a high-quality movement, adjusted to 5 positions in the more modern versions, it was also produced in more sizes and models than any other grade - at least 13 sizes and 24 different models. The first Riverside movement was an 8-size ladies' model - the 1873 model - but this was soon followed by the 1874 model 14-size movement, which was apparently becoming a popular smaller watch for gentlemen. Other sizes and models were introduced in the following years, with the Riverside usually the entry level for the better grades. Riversides span over 60 years of Waltham history.

This ad is from 1897.

I tally the following 24 models of Riverside movements:
18-size model 1892
16-size models 1872, 1888, 1899 and 1908
14-size models 1874, 1884, 1895 and 1897
Colonial Series
Colonial models 14A and 10A
Colonial B 1924 model
12-size model of 1894 (3/4-plate and semi-bridge)
8-size model 1873
6-size model 1890
1-size model 1882
0-size models 1891 and 1900
3/0 model 1900
6/0 models of 1898 and 1912
10-1/2 ligne bracelet
7-1/4 ligne rectangular

Also, within each size/model category are usually several varieties (various finishes, setting, jewelling, non-magnetic, and hunting or open-face configurations). The top Riverside might be considered to be the "Riverside Maximus", as suggested in this 1897 advertisement.

In light of the range and quality of the movements, the Riverside can be considered Waltham's standard-bearer. The variety, as well as affordability, makes the Riverside grade very well suited for the focus of a marvelous collection.

Here is a National Geographic ad from 1912. This ad (and many others) refers to Waltham's free Riverside booklet. I have never been able to find one of these booklets and would love to locate a copy or reproduction.

In the next series of posts I will show a few examples of each, but there are certainly different plate styles, jewelling and finish in most of these models and I do not have examples of all of them (except maybe 12-size). I welcome others to post their examples, and especially those I am missing.

 

[Jerry Treiman]

Men's watches - 5 different sizes and 14 different models:

Starting with the largest, here is an example of the 18-size 1892 model Riverside -


Here are examples of the 16-size Riverside models - 1872, 1888, 1899 and 1908. The 1872 and 1888 models were made in both gilt and nickel movements.


Here are examples of some of the 14-size models - 1874, 1884, 1895 and 1897.
The 1874 model was made in gilt and nickel, profile-plate (shown) and ¾-plate. The 1884 model was made in ¾-plate (shown) and split-plate.

 

[Jerry Treiman]

I discussed and showed most of the 12-size Riverside variants, including the Colonial Series, Colonial A (14 and 10-size) and Colonial B in this thread - Waltham's Riverside Grade the 12-size-variants

Here are the two basic 12-size 1894 model Riversides.


And here are the Colonial-A and B models.

There is also more on the Colonial A watches here - Waltham-Colonial-A

 

[Jerry Treiman]

Ladies' watches - 8 different sizes and 10 different models:

Here is an example of the 8-size 1873 model. These were made with various jewel counts - even 7 jewel versions - and with gilt or nickel plates, but all had gold balance screws and were apparently adjusted at least to temperature.

6-size 1890 model - a straight Riverside grade has so far eluded me, but here is the gussied up 6-size Riverside Maximus.


The 1-size 1882 model was usually finished in frosted nickel.

The 0-size Riverside was first made in the 1891 model, followed by the 1900 model.
Like the 6-size, I have missed getting a straight 1891 Riverside, so I am showing the upgraded Riverside Maximus. I do have a 1900 model to show. As far as I know, the Riverside was not made in the 1907 model.


The 3/0-size model 1900 is basically an 0-size movement with the pillar-plate turned down to 3/0. The Riverside grade in this size has 21-jewels, using a capped escape wheel and a jeweled mainwheel.

The Riverside grade 6/0, models of 1898 and 1912 were not as common as the jewel-named models of the Jewel Series. 1898 model is on the left and 1912 model on the right.


The 10-1/2 ligne Riverside is a lovely little movement with gold jewel settings.


The 7-1/4 ligne rectangular Riverside is the smallest Waltham Riverside. Like the 3/0 model it has 21 jewels.

 

[RON in PA]

Great thread, thanks!

 

[Nick23]

Jerry,

Another couple of lady size Riversides.
An 1873 Model, key wind and set, with 7 jewels and gold balance. In Dennison silver case.



A Model 1891 with 17 jewels, in Dennison G/F case.



Plus a gents size Demi hunter 1908 Model 21J adjusted to 5 positions.

 

[Jerry Treiman]

Thanks, Nick. Those are great (and models or variants that I did not have photos of).

 

[musicguy]

Thanks Jerry for this topic(you've sold me on them).
It will take me a while, and I will look at a ton of complete watches, and movements,
but I will find one I like.




Rob

 

[Kent]

Below are a series of catalog sheets or ads either describing the Riverside grade (including a non-magnetic version) or noting some of the models were accepted for use in railroad time service. Some have been posted before, others not:

 

[Jerry Treiman]

Thanks, Kent, for the assortment of advertisements. This is one of the loveliest Riverside ads, circa 1912.

 

[4thdimension]

There are two very different 8 size model 1873. There is EA91, an example of which is Nick's keywind variant shown above. There is also the EA92 type which is shown in Jerry's post above. Having distinguished the two I can report a keywind version of EA92 signed Riverside. I have an incomplete one #870196. -Cort

 

[Tom McIntyre]

Folks, please excuse the odd changes in this thread. I am using it to debug the attachment behavior. It should all be correct when I am finished. If not, please let me know.

 

[Joseph Short]

Jerry, that advertisement is great. The factory is now condos, but much the same as depicted. And that bridge is still there as well!

 

[rolandantrobus]

A couple of those (superb by the way) adverts mention that a booklet was available on request. Does anyone have one and if so can you please post pictures of it? Thanks.

 

[Jerry Treiman]

A couple of those (superb by the way) adverts mention that a booklet was available on request. Does anyone have one and if so can you please post pictures of it? Thanks.

I will second that! I have been searching for years to find one of these Riverside booklets. They must have printed a lot of these but either they have not survived or no one is offering them for sale.

 

[bsshog40]

Nice post and some great info and movements. I just picked one off the bay the other night because I really liked the looks of the movement. I'm pretty sure its a 14s and I'm just gonna put it up until I can case it.

 

[Jerry Treiman]

... I just picked one off the bay the other night because I really liked the looks of the movement. I'm pretty sure its a 14s and I'm just gonna put it up until I can case it.

View attachment 410032

Yes, that is the 14-size Colonial-A movement. These are very nice, high-quality movements. Unfortunately they are a thin movement and require a special-size case. They were only sold in gold cases and there were no lower-grade models, so finding a donor case may be difficult. The gold-scrappers are really destroying something irreplaceable when they melt these cases. I have seen some movements re-cased in later replacement cases, but these may be scarce, too. In their original cases these are very elegant watches. Waltham Colonial A

 

[topspin]

Nice post and some great info and movements. I just picked one off the bay the other night because I really liked the looks of the movement. I'm pretty sure its a 14s and I'm just gonna put it up until I can case it.

Good luck with casing it. Do keep us posted as to how you get on!
In post #34 in 12-size Waltham evolution (briefly) I tried to recase one of these - and failed. It was too thin even for the quite modest 14s case I was trying to put it in (although that's not to say that it couldn't be made to fit. In watch collecting, never say "always" or "never".)

 

[bsshog40]

Yea I know they are hard to case. I know someone on another forum that might have gold filled one. Hopefully so!

 

[Jerry Treiman]

I recently picked up two movements that I was missing - 16-size 1872 model Riverside with nickel plates and 14-size 1884 model in the split-plate configuration.

 

[Jerry Treiman]

A couple of those (superb by the way) adverts mention that a booklet was available on request. Does anyone have one and if so can you please post pictures of it? Thanks.

I finally located a copy of this booklet on line, courtesy of The Internet Archive and the Waltham Public Library -
The Riverside family : Waltham Watch Company : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

 

[musicguy]

I was just re-reading this thread yesterday afternoon(before you posted)
great find Jerry I know you have been looking since you saw a reference to this booklet.


Rob

 

[rolandantrobus]

WOW!! Thanks Jerry. There's also loads more books on Waltham at the bottom of that page that you can download. Wonderful!

 

[Brad Maisto]

The link to the booklet shows an interesting piece of “advertising” from back in the day! Too bad it did not have a little more “substance” to it?
Many years ago I visited the Indiana State library in Indianapolis, as they have a copy of “Making of the South Bend Watch”! It has watch movements depicted in it. I copied a few of the pages, and have them somewhere!
Thanks, Brad Maisto, KY Floral #44 Secretary

 

[Tom McIntyre]

i have had this nice set for a while now. I bought it originally for resale to try to cover some of my expenses for an errand I had run for a friend. The general antique store had a few watches and this one seemed the best of the lot. After I got to looking at it more closely, I decided I really liked the box and watch together.

[

 

[PapaLouies]

6-Size 1890 Model Riverside.

Regards, PL

 

[Mark UK]

This split plate 1884 came in today with a job lot of loose movements, it's fully wound with a broken roller table jewel. I wasn't sure about the balance so I checked and it has correct serial but the weights have been undercut so likely these, and/or the hairspring have been replaced at some point. It has been uncased for a long time and is very dirty but should clean up nicely.

 

[johnbscott]

I am also keen on Riverside watches. Most or mine are 1899/1908 Model watches but I have a couple of 1892 Model Riverside watches. Here is one of those that I am very pleased to have been able to literally bring back from the dead (after considerable effort). I think it will have another good life, now. Serial No. 7489491, 17J OF PW PS.

 

[Jerry Treiman]

Thanks, John, for reviving this thread. Since my last post I have gotten a different variation of the 6-size 1890 model Riverside, as compared with posts 26 and 27, above.


I have also gotten three interesting, private-label 12-size variants that I have posted in the 12-size Riverside thread.

https://mb.nawcc.org/threads/walthams-riverside-grade-the-12-size-variants.85327/

 

[Clint Geller]

Here is what one might consider an interesting side note to the Riverside story, an 18 jewel American Watch Company Grade Model 1868, SN 410,435, out of the first run of AWCo Grade Model 1868 movements, that was finished up much later than its serial number would otherwise suggest. The movement was finished with a characteristic, quite beautiful Riverside damaskeening pattern. The Model 1868 AWCo case has a Christmas 1879 inscription on the dust cover.

 

[Joe Blossic]

Glad this thread came up again, I had not seen it before and lots of good info.
Had the M88's out earlier today. As you can see there are some dupes to finally decide on ...
Here's a run of Riverside's in that model. SN low to high.

 

[johnbscott]

Riverside17097080 is a standard 1908 model 19 jewel OF PW PS movement from about 1908 (what a prolific year that was for nice American watches), enhanced by a delightful sterling silver case made by Dennison in Handsworth (near Birmingham, UK), by a private label dial marked for Hogg & Shaw of Manchester, UK and by a set of bold Waltham hands to match the bold Roman numerals of the dial, English style.

 

[PapaLouies]

A better photo for the 6-size Riverside.

Regards, P/L

 

[musicguy]

Here is a model 1890 6s Riverside I bought in 2020

Rob

 

[Jerry Treiman]

Double-roller or single-roller?

I was studying the 1888 model Riverside recently and noticed that most of my examples (4-million to 6-million serial numbers) have single-roller escapements, which surprised me. My earliest movement, 3574626, has a double-roller escapement. However, all of my '88 model Riversides are 15-jewel movements. The 1909 material catalog lists double-roller components for the Riverside grade and perhaps this became standard when it became a 17-jewel model. Just a little bit later, the 12-size 1894 model and the 16-size 1899 Riversides all seem to have double-roller (DR) escapements and I thought this had become a fairly standard specification for the model. So, did Waltham start out making the '88 Riverside with DR and then scale back until later? An 1899 jobber's catalog lists the Riverside (17j) with double-roller, but early catalogs do not seem to mention it. Does anyone have examples handy that they can check?

 

[Jerry Treiman]

In private correspondence a collector has shared with me that their '88 Riverside movement #6,985,7xx has a double-roller escapement but their later #9,525,8xx has a single-roller escapement. Both are 17-jewel movements. I am at a loss to explain their production quirks.

 

[musicguy]

I read this thread again thanks Topspin

16s Riverside M88

12S Riverside Maximus


16s Riverside 19 jewel

 

[Allan C. Purcell]

Live and learn, they say. Why is this thread not put on here every week? I might have bought one sooner.

Allan.

 

[Ethan Lipsig]

I have some nice Riversides. In decreasing size order, they are:

16-Size

Model 1888 Riverside Maximus OF in 14k AWCCo Case


Model 1888 Riverside Maximus Hunter in 14k Hayden Wheeler Case


Model 1899 Riverside Maximus OF in 18k Roy Case


Model 1899 Riverside Maximus hunter in 14k Solidarity Case


14-Size -- All Model 1894 Riverside A's

In 14k Solidarity Case


In a 14k Solidarity Case


In 14k Depollier Case


In 14k Waltham Case


In 14k Matalene Case


12-Size -- All Model 1894 Riverside Maximus, Except the First One

Model 1894 Riverside (not Maximus) in 19.5k WWCo Case


In 14k Keystone Case


In 18k Roy Case


In 14k Keystone Case


In 14k Elgin Giant W.C. Case. Note that this is my only Riverside Maximus that does not have a "Maximus" dial, but Jerry Treiman once told me that he thought the dial might be original and he counseled against swapping in a Maximus dial.



10-Size

Riverside A in 14k Matalene Case


Riverside A in 14k Perry Marks Case


To be continued in a subsequent post . . .

 

[musicguy]

My mother's 0s Riverside(mine now).

Rob

 

[musicguy]

This is my absolute smallest Riverside a 3/0 and it's 21j.

Grade 371 3/0s circa 1935





Rob

 

[Ethan Lipsig]

I started showing my Riversides in Post #39, in descending order of size. Here's the rest of them

10-Size

Maximus A in a platinum Perry Marks Case (Does this qualify as a Riverside?)



6-Size Model 1890 Riverside Maximus Hunter in 14k M.F. & Co. Case (Only 500 were made, all hunters.)



0-Size Model 1900 Riverside Maximus in 14k Keystone Case

 

[miguel angel cladera]

A 21j Riverside Maximus pendant for the english market and with three visible diamond caps