What did you find in 2019?

[Jerry Treiman]

I try at the end of each year to start a thread in the American Pocket Watch forum for collectors to highlight their most exciting or most gratifying find of the year. This year I thought it would be nice to climb out of my “silo” and post this as a question to all of us horologists, whether your interest falls in any of our many forums -- all types of clocks or watches. And, if you can, tell those of us who may not be as knowledgeable in your area of collecting what makes your pride and joy meaningful.

For me, my most gratifying acquisition came at the end of the year (just about a week ago). As a pocket watch collector for over 50 years my interests have varied, but the American 12-size watch, a man’s dress pocket watch, has always been at the core of my interests and I have tried to explore the history of this smaller-sized man’s watch. Although there was a slightly earlier 12-size watch for ladies in the 1860s, the first men’s 12-size watches appeared in 1875, one offered by Elgin and one by Waltham. The Waltham 12-size keywind “Martyn Square” model has eluded me for a long, long time until now. I have “topspin” (from this message board) to thank for this one; he found it and was kind enough to pass it along to me.

 

[FDelGreco]

I found a Gillett and Johnston time and strike tower clock. It is complete with original pendulum and bob, and original weights (flat cast iron discs with a slot across the face) and original weight carriers. The bob and weights are very heavy. The clock even came with a stand.

Frank

 

[Jerry Treiman]

Frank, since I am not very familiar with tower clocks can you tell us how old this is? Is it American? I would love to see a picture.

 

[Dave Coatsworth]

Quite a few purchases this year that I am rather fond of but my favorite has to be this Illinois Stuart grade, serial number 51355. Housed in a solid 14K Serex & Desmaison case. The Stuart was Illinois' highest grade at the time this was produced (1879). This one has the 'jeweled 5th pinion', which is a collecting specialty of mine. The 5th pinion was the early technique that Illinois used to convert a hunting movement into open face.

 

[musicguy]

Here are a few of mine from this year
I hate to admit but I bought a lot of watches this year and these are just
a few of them. I didn't really realize how many until I had to go back and pick
my favorites(and don't have room here to post all my favorites
the truth is all the watches I purchased this year are my favorites).
Here are just a few examples. Don't tell my wife(actually she already knows
who am I kidding)


One of the first watches(I had to get) I bought this year in January: 6 size 1889 Elgin grade 71





The next one is a watch I always wanted a "so called" 16 size Elgin Dr. Watch from 1882
known as an interchangeable or convertible watch(can be open face or hunting configuration).





I was on the 6 size search this year(and bought a bunch of them plus some 0 size and 6/0 ones too)
this is an 1892 Elgin grade 122, I also loved the case.





I picked up a bunch Hamilton's this year 16 size's and 18 size's and 6/0 size's this is only one of them 16s 1912 952




I did buy many Elgin's here are two of them 18 size circa 1871 BW Raymond's National Watch Co.


I also bought some other American watches, New York and other local Private Labels and even a few Swiss watches
and added to my focus of 19j watches(mostly RR grade).

I need to go to AAA for watch collectors, I do have a problem.

Rob

 

[Ethan Lipsig]

I am somewhat embarrassed to relate the highlights of what I collected in 2019 because I am better able to spoil myself than many other collectors, including some far more knowledgeable than me and some with collections of greater horological importance whether or not as valuable. With that apology, here are highlights of what I’ve added to my collections this year.

American Watch Co. Grade Collection: An 18k 19j Model 1888 hunter, to complement my open-face 19j and 21j examples

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Audemars Piguet Collection: A carved platinum Gubelin PL

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Complicated Watch Collection:

• An 18k C.J. & A. Perrenoud & Cie Seconde Morte hunter, discussed in C.J & A. Perrenoud Foudroyante Seconde Mort, or Is It Really a Louis Audemars?.

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• An 18k hunter Non-Magnetic Watch Co. Minute Repeater, Perpetual Quantieme, Moon-phase, Chronograph, discussed in Non-Magnetic Watch Co. Minute Repeater, Chronograph, Perpetual Calendar. This is the most complicated watch in my collection. It originally was owned by a famed folklorist who collected such songs as He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands. Who would have thought collecting folk songs was a way to get rich? I bought the watch from his grandson.

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• An 18k hunter Charles Frodsham PL/Nicole Nielsen Calendar Chronograph acquired from an active poster to this message board. Many thanks to him.

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Detent Chronometer Collection: A silver or nickel cased Frodsham, Gracechurch Street detent chronometer likely by Pennington, discussed in Mysterious Chronometer Pocket Watch<.

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Elgin C.H. Hulburd Collection: My third platinum example. C.H. Hulburd was Elgin’s top-of-the-line presentation watch. I now have 13 examples, which must make my collection one of the largest Hulburd collections around. Only 810 Hulburds appear to have been made.

​

English Watch Collection

• The 18k hunter Charles Frodsham PL/Nicole Nielsen Calendar Chronograph listed above in my Complicated Watch Collection.

• The Frodsham, Gracechurch Street detent chronometer listed above in my Detent Chronometer Collection

• An 18k Gabriel PL free-sprung hunter, likely by Victor Kullberg, featuring what is or resembles Kullberg’s “curiosity” bridge.

​

Howard Collection: A 14k Series VII hunter.

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Illinois Extra Thin Model One/Illini/Hamilton 400 Collection

• An 18k Hamilton 400 “Pulitzer.” The Hamilton 400 was a slightly revised version of the Illinois Illini 528 made after Hamilton purchased Illinois. About 2300 400s were made. They were to have been sold in solid gold cases, of which there were four different styles. Only 869 of these were made; the balance of the movements were sold off during the Depression in gold-filled cases as award watches. I already had 18k yellow gold Bok- and Carnegie-cased examples. I was glad to add a Pulitzer-cased example to my collection. I have never seen a Nobel-cased example for sale.

• A two-tone 14k Illinois “Extra Thin” Grade 438, my fourth 438.. Grades 435, 437, 438, and 439 (there was no Grade 436) were precursors to the Illini Grades 528 and 538. 1,130 Grade 438s were made.

C.H. Meylan Collection: I am one of the leading collectors of C.H. Meylan pocket watches. I maintain a serial number database (Dropbox - C.H. Meylan Serial Number Database.doc - Simplify your life) in which I classify every type of Meylan movement I have ever seen. In 2019, I only added two examples.

• A platinum and diamond ladies watch with a Type F movement. I bought this because Type F movements in ladies sizes are quite rare. Man-size Type Fs were used by many makers, including Ditisheim, Audemars Piguet, Zenith, Frankfeld, Breguet, D. Nicole, Dietrich Gruen, Plojoux, Patek Philippe, Niton, and Koehn/Ekegren. These movements, or at least their ebauches seem to have been made by Les Fils de Louis-Elisée Piguet, Le Brassus, later known as Frédéric Piguet, now part of Blancpain.

• An 18k Type B open face ladies watch.

Touchon Collection: I am one of the leading collectors of Touchon pocket watches. I maintain a serial number databased for Touchon pocket watches in which I classify every movement type I have ever seen. See https://www.dropbox.com/s/czuqn63h3urv75z/Touchon Serial Numbers.doc?dl=0. I was very pleased to acquire the platinum and diamond Tiffany PL, discussed in Jeweled Monograms. It is the only Type TO11 that I have ever seen.

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Verger Freres Collection: A two-tone 18k Bras en l’air (“Arms in the Air”), discussed in "Bras en l'air" Pocket Watches.

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[gmorse]

Hi Jerry,

...Is it American? I would love to see a picture...

No, English, and the company is still in existence.

Regards,

Graham

 

[richiec]

Didn't find much this year, mainly sold a bunch of stuff the last two Chapter 1 marts to clear some money to buy some new stuff. I look on Ebay a lot as there aren't any bargains at the marts. Most of my sales were ladies pocket watches and common 18, 16 and 12 sizes but I left meat on the bone for the next guy to sell.

 

[musicguy]

I am somewhat embarrassed to relate the highlights of what I collected in 2019

Ethan we all choose to collect different watches. I actually could collect
any watches I want but I choose the ones I collect because they make me happy.
You have a fantastic collection that "turns" heads and makes us all stare at them

I always enjoy looking at your watches. I don't need to own them to enjoy them.
That's the beauty of it. The last one in your photos I saw at the National this year
and showed it to my wife. We both thought it was great. I didn't buy it
but did think about it.

Rob

 

[novicetimekeeper]

I have bought quite a few this year, longcase, dial and bracket clocks.

Three stand out I think, for different reasons. As I collect more my interests go earlier, and one of the three falls in the earlier category, as silvered dial clock from the 1790s with the classic saltbox construction, convex dial, verge movement. Being only 10" dial this has the 3/4 size movement which makes it even more special. Unusually I bought it fully restored from the collection of a friend who was downsizing his collection.

I don't know how you guys get the pics in amongst the text so you will have to sort them out yourself!



The next two are not early of their type but also stand out in my collection. In order of purchasing the next is a mahogany cased longcase, something I would never usually buy, because it means a late clock and much later than my main interest in longcase. However this one, although made in about 1770, is very interesting to me because it was made about a mile and a half from where I sit typing this. Not only that but it is by far the best example of this guy's work that I have ever seen. Even the mahogany case I can admire, especially as I now believe it to be original to the clock.

It has the earlier form of painted moonroller disc with the starry sky, and a beautifully engraved dial and arch. Again this one was bought restored, this time at auction, but incredibly cheaply. I'm so pleased with it that it displaced a 17th century London 30 hour to get a place in the sitting room so I can see it every day. No longer a mile and a half away it is now less than ten feet from where I sit.

The third is also later than I normally go for in this style of clock, though dial clocks are always the youngest in my collection even the early ones. This one my first drop dial, it has opened a new area for me in dial clocks, the 8" dial. I absolutely adore it and will be seeking out more 8" clocks. I missed one recently as the under bidder but the hunt is on. So this marks a new chapter and it is adorable.

 

[joetime]

My best find this year was the Western watch Co.it was the creation of Albert Troller who had purchased the remaining materials of the California watch Co.(in later years,Troller became Superintendent of the Rockford Watch Co.)and the Western Watch Co.achieved only a very small output.This example is 11 jewel and the movement serial number 28669

 

[Greg Frauenhoff]

Three that come to mind are:

(1) (another) open-face 15 Ruby Jewel Aurora
(2) first and, so far, only nickel adjusted KW Aurora I've seen
(3) early first run Aurora Caulfield for Railway Service. (Note: these were made for H. R. Caulfield of San Francisco)

Some others but I'd need to review my "records" to refresh my memory.

 

[Chris Radano]

Because you asked, here are some clocks I've found in 2019. 2 pics of each.

 

[novicetimekeeper]

Because you asked, here are some clocks I've found in 2019. 2 pics of each.

No Wood?

 

[Chris Radano]

This is post September 2019. The first one here is Stephen Rimbault. He gets 3 pics, I'm still working on putting him together.
There is another one not pictured.
BTW I'm slowing down on acquisitions.

 

[Chris Radano]

No Wood?

OK here he is. He's still not decent for presentation.

 

[novicetimekeeper]

OK here he is. He's still not decent for presentation.

Mine can take years to get to a presentable standard, people have forgotten all about them when I post pics of them finished. I haven't quite got enough that I have forgotten about them, yet...

 

[musicguy]

Mine can take years to get to a presentable standard, people have forgotten all about them when I post pics of them finished

So true.


Rob

 

[Rick Hufnagel]

This was a good year, filled with learning and enjoying this wonderful hobby.

I really narrowed down what I like, and what I want to collect. After a few years... It was bound to happen.

Most importantly, I've "collected" some great friends around here to talk and learn with (mostly learn from!). Not far behind that, the information collected this year in the form of observations and documentation has been an exciting and rewarding quest.

As far as watches, here are few Elgins first of course!

This is one of only four observed stemwind key set Elgins we have. It's from a small run of 100, so it also helps explain a previously unobserved run. It's a private label with a cutout balance cock... Definitely my prize this year!



You'll never find someone more excited about a 7 jewel watch. This is the Mat Laflin series two, 510 total, two runs(410 & 100) only two observations both in the first run and one... Is... mine!!!


17s export, 11 jewel with gold balance wheel. Grade 52, one run of 1000 made for export. (I also got an incredible Avery from J&H but I can't include everything)


Ok.. I leave you with two Hampdens and I'm done. I went a bit nuts this year.

Early J.C. Perry Private Label. Just beautiful!


I also managed to find some of these really great hollow center pinion model twos. Couple Railways, a J.C. Perry and a Theo Studley It's hard to pick a favorite. None are original cases, so that's obviously a goal for some day.



There's too many to list.. but these are some of my favorites and most important pertaining to projects.
Have a happy New Year!!!

 

[Steven Thornberry]

Inter alia, I did find this Waltham 1888, grade 24. It is an alarmingly good timekeeper. I use it to set my quartz watches. It was discussed some months ago, here.

 

[Travler1]

Top row 1st 2 Roskell Detent.... 3 & 4 a PP extra with bells n whistles
2nd row all same watch.... tiffany/pp political bribe of 1896 ....love the eagle
A good year ....not perfect watches ...but a good year

 

[gmorse]

Hi John,

Has that Roskell chronometer appeared in its own post? I couldn't find it if it has, and it shows signs of being an early Earnshaw balance, with the large gaps in the rim and the trammel across the centre between the two weights. The balance spring stud is characteristic of his work.

Regards,

Graham

 

[Jerry Treiman]

This is great! The variety (and quality) of watches is always neat to see, but it is especially nice to see the tremendous variety in clocks. I admit that I do not venture over to that side of the board very often. (Haven't seen anything from the wrist watch folk yet, though).

Let's hope 2020 is as nice to us.

 

[rmarkowitz1_cee4a1]

Everything folks have shared so far is quite lovely.

I've actually found quite a bit of stuff this past year. A lot was for resale, including some rather nice Chelseas, which were "flipped". Didn't even get pix of much of the stuff before it found a new home.

Also, I acquired a number of things which were clock related but not clocks. Also, much of that was for resale and came and went.

Here's some randomly selected examples of what was found over the past year, a few of which became "keepers" as they were within my collecting interests. Some have been discussed on the MB.



To emphasize that it's not just clocks, here's one of the pix of coverage I received in the 12/27/19 "Antiques and the Arts Weekly".



A goodly percentage of what was in the booth also was from this year (fresh sells)...and some of it was also on the MB as the "superfluous".

Best wishes to all for the coming year!!

RM

 

[PatH]

Thanks, Jerry for starting this thread, and thanks to everyone who has posted pictures and stories - there were certainly some great clocks and watches found in 2019! I'm hoping to see others join in here, even if it's one or two pictures of that special previously posted piece with a link to the original post. Just to make sure we don't shun the lower end of the spectrum, I think it's time for a little 2019 dollar watch focus. (You knew I couldn't let this thread go by without some dollar watches, right? )

1. First two pictures are a Waterbury Clock Co watch. It is like the Waterbury Clock Co alarm watch, with the addition of a dial that shows the time in various cities across the United States as well as Berlin and London. The dial shows patent applied for.
2. The next two are an Ingersoll souvenir watch commemorating Grover Cleveland's inauguration. The movement and clamshell case are basically the same as the Ingersoll Columbian Exposition watch, which makes sense as both are from 1893.
3. The final two pictures are an Ingersoll souvenir watch commemorating the 1900 Paris Exposition. Ingersoll was one of the U.S. companies that exhibited in Class 96 - Clock and watch making - equipment, processes and products

Happy New Year to everyone, and happy horological hunting in 2020!
Pat

 

[musicguy]

The dollar watched really have a really special extra dimension to them that
other watches do not have. I love the dials and cases on these.
Thanks for sharing. They are also fun.


Rob

 

[zedric]

Because you asked, here are some clocks I've found in 2019. 2 pics of each.

I see you found a capucine.. Nice

 

[Chris Radano]

I see you found a capucine.. Nice

Lol.....I shared that one with you back in March 2019! I don't expect you to remember. It's nice to revisit some of these. BTW, there was a "typical" capucine that sold in the USA a few months ago that was less expensive..I figured you saw it. But I reckon you didn't acquire it! Maybe you didn't see it? If not, I will make it a point to make you aware if I see another!
Mine is a little unusual, I never saw one with a bell strap. And it's signed on the dial (with a boo-boo) and case engraving.

And you get to see the Robert Wood dial clock. It's out for repair due to shipping damage. 2019 was a year of bad clock packing of epidemic proportion, but I guess that could happen any year. It's enough to make me refrain from acquiring certain clocks. Thankfully watch collectors don't deal with the same aggravation!

Happy New Year 2020!

 

[novicetimekeeper]

Just bought my first clock in 2020!

 

[musicguy]

I wanted to add two non-wacth items to this Horological Miscellany thread

Here are two Tokens I picked up last year. Neither are too rare or scarce
but they were fun to collect. After reading RM's recent father time clock thread
I decided to post these here.


Copper struck token(in the style of a Hard Times Token)
from circa 1900 by Gorham Manufacturing Company (at the request of C.D. Peacock Jewelers
of Chicago est 1837).




Elgin National Watch Co Token Gail Borden circa 1873





Rob

 

[Tom McIntyre]

I managed to buy my Barraud Flamenville escapement clock in 2018, but I will include it in this year because I bought the companion Barraud 8 day chronometer in February 2019. That purchase prompted me to sell all the "commercial" stock I had been carrying around for years in a single lot at the MidWinter Regional in Lakeland.
Barraud 931 English - Barraud, Cornhill 931 Barraud 933 Marine: - Large Barraud 8 day 933


There was no cash involved in the Lakeland exchange, instead I got this E. W. Bond.These pictures are after the COA it needed and are pulled from the presentation I gave at the National Convention on the New York Watch Co.

The National was the time that my big buy of the year turned up on eBay. This one made a substantial change in my life, since the cost required me to reorganize my view of my collection. I have ended up selling quite a few pieces I never thought I would part with in order to keep peace in the family. McIntyre Watch on ebay?

That watch has had its bow restored and looked like this at the time. it looks rather better after a cleaning but I don't have a full set of those pictures.

 

[Jerry Treiman]

Wow! Tom’s post is a tough act to follow.

In addition to my 12-size KW that I showed in post #1 I also added a couple of special items to my collection of Walthams cased by H.W. Matalene.

This small ladies’ pendant watch (circa 1913) has a 9-ligne movement in a guilloche enamel case with matching chain and Matalene’s patent setting mechanism. The second picture shows it alongside a 10-ligne Waltham in an enameled Dubois case (circa 1911).


This 14-size Colonial-A is in a case composed of alternating elements of green and rose gold, also by Matalene with his patent setting slide. circa 1917


This enameled Matalene case appears to depict Diana the Huntress. It has a 10-size Colonial-A movement. The bow is a later replacement but I depict how the original may have looked. circa 1922-23

 

[skidog]

I guess I rescue other peoples junk. Those clocks that are one owner away from being parted out and sold by the screw on ebay, etc. My hobby then goes into finding missing parts, cleaning, refinishing if needed, and then enjoying. This years finds included a Ansonia Crystal Regulator with exposed escapement, Seth Thomas kitchen clock, Globe Ball clock, Tape Measure clock, Ingraham Yankee Clipper banjo clock, a couple of blacks, and a few westminster clocks (wind up and electric). The clocks I find provide many hours in the shop. Love it.

 

[novicetimekeeper]

2020 has started with a bit of a rush, I have bought two clocks and two sets of brass cased weights!