Thursday, February 25, 2016


Second Key Wind / Key Set Hampden. This a Damasked, Nickel Finish,                                   11 Jewel, 18 size, Grade "Springfield",  Movement.                                            
Very nice "Wavy Line" Damasking.


Very Clean "Roman" style Dial, w/ Thin Spade Hands.

Until I can find a Nice Key Wind Case this movement is being housed in a Convertible Case.

Called "Convertible" for having both a hole in the Inner Dust Case for Key Wind movements & a Crown & Stem to wind a Stem Wind movement.                                         

Monday, February 22, 2016


Second "Menlo Park" in my collection. First being a Open Face Model ON3L-A & this the Hunter Case Model, HN4L-A. Model 4 being the Last Hunter Model, replacing the Model 2. Manufactured in 1900.
17 Jewel, Adjusted, w/ 'Star' patent regulator.


Watch has incorrect Dial & Hands, but I intend to replace them.
The final pick for a new dial. A Canadian 24 Hr., Single Sunk Dial. This Dial was made for the Model 4's as it has no hole in one foot for a pin [as the Model 2's do]. Excellent, near Mint, Dial.
Movement mounted in a Unique Aluminum Dueber Case. This Case must have been made around the time the price Aluminum came down to around the price of Silver or Gold due to the new Bauxite Extraction Process invented in the late 1890's.  This would put it in the same time frame as the Movement.  

Sunday, February 21, 2016


               Final Version of the 18 size, Hampden, John Hancock.                                   Open-Face, 21 Jewel, Adjusted to 5 Positions, w/ Double Roller.                                      
The first John Hancock was made when Hampden was "The New York Watch Co." . The next incarnation was a 21 Jewel, Adjusted, version, then 21 Jewels, Adjusted to 5 Positions, & finally this Model w/ Double Roller added on to the Movement. 
Gold Filled, J. Boss, Keystone,  Case.
Double Sunk, Arabic Script, Dial, w/ Spade Hour & Whip Minute Hand. This Model has a manufacturing date of 1910
& would have satisfied the Railroad Standards for watches into the 1920's when the 18 size watches were no longer accepted. 

Saturday, February 13, 2016


Here we have some Northern Pacific Time Inspector's Forms & Envelope.

                                  Above; Front of Card.  At Bottom the Back.

Watches were to be inspected at regular intervals by a Watchmaker / Time Inspector. The Time Inspector would give out a "Loaner" Watch, inspect & if needed, adjust & / or repair the watch before handing it back with an Inspection Report. Each Railway had different criteria for what kind of watch was "acceptable" but generally followed the guidelines set down by a commission in the 1890's which became "The Bureau of Railroad Time Service".  These 'guidelines' were changed several times, excluding some types & accepting others but generally included only 18 & 16 size, 'Lever Set' Watches & Watches of certain Manufacturers & Jewel Counts, (first 15 Jewel, then 17 Jewel & by 1930 only certain 19, 21, & 23 Jewel, 16 size, Open Face Models were acceptable.  
A bit after 1900 most Lines had phased out the Hunter Case Watches in favor of  the Open Face Watch Movement & after 1908 only Double Roller Movements that were Adjusted to 5 positions & stamped so, along with the Jewel Count on the Back Plate, were acceptable. 

Monday, February 1, 2016


Here is a Illinois Watch Case Co. 18 size, Gold Filled, Hunter Case. 


This Case will only accept a very Thin 18 size Movement. The Dueber-Hampden, 18 size, M2 / M4, Movements are too thick so the Dust Cover won't close & the Bezel won't seat. Perhaps this Case was made for E. Howard of Boston as their Movements are of unusual size & perhaps width.  
Anyroad I currently have this one up for auction on e-bay as none of my Hunter Movements are thin enough to fit this Case.