Tuesday, June 21, 2016


A Grade 80, 17 Jewel, Adjusted, Hampden from 1893, Serial # 930286.


This Watch has the Single Sunk "Circle" Dial which was common on the 17 Jewel Models of this era.


Model 2, Hunter, Movement w/ Teske Regulator. This is a Gold, Circle Damasked, Two-Tone Movement, even though No G80's are listed as such anywhere that I could find [they obviously made at least one of these]. It appears that, again, I've gotten hold of  an Undocumented Hampden Watch. On close inspection the chances of this being a "One Off" have gone way up. The Gold Circle is well defined in some places but at the top the Gold seems to 'drift' Northward in a kind of 'smudge'. This may indicate the Gold was applied by an Apprentice or this was a Test Movement that Hampden Salesmen would take around to Jewelers to see if they had buyers for it, before committing the Factory to producing an entire Run. 

Came in a Philadelphia, Silverode, Swing-Out, Open-Face, Case but the Stem doesn't extract or engage the winding mechanism, so it's now housed in an Unmarked Salesman's Case.This fits right in with the "Test Movement" Theory. Unless I acquire another Dueber-Hampden Salesman's Display Case { Hinged w/ a Bow, preferably} I guess this one's found a permanent home.

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