early elgin export watches, 1870-1888

Early Elgin Export Watches, 1870-1888

Luis Casillas NAWCC Chapter 5 (San Francisco)

September 13, 2015

Exercise: Identify the watch

(Pretend you don’t know the subject of this talk!)

English Sterling Silver HallmarksNo signature on dial

SterlingSilver

BirminghamAssay Office 1876

Aaron LufkinDennison

English gold and silver hallmarks can be looked up in many books and websites.

(E.g., Philip, Priestley, Watch Case Makers of England, NAWCC Bulletin

Supplement 20, Spring 1994.)

Aaron Lufkin Dennison

• Legendary founder of the American Waltham Watch Company.

• Often called the “father of the American watch industry.”

Aaron Lufkin Dennison

• After leaving Waltham, was involved in a few failed watch companies in the USA, Switzerland and the UK:

• Tremont Watch Co. (Boston, 1864)

• Zurich Watch Company (supplier to Tremont)

• Anglo-American Watch Company (1871-1874)

Aaron Lufkin Dennison• After all his watchmaking enterprises failed, he started

a very successful watch case company in the United Kingdom (c. 1874-76).

• The Dennison Watch Case Company was wildly successful, well into the 20th century

• They also made cases for many English market Waltham watches.

• Priestley (1994, 2009) thinks Waltham may have been a silent partner in Dennison’s case business.

“Swiss Make”

No signature on movement Is this a Swiss watch?

Surprise! It’s an Elgin!

• 17 size, anonymous, grade 14

• 7 jewels, solid balance

• Made c. 1876

• Exported to the UK

The most obscure Elgins?• This is one of a group of Elgin watches that are

very obscure because:

• They often don’t say “Elgin” anywhere visible;

• They were exported abroad;

• The plates are often not the same as USA Elgins;

• Most are fairly low grade and thus don’t draw much attention to themselves.

The story• Around 1875, Elgin designed and began

manufacture of a special line of movements for export to the British Commonwealth.

• These movements were not made in large numbers, and nearly all were soon discontinued (sources say in 1876).

• But some were made as late as c. 1887, and exported as well.

The movements

• A broad product line was planned in 18, 17, 14, 12 and 10 sizes.

• Planned. Not all necessarily made.

• Even when made, not always clear if they were actually exported.

The watchcases• Much more so than with domestic American

watches, the cases of these export Elgins are very important to note!

• The cases have the potential to illuminate Elgin’s export and distribution channels to 1870s UK.

• The majority seen so far are from a very small number of casemakers.

• Aaron Dennison figures very prominently.

Warning: Work in Progess!

• I have very little information on this topic!

• Some of this information is contradictory!

• My thoughts could change next week!

Major sources

• Jacques David’s report to the Swiss watch industry on American watches (early 1877).

• Crossman and Abbott’s books (mid-late 1880s)

• Elgin’s grade ledgers (at the NAWCC Library).

• Observation of watches and eBay listings.

Jacques David

• One of the key persons in the development of the Longines company in Switzerland.

• Was Technical Director, partner in the firm, and later general manager.

Jacques David in the USA

• Jacques David came to the USA in 1876 in two roles:

• Part of the official Swiss delegation to the 1876 Philadelphia Exposition

• To investigate (i.e., snoop on) the American watch industry, and write a report to the Swiss watch industry.

• David visited the city of Elgin during his trip; not clear if he actually got into the factory.

Jacques David

• Jacques David (1877, p. 17):

• “Elgin has agencies in New York, Chicago, London and St. Petersburg. These agencies are extremely luxuriously organised and must significantly increase the price of the products so that it would not be correct to ignore them.”

Charles Crossman

• Wrote a book on the history of American watches, published as a serial between 1885 and 1887.

Crossman’s book• Crossman (1885-87, p. 96):

• “Between September 29, 1875 and December 29th of the following year, five grades of 14-size three quarter plate, key wind movements were produced. They ranged in quality from full-jeweled expansion balance adjusted to plain jeweled with steel balances. These were more especially designed for sale in the English market, the company having opened an office in London, but they were sold to some extent in this country.”

“More especially designed for sale in the English market”

Elgin #450,380, grade 53 10 size, 3/4 plate

“English” style (but sold in the USA?)

Elgin #189,594 (Gail Borden) 10 size, split plate

Domestic style

Crossman’s book (continued)

• Crossman (1885-87, p. 96, my emphasis):

• “After the adoption of popular prices by this company in 1876, their manufacturing resources were so heavily taxed to supply the home market they deemed it best to withdraw entirely from a foreign one, and in consequence of that decision, this entire line just mentioned was discontinued and the London office closed.”

“Popular prices”• Crossman’s uses the term “popular prices”

without explaining it, but this is clarified by other sources.

• “In May [of 1876], the ‘popular price policy’ was announced which slashed the cost of high end watches. The list price of the top of the line B.W. Raymond movement was reduced from $67.50 to $39.75. Other models underwent drastic price cuts.” (Alft & Briska, 2003, p. 22).

Crossman’s info (continued)

• Crossman (1885-87, p. 101):

• “It was during [Thomas Baxter’s] management [early 1876 to 1879] that the company made their great reduction of sixty to seventy percent in the prices of their movements. […] The company made a rapid stride forward, the home demand for their watches becoming so great that they decided it was best to discontinue the English trade as already noted.”

More on “popular prices”• Ed. Favre-Perret’s 1877 report on the 1876

Philadelphia Exhibition:

• “[B]enefitting from the opening of the exhibition, all the American companies gave their products a reduction in price from 40 to 50%.” (p. 3)

• Favre-Perret was part of the Swiss delegation that Jacques David went on.

Henry G. Abbott

• Wrote another early (1888) book on the history of American pocket watches.

Abbot’s book• Abbott (1888, p. 61):

• “Seven new grades of 10 size, six grades of 12 size and five grades of 14 size, three-quarter plate, key wind movements, were made by the company between Sept. 29, 1875, and Dec. 29, 1876. Most of these new patterns were made for the foreign markets, which demanded movements differing in some respects from those made for home consumption.”

Abbot’s book (continued)• Abbott (1888, p. 61):

• “So large was the demand for Elgin movements during the year 1876, that the factory, although running over time, and turning out movements as fast as the capacity would admit of, yet the orders were far behind, and dealers were beginning to complain. The London office of the company was closed, the forces increased, and everything possible was done to meet the enormous demand.”

The Elgin grade books• The NAWCC Library and Research Center has a

set of ledgers from the Elgin company, recording numbered movements (“grades”) and data about their parts.

• Some people (e.g., Wayne Schlitt) have called these the Elgin “Master Records.”

• These ledgers appear to have been started in the 1890s, and have only rudimentary information about many of the earliest watches.

Elgin grade book, example page

Closeup on “English”

A number of the movements on the first (earliest) ledger have the word “English” pencilled in. These

seem to partially correspond to the ones that Crossman and Abbott mention in their books.

Grade Book Notes

The grade books also have blank pages with handwritten notes about the movements in the opposite page. Many of these notes are descriptions of the movement’s features.

Grade 83(not “English”)

Novel information from the grade books

• Which movements were recorded as “English”

• Details that the standard reference books and online databases do not have.

• Most interestingly, the variety of solid balance wheels. Some are listed as steel, some sterling, some as gold.

“English Relatives”• A number of grades are not marked “English,” but are close

relatives, either because:

• They are a size, model or style overwhelmingly found in the “English” movements;

• They have features that are typical of English movements, like gold balance wheel;

• They occur in small serial number blocks in very close proximity to “English” movements;

• They have actually been spotted in UK hallmarked cases.

Number of “English” and “relative” grades

• Even if we exclude the English relatives, this was a very extensive and ambitious lineup.

• However:

• Were all of these actually made?

• Were all of these actually exported?

Size “English” “English” + relatives

18 5 6

17½ 3 6

14 5 9

12 6 6

10 5 7

All 24 34

Let’s look at some watches!

17½ size watches

• In the 1870s Elgin made a series of movements variously labeled as “17½ size” or “17 size.”

• These movements required non-standard cases.

17½ Size English gradesGrade # Balance Jewels Winding Serials Description

(verbatim from grade book)

11 Solid, sterling 7 Stem 10,000 Not Jeweled. No Dust Band. Sterling

Balance with straight pivots

14 Solid, steel 7 Key 8,900Avery Style. Finished material. Not Jeweled. Steel Balance. Straight

Pivots.

15 Solid, gold 11 Key 4,100Avery Style. Finished material. Fourth,

Escape Jeweled both ends, solid uppers. Gold Balance. Straight Pivots

17½ Size English gradesGrade # Balance Jewels Winding Serials Description

(verbatim from grade book) My notes

51 Solid, steel 7 Key 1,000

Not Jeweled. Finished Avery material. Steel Balance with

straight pivots.English Relative

52 Solid, gold 11 Key 1,000

Jeweled Fourth and Escape, both ends, solid uppers.

Finished Avery Material. Gold Balance with straight pivots.

English Relative

59 Solid, sterling 7 Key 45,000

Not Jeweled. Avery Train, Escapement and Sterling

Balance, Blue Regulator. Soft Screws. No Dust Band. Front Setting. “Leader” on Bridge. Straight Pivots to Bal. Staff.

English Relative. This grade number also

includes domestic “T.M. Avery.” The Price Guide

claims that “Leader” were made for export.

Jacques David on standard movement sizes

“This uniformity [of movement size], which we can say is absolute in the most common 18 size, constitutes a very great advantage for case making. It allows the case manufacturer to be completely equipped to make cases intended for American movements by machine, and consequently these cases are cheaper than those for any foreign movement. It also makes it possible for the watch merchant to have a set of uncased movements and to buy cases only when he has a need for them.” (p. 29)

Jacques David on 17 size

“It appears that Elgin was tempted to produce a different size, but these watches were so inconvenient that they had to bring this movement back to a standard size to be able to sell it as easily as the others.” (p. 29)

It appears Elgin disposed of a lot of the 17 size material by exporting it to England, where case and movement sizes were less standardized.

Elgin Anonymous WatchGrade #14 (English)

#428,226, c. 187517 size KWKS, 7 jewels

“A.W” hunting case



“A.W” hunting caseSterlingSilver

LondonAssay Office

1875

Alfred Wigley

Alfred Wigley“It is most fortunate that a letter from Edward Bonham Dennison to his father Aaron exists, indicating that in 1874, Aaron was established as a watchcase maker. […] Since Aaron did not have an assay punch mark until 1876, he could only use base metal such as nickel […]. It is more likely that Aaron used a contemporary goldsmith between 1874 and 1876, and a strong candidate is Alfred Wigley, Aaron’s eventual partner[.]”

— Priestley (2009), p. 23

Elgin Nameless WatchGrade #52 (English)

#425,245, c. 187817s, key wind/key set

11 jewels (2 pair)≤1,000 made

SterlingSilver




#425,245, c. 187817s, key wind/key set

11 jewels (2 pair)≤1,000 made

GoldBalance

11 jewels

Elgin Nameless WatchGrade #52 (English)#425,245, c. 1875-78

17s, key wind/key set11 jewels (2 pair)≤ 1,000 made

Gold balance wheels were a popular feature

in English watches.

Also, nearly all 17 size Elgins were 7 jewel

watches. That makes this 11 jewel version

more unusual.


#418,356, c. 187617 size KWKS

Gold balance wheel11 jewels (2 pair)

“A.L.D” open face case

Similar to grade 51, but anonymous.


#418,356, c. 187617 size KWKS

Gold balance wheel11 jewels (2 pair)

“A.L.D” open face case

SterlingSilver





“J.W” pair case



“J.W” pair caseSterlingSilver

LondonAssay Office

1877

Joseph Walton

Joseph Walton & Co.

• See Priestley (1994, pp.47-48)

• One of a family of interrelated casemaking companies dating back to at least 1818.

• J.W. & Co. existed from 1867 to 1940.

Anonymous ElginGrade #14 (English)

#438,998, c. 187817 size KWKS, 7 jewels“F&S” open face case

SterlingSilver

Chester

1878

Fattorini& Sons

Movement not shown; completely standard

anonymous grade 14.

Fattorini & Sons“Fattorini & Sons was a jewellery business established by a family of Italian immigrants who arrived in the British city of Leeds, in Yorkshire, England in the early 19th century. Antonio Fattorini opened a shop in Harrogate to take advantage of seasonal trade in Harrogate in 1831, this business is today owned and run by descendants of the founders.”

— https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fattorini_and_Sons

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fattorini_and_Sons

Fattorini & Sons

• They are known to have been a significant retailer of Waltham watches in the 19th century.

Elgin Private LabelGrade #14 (English)


Expansion balance“A.L.D” open face case

Movement has been upgraded with an

expansion balance!

Elgin Private LabelGrade #14 (English)


Expansion balance“A.L.D” open face case

SterlingSilver




#485,422, c. 187717 size KWKS, 7 jewels“A.L.D” open face case“USA” on barrel bridge



SterlingSilver

BirminghamAssay Office

1877




“USA”

Signed movement


#489,199, c. 187717 size KWKS, 7 jewelsPair case (incomplete)



SterlingSilver

LondonAssay Office

1877

Joseph Walton

We saw a complete example of this case earlier.



Hand-engraved signature?

12 size, 3/4 plate, key wind/set

• Serial number lists suggest no more than 7,000 of these were made, in 6 variants.

• The variety of case marks is very similar to the 17 size watches we’ve already seen.

12 Size English gradesGrade # Balance Jewels Winding Serials Description


24 Solid, steel 7 Key 2,800 Not Jeweled. Gail Borden grade of material. Steel Balance.

25 Solid, gold 11 Key 1,600

Jeweled in Fourth and Escape, both ends. Top Jewels screwed in. Gail

Borden grade of material. Gold Balance.

26 Expansion 15 Key 1,000

Full Jeweled in Ruby, Top Jewels screwed in. Extra finished

Escapement. Lady Elgin grade of material. Expansion Balance.

Adjusted.



30 Solid, gold 7 Key 700 Not Jeweled. Gail Borden grade of material. Gold Balance.

31 Expansion 7 Key 500Not Jeweled. Gail Borden grade of material. Expansion Balance with

Oreide Screws.

32 Expansion 11 Key 400


Borden grade of material. Expansion Balance (with Oreide Screws).

Elgin Private LabelGrade #26 (English)#363,069 (1870s?)

12 size, key wind/key set15 jewels; adjusted?

Signed: “Tho. Russell & Son.,

Anglo American Lever”

The top-of-the line 12 size KWKS

Elgin Private LabelGrade #26 (English)#363,069 (1870s?)

12 size, key wind/key set15 jewels; adjusted?

Signed: “Tho. Russell & Son.,

Anglo American Lever”

Unusual double-sunk dial with blue

arabic figures


#364,406, c. 187512 size, KWKS

13 jewels, gold balance


#364,406, c. 187512 size, KWKS

13 jewels, gold balanceSterlingSilver

LondonAssayOffice

1875

Joseph Walton


#364,406, c. 187512 size, KWKS

13 jewels, gold balance


#365,333, c. 187612 size, KWKS, 7j

Gold balance

SterlingSilver

LondonAssayOffice

1876

Joseph Walton


#365,333, c. 187612 size, KWKS, 7j

Gold balance


#365,333, c. 187612 size, KWKS, 7j

Gold balance


12 size, key wind/key set13 jewels (3 pair)

No more than 7,000 Elgin 12 size key wind/key set

watches made



No more than 400 made of grade 32.

SterlingSilver

LondonAssayOffice

1881


Key wind/key set13 jewels (3 pair)

Joseph Walton

“000025”• eBay item #300902697197, sold by patj2173

(Horan and Jones) in June 2013.

• A 7 jewel, 12 size 3/4 plate keywind watch, fake expansion balance, marked with the digits “000025” on the top plate.

• Pre-1874 monogram dial, looks undersize (10 size?)

• Was this a prototype?

“000025”“000025”

Photo courtesy of Jones & Horan Auction Team

“000025”

Dial typical of Elgin’s pre-1874 ladies’ 10 size KWKS watches. Looks undersized—might actually be a 10 size dial.

Photo courtesy of Jones & Horan Auction Team

10 size, 3/4 plate, key wind/set

• I’ve only spotted “English relatives” so far

• Only one is a definitive export

• The 10 size anonymous export watches, if they exist, might be the most elusive ones.



21 Solid, steel 7 Key 600 Not Jeweled. Gail Borden grade of material. Steel Balance.

22 Solid, gold 11 Key 700Jeweled in Fourth and Escape, both ends. Top Jewels screwed in. Gail Borden grade

of material. Gold Balance.

23 Expansion 15 Key 1,000Full Jeweled in Ruby, Top Jewels screwed in. Extra finished Escapement. Lady Elgin

grade of material. Expansion Balance. Adjusted.

28 Expansion 7 Key 400Not Jeweled. Gail Borden grade of

material. Expansion Balance (with Oreide Screws).

29 Expansion 11 Key 300Jeweled in Fourth and Escape, both ends. Top Jewels screwed in. Gail Borden grade

of material. Expansion Balance with Oreide Screws.

10 Size English grades

Grade # Balance Jewels Winding Serials

Description (verbatim from grade

book)My notes


Not Jeweled. Gail Borden grade of material.

Expansion Balance. Cone pivoted.

English Relative


Jeweled in Fourth, Escape and Pallet, both ends. Top

Jewels screwed in. Gail Borden grade of material.

English Relative

Elgin Nameless Export Watch#453,753, Grade #53 (“English Relative”)

10 size, 7 jewels, key wind/key set≤ 4,000 made

SterlingSilver



Elgin Nameless Export Watch#453,753, Grade #53 (“English Relative”)

10 size, 7 jewels, key wind/key set≤ 4,000 made

Elgin Nameless Watch#453,753, Grade #53 (“English Relative”)

10 size, 7 jewels, KWKS≤ 4,000 made

Elgin Nameless#450,380

Grade #53 (“Relative”)10 size, 7 jewelsKey wind/key set≤ 4,000 made

Elgin Nameless#450,380

Grade #53 (“Relative”)10 size, 7 jewelsKey wind/key set≤ 4,000 made

This “ENWCo” monogram dial is typical of Elgin’s

domestic 10 size keywind women’s watches of the

time (Lady Elgin, Frances Rubie, Gail Borden, Dexter

St.). Grade 53 does not say “English” in the grade book, so there’s a good chance this was sold

domestically.

Elgin Nameless WatchGrade #54 (“Relative”)

#451,321, 13 jewels10 size, key wind/set

≤ 4,000 made

Higher grade 13 jewel counterpart to the

previous watch. Also has the “ENWCo” dial.

Names vs. numbers

• Modern Elgin reference materials (1950 and later) classify all Elgin watches by a grade number.

• Earlier official materials (1915 and earlier) do not apply grade numbers to most of the earliest watches.

Elgin 1915Material Catalogue

Elgin 1950Material Catalogue

Modern Elgin materials say these are the same

Grade Name = Grade Number

Frances Rubie = Grade 23

Lady Elgin = Grade 29

Gail Borden = Grade 22

Dexter St. = Grade 28

My hypothesis: They’re not the same!

• The named ones are domestic watches

• The numbered ones are export watches

My hypothesis: these grades got mixed up in the 20th century

Named grades ≠ Numbered grades

— Grade 21: 7 jewels; steel balance

Gail Borden: 11 jewels (3rd, 4th escape and pallet, top plate); expansion balance ≠ Grade 22: 11 jewels (4th and escape,

both ends); gold balance

Frances Rubie: 15 jewels (pressed); expansion balance; adjusted ≠ Grade 23: 15 jewels (screwed in);

expansion balance; adjusted.

Dexter St.: 7 jewels; expansion balance ≠ Grade 28: 7 jewels; expansion balance

Lady Elgin: 15 jewels; expansion balance ≠ Grade 29: 11 jewels (4th and escape, both ends); expansion balance

Numbered grade descriptions based on NAWCC Library grade ledgers

Something like this…

Frances Rubie (10s, domestic) Grade 26 (12s, export; similar to #23?)

But I can’t prove it yet!

• The true test is to find nameless or anonymous watches of grades 21, 22, 23, 28 or 29.

• So far I have no reports of any such watches.

Challenges

• The watches might be anonymous.

• They might not exist in the USA.

• They might have been made in much smaller volumes than the serial number blocks’ sizes.

Elgin hairspring stud(but not on 17 size)

How do you recognize ananonymous

Elgin?

Serial number

Elgin had a distinctive patented hairspring stud. (This however was not used in the

17 size models.)

Nearly all early export Elgins have serial numbers between

340,001 and 500,000. (But most Elgins with these numbers are

not exports!)

Ehrhardt’s Elgin Watch Company: Identification and Price Guide (1976)

• Ehrhardt reproduces the 1950 Elgin serial number list.

• This list assigns grade numbers to all serial # blocks, and never names.

• Ehrhardt also reproduces the movement custs from the 1874 Elgin Almanac, and annotates these with grade numbers

Ehrhardt (1976), p. 100

The page is originally from the 1875 Elgin Almanac. I’ve highlighted Ehrhardt’s annotations.

Ehrhardt (1976)

“Another thing you will notice—these named movements—some fall in the same grade, like Grade 55. The only thing we could tell from the serial number list was how many Grade 55s were made, not how many of each name.” [p. 99]

Ehrhardt was clearly working with a late serial number list; probably the one from 1950.

Ehrhardt (1976)“The larger movements at the bottom of the page and on the next page are what we call named grade movements. Elgin at first gave the grades names and then later began to assign numbers. I have a parts list that, instead of showing the Mat. Laflin Grade 55, it shows only as Mat. Laflin. There is no way to know how many of these named movements were made of each name and there has not been enough attention given to them in the past by collectors to really get any seat-of-the-pants feeling about how scarce they are.” [p. 100]

The parts list Ehrhardt mentions here is likely from the 1915 Material Catalog, whose illustrations the book reproduces earlier. But it doesn’t sound like he had the corresponding 1915 serial number list, which can be used to estimate production for each of the named grades.

Wayne Schlitt’s elginwatches.org website

• “The Frances Rubie and Lady Elgin Puzzle”

• http://elginwatches.org/technical/Frances_Rubie_puzzle.html

• Essay documenting his struggle to reconcile the inconsistencies he perceives in Elgin’s materials about the 10 size KWKS watches.

http://elginwatches.org

http://elginwatches.org/technical/Frances_Rubie_puzzle.html

Wayne Schlitt’s elginwatches.org website

• The serial number database in the site also equates the 10 size KWKS grade names and numbers.

• Although it does retain which blocks were labeled “Frances Rubie” in earlier serial number lists and which weren’t.


elginwatches.org: Search results for “g=23”


elginwatches.org: Search results for “g=23”

Block Count Name Grade #

50,001 1,000 Frances Rubie 23

360,001 1,000 None 23

375,001 1,000 Frances Rubie 23

The database records both the grade numbers from the 1950 list, as well as the grade names from earlier serial # lists.


PocketWatchDatabase.com

Also assumes they’re the same.

http://PocketWatchDatabase.com

Lesson: parts catalogs were for replacement parts!

• The people who wrote Elgin’s parts catalogs had this in mind:

• Manufacture an assortment of repair parts that worked on a wide range of Elgin watches.

• Make it easy for customer to order these parts.

Lesson: parts catalogs were for replacement parts!

• The people who wrote Elgin’s parts catalogs did not have any of these in mind:

• Originality

• Writing an official history of Elgin watches

• 21st century watch collectors with databases of thousands of watches they saw on eBay.

14 size key wind/set• Serial number lists suggest ≤ 21,000 made, in 9

grades (5 “English,” 4 “relatives).

• These do turn up frequently in eBay.

• I’ve seen no anonymous ones so far

• I’ve seen none in 1870s English cases (1880s only)

• Most I’ve seen were loose movements or USA cases

• Open question: were some made in 16 size?



34 Solid, gold 7 Key 600 Not Jeweled. Gail Borden grade of material. Gold Balance.

35 Expansion 7 Key 4,400Not Jeweled. Gail Borden grade of material. Expansion Balance with

Oreide Screws.English Relative



Borden grade of material. Expansion Balance (with Oreide Screws).


Full Jeweled in Ruby, Top Jewels screwed in. Extra finished

Escapement. Lady Elgin grade of material. Expansion Balance.

Adjusted.

English Relative

39 Expansion 13 Key 3,600Jeweled in Fourth, Escape and Pallet,

both ends. Top Jewels screwed in. Expansion Balance. Gail Borden grade

of material.

English Relative

14 Size English gradesGrade

# Balance Jewels Winding Serials Description


40 Expansion 11 Key 4,000 Not Jeweled.

Ledger says the balance is “14-16 Int. F”; this seems to mean that it’s the

same balance as a 16-size convertible (Interchangeable). The “F” relates to the temperature screw assortment.

41 Expansion 13 Key 2,000 Jeweled 4th Esc. + Pallet both ends. Top screwed in.

Ledger says the balance is “14-16 Int. D”; this seems to mean that it’s the

same balance as a 16-size convertible (Interchangeable). The “D” relates to the temperature screw assortment.

42 Expansion 15 Key 2,000 Full Jeweled - Top Screwed in.

Ledger says the balance is “14-16 Int. D”; this seems to mean that it’s the

same balance as a 16-size convertible (Interchangeable). The “D” relates to the temperature screw assortment.


Full Jeweled in Ruby, in Oreide Settings. Top Jewels screwed in. Oreide Arbor and Centre Cup. Polished Centre Wheel.

Expansion Balance.

English Relative. This is a candidate for Elgin’s first nickel movement.

14s balance wheel sizes

Early 14s have small diameter balance (same as 10 size?). Later ones have large diameter balance (same as 16 size).

#389,451 #474,458

14s balance wheel sizes• Every Elgin parts catalog I have, from c. 1888 to

1950, tells you to put the 16 size balance on all of these 14 size watches.

• Lesson: The catalog authors didn’t care if parts were identical to the original. They cared about:

• Does the replacement part work?

• Does its finish match the movement?

14 size,16 size or both?

• The parts catalogs say that some of the early “16 size” watches were also made in 14 size.

• I also have an old handwritten Elgin parts catalog that has a handful of opaque references to “16s Key” watches.

• When I look up the parts numbers in the printed catalogs, they come up as 14s Key.

Elgin 1915 Material Catalogue

Measure your movements!

• I have measured a handful each of 16 size convertible and 14 size KWKS Elgins.

• None of mine were oversized or undersized.

• But there might be some out there…

Elgin Nameless WatchGrade #41 (English)#2,136,134, c. 1887


Bought from Australia

No more than 21,000 Elgin 14 size key wind/

key set made.




EnglishHallmarks




Two serial # blocks at 393,001-394,000 and 2,136,001-2,137,000.

SterlingSilver

BirminghamAssay Office

1888




Even though Crossman and Abbott say that Elgin closed

the London office in 1876, the movement serial number and case hallmarks on this watch show that it was made and exported 10+ years later.



Bezel is missing



Two serial # blocks at 394,001-395,000 and 2,137,001-2,138,000.



Which Wallingford? The one in England? There’s also one in Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Washington.


#474,458, c. 187714 size, key wind/set

15 jewels, nickel≤ 1,000 made

This one is not marked “English” in the ledger,

but is a high grade nickel version of the 14

size export model.

These might have been Elgin’s very first nickel movements. They may have been sold only

domestically.


#474,458, c. 187714 size, key wind/set

15 jewels, nickel≤ 1,000 made


#388,667, 14 sizeKey wind/set, 13 jewels

≤ 3,600 made

Missingwindingsquare


#389,451, 14 sizeKey wind/set, 15 jewels

≤ 3,000 made

18 size

• I’ve so far only found two watches in 18 size “English” grades.

• But I have no independent evidence that either was exported.



16 Solid, steel 7 Key 400Not Jeweled. Slow Train.

Ryerson Style throughout. Steel Balance. Cone Pivots

17 Solid, gold 11 Key 500

Slow Train. Ferry Style. Jeweled in Fourth and Escape - both

ends. Top Jewels screwed in. Gold Balance. Cone pivots.


Ogden Style. Jeweled in Fourth and Escape both ends. Exp. Balance. Cone pivoted and cut. Bevel head

Screws throughout. Top Jewels screwed in. Slow Train.

The notes page also has a line that says “Advance” at

the top by itself. Is this a true expansion balance, or a fake one (as in actual Ogdens)?



19 Expansion 11 Stem 600

Ogden Style. Stem Winding. Jeweled in Fourth and Escape

both ends. Expansion Balance. Cone pivoted and cut. Bevel head Screws throughout. Top Jewels screwed in. Slow Train.

The notes page also has a line that says “Advance” at

the top by itself. The balance is true expansion (unlike actual Ogdens).


Taylor Style - Full jeweled in Ruby (?). Small settings. Gold Screws

in Balance. Adjusted. Jewels screwed in - in Top Plate. Slow

train.

Ledger has the description in ink, with a “(?)” written in pencil after “Ruby.” So the jewels might not be ruby,

and Elgin’s folk weren’t sure!

56 Expansion 11 Key 1,100Jeweled Fourth and Escape, both

ends. (Garnet) Top Jewels screwed in. Expansion Balance.

Ryerson material. Slow train.

English Relative

Elgin W.H. FerryGrade #17 (English)#340,466, c. 1875-80

18 size, KWKS11 jewels

Gold balance≤ 500 made

Base metal case with no trademark. Grade # is

“English” and watch has gold balance, but no

independent evidence this watch was exported.

Gold Balance

11 jewels

W.H. Ferry normally had 15 jewels, steel balance.

Elgin W.H. FerryGrade #17 (English)#340,466, c. 1875-80

18 size, KWKS11 jewels

Gold balance≤ 500 made


18 size, slide lever set13 jewels; ≤ 400 made

Recased in a Silveride case. “English” grade, but no independent evidence

of actual export.



Slide lever set;1874-1877?

See my slideshow “Early Elgin Stem Wind Watches” for details of this setting mechanism.



Recasing mark

Recasing mark

Nice watch, although kind of unremarkable.

That’s all!

Thanks to…• Greg Frauenhoff for telling me about the Elgin ledgers at the

NAWCC Library, and the Library staff for their kind help.

• Nigel Harrison for information about Elgin #438,048 (17 size, private label, “W.J. Woolston, London”).

• Jerry Treiman for sharing various details and observations about 12 size Elgins and Walthams.

• Various other people at the NAWCC message board for discussion and encouragement.

• Chapters 5 and 94 for all the encouragement they’ve given me!

• Any errors in here are mine, not theirs…

BibliographyAbbott, Henry G. 1888. The Watch Factories of America, Past and Present. A complete history of watchmaking in America, from 1809 to 1888 inclusive, with sketches of the lives of celebrated American watchmakers and organizers. Chicago: Geo. K. Hazlitt & Co.

Alft, E.C. & William Briska. 2003. Elgin Time: A History of the Elgin National Watch Company, 1864-1968. Elgin, IL: Elgin Historical Society.

Casillas, Luis D. 2014. “The Watches of the Elgin Almanac (1871-1876).” Slide show at http://www.slideshare.net/LuisCasillas4/watches-of-the-elgin-almanac-18711876

Crossman, Charles S. 1885-1887. The Complete History of Watch Making in America. Reprinted from the Jeweler’s Circular and Horological Review. Exeter, NH: Adams Brown Company.

David, Jacques. 1877. “Report to the Intercantonal Committee of Jura Industries on the manufacture of watches in the United States.” Translated and reprinted in Richard Watkins, 2003, American and Swiss Watchmaking in 1876.

Ehrhardt, Roy. 1976. Elgin Watch Company: Identification and Price Guide. Kansas City, MO: Heart of America Press.

Elgin National Watch Co. 1915. Net Price List of Materials Manufactured by the Elgin National Watch Co. Chicago: The Lakeside Press.

Favre-Perret, E. 1877. “Philadelphia Exhibition 1876. Switzerland. Report presented to the Federal High Council on The Horology Industry. By E. Favre-Perret, Member of the International Jury. (GROUP XXV).” Translated by Richard Watkins, 2004.

Gilbert, Richard E., Tom Engle and Cooksey Shugart. 2012. Complete Price Guide to Watches. Mt. Pleasant, SC: Tinderbox Press.

Otto Young & Co. 1892. Tool and Material Catalogue. Reprinted in July 1998 by the Mid-West Tool Collectors Association, Special Publications Committee.

Priestley, Philip T. 1994. Watch Case Makers of England: A History and Register of Gold & Silver Watch Case Makers of England: 1720-1920. NAWCC Bulletin Supplement 20, Spring 1994.

Priestley, Philip T. 2009. Aaron Lufkin Dennison: An Industrial Pioneer and his Legacy. Columbia, PA: National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors.

Schlitt, Wayne. 2004. Elgin Watch Collectors Site. Accessed September 2015; site lists modification date of 7/24/2004. http://elginwatches.org

Watkins, Richard. 2004. “Jacques David—and a Summary of American and Swiss Watchmaking in 1876 with Emphasis on Interchangeability in Manufacturing.” NAWCC Bulletin, No. 350 (June 2004).

http://www.slideshare.net/LuisCasillas4/watches-of-the-elgin-almanac-18711876


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