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Canuck
·Here I show a late 1920s Hamilton 950 next to a mid 1950s 950B. A dramatic contrast!
Calling all Pocket Watch Buffs
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Waltesefalcon
·I really need to add a pre-war 950 to my collection. As much as I like my early 50s example it does not compare in beauty to my early 1900s 940.
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Canuck
·To me, one of my favourite bits of eye candy is my Hamilton 952 which is basically a 19-jewel version of the Hamilton 950.
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SOG53
·Hamilton 940 c 1913 case with BLF engraving I believe for Brotherhood Line Firefighters (RR union firefighters)
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SOG53
·
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Canuck
·Or perhaps Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen? I was going to pull up the pocketwatchdatabase info on the 940, but try as I may I have not been able to edit the picture so that the s# is readable.
I am often lucky enough to gather railroad standard pocket watch that are private label for Canadian railroad watch dealers and inspectors. I also have a Hamilton 940 with a private label dial, marked for G M Rioch, a railroad watch inspector in Kenora, Ontario, Canada. I found that one at an NAWCC mart in Portland, Ore., many years ago. Right beside it was another private label watch with a dial simply marked D R Dingwall, with no location. This one is a 19-jewel grade 944. Canadian private label watches are often overlooked by collectors as uninteresting. Being Canadian, and into railroad standard watches, I recognized the Dingwall as having been sold by D R Dingwall in Winnipeg, Man. I had a gut feel both were Hamiltons, and that was confirmed when I checked. I bought ‘‘em both!
I am often lucky enough to gather railroad standard pocket watch that are private label for Canadian railroad watch dealers and inspectors. I also have a Hamilton 940 with a private label dial, marked for G M Rioch, a railroad watch inspector in Kenora, Ontario, Canada. I found that one at an NAWCC mart in Portland, Ore., many years ago. Right beside it was another private label watch with a dial simply marked D R Dingwall, with no location. This one is a 19-jewel grade 944. Canadian private label watches are often overlooked by collectors as uninteresting. Being Canadian, and into railroad standard watches, I recognized the Dingwall as having been sold by D R Dingwall in Winnipeg, Man. I had a gut feel both were Hamiltons, and that was confirmed when I checked. I bought ‘‘em both!
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SOG53
·Im also Canadian, in Toronto. Had my eye on a Canadian Pacific engraved Waltham, but it was too pricey. Just found your thread will keep posting have a collection mostly Railroad Illinois, Waltham and Hamilton, plus some military.
I think you are right Brotherhood Locomotive Firemen sounds more correct
I think you are right Brotherhood Locomotive Firemen sounds more correct
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Canuck
·British Broad Arrow WWI Deck watch 1915, Rotherhams Coventry. Large heavy silver case 55.5 mm. Purchased by Admiralty 1916 sent to Royal Navy Base in Suffolk. Broad Arrow on dial, movement, serial no on dial movement case and dust cover.
According to Phillip Priestley in his treatise on English watch case makers, the case on your watch was made by Joseph Radges (reg’d March of 1865), of 11 & 14, Summerland House, Butts, Coventry. Very often pocket watches of that era that have a centre sweep seconds hand, have a hack mechanism that allows the balance wheel to be stopped, so the watch can be used as a timer.
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Canuck
·Im also Canadian, in Toronto. Had my eye on a Canadian Pacific engraved Waltham, but it was too pricey. Just found your thread will keep posting have a collection mostly Railroad Illinois, Waltham and Hamilton, plus some military.
I think you are right Brotherhood Locomotive Firemen sounds more correct
A Waltham like this, perchance? This is an 1883 model. The CPR logo was also placed 1888, 1892, 1899, and 1908 models. I’d love to have any one of those four, as well. But price! I know how you feel. I acquired mine quite painlessly in a barter deal, with a guy who had two of them.
The 1883 model was produced as a CPR model by simply swapping a standard barrel bridge for a CPR one. Very often, the damask pattern of the barrel bridge doesn’t match the damask pattern on the movement. You may see that on mine, in the image. The other 4 models I mentioned have the CPR logo engraved on the train bridge, so no trickery, there.
View attachment 1516456
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SOG53
·According to Phillip Priestley in his treatise on English watch case makers, the case on your watch was made by Joseph Radges (reg’d March of 1865), of 11 & 14, Summerland House, Butts, Coventry. Very often pocket watches of that era that have a centre sweep seconds hand, have a hack mechanism that allows the balance wheel to be stopped, so the watch can be used as a timer.
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SOG53
·A Waltham like this, perchance? This is an 1883 model. The CPR logo was also placed 1888, 1892, 1899, and 1908 models. I’d love to have any one of those four, as well. But price! I know how you feel. I acquired mine quite painlessly in a barter deal, with a guy who had two of them.
The 1883 model was produced as a CPR model by simply swapping a standard barrel bridge for a CPR one. Very often, the damask pattern of the barrel bridge doesn’t match the damask pattern on the movement. You may see that on mine, in the image. The other 4 models I mentioned have the CPR logo engraved on the train bridge, so no trickery, there.
View attachment 1516456
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SOG53
·A Waltham like this, perchance? This is an 1883 model. The CPR logo was also placed 1888, 1892, 1899, and 1908 models. I’d love to have any one of those four, as well. But price! I know how you feel. I acquired mine quite painlessly in a barter deal, with a guy who had two of them.
The 1883 model was produced as a CPR model by simply swapping a standard barrel bridge for a CPR one. Very often, the damask pattern of the barrel bridge doesn’t match the damask pattern on the movement. You may see that on mine, in the image. The other 4 models I mentioned have the CPR logo engraved on the train bridge, so no trickery, there.
View attachment 1516456
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Canuck
·Yes you are right it does hack. It winds and runs so smoothly. I bought it from David Penny in UK several years ago. When the pound sterling was very high!!!
David Penny, an absolute master at illustration of horological subjects. The pleasure the watch gives will remain long after the memory of what you paid is gone forever! It is an absolute gem. The name W J Johnson of Coventry doesn’t show up in Loomes or Baillie, unfortunately.
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Canuck
·Yes I was looking at same 1883 model with engraving on barrel bridge. He wanted 1900 CDN and dial has a small crack. Seemed quite high what do you think
All I can say about what the seller was asking for the CPR Waltham is that $1,900 sounds more like the price of an 1892, 1899, or 1908 model CPR. It think the scarcity of the 1888 model CPR would mean it would bring a much bigger buck. You are showing an 1883 CPR. Is that the $1,900 one, or did you find one at a better price?
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DaveK
··Yoda of YodelersThis one just sold a minute ago for $1800 CDN, plus fees. Lovely case
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SOG53
·yes its a beauty I would pay 1800+ for that one. But not 1900 for the one I showed I dont think
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SOG53
·David Penny, an absolute master at illustration of horological subjects. The pleasure the watch gives will remain long after the memory of what you paid is gone forever! It is an absolute gem. The name W J Johnson of Coventry doesn’t show up in Loomes or Baillie, unfortunately.
ROTHERHAMS, Coventry. No 35073, for W J JOHNSON, Coventry
Item: 98081
£ 1,495.00
Good quality c-seconds Deck Watch, with admiralty history.
Large and heavy silver ‘crystal’ case hallmarked Birmingham 1914, sponsor's mark JR (John Rotherham). Nicely finished three-quarter plate keyless movement, jewelled to the 2nd (unusual as most c-secs watches are jewelled only to the 3rd) and with hard brass setting for the barrel. Single-roller detached lever escapement, blued-steel balance-spring with overcoil. Signed enamel dial with added Broad Arrow, original blued-steel hands. 55.5 mm diameter.
W J Johnson, Coventry, retailers, about whom almost nothing is known, other than they supplied some Rotherham & Son made Deck watches to the Admiralty during the 1st World War.
Rotherham & Sons Ltd, 27 Spon Street, Coventry, with offices at 1,2 & 3, Holborn Circus, London, at this point in the 20th century, the UK’s premier manufacturer of top quality machine-made watches, both pocket and wrist, their movements often being used in Deck Watches.
NB: The International Chronometer Index run at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich records the fact that this watch was purchased by the Admiralty in November 1916. It was then sent to the Royal Navy base at Lowestoft in Suffolk, ending the war at the Lincolnshire port of Immingham in 1919. It was serviced by the Kullberg firm in 1933 and was sold on to the Royal Engineers Stores at Woolwich one year later.
Rare in as much that it has survived in original condition, the watch not having been later converted to be ‘unwearable’ as most Deck Watches were after the war. The dial with a few hair cracks at the edge, two shallow scratches on the movement top plate and the case showing some signs use. Otherwise in good, clean original condition. Serviced and guaranteed.
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SOG53
·Hamilton 2974B Comparing Watch. Marked USN BUSHIPS on back
