Richard take a look at this 1864 produced Waltham model 1857 11J Wm Ellery..its in Cdn dollars but still!!!!
https://oldtymers.ca/products/walth...45562&pr_ref_pid=8083602276634&pr_seq=uniform
2-part case??? Screw off front and back! Or 2-hinges!!
Why uncommon? is this uncommon because they are 1st generation?
Its a great question. The concept of a case in a case was very common but way before the period we are talking about in post civil war America and especially with the advancement of technology late in the key wind era to stem wind and good environmental packaging to be implemented with effective dust covers and such. It is very common if you collect the early British Fuse pocket watches early 19th Century to find pair case or case in case packaging. I think it was done to enhance the effective usability of pocket watches in that era to rougher use and environments.
By the 1880s when this watch I own dates to a sturdy key or stem wind hinged half hunter with a solid dust cover and thick crystal really should be as good as it needed to get but there must have been some market demand because a few of these pair case or case in a case watches were still produced. My watch also has a thick bulls eye crystal which again is a sign the original buyer/owner was thinking of the old days pre 1850. But, really nice machining at the stem where the inner case fits into the outer case and to be honest when all put together it looks and feels like one watch not a case within a case as compared to the later period during WW1 where soldiers or industrial coal miners had an external case for their pocket watch to function in and not be affected by the hostile environment.
The watch on Oldtymers and the early Illinois I own are but a few that have this old style case in case packaging. The Oldtymers case is Ore Silver as is mine which suggests the rough expected use whomever the original buyer might have been back in that era anticipated....I have had it cleaned oiled and timed and its running nice....I initially bought this Illinois KW based on the case. I just have not seen many in my days collecting....
Pre Dueber and pre-move to Canton, when they were in Springfield, Mass. a Hampden 18s “Springfield “ grade 11j model 2. KWKS Year: 1878.
Nifty coin silver Brooklyn Watch Case Company case pre buyout by Dueber.
Love the design on the front lid.
With this American Watch Company grade Crescent Street, Model 1870, Y1871 & 15j, we are at the dawn of the stem wind and RR grade movements. Mine is a transitional example having both rear wind and stem wind capabilities.
Lever set and a very early serial # 500828 in this models run.
Nifty 18s coin silver smooth case and #4 key. Serviced and accurate.
With this American Watch Company grade Crescent Street, Model 1870, Y1871 & 15j, we are at the dawn of the stem wind and RR grade movements. Mine is a transitional example having both rear wind and stem wind capabilities.
Lever set and a very early serial # 500828 in this models run.
Nifty 18s coin silver smooth case and #4 key. Serviced and accurate.
