Finally, watches that get their just recognition.
I hate it when on the Antiques Roadshow, a watch or clock thats 100, 150+ years old gets $1500, and a Civil War bayonet gets $6-8000.
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Finally, watches that get their just recognition.
I hate it when on the Antiques Roadshow, a watch or clock thats 100, 150+ years old gets $1500, and a Civil War bayonet gets $6-8000.
My old (1914) Waltham Crescent Street has several sets of very faint numbers with letters on the inside of the back of the case. Some are completely or partially illegible, even under magnification. A few of the legible ones are 140A (or H,) P179 and L7 (or 9.) These appear to have been done by hand with a fine tool by different individuals. The letters are mostly block but the "L" on the L7 is beautifully drawn, almost like calligraphy. The case is a 20 year Wadsworth Referee s/n. 3247094. These faint numbers, about seven in all are stacked to the right side of and under the Wadsworth logo and s/n.
Any thoughts???
Watchmakers would engrave the inside of the rear cover with job numbers and often included dates related to the cleaning and repairs that were performed. These entries could be an indication of the number of times a watch was serviced. You get an idea of what it was like to own a mechanical watch 100 years ago. They required lubrication and the lubricants used were not what they are today and would break down and gum up the movement every 10 years or so. Some of the more expensive synthetic watch oils used today have microscopic diamond bearings and cost around $700/oz.
The demand for anything from the Confederacy is strong. Union artifacts are fairly common and much less expensive but most Confederate items are rare and priced accordingly.
On the other hand, American watches made in the 19th and 20th century were made by the millions and are common. They were simple but well-made for a mass produced product and dependable. Some RR watches were equipped with one complication that boosted the value - the mainspring wind-up status indicator which alerted the owner when the mainspring needed winding. Even the cheaper 7 jewel watches worked well and were durable.
You missed 1-150+......not long ago there was a 1740, 2 key clock........not mass produced, in that time all was hand fitted. Not worth as much now as when new, when adjusted for inflation.
Thanks, I thought it might be something like that. If each of those marks indicates one trip to a watchmaker or jeweler it had a very long service life before being retired, or as it is now, semi retired.
On value....laying aside the special place weapons have historically and culturally and considering the cost of good late 19th - mid 20th century watches and firearms were comparable when new: I suspect that one of the reasons antique and vintage firearms are so much more valuable now is due to attrition from hard use, including exposure to the elements and harsh chemicals (black powder and corrosive primers.) This reduced their numbers to the point that their values was greatly increased compared to watches of comparable vintage which usually had a much more sheltered work existences due to being more gently used and often being in some sock drawer or shadow box or display case after they were viewed as being obsolete. The good news is if you want a fine old watch, especially a pocket watch, even very high quality working examples can be had for several hundred dollars, unless, of course, the case isn't solid gold.
Hmmmm..... must be a lot of horologists that are also shooters.
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A record $31 million was recently paid for a Patek Philippe wrist watch.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world...ion/ar-BBWDru3
Here’s an unusual US military aircraft dashboard clock that’s actually an Elgin 8 day running pocket watch that I picked at an antique shop yesterday.
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