The marks are the best indication of the actual movement manufacturer. Proper case marks are usually a good indication of goldcontent, but goldtesting is advised if you want to be sure. Many american watch movements were imported into britain and cased with british made watch cases which, if they are gold or silver, carry british hallmarks. How to identify the hallmarks on an old pocket watch antique watches jewelry. Custom made leather pocket watch case by blue duck. Jerry the book, history of the american watch case, warren h. The american waltham pocket watch is noted among collectors for their intrinsic beauty, high quality, unique designs, and for being made in america from 1850 to 1957 when they moved to switzerland. The list is sorted by the lifetimes of the watchmakers. Tissot introduced the first massproduced pocket watch and the first pocket watch with two time zones in 1853 and the first antimagnetic watch in 192930. Below is a sampling of some of the most common clock makers marks you may come across. Oct 25, 2011 however, a movement signed by one maker may have been placed in a case made by another a practice usually termed a marriage. This illinois hunter case pocket watch was special for a railroad company.
The case number is 404107 and the serial number on the movement is 5019470. Visit our shopping site pages and buy from us direct or visit our books for sale pages and buy research materials from one of our affiliates. Watch cases made in america carry marks stamped by their makers that were. Elgin shipped their first wristwatch in 1910, and later manufactured the first wrist watch to be qualified for railroad service, the grade 730a b.
Hampden movements were frequently offered factory fitted into dueber cases. These are all the marks you need to effectively date an item of sterling silver. Vortic watch company is a small batch, custom, watch manufacturing and vintage restoration company located in northern colorado. Until the 1920s, cases were almost always made by different companies than those that made the watch movements, and watches could be cased at the factory, or by the distributor, or by the individual retailer at the point of sale. When you find something you want to view later, put it in pocket. However, a movement signed by one maker may have been placed in a case made by another a practice usually termed a marriage. How to identify a waltham pocket watch our pastimes. The same letters were used for gold, which has been marked in birmingham since 1824, but with a background of a square with cut corners. Some american watch companies 6 size watches can have 1. In 2000, case developed a dating system using an old style case xx stamp along with a mix of dots and xs both above the case xx symbol and below. Illustrations of the various import marks are shown on the import marks page.
A few of both the american and canadian american watch case co. There may be some variations in backgrounds during the late 19th century, especially on watch cases. They stayed separate until about 1925 when the companies were legally merged. If you are interested in the sponsors marks found in gold and silver watch cases, an invaluable reference is philip priestleys book watch case makers of. The information is not necessarily all there is to know about the maker, but it is a digest of all we have found in our researches. The crown mark in the image is stamped twice inside the case back. This pocket watch case was created following a design the customer requested. The first american pocket watches with machine made parts were. Opinel, a french pocket knife maker, uses a hand with a finger pointing at a crown as a hallmark logo. This numerical format was introduced in 1999 and shows the precious metal content of the article, expressed in parts per thousand. List of gold maker marks give me the list of the numbers. Whereas the marks on silver and gold have always been tightly controlled, there was very little control over the marks used by pewterers. A similar mark registered by joseph walton see below and note top of central part of w level with top of letter joseph walton 18681909 registered feb 1867 cigarette case, jar lid, napkin ring, sovereign case, watch case upper charles street, london ec. About emerald opens in new window working for emerald opens in new window contact us opens in new.
Hallmarking of watches incorporation of goldsmiths. It was not until 1961 that the american government mandated that jewellery manufacturers include a mark indicating the maker. Web horology message board the pocket watch industry american pocket watch case companies. This was often done to mark a significant birthday or to recognize a milestone in years. Here checking with previously made location marks the positions for the pendent and spring catch. Choose from 3 research services you can signup for one or two or all three. As a result, they vary widely in form and significance. May 14, 2020 we may earn a commission for purchases using our links. The date letters below show the background shape for silver. A clock case made in one century might even have a movement made fifty or a hundred years later. If you look at the back of the case where the movement is mounted and you see a set of holes that arent being used, thats a real good indicator that it doesnt belong. A silverplate marking, sometimes incorporated into a manufacturers mark, indicates that the item was made by electroplating a base metal with a relatively thin coating of. Marks can include 800, 825, 830, or 850, indicating 80, 82.
Contrary to popular belief, wwii german daggers were not used as weapons, but simply as an accessory to the uniforms of the german officers and a very fancy accessory at that. A registered date in the dates seen column gives the date when the mark was registered at the assay office and may not necessarily coincide with the date it was first used. From 1975 to present, a lion rampant mark same as glasgows has replaced the thistle as the standard mark. To do so, we combine traditional and cuttingedge technology to create unique, quality, functional products with exceptional value. From simple repairs to making an entire case from scratch. Join the ranks of ethicalcredible pocket watch collecting practiceskeep pocket watches original. Whether you are looking for a gift or pocket watches for sale on ebay, tips and advice about buying on ebay, watch winders, or just fascinating facts about pocket watch makers, like waltham, elgin, hampden, rolex, theyre all here. This had the combined effects of increasing productivity and lowering the prices of walthams watches to its customers. List of gold maker marks give me the list of the numbers of. Seventyfive years company edited booklet, dennison manufacturing co, framingham, massachusetts, u. Our mission is to, preserve and enhance the legacy of manufacturing excellence in america. American silver marks b online encyclopedia of silver. A pocket watch or pocketwatch is a watch that is made to be carried in a pocket, as opposed.
When a watch or clock is repaired, horologists stamp or scratch small letters and numbers inside the back of the case. If you are interested in the sponsors marks found in gold and silver watch cases, an invaluable reference is philip priestleys book watch case makers of england 17201920. Info, specs, and value american antique pocket watches, with serial number lookups for manufacturers such as elgin, illinois, waltham, and hamilton. Marks in watch cases hallmarks, sponsors marks, etc.
Throughout their history, the elgin national watch company was known for horological innovations. Antiques atlas english antique and vintage pocket watches. Awci is the only repository for watch and clock case marking information in the u. Dial names, except in the case of american watches, are often of little use in identifying the maker. No info about knives just an accumulation of opinions and noted facts that are widely recognized and understood even by a first grader. In the case of american clocks, its often a lot easier than that to tell because american makers in general put their trademark on everything. I also have a relative who was a pocket book maker journeyman. Case marks american watchmakersclockmakers institute.
Materials used to make vintage watch cases pocketwatch 101. A hunting case pocket watch has a protective metal cover over the face i. I now have two identical pocket watch movements, both dated about 1918 which have this makers mark on the movement. Hallmarking at the goldsmiths company assay office in london. The care and repair of 19thcentury american clocks. When all of the dots were gone after 2005, the xs were removed one by one until 2010. How to read english hallmarks antique pocket watch. Date letter search facility for birmingham hallmarks. The maker column may show the name of the silversmith. Home site stats advertise contribute add link about us helpfaq contact us forum. A good guidebook will show many makers marks and variations of identifying marks companies used in different eras. These are not official british or swiss hallmarks, they are marks that the case maker has put onto the case that look sufficiently official that british customs and customers in britain would be.
The 1738 plate offences act the 1738 act, an act for the better preventing frauds and abuses in gold and silver wares,4 usually called the plate offences act, was the beginning of current hallmarking practice. Swiss hallmarks and other marks found in watch cases. An introduction to the american pocket watch ventura county. See more ideas about makers mark, pottery marks and vintage costumes. In parallel with the development of the american watch manufacturing industry came a large number of companies producing watch cases. Beyond simply making a statement, a fine pocket watch should be made from a quality material, have a crystal that wont easily scratch, all while accurately keeping time. Listing of american watch case manufacturing companies. Bernard levines book pocket knives is a complete piece of trash and a undoubtedly a waste of time and money. The german dagger was a very popular souvenir for many ww2 veterans who served in the european theater. How to identify the brand of a vintage pocket knife our. Pocket watch identification and value guide the spruce crafts. Includes a complete dictionary of makers marks or hallmarks and updated price guides with millions of auction records.
It them became our mission to create an easytouse and reliable research resource to antiques. Hi guys, i am new to this forum and am hoping that someone might be able to assist me in identifying this watchmakers mark. No matter what youre looking for or where you are in the world, our global marketplace of sellers can help you find unique and affordable options. Case xx stainless appeared in 1950 to 1964, and was the last mark without u. Queen is now the last american cutlery factory that truly makes knives the old fashioned way. Early watch case makers of england 1631 to 1720 by philip priestley, 2000. You may see other marks that may confuse you, but remember that makers often put their own mark on twice, for instance, or you may see different monarchs heads, lions heads and the same letter mark but on a different background see below. Now over 60 years of collecting, researching, educating and assisting collectors with pocket watch issues. For the german officers who wore them, they were a symbol of status, rank and power.
Useful downloads from the assay office to help you to complete the hallmarking process, estimate pricing, and find out more about our complete range of. The item antique, 1896, american waltham ornate hunter case, 15 jewel, pocket watch, runs is in sale since tuesday, december 11, 2018. A good jeweler or goldsmith should be able to acidtest your case for goldpurity. Covers american, european and continental clocks of all types. The inclusion of initial stamps alongside the hallmarks means that most makers can also be identified. The crown symbol is similar to that used in an early american watch of mine which has a. Open the back cover of the watch with your fingernail and look for identifying names a magnifying glass or loupe may be necessary. Specialist publications help explain different makers or sponsors marks, with sir charles jacksons english goldsmiths and their marks, first published in 1905 and revised in 1989, still the most authoritative work on the subject.
You can find many waltham pocket watches for sale on ebay. Contrary to popular belief, wwii german daggers were not used as weapons, but simply as an accessory to the uniforms of the german officers and a very fancy. Manufacture and restoration of all types of gold and silver pocket watch case. Waltham watch company was the first watchmaker to massproduce watch movements on an assembly line. Our data is always updated and we add new researh features all the time. Since 1 january 1999 the traditional fineness mark e. Watch case manufacturers made a wide variety of cases available to jewelers. Most often these marks are found stamped into the metal of the main plate under the balance wheel, or in older watches on the main plate under the dial. This horween leather case is lined and hand stitched. The list of companies that manufactured watches in the united states in the 18001900s is far longer than most people realize.
Markings on the case are sometimes ambiguous, and counterfeit or upgraded assay marks, while certainly not common, are known to exist. Founder of nawcc chapter 149the leading pocket watch collectors club. Useful downloads the goldsmiths company assay office. The silver content in silverplated wares is minimal. This is our story on how we realized that there are few resources available to research antiques. The history of queen cutlery all about pocket knives. Watch manufacturing was truly one of the hightech industries of its day, and there were many startup watch companies, only some of which achieved commercial success. British sterling english hallmarks, irish hallmarks. At the moment, the database includes 31,947 individual trade directory entries from 363 trade directories and more detailed biographies for 4190 makers and retailers. A pocket watch is a subtle way to demonstrate both sophistication and style. Sterling silver, britannia silver, gold, palladium, platinum.
The guide has been designed to provide relevant prices in a wide variety of categories. Town marks for imported silver have differed from the normal marks since 1904. The list is sorted by the lifetimes of the watchmakers you can find following information. Our experts have compiled a unique list of over 1,000,000 prices for antiques and collectibles sold in the united states, canada and europe. Many pocket knife manufacturers used a full name like shrade stamped in the blade. Knife making supplies best prices, selection and service. Dial names, except in the case of american watches, are often of. American watch cases usually carry the maker s name and trade mark. Aaron lufkin dennison ald, watchmaker, boston, massachusetts.
The marks do not look british as our moderator has already pointed out. The culver is, of course, american and the case may be out of philadelphia where the crown symbol was often used. Amemhet 15551505 bc, egyptian count and engineer, clepsydra. We may earn a commission for purchases using our links. We have 38,769 antique clock prices, images and descriptions as of may 17, 2020. Knife identification identify antique and collectible knives. A selection of 18th, 19th, and 20th century british silvermiths illustrated with their marks and biographical information. Ostensibly practical gadgets such as a watch winding key, vesta case, or a cigar. In 1958, they introduced the durabalance, an ingenious design for a freesprung balance. Etsy is the home to thousands of handmade, vintage, and oneofakind products and gifts related to your search. Kubey custom handmade damascus steel mini gentle man pocket knife. The stylish logos were discontinued and the pocket knives from the 1940s had straight case xx marks 1940 to 1964 and case xx metal stampings ltd 1948 to 1952.
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