© 2000 National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors, Inc. Reproduction prohibited without written permission. THE RAILROADERS’ CORNER A forum for the discussion of railroad pocket watches. by E. Ueberall & K. Singer Illustrations by the authors, except as noted Do You Want Your Watches Delivered This Way? The Mail-Order Watch Business Part 2: 1908 - 1960 Introduction Part 1 of our discussion of mail order standard watches, those that met railroad time service requirements, covered the period from the late 1880s to about 1908. We picked 1908 as a break point because of a number of factors that seemed to change at about that time. Previously, the largest number of dealers who advertised standard watches in the railroad brotherhood journals were located in Chicago. By 1908, they Figure 1, left. South Bend went on record against ordering watches by mail in this 1908 ad from the Jewelers’ Circular-Weekly and Horological Review. It announces an advertising campaign in “...the largest Mail Order Magazines ...” Figure 2, right. Waltham jumped into the fray in January 1910 with this ad in The Locomotive Fireman & Enginemens Magazine, warning that “it is not safe to buy a watch by catalogue from any of the mail order houses.” COURTESY/CATHERWOOD LIBRARY COURTESY/NAWCC LIBRARY October 2000 NAWCC BULLETIN 629 COURTESY/CATHERWOOD LIBRARY (2) © 2000 National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors, Inc. Reproduction prohibited without written permission. Figure 3, above. Waltham immediately followed up with this February 1910 ad in The Locomotive Fireman & Enginemens Magazine. It was certain to be understood by railroaders. Figure 4, right. Burlington, who had originally offered 19J watches, introduced a 21J model in The Railroad Trainman, February 1917. were showing up all across the country, although the later focal point seemed to be New York City. Also until 1908, the typical American railroad watch was defined as an 18-size, open-face, lever-set watch, adjusted to five positions and placed in a 20 or 25-year gold-filled case. However, at this time, the popularity of the 16size watch had reached a significant level and sales of the 18-size standard watch started a long decline that continued until production ceased during the 1920s. Finally, the American watch industry was entering into its mature phase; a phase that would end about 60 years later with the cessation of production at Hamilton, the last surviving U. S. manufacturer of standard watches, in 1969. Support Your Local Dealer? Towards the end of the first decade of the twentieth century, some of the watch companies seemed to rec- 630 ognize a need to support the local jewelers. Rockford and South Bend placed ads in the trade press; with Rockford announcing, and South Bend implying, that they would only sell directly to “legitimate” jewelers. South Bend announced an advertising campaign in “... all the largest Mail-Order Magazines, ...” decrying the purchase of mail-order watches.1 In January 1910, Waltham ran an ad in one of the brotherhood journals starting with, “A Warning ... it is not safe to buy a watch by catalogue from any of the mail order houses.”2 Starting in February of that year, Waltham ran other ads for several months in the same journal depicting a mail sack being thrown from an RPO (Railway Post Office) car with the bold question, used as our title, “Do you want your watches delivered this way?”3 However, it appears that a huge number of watches were sold by mail order and neither Waltham nor most of the other watch manufacturers seemed to NAWCC BULLETIN October 2000 © 2000 National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors, Inc. Reproduction prohibited without written permission. COURTESY/CATHERWOOD LIBRARY (2) Figure 5, right. Santa Fe had no qualms about promoting its 21J Santa Fe Special as a railroad watch in this July 1917 ad in The Railroad Telegrapher. Figure 6, below right. Harris-Goar, a Kansas City firm, was one of the first of the small mail-order companies to offer credit. This December 1912 ad offers a 16S, 21J Father Time in a 25-year double back case for “No Money Down, $5 a Month.” The fact that it was “Guaranteed To Pass Any R.R. Inspection” lays to rest any thoughts that a standard watch had to be housed in a screw back and bezel or swing-ring case. want to upset that particular apple cart. A check on the availability of Waltham watches from the major mail-order houses a few years later shows that Waltham’s objections to mail-order sales were somewhat shortlived. Private Label Watches As the “teen’s” progressed, two of the best known mail order watch retailers appeared upon the scene. Both the Santa Fe Watch Company of Topeka, Kansas, and the Burlington Watch Company of Chicago advertised extensively in the brotherhood magazines. Both firms sold 16-size Illinois movements in 25-year gold-filled cases. The movements were privately labeled Santa Fe and Burlington and were also marked, “Adjusted to Temperature and (or &) Positions.” The similarity continued in the cases which had almost identical markings. Up through the 1970s, it was believed that Burlington, and perhaps Santa Fe, watches weren’t accepted for railroad use. However, since that time, there have been reports that some railroads, the Union Pacific being one, passed them for time service.4 Burlington originally offered 19-jewel watches,5 but introduced a 21-jewel model in 1917.6 Although the ads showed locomotives from time to time, Burlington also showed large warships and didn’t do any more to promote its watches as standard watches than to state the specifications. The most critical of these was “adjusted to positions.” For the vast majority of Burlington watches so marked, this meant three positions. By the time this statement appeared in the ads, most railroad watches were adjusted to five, or in some instances six, positions. This, along with quantity discounts, was probably October 2000 NAWCC BULLETIN 631 COURTESY/CATHERWOOD LIBRARY (3) © 2000 National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors, Inc. Reproduction prohibited without written permission. Figure 7, above top. Ryer Jewelry, another Kansas City company, demonstrates in this April 1914 ad that Hamilton supplied watches to mail-order dealers. Figure 8, above. As Loftis’ July 1914 ad shows, Waltham gave up its opposition to mail-order sales. Figure 9, right. South Bend also threw in the towel in fighting the mailorder business, but apparently not until long after Waltham. The watches offered in this ad from the May 1920 issue of The Railway Trainman are probably not railroad grade. where Burlington achieved its price advantage. Santa Fe also showed locomotives and stated that its watches were “adjusted to positions.”7 However, Santa Fe also exhorted readers to “Buy the Best Railroad Watch” and, if that wasn’t enough to get the point across, engineers’ testimonials were included. During the “teen’s” a number of smaller mail-order firms started to advertise in the brotherhood journals. 632 Buying on credit was a major feature of mail-ordering a watch. “No Money Down,” “Send No Money,” and other similar phrases seemed as common as the necessary statement, “Guaranteed To Pass Inspection!” HarrisGoar Co., Kansas City, MO, offered a 16-size Elgin Father Time grade in a hinged, double-backed case in a December 1912 ad. It was, “No Money Down, $5 a Month.” The fact that it was guaranteed to pass inspection indicates that screw back and bezel or swing-ring cases weren’t required.8 The year 1914 was a year of heavy mail-order advertising. In April of that year, the NAWCC BULLETIN October 2000 © 2000 National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors, Inc. Reproduction prohibited without written permission. COURTESY/CATHERWOOD LIBRARY (2) Figure 10, left. There’s no reason to believe that “Square Deal Miller” was anything but an honest businessman. But, based upon the appearance of this December 1914 ad, would you by a used car from this man? Figure 11, above. We’re more attracted to the Potter Brothers’ Cognogram© on the case backs in this April 1917 ad, than to the Waltham No. 645 being offered on the “Great Easy Payment Plan.” Ryer Jewelry Co., another Kansas City, MO, firm, promoted a 21-jewel, 18-size Hamilton stating, “Send No Money - 15 Days Free Trial.”9 Loftis Bros. & Co., Chicago, IL, “The National Credit Jewelers,” offered a selection of watches from different manufacturers. In July 1914, they promoted various Waltham watches, specifically the Vanguard and Crescent St. grades in both 16 and 18-size and the 645 and 845 grades.10 Also during 1914, Square Deal Miller, president of MillerHoefer Co., Detroit, MI, ran an ad campaign in which the ad remained the same from month to month with the exception of a panel in which a different watch October 2000 NAWCC BULLETIN 633 COURTESY/CATHERWOOD LIBRARY (2) © 2000 National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors, Inc. Reproduction prohibited without written permission. Figure 12, above. J.M Lyon & Co. was one of the first mail-order-on-credit dealers to operate out of New York. The Bunn Special, described in this June 1918 ad in The Railroad Telegrapher, was furnished in a “... 14kt. Gold Filled Substantial Case.” Figure 13, below. B. Gutter & Sons also operated out of New York. This February 1919 ad offers their privately labeled watch which appears to be an Illinois A. Lincoln grade. would be promoted for that particular month. Mr. Miller seemed to exemplify the term, “Huckster!” In bold lettering, the ads proclaimed, “Any Railroad Watch You Want On CREDIT ... I Smash The Terms ... No Money Down ... 30 Days Trial.”11 In 1917 the Potter Brothers, South Bend, IN, offered Waltham’s grade 645 on their “Great Easy Payment Plan.” The watch would be mounted in one of their Cognogram© engraved cases.12 New York Judging by the ads in the brotherhood journals, activity of the smaller mail order jewelry companies in the U.S. seems to have shifted to New York and flourished there through the 1920s. J. M. Lyon & Company seemed to be one of the earlier mail-order companies to operate out of New York. In June 1918 the firm hit the back pages with its offering, a 16-size, 21-jewel Bunn Special. “Pay Nothing In Advance” the ad proclaimed. 634 Only after you received and decided to keep it did you pay “... $7.75 and the balance only $4.00 monthly ...”13 In 1919, B. Gutter & Sons, also of New York, promoted “The B.G.& S. Railroad Watch” in a 20-year case.14 The movement’s illustration has the look of an Illinois model 5, A. Lincoln grade. The description matches that of the A. Lincoln grade as well. Such companies as L. W. Sweet Inc., O. F. Bale & Co. and Royal Diamond & Watch Co. offered a variety of popular railroad watches. The 21-jewel, 16-size 992, Bunn Special and B. W. Raymond grades in gold-filled cases seemed to be the staples of the business.15 However, in April 1922, Sweet offered a 21-jewel Howard.16 Occasionally, a Crescent St. or a 23-jewel Vanguard would show up in the ads, but the 992, Bunn Special and B. W. Raymond grades dominated.17 Competition must have been rather stiff as the published prices were very close to each other if not actually equal. By the end of the 1920s, the mail-order ads disappeared from the broth- NAWCC BULLETIN October 2000 © 2000 National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors, Inc. Reproduction prohibited without written permission. COURTESY/CATHERWOOD LIBRARY (2) erhood journals. Most likely, with large amounts of their capital tied up in credit sales, these small firms were hit particularly hard by the great depression. It probably drove most of them out of business. To Buy On Credit, Or Not? North State Jewelry Co., Mebane, North Carolina, in January of 1912, had one of the Figure 14, left. The Illinois Bunn Special was one of the staples of plainest ads for some of the classiest railthe mail-order trade as seen in this O.F. Bale & Co. May 1923 ad. 18 road watches obtainable. Their ad was Figure 15, top. This ad for a home correspondence course in watch similar to the ones mentioned above, but repairing is from the back pages of the June 1918 issue of The they were from the cash-on-the-barrelhead Railroad Telegrapher. It has almost nothing to do with our subschool. Their ad clearly stated, “... send us ject, but we couldn’t resist adding it to the column. Figure 16, your order with Post Office or Express above. Here are the three top sellers of the mail-order trade: the Money Order ...” No doubt, there were other B.W. Raymond, the 992 and the Bunn Special. Royal Diamond small watch dealers that did not offer credand Watch Co. offered them in December 1926. it, but they didn’t seem to do very much advertising in the brotherhood journals. The Big Houses The lack of credit probably really did hinder watch All along, the major mail-order houses, Sears, sales. After all, the local jewelers, who were watch Roebuck, et. al., as discussed in Part 1, continued to inspectors, had an established credit system by which market huge amounts of standard watches. Even after the payments were automatically deducted from the the depression hit and sales dropped off, they continrailroaders’ pay. If you could buy on credit either localued to carry a few standard watches. T. Eaton (which ly, or more cheaply by mail-order, why buy mail-order had always been a “Waltham house”) continued to offer and pay the entire cost up front? Keep in mind that 21-jewel Crescent Streets into the 1930s. Through the standard watches still represented about two weeks 1930s, Montgomery Ward continued to offer pay to the average railroad worker. October 2000 NAWCC BULLETIN 635 © 2000 National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors, Inc. Reproduction prohibited without written permission. COURTESY/PROVINCIAL ARCHIVES OF MANITOBA Figure 19. Simpson’s was a large Canadian general merchandise mail-order house. Among their listing for more mundane watches in their Fall & Winter 1917-1918 catalogue, railroad versions of Elgin and Waltham watches, as depicted in this composite, were shown. 636 NAWCC BULLETIN COURTESY/CATHERWOOD LIBRARY Figure 17, left. Royal also sold Waltham Vanguards. This September 1928 ad would let you have the winding indicator version for only $65. Figure 18, right. The North State Jewelry Co. listed a large variety of standard watches in this January 1912 ad. Unlike the other dealers, North State required a postal or express money order accompany the watch order. Vanguards and B.W. Raymonds in their catalog. However, whatever resurgence that might have occurred with returning prosperity at the end of the 1930s was quickly squelched by the shortages that occurred during World War II.19 By the 1950s, T. Eaton, the only firm whose postwar standard watch offerings we’re able to report upon, was showing a choice of a 992B, a B.W. Raymond, or a Vanguard. The 992B and the Vanguard were offered in Canadian cases.20 Two of the reasons for the use of Canadian cases were to avoid the import tax on the cases themselves, and to take advantage of a lesser import tax on “watch parts,” as movements were classified, than on complete watches.21 The B.W. Raymond would have been the grade 571, which required a speOctober 2000 © 2000 National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors, Inc. Reproduction prohibited without written permission. cial case. Apparently it was too expensive to substitute, so the U.S.-made Elgin factory-marked cases were used. By 1960, railroad standard watches were dropped from the T. Eaton catalog, although their use is still required in Canada today. Summary Starting after 1908, the mail order railroad watch business seemed to explode. The market was invaded by a host of smaller companies offering watches on credit. This included two of the largest private label sales organizations, Santa Fe and Burlington. The great depression then caused a curtailing of mail-order sales that continued through World War II. After the war, the mailordering of standard watches just wasn’t as popular and only the largest of the general merchandise mail-order companies kept a few in their line. Acknowledgments The authors would like to thank the following individuals and their organizations for their assistance and for furnishing materials used in this article: Hope Nisly, Resident Archivist at the Catherwood Industrial/Labor Relations Library at Cornell University, and the library staff, Ithaca, NY; the NAWCC Library and its staff, especially Eileen Doudna, former librarian, Columbia, PA; the Stauffer Library at Queens University and its COURTESY/EUGENE LOBDELL October 2000 NAWCC BULLETIN COURTESY/STAUFFER LIBRARY Figure 20, above. By the end of the 1930s, the watch choices had become somewhat limited. In its Fall & Winter 1938-1939 catalog, Montgomery Ward offered only the 21J B.W. Raymond or the 23J Vanguard. Figure 21, right. As late as 1953, T. Eaton gave you a choice of the 992B, the B.W. Raymond and the Vanguard. As was common (if not required), each was fitted with a dial having an inner ring of 13-24 hour numbers. Also, the 992B and the Vanguard came housed in a Canadian-made case. The Elgin grade 571 required a special case, making substitution difficult. 637 © 2000 National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors, Inc. Reproduction prohibited without written permission. staff, Kingston, Ontario; Maureen Dolyniuk, Hudson’s Bay Company Archivist at the Provincial Archives of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB; and Eugene Lobdell, Deposit, NY. 21 Peter Kushnir, former CP Rail watch inspection official, in a conversation with one of the authors, September 3, 1999. UPDATES FROM THE MEMBERS Notes 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 “Never Buy a Watch by Mail,” South Bend ad, Jewelers’ Circular Weekly and Horological Review (June 10, 1908): p. 82. “Waltham Watches - A Warning,” Waltham ad, The Locomotive Fireman & Enginemens Magazine (January 1910). “Do you want your watches delivered this way?” Waltham ad, The Locomotive Fireman & Enginemens Magazine (February 1910). Roy Ehrhardt and William F. Meggers, Jr., Railroad Watches Identification and Price Guide (Kansas City, MO: Heart of America Press, 1995): p. 71, and James L. Hernick, Railroad Timekeeping (Frankenmuth, MI: 1996): p. 51. Winthrop D. Warren, “Railroad Watch Advertising 19101915,” NAWCC BULLETIN, No. 296 (June 1995): p. 344. “Special Introductory Offer!” Burlington ad, The Railroad Trainman (February 1917). “Extra Watch Offer Wear 30 Days Free,” Santa Fe ad, The Railroad Telegrapher (July 1917): p. 243. “Guaranteed To Pass Any R.R. Inspection,” Harris-Goar Co. ad, The Locomotive Fireman & Enginemens Magazine (December 1912). “World’s Greatest Watch Bargain,” Ryer Jewelry Co. ad, The Locomotive Fireman & Enginemens Magazine (April 1914). “Waltham Watches on Credit,” Loftis Bros. & Co. ad, The Locomotive Fireman & Enginemens Magazine (July 1914). “Any Railroad Watch You Want On Credit,” Miller-Hoefer Co. ad, The Locomotive Fireman & Enginemens Magazine (December 1914). “Potter Brothers’ Master Railroad Watch Offer,” Potter Bros. ad, The Railroad Trainman (April 1917). “Famous Bunn Special Railroad Watch on Credit,” J.M. Lyon & Co. ad, The Railroad Telegrapher (June 1918): p. 172. “The B.G. & S. Railroad Watch,” B. Gutter & Sons ad, The Railroad Telegrapher (February 1919): p. 68. “$100 Brings You This Famous Illinois Bunn Special,” O.F. Bale & Co. ad, The Railroad Trainman (May 1923). “Only $600 a month,” L.W. Sweet Inc. ad, The Railroad Trainman (April 1922). See Ed Ueberall and Kent Singer, The Railroaders’ Corner, “Keystone-Howard and Their Standard Watches,” NAWCC BULLETIN, No. 319 (April 1999): p. 195 “Nationally Famous Railroad Watches sent for $2,” Royal Diamond & Watch Co. ad, Locomotive Engineers Journal (December 1926). “Railroad Watches at Slaughtered Prices,” North State Jewelry Co. ad, The Locomotive Fireman & Enginemens Magazine (January 1912). Ed Ueberall and Kent Singer, The Railroaders’ Corner, “Standard Watches During World War II,” NAWCC BULLETIN, No. 311 (December 1997): pp. 740-49. Spring/Summer 1953 Catalog, T. Eaton Co., (Toronto, Ontario: Canada): p. 321. 638 Waltham 19-Jewel Watches When we discussed Waltham’s 19-jewel watches,1 the totals of model ‘92 19-jewel sidereal watches were shown in Table 3. Unfortunately, an error crept in. Chuck Holzner contacted us to report that the run starting with serial number 18,028,501 was only for 100 watches, not 600 as previously reported. The corrected runs are shown here in Table A. Table A - Revised Oct. 1, 2000 Sidereal 19-Jewel Production Runs* From S/N To S/N Grade Qty 14,125,101 18,028,501 18,091,001 19,001,001 14,125,125 18,028,600 18,091,100 19,001,100 Sidereal Sidereal Sidereal Sidereal 25 100 100 100 * Based upon information in Serial Numbers With Descriptions of Waltham Watch Movements, Waltham Watch Co., Waltham, MA, 1954. Larry Treiman wrote to point out that the regulator spring on the model 1908 (which was also used on the model ‘92s in later years) that we called the “Figure 8 style” is more properly referred to as the “Ohlson Patent Regulator” or the “1908 Patent Regulator.” Our comment that in later years it “... was replaced by a more common-looking whiplash spring.” may have been in error. Although we believed we had seen some Vanguards from the late 1930s that had a more common regulator spring, these might have been the earliest of the model 1623 Vanguard grade watches. Larry was also thoughtful enough to mention that the dials that we had referred to as “double pressed” were described by Waltham as being “Ground Center and Cut Second” in a 1909 material catalog. Looking carefully at Figure 13 in that column, that indeed seems to be an accurate description. “Ground second” fancy dials were offered elsewhere in that catalog. North American Watch Co. Cases and Bunn Specials The North American Watch Co., NAWCo. for short, furnished railroad model cases for the Burlington Bulldog grade watches.2 They also sold these distinctive cases separately, advertising them in the brotherhood journals.3 At least one dealer, O.F. Bale & Co., recognized a good thing and marketed them “bundled” NAWCC BULLETIN October 2000 © 2000 National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors, Inc. Reproduction prohibited without written permission. COURTESY/CATHERWOOD LIBRARY (2) Figure A, above. NAWCo. advertised its distinctive, heavy duty railroad model case directly to railroaders as seen by this retouched 1925 ad in The Conductor. Figure B, right. One mail-order retailer “bundled” the NAWCo. railroad model case with Illinois’ Bunn Special to create a very marketable package. This retouched ad appeared in a 1925 issue of The Conductor. with Illinois Bunn Special movements.4 Tom Huber provided the photo of his 23-jewel Bunn Special, serial number 4,492,619, shown in Figure C. We cannot determine if Tom’s watch was packaged by a mailorder dealer or put together at a local jewelry shop, but it sure is a handsome combination. identical, including the Arabic dial, Ariel’s watch is marked “Adjusted Extra.” As we stated last time, it contains all of the features required for time service and would pass inspection on railroads where Swiss watches were accepted. What is a Luzon? We’ve come across a nice 18-size, 23-jewel Regina (Omega) whose double-sunk Roman dial, with radial, Arabic 13-24 hour numbers, is privately labeled for “H.M. Tark, Dauphin, Man.” According to Doug Sinclair of Calgary, Alberta, “Dauphin, Manitoba, is on the main line of Canadian Northern and was probably a division point. Canadian Northern was one of the lines that went into receivership after World War I, We thought that we answered this question in our last column, when we showed a 16-size, 21-jewel, leverset Agassiz movement. It was labeled “Luzon Adjusted” and carried serial number 124,985.5 But before those pictures made it into print, Jon Hanson sent us a picture of serial number 120,849 owned by George “Ariel” Calmes, Figure D. Appearing otherwise October 2000 Speaking of Swiss Watches NAWCC BULLETIN 639 COURTESY/TOM HUBER © 2000 National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors, Inc. Reproduction prohibited without written permission. Figure C, above left. The handsome combination of NAWCo.’s railroad model case and a 23J Bunn Special is exemplified here by S/N 4,492,619. Figure D, left. Ariel Calmes’ Luzon, S/N 120,849, is a 16S, 21J, LS Agassiz, marked “Adjusted Extra.” Figure F, above. Omega grade CCCR, S/N 2,514,745, whose dial is shown in Figure E, is an 18S, 23J, OF, LS watch signed “Ls Brandt & Frere - Adjusted To 5 Positions.” COURTESY/JON HANSON and was taken over by the Federal Government and became part of Canadian National Railway.” The open-face CCCR grade movement, serial number 2,514,745, is conventionally signed “Ls Brandt & Frere - Adjusted To 5 Positions.” The dial and movement can be seen in Figures E and F. Wait A Minute! Figure E, below. This classic Canadian dial is signed “Regina - H.M. Tark - Dauphin, Man.” It’s on the Omega S/N 2,514,745 shown in Figure F. 640 Joe Maloney brought this interesting tidbit to our attention. In his article, entitled “Turnabout in the Windy City,” in the April issue of Trains magazine, Jim Larson described the Chicago North Western railroad’s 1959 attempt to improve the much-deteriorated commuter service into Chicago. The program was ultimately successful, but as the article’s author illustrated, it was a hard row to hoe. “There was a staff meeting in the superintendent’s office, and we were each given a list of trains to compare time with the crews. We were also to see that the rear trainman gave a highball 10 seconds before departure time to the conductor, who passed it to the engineer, and the train would leave on the second. I went to the first train, and, taking out my pocket watch, I advised the trainman I wanted to compare time with him. He took out his pocket watch and said, ‘I guess you notice that I don’t have a minute hand,’ but he added, ‘the hour hand is on time.’ Needless to say, with that, our on-time departure program was really starting out in the hole.”6 NAWCC BULLETIN October 2000 © 2000 National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors, Inc. Reproduction prohibited without written permission. COURTESY/MARION MESSICK/LOUIS CHRISTINA This trainman’s flippant attitude notwithstanding, in 1959 the time service rules were still in full effect with standard grade wristwatches just beginning to be accepted. One wonders what happened to the minute hand and how long he was able to carry such a watch. One More Conversion Dial Marion Messick showed us an interesting watch at the Orlando regional last February and Louis Christina was nice enough to take a photo of it. It serves as a complement to those conversion dials that we’ve previously shown.7 Those convert a hunting-case movement such that it will have the winding stem at 12 o’clock in an open-face case so as to pass inspection. This one works the opposite way—it converts an openface movement to wind at 3 o’clock in a hunting case. It may not pass inspection, but the movement under the single-sunk dial in Figure G is a 16-size, 23-jewel Bunn Special, serial number 2,860,292. Those wishing to share more information about the subjects mentioned in the Railroaders’ Corner, or to bring interesting items to our attention, are invited to contact us by writing to Ed Ueberall, c/o The Escapement, P.O. Box 606, Chenango Bridge, NY 13745-0606. E-mail Ed at: [email protected], or Kent at: [email protected]. As sufficient data is received, we’ll provide updates in later columns. Please be sure to let us know if your name or other information is to be kept confidential. Notes 1 2 3 4 5 6 Ed Ueberall and Kent Singer, The Railroaders’ Corner, “Waltham’s 19-Jewel Standard Watches,” NAWCC BULLETIN, No. 325 (April 2000): pp. 215-221. Ed Ueberall and Kent Singer, The Railroaders’ Corner, “NAWCo. Cases,” NAWCC BULLETIN, No. 313 (April 1998): p. 204. October 2000 Figure G. The movement is a 16S, 23J OF Bunn Special, S/N 2,860,292.The unusual SS, AN conversion dial enables it to be placed in a hunting case and have the winding stem at 3 o’clock. 7 “Guardian of your Watch,” NAWCo. ad, The Railway Conductor (November 1925): p. 478. “I Want You To Try This New Bunn Special 30 Days at Our Expense!” O.F. Bale & Co. ad, The Railway Conductor (September 1925): p. 386. Ed Ueberall and Kent Singer, The Railroaders’ Corner, “What Is A Luzon?” NAWCC BULLETIN, No. 327 (August 2000): p. 542-543+. James Larson, “Turnabout in the Windy City,” Trains (April 2000): pp. 48-49. Copyright 2000 Kalmbach Publishing Co., reprinted with permission from the April 2000 issue of Trains magazine. Ed Ueberall and Kent Singer, The Railroaders’ Corner, “Conversion Dials,” NAWCC BULLETIN, No. 325 (April 2000): p. 221. NAWCC BULLETIN 641
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