Posted 3 years ago
Redbeard1971
(1 item)
I've had this for close to 30 years and it never worked. I found it when I was working in a trash transfer facility in Ohio. don't know anything about it but I'm sure it's pretty old. Thx to posters who showed me how to open the screw back. Once the back is off, there are various small numbers etched into it. Not sure what they mean but someone does.
Illinois time king? ..maybe
Redbeard1971, Beautiful. :-)
I found an Illinois pocket watch with the same railroad engine engraving on the case (however, the case is gold, and the face has a different style):
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1219/5194/products/41R34mjGR4L.jpg._SX500_SCRMZZZZZZZ_V0_large.jpg?v=1459749406
https://shop.connoisseuroftime.com/products/1900-18-size-illinois-railroad-gold-filled-pocket-watch-23j-24j-bunn-special
https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/guide/company/illinois/research/illinois-16s-bunn-special-dials
http://cholla.mmto.org/watches/illinois.html
Is yours a Bunn Special? I don't know.
In order to find out more, you'll probably have to open the case, and examine the works. Here's a chart of serial numbers and production dates:
http://www.pocketwatchrepair.com/histories/illinois.html
Hmmm, the railroad engine engraving images are not quite the same. Still, your best bet is to get the case open so that you can look at the works:
https://pocketwatchdatabase.com/reference/how-to-open-a-pocket-watch-case
Redbeard1971, Woo hoo! You got the case open, and took some more pictures. :-)
So, the case is an Illinois Watch Case Co. Spartan, serial number 0765583(?):
*snip*
Spartan Base Metal, chrome-plated case, introduced in the very late 1920s or in the 1930s.
*snip*
https://mb.nawcc.org/wiki/Encyclopedia-Subjects/American-Pocket-Watches/Illinois-Watch-Case-Co
Unfortunately, per the experts at NAWCC, there is no database of watch case serial numbers:
https://mb.nawcc.org/threads/illinois-watch-case-company.60502/
If that serial number on the works (2975890) is the right one, that would put it in this range:
*snip*
1916 2,800,000
1917 3,000,000
*snip*
http://www.pocketwatchrepair.com/histories/illinois.html
So there does seem to be a slight age discrepancy between the information about the case and the works serial number. I suppose it's possible that the case isn't the original one.
I'm not an expert, so you might want to join the National Association of Watch & Clock Collectors forum, and ask them:
https://mb.nawcc.org/register/
It could also be that your watch just needs a bit of TLC from a professional watch repair person in order to work again, but the folks at NAWCC could advise you better about that as well.
Good luck. :-)
thanks so much keramikos, the information you've provided helps considerably.
Redbeard1971, You're welcome. :-)
Hopefully, the experts at NAWCC dot org can help you further.