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Seth Thomas and New England Company Pocket Watches

Currency:USD Category:Antiques / Jewelry & Watches Start Price:1,000.00 USD Estimated At:2,000.00 - 4,000.00 USD
Seth Thomas and New England Company Pocket Watches
Preview
Holabird-Kagin Americana Office
3555 Airway Drive Suite#309
Reno, NV 89511
Thursday April 11, 10am-6pm
* Preview also available by appointment

Live Auction
Friday & Saturday
April 12-13, 2012
9am PDT starting time, both days

Location
Atlantis Casino & Resort
Grand Ballroom #4
3800 S. Virginia Street
Reno, NV 89502

Lot Pick Up
Holabird-Kagin Americana Office
3555 Airway Drive Suite #309
Reno, NV 89511
Sunday April 14th, 10am-1pm

This lot includes two wonderful antique pocket watches. 1) A Seth Thomas watch in original cloth cover and presentation box. This open face, stem wind / stem set, railroad style watch features a single sunk dial with an inner chapter ring printed in black arabic numerals marking the hours, and an outer chapter ring printed in red arabic numerals in 5-minute intervals. The seconds on this watch are marked in black arabic numerals in 10-second intervals. The hour hand is a blued tulip, the minute and second hands are also blued. The center of the dial is marked Seth Thomas. The screw bezel crystal appears to be original and is in fantastic condition, free of cracks or chips of any kind. The inside of the case is marked Nickel/Illinois/Watch Case/ Co./ Silver and bears the same 047411 serial number that appears on the case below the bezel. The watch features a three-quarter plate 7 jewel movement and the mechanism is marked Seth Thomas/ Centennial/ Thomaston, Conn. U.S.A. and bears the serial number 1318634, which dates the watch to late 1901. This watch is in excellent condition and still runs even though it likely needs cleaned and tightened. The original cardboard box is inscribed in black Seth Thomas/ Centennial/ Watch/ $4.00/ High Grade 7 Jewel Move-/ment in Solid Nickel Screw/ Bezel and Screw Back Case on obverse and reverse. The top of the box is printed 16 size. The front face of the box is loose on one side, but the box is in otherwise fine condition for its significant age. The Seth Thomas Clock Company was organized as a corporation on May 3, 1853 in Plymouth Hollow, Connecticut (later to become Thomaston) to succeed the earlier clock-making operation of the founder. Seth Thomas (1785-1859) had been manufacturing clocks at the site since 1814. After the founder`s death in 1859, his son Aaron became president and began to add new clocks to the company`s line. About 1862, the firm purchased the patent rights of Wait T. Huntington and Harvey Platts of Ithaca, New York and added a perpetual calendar clock to their line. They also added a line of tall-case clocks in the 1880s. The Seth Thomas Clock Company was very prosperous into the 20th century and was considered to be one of the premiere American clock manufactures, even by their competitors. Between 1865 and 1879 they operated a subsidiary firm known as Seth Thomas` Sons Company that manufactured a higher-grade 15-day mantel clock movement and during that period were major supporters of a New York sales outlet known as the American Clock Company. After 1872 they also became a major manufacturer of tower and street clocks. 2) This open face size 16 watch case features a snap back and snap bezel. Flat enamel dial in excellent condition with beige tone center, white border, and clubs suit playing cards 1 through Queen in place of numerals on the inner chapter ring. The outer chapter ring features small black dots. The hands are blued clubs. The case is unmarked, but the three-quarter plate duplex mechanism bears the following engravings: New England/ Watch Co./ U.S.A. and the serial number 540265. No data is available linking serial numbers to production years. The New England Watch Company came into being after the Waterbury Watch Company experienced financial difficultly in 1898. The new company offered a great variety of low cost watches in all sizes and styles. In the fall of 1914, at the beginning of World War I the company was purchased by Robert H. Ingersoll and Brothers which later became The Timex Watch Company. HKA#62279