Quirky sized LWC sized watches

The watch movement sizing used in the UK & US was devised in Lancashire - the Swiss used "Ligne" but by the 1930s made most of them to fit "Lancashire" sized cases. Most US makers stuck to the even numbered sizes 12, 14, 16 etc.

 

The Lancashire Watch Company however made watches in several quirky sizes,this one is a size 14 ¾ but with the heavy case it ends up with the same externam diameter as most size 16s.

 

LWC 15 jewelled pin set watch, 1895

 LWC 15 jewelled pin set watch, 1895

 

Whilst this one for Kendal & Dent is a size 16 ¾

LWC 11 jewelled pin set watch 1900.

LWC 11 jewelled pin set watch 1900.

 

An unusual jewel configuration on a 17J Recta.

This 17 jewel Recta for J.W. Benson  has an interesting configuration in that the centre wheel does not have a jewel on the face side and the jewel count is made up to 17 with a single cap jewel on the escape.

English makers, particularly Rotherham, Errington and Coventry makers using CWM Co ebauchés did something similar either making 16 jewel movements or adding one centre wheel jewel to their 19J movements probably under presure from Marketing department to have a jewel visible on the centre wheel.

20 Jewel Rotherham, 1903.

The designers did not want a jewel at the face plate as with the centre wheel only turning once per hour the benefit is small and with the power from the barrel being applied close to the face plate there is a percieved risk of damage.



A 16 Jewel Errington 1906

A 16J Errington for Yeomans for Perry.

It would appear that Samuel Yeomans could sell more watches than he could make. A quality mid sized Coventry maker Yeomans was also the first Chairman of the Coventry Watch Movement Company. This is the second watch I have had that he bought in and sold on. The first was an 1896 watch by the Lancashire Watch Company and sold on to Tustain of Leamington as explained in my post Lancashire Watch Co for Yeomans for Tustain.

This watch has a 16 jewel movement by C.H. Errington of Coventry but the case has London hallmarks for Sterling Silver, 1894 and the mark of Samuel Yeomans. The case has the same serial number as the movement so the two belong together and is not a marriage. The movement is signed by John Perry of Nottingham, the dial would also have been signed but that transfer print has long since gone.

A rare and interesting Stauffer

Size 14 Stauffer Pin Set watch, 15J c1900 or a bit earlier.

Apart from being pin set, at first glance this could mistaken for an Omega - I wonder who copied who? But it has a trade mark on it that shows it is by Stauffer of Switzerland.

and when the dial is off it is quite different.

The trade mark was registered in 1880 but had been in use from about 1835, it consists of two "S"'s and a very small "c" in a shield, not the later and far more common 3 triangles etc.

A feature I have not seen before is the way the Banking is adjusted, by far the most sensitive and precise I have seen but you do need to take the balance off to make an adjustment to the one on the inside:

It gets really interesting when you look at the dust cover where is says "Kew Certificated"

A Long case clock by W Harrison of
Hexham c 1825 and insert the dial from
a Coventry made chronograph 1882 by
W.E. Harrison Stockton-On-Tees. 

and "Harrison and Son, Darlington.

Kew (Later the National Physical Laboratory) was the standards agency for watches and clocks, was responsible for certifying chronometers and ran what was effectively a competition for top quality watches. Although certainly not a chronometer this is a good quality watch from around 1900.

Harrison was one of a widespread watch and clock making family in the North East of England, they are most probably descendants of the Harrison of the Longitude prize who came from the area. It is very difficult to work out family relationships from the clockmaking records as there were a lot of them about in the 19th century and they kept moving about.

The last record I can find of Harrison in Darlington is 1905 but they might have continued for sometime after and not been recorded in Loomes or elsewhere.

English Fusee leaver watch signed Harrison & Son Darlington 1877.

A very unusual Benson "Keyless Ludgate" 1889.

J.W. Benson "Keyless Ludgate", 11J 1889.

This is a very unusual watch! It is London finished almost certainly from a Prescott ebauché, a Coventry Watch Movement Co ebauché is a slight possibility as they opened in 1889 using a Prescott ebauché as a starting point, but those that I have seen have been rather different. I suspect but can't prove it was finished by quality maker Nicole, Nielson & Co who are known to have supplied Benson.

J.W. Benson "Keyless Ludgate", 11J 1889.



The face 2 piece plate is typical of Prescott ebauché of the period.

The unusual thing is that the Keyless Ludgate of the period, and I have had examples from the previous year and several from later years, are completely different being made in-house and incorporating Benson's patented dust ring construction also used on "The Field" watch and others. Further the engraving on this watch is identical to the "normal" version including having the Patent number believed to be for the dust ring that continued to be used for some years after this watch was made.


J.W. Benson "Keyless Ludgate" 13J 1893
Made in-house with the patented thick dust ring.

J.W. Benson "Keyless Ludgate" 13J half hunter, 1888
Made in-house with the patented thick dust ring.

It can only be assumed that Benson were short of Keyless Ludgate watches and so bought some in but it must have been confusing for customers to see such different watches being sold under the same model name.

More information on the Ludgate can be found in my post Benson "Field", "Ludgate" and "Bank of England" watches. or by selecting "Benson" from the list of tags below right.






Dawson "Railway Lever"

For watch anoraks this is a an interesting watch.

 

 

Although branded the “English Railway Lever” don’t confuse it with American Railroad watches, the British railways had signalling and token systems to prevent train collisions and did not rely on timekeeping to prevent collisions as the American railroads did. This is a fairly basic 7 jewelled size 18 movement albeit one that was very well made and with Geneva stop gear to control mainspring pressure. And being in an expensive case it was probably never intended for use on the railways except perhaps by station masters and management. .

Apart from the rocking bar winding and setting mechanism, the movement could be a very early going barrel movement having a bridge for the 3^nd and 4^th wheels, as was normal for Fusee movements[i] from the 19^th century and which was retained in early going barrel movement allowing the same trains to be used for both forms. The lower balance jewel securing mechanism of a brass wedge is that used in the 17^th and early 18^th century watches.

But this movement was made in 1911.

It is signed by Dawson a Liverpool based watchmaker but marked “London”, the watch was however almost certainly made in Coventry, and probably by one of the last remaining small makers, Jos H Bird who’s initials are on under the dial.

The very heavy case has Chester hallmarks and is probably by Charles Harris of Coventry.

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[i] The bridge was required on a Fusee to help fit the chain which was done with the 3^rd wheel out of the watch which could then be replaced by removing the bridge.

Waltham “own label” movements.

Waltham “own label” movements are very rare in UK – I have only seen them for Russell of Liverpool and Preston’s of Bolton, but they are somewhat more common in the USA. They come in two varieties. The first have different specifications to mainstream models, such as this 1908-641 branded the Preston’s senior which appears to be a 1908-PSB with the addition of a double roller.

Waltham 1908-635 The "Russell Model"

The second more common own label, is a standard model with engraving added to brand them as “own Label" The Preston's junior is of this type as is the Russell model above which includes the Waltham name on the movement and this 1899-630 marked for jewellers Harry A Dillon of Gloversville New York but without the Waltham name although in this case Waltham is on the dial.