I wanted to share a few pictures of some unusual Illinois dials that have 24 hour markings and some of which have Montgomery (marginal minutes) dials also. I've collected all of these since moving to the great white north.

The first is a rare 12 size 24 hour Montgomery dial. The dial fronts an A. Lincoln movement.

Next is a 24 hour Montgomery Sangamo Special 17 size dial. This one is on a movement marked SIXTY HOUR which makes it doubly scarce.

My last one is on a 16 size 23J Bunn Special. I suspect that the dial is somewhat earlier than the movement (serial number 5182170), but I still like the combination of the straight line Illinois signature and all the busy numbers around the dial.

Let's see some more from you Illinois experts out there.

John,
The Sangamo Special is stunning-Wow. All great looking watches.
RR

John,

I have a couple....this one is a Bunn Special Type III 60 Hour and it is in a 14k Cashier case made for Canada...

My only other one is this 19 jewel Bunn in a Balco case. This is also the closest thing to a Ball Watch that I own.

My bad.....I must have missed the part about "Montgomery" dials.

Steve

That's ok Steve, I started to post some of mine but none of my 24 hour are Montgomery too. yours are nice too!

Tom

Steve,

I love those examples of Illinois 24 hour dials, especially the Sangamo style font.

I should know this already, but do you know approximately when the straight Illinois signatures would have been used?

John III

Richard,

Thanks. I agree about the Sangamo Special dial. I won the watch at a Jones-Horan auction earlier this year.

John III

John,

Normaly the straightline signature was being phased out around 1915 or so but I have seen that turn up on other 24 hour dials long after that. The two above are a case in point. The Bunn is from 1919 but the Bunn Special is from the mid 1920's.

Steve

John,
I like your Sangamo Special dial also.
The hands and the hour numbers were made for each other!

Here is a scarcely seen 24 hour dial with the Old English style signature. I just missed winning this 18 size Bunn on ebay a few weeks ago.

Here is a 16 size 24 hour dial in all black that I picked up last year.

Another 18 size 24 hour dial that I missed on ebay. The watch was in rough shape as you can tell so I bid low and missed it.

This one is single sunk and has a script Illinois Watch Co signature, black 24 hour numbers and red 5 minute markers.

John, I like the Old English dial as well and was in the hunt when it was on ebay, reverse buyers remorse for not bidding more. Another Illinois Montgomery 24 just sold there as well but the red 13-24 was faded so I didn't bid. Perhaps I am being too particular and should, as they say in poker, "expand my range".

John i won that 18 size illinois single sunk 24 hour dial you posted a picture off..turned out too be a nice dial no hairlines but a little bezel rub on the edge but still a beauty.

Lorne,

There is another Old English 24 hour dial on ebay right now. No hairlines - looks to be perfect. I'm bidding on it, but it is quickly getting out of my range.


Samie,

Nice pickup. If you ever want to turn it around, let me know.

John III

John, with the bid I put in I was sure that baby was mine but apparently there are fools greater than I. I tried to get another bid in but ran out of time. Actually I am pretty disappointed, I became quite attached to that watch over the last few days.

Here is one of my favorite Illinois 24 hour dials

Nice one Larry!

Here is another that is on ebay right now. It has the curved Illinois signature and black CPR numbers. This dial fronts a 16 size 21J Bunn Special.

Here is another singe sunk dial with "Illinois Watch Co" from a recent ebay auction. All black numbers 1-24 with red five minute markers (no 18). Very similar to the one that Samie won recently but this one was on a 16 size, 11J, Grade 172 Getty model in a Fortune case. Supposedly came from an estate in Edmonton. It went for $155 which was a little too rich for me for a lower quality movement and a dial with hairlines.

Hello John:

I really like your dials, especially the first one looks exactly like a Hamilton 16 size CPR dial, and really like the curved Illinois

Larry

Here's mine, just picked it up. 18 Size Bunn Special

Awesome 24 hour Montgomery 18 size Bunn Special! First one I've seen.

Thanks for sharing Bill.

John III

Got this one in today. It is metal 24 hour Montgomery dial with red 13-24 hour numbers. Both 18 and 6 in the seconds chapter. The five minute numbers are red and badly faded, and the dial is in poor shape generally. I wonder if it can be cleaned or restored or refinished back to original. Missing the hour hand, but that shouldn't be a problem. The other hands are nicely plum/purple.

This came on a near mint condition 19 jewel Illinois 16 size movement. The movement is a marked grade 169 and has the Illinois Watch Springfield, putting it right after Hamilton purchased Illinois. Only 5190 were sold between 1929 and 1940. Serial number is 5429666 from ~1931. These were sold uncased as movements or cased and advertised as "The Dispatcher" for commercial service according to the Blue Book.

Here is a picture of one very similar to John's second one shown above, only double sunk version with a straight line signature.

Jared

Jared,

Awesome!

What size watch does this fit? I'm assuming 16 or 17 size.

John III

John-

It is a little bigger than a doubble sunk 16s dial I compared it to, so I'm assuming it fits a 17s Sangamo. The dial feet are missing, so now its off to Leon Harris for some new feet. by the time I put feet on it, I'll have a little over $125 in it, but I think it is worth that price anyday.

Jared

Jared,

Looks like a winner. once you get it repaired, you will need to find a 17 size that needs a dial. Only one I've seen with the straight line Illinois signature.

Congrats again.

John III

John-

Tom Dunn brought up the same thing. If my research is correct, the first runs of 17s sangamo specials would have been around 1917-1918, which would be right at the end of the straightline era. I'm guessing it may have come off an early one if anything. I have a 17s sangamo special, so I will compare dial size to it just to make sure it is 17s for sure and let you know.

Jared