Hello Kids,

My family and I just returned from a visit to Springfield, Illinois and Lincoln's Home and Tomb.

Springfield is interesting to us fans of the Illinois in that there's plenty of places named "Sangamo," and there's a Bunn Park, and at one time Bunn Groceries.

A while back we had a discussion here on watch case designs and their probable derivations. In that discussion mention was made of the Illinois Model 29 case and its "breakers" design. I stated that case designs weren't necessarily influenced by specific elements from a certain company but from design themes of a certain era. I went on to say that a design such as the Breakers was popular in the time frame of the very late '20s to the early '30s.

As my family and I were leaving the Lincoln Tomb, which had been refurbished in 1930-1931 I happened to look down at the floor and to my surprise I noticed the terazzo decoration of the circumferance of the rotunda. It was indeed the Breakers. The place looked like a giant Bunn Special. I don't think the floor or the case influenced each other but it sure was a coincidence and it underscores what I said about design elements of a particular era.

Have a look at the picture and tell us all your thoughts.

I hadn't noticed the breakers design when I was there a few years ago but rather the overall Art Moderne feel of the place.Point well made. Like the fasces (bound wheat sheaves) motif of the 1920s and the Sangamo Special hinged case bezels and bows.