161a bunn special

May 09, 2006, 18:15

Samie L. Smith

161a bunn special

Here is a 161a that plan to sale if anyone is keeping up with the serial #,s here they are.

May or may not be the original case..

May 10, 2006, 07:25

Phillip Sanchez

That is a gorgeous watch Sammie. Are you going to put it on Ebay or 185? Thanks, Phil.

May 10, 2006, 09:36

Sheila Gilbert

Phillip,
YOU GOT THAT RIGHT!!! WOW!!!
GORGEOUS!

May 10, 2006, 10:54

Lindell V. Riddle

I agree!

And those are razor-sharp images as well.

That's an unusually nice "161A Type II P" movement. The "P" reference denotes the fact that Elinvar is marked on the pillar plate which is why we see it under the balance wheel. The movement is a very high serial number 5561303 from approximately the 1933-34 time frame.

The case is a "First-Model" presumably yellow-gold-filled (10K Gold-Filled will be either yellow or rose) and based upon the 7279599 number it would seem to line up in the 1926-27 period. So what we have here is a very nice 1930s movement in a fine looking but somewhat earlier case.

For years sellers have placed great looking movements like this one in an equally nice looking case to increase their take on the sale. They did not realize the cases and movements could be traced to a specific year or very close to it. We seem to be finding about eight out of ten are like this today.

The good news is we can now replace that case with a later, more appropriate one. On Wadsworth cases, here is a listing that can prove to be very helpful in the Illinois Watch Company Research Forum we have here on-site. Bear in mind the list we're showing pertains only to Wadsworth Bunn Special cases.

Hope this information is helpful.

May 10, 2006, 14:03

Robert M. Sweet

Samie,
Below is an advertisement from 1928.

Robert

May 10, 2006, 15:41

Ron Birchall

Robert

Thanks again for posting the perfect reference!

I am constantly amazed at your ability to post these wonderful advertisments. Are these all in your private collection or do you have a source that I have not yet discovered?

Ron

May 10, 2006, 15:53

Robert M. Sweet

Thanks Ron,
The link below takes you to the Frisco Employes' Magazines, free for your viewing.

Robert

"Frisco Magazines"

May 11, 2006, 03:26

Ron Birchall

Thanks Robert,

That's a great site!

I appears that the search function even works for the advertisments.

Ron

May 12, 2006, 06:49

Phillip Sanchez

Thanks Robert, for the link to that wonderful site. I found it especially interesting to go to the month I was born (July 1935) . Maybe there might be a few more geezers left, even older than that. When we get to be in this advanced age we enjoy looking at things that were going on when we were hatched. It is relly fun to look at the pictures of the people and how they dressed. Phil.

May 12, 2006, 07:54

Robert M. Sweet

Phillip,
I agree, just wish they would add years up through 1941.

Robert