Good Friday Morning!
I have read all the topics under the Ball Brotherhood Watches topic and there are 4 pages of some of the most informative info a person could receive. Thanks for all the posts that were contributed, however
I can find no real info on the brotherhood cases themselves A lot of the posts adamately note that the brotherhood watches would not have left the factory without the corresponding dial to match the movements. I do believe that to be correct. But by the very same token, wouldn't these same completed watches have had the correct "Brotherhood" corresponding cases also
How many of you are truly familiar with the cases for these watches in solid gold and gold filled with the applied "Brotherhood" multi-colored initials on the backs of the cases, and some with the fancy engraved intertwined "Brotherhood" logos
I have seen a few and owned two of them With that being said, what say you as to a completed "Brotherhood" watch from the factory, wouldn't it stand to reason logically that the case backs would need to be marked also, making it a completed factory marked "three-piece" marked watch, ie; mvmt-dial-case
I have opened this under a new post or topic because this issue has not been raised or addressed till now. With your help and comments perhaps we can conclude an outcome. With that outcome, I would like to know if found to be an "add on", to these watches, exactly what it might possibly add to the value, rarity and desirability of these watches
I can't wait to see your posts to this "new can of worms", opened up. I would love to see your pictures posted of these cases also, so what have you???
Regards,
bb

Buster

I am by far nothing even close to an expert on this topic. The one thing I have noticed though is looking through the old journals of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen, & Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen, they gave away the Ball watches with the organizations dial if you sold so many subscriptions & when it described the watches it makes no mention of the cases other than they were gold filled.

Tom

Here is one of the ads, this one does not mention the cases.

Tom

This one is from the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, it mentions getting a BofLE Dial but in a gold filled case & no mention of the case back.

Tom

This one is from the Brotherhood of Locomotive Fireman.

It mentions the case & they are 20 year gold filled, each will bear the Union Label of the Watch Case Engravers' Union. Not to sure who or what that looked like but I assume it is a mark inside the case?

Tom

I found where the Watch Case Engravers' Union label was a blue paper label that was stuck inside the case. Apparently one of the reasons it is mentioned in the ad is this was during the time when a lot of the watch case company's were using non-union case engravers & were locking out the union members.

Tom

This is the last one, you might be getting tired of this. Again this one just mentions it being a gold filled case.

In the past I think I saw an ad from one of the Brotherhoods that they sold cases with their emblem on the back that you could buy & have your watch put in but so far I haven't found it.

Tom

Here is an ad where you could get the case with a Burlington (Illinois) watch.

Tom

Here is one more, it offers that you can send in your old watch case & 10 subscriptions & you can get a gold filled BRT monogrammed case.

It is looking to me like perhaps the norm was just a standard gold filled case but if you wanted the monogrammed case you could get it but not necessarily with a Ball watch. It looks like you get put whatever watch movement you wanted in the case.

I could be wrong about all of this, I am just going by the ads.

Tom

That looks a little unreadable, here is just the part about the cases.

Tom,

What are the dates on those last two ads?

(The Burlington and the case swap)

happy hunting,

Tom,
Whew!! Man you are the research king IMHO
I am beginning to think the case may be a "add-on" sorta like pw & pdl's on an auto.
I carried a watch a few years on the rails and to me a case back with the union logo on it would have been what I wanted. That way when I pulled it, I could get the time and everyone who saw it from the back side would of admired it!!
I have known many "old head" RR men and talked with a lot of old watch repairmen who worked the rails during the 40's & 50's and most would tell stories of trainmen and engineers who would bring their watch in and trade their shiny gold filled watch cases in for a 50c chrome case and get $1 or $2 for their gold filled cases from the watch repaireman!! And as a whole I found most of the "old heads" were a bunch of penny pinchers! So the fancy & beautiful "brotherhood" cases today are probably relatively rare and costly I would imagine.
Is there anyone out there that might be willing to put a price on these cases? I think I would be interested in their values as to condition as; average-excellent-mint to coincide with the price guide. I did see one past post of a pretty worn multi-color "BRT" case that a member said looked like a $1000. case. So just maybe we can find out what these cases may be worth today. They may just be so rare that not many exist today or since they are so scarce the price may be as high as the watches themselves But I am genuinely interested in what others think and so far no one has posted any pictures of these magnificent brotherhood cases. Got cases??What say ye
Thanks again Tom,
bb

Your welcome Buster, I wish I owned one to post a photo of. I also could give no idea as to value.

Bill the ad about exchanging the cases was from 1914 in The Railroad trainman, Volume 31.

It will take me a little bit to find the Burlington ad again, I try to make note of the publication & date but didn't. I will find it again.

Tom

Bill

The Burlington was from Locomotive engineers journal, Volume 45 January 1911.

Tom

Tom,
I had read that you can click on a persons name or picture or logo and get their data from it such as their email address. But when I do that I come up with an "error" statement from this site that says I can't get that info, even though I am a member. The only persons info I can get is my own
I would like to know if its possible to do that?
But for now, when you have time, drop me an email as I have a picture for you to post on these cases. That way I can send it to you to post as I'm just beginning to find out how to do that and I need to learn a bit more! email; watchbbgo1@dishmail.net
regards,
bb

Another ad from Burlington, this one is for a case marked for the International Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes (IBMWE), I am guessing Illinois must have offered these cases for several of the different Brotherhoods.

This ad is from The Advance advocate, Volume 20 Jan. 1911 by the IBMWE.

Tom

As many of these cases Burlington advertised you would think more of them would show up. Wish I had a few.

This is from Locomotive engineers journal, Volume 47
1913

Buster
I sent you a email.

Tom

Well I will start with a couple of photos of one that I wish was mine, it belongs to a friend.

Tom

Just look at this case!

Here is another Burlington ad, this case if for members of the Order of Railroad Telegraphers

It is from 1913 in their journal called The Railroad telegrapher, Volume 30, Part 1.

As I said I will take a dozen of each of these cases.