Have acquired a common 16s Elgin 15J, Grade 312, Model 6, Serial # 25227667. Nice enameled dial marked Elgin Columbia. Also movement marked Columbia. I realize this is a private label marking but can find nothing about it in my searches. Anyone out there with information about this label. Thanks, Herb

Hi Herbert, welcome to the chapter, i may have welcomed you before but not sure.There are many good people here who can help you with this question.I have not seen a Elgin marked Columbia.I thought these were two different companies.
Perhaps i have learned something new today.
I am hoping someone can help you on this, maybe Jerry Tremain or Lindell.

Hi Herbert,
I have seen one or two of these on ebay before, but did not know either. I assumed it wasn't an Elgin though. I wish I had an answer for this one for you and for me.
Since I didn't see Elgin on the movement, I thought it was a Columbia Watch even though I never heard of it. Good luck on finding the information. I will be checking back in to see what anyone finds out or posts. Good post!

One thing I forgot to mention is that the Illinois Watch Co. had a Columbia watch, however I forgot that one because it's in Springfield, Ill. and not in Elgin Ill.
But it could be a connection?????????
New England Watch Co made a (Columbian) watch.

According to Geo. Townsend's book "Amost Everyting You Wanted to Know....." there was a Columbia Watch Company in Waltham, Mass. from 1896-1901, name changed to Suffolk Watch Co in 1901 and was sold to the U.S. Watch Co., Waltham, on Charles Street. The organization line is confusing after that. US Watch sold to E. Howard Watch Co. in 1903 but there is another line showing a US Watch Co. in Jersey City, NJ. Best I can tell from all the information is that it ended up somewhere in the Keystone organization.

John, yep, The Columbia Watch Co is listed in the new 2005 Shugart book too. I thoguht I listed that one first, but I see I left it out. I must have brain freeze!

Herbert,
See what you started!

Thanks to everyone for your kind remarks. I have just been notified by John Fogarty of the Elgin Database Site that this is indeed a private label Elgin that was done in 12s and 16s around 1922-23 period. However he has not been able to attribute this to a specific jeweler or jobber. Herb

Herbert,
Your not going to believe this, I found my Elgin notes and right there, Columbia, Private Label Elgin! When I came back in to tell you, you already got it. I just KNEW I knew this one. I practically LIVE on the Elgin site, and I missed it. I searched this one about a year ago, and forgot all about it.
Hope you can find the jobber or jeweler.
Good Luck!

PS Can you tell me what's on the case?

Sheila, The back of the case on my Elgin has on the inside "Elgin Giant Watch Case Co.", 14K Double Stock, the word Pride inside an oval, and the number 4990009. On the outside is an engraved name "W. L. Fidler". Have you seen this one before? Mr Fogarty said he saw it on E-Bay several years ago. That is where I obtained in recently so it is getting around.

Hi Herbert,
I really don't know much about this one, however, I did find ONE site for WL Fidler, and he was a book binder in NY in the 1800's so this may be your guy.
He is only listed in a small space at the bottom of the page.
Check it out!

http://www.rootsweb.com/~nycattar/1879history/persia.htm

You think this could be him?

Very intetresting Sheila! The time line fits. It would be wonderful if we could tie a lot of this stuff together. Most of it comes out like predicting the weather, your guess is as good as mine! Thanks, Herb

Hi,
I just found something else, and it may be the Family. Check this out!

http://www.rootsweb.com/~nyoswego/towns/hastings/pinegrovecem.html

Interesting.

Your right, it would be so great to link up information on a watch, I always look for information on mine.

Herbert,
I wondered if you noticed the link above that I listed, it has LOTS of Fidler's on it.
There's an e-mail addy on it for contact too.