Among the more interesting case variations seen on American keywind watches is the so called "reversible" case patented by Samuel Baldwin in 1858. These cases could be converted from hunting to open face configurations by rotating the movement about an axis running from 1:30 to 7:30 on the watch dial. Early versions of the mechanism feature a button on the rim of the case that releases the locking mechanism, allowing the movement to rotate between configurations. In a later version of the mechanism, the movement is unlocked by depressing the crown, similar to opening a hunting case watch to tell the time.

I have seen four examples of this mechanism on early Howard keywind watches, of which I am privileged to own two. Known examples include 17 jewel Type O Model 1858 (Series I) movement S# 132 (case and movement with matching S#s); first run nickel plated and damascened Model 1862 (Series III) movement S# 21,572 (carrying Samuel Baldwin's personal monogram on dial and 18K case); and two other Model 1862's also in 18K cases. I have also seen an early Waltham Model 1857 Appleton, Tracy & Company grade full plate in such a case and an 18 Size 3/4 plate in a Baldwin reversible case.

Baldwin's cases tend to be 18K gold, massive and beautifully engraved and engine turned on both their outer and some of their inner surfaces. Both of my examples are now documented in the published literature. I would like to know from other collectors what other makes and models of movement they have seen housed in Baldwin reversible cases.

Although Samuel Baldwin was indeed from Philadelphia, I have striven in vain to document a clear connection between Samuel Baldwin and Matthias Baldwin, founder of the Baldwin Locomotive Works. I was only able to uncover a titillating possible clue that Matthias Baldwin had been a "clockmaker" prior to entering into locomotive manufacturing, suggesting a common origin in the horological trades. If anyone can shed additional light on this possible connection, I would be much obliged.

Clint

Here is the inside front lid (in hunting configuration) of case/movement S# 132, showing the Baldwin patent marking. The case also carries a retailer's name: "Ben. F. Crane, St. Louis."

Here is the link:

http://www.awco.org/Seminar2002/HowardTheme/H-1-case-detail-new.JPG

Here is the link to Samuel Baldwin's personal watch:

http://www.awco.org/Seminar2002/HowardTheme/H-13-case.jpg

Thanks Clint. Really nice cases.

thanks for sharing the pics.

Charlie

Thank you for sharing, Clint. How would it be to have Samuel Baldwin's personal watch for your collection? WOW!
Phil.

Thanks Charles and Philip. I should point out that I didn't know this watch had belonged to Samuel Baldwin when I purchased it! In part, that's because I had never researched the Baldwin patent and I didn't know that the inventor's first name began with the letter S. Once I made this connection, I looked more closely at the exact manner in which the "S.B." monogram is rendered on the dial. The S pivots around the central spoke of the B, and the ends of the S each have a forked projection to latch onto the B as the S rotates past. This is in fact an abstract representation of the reversible case mechanism. At that point it was not rocket science to figure out who the original owner must have been. Here is a link to a close-up picture of the dial monogram.

http://www.awco.org/Seminar2002/HowardTheme/H-13-dial-detail.JPG

Every serious collector I know has had at least one experience where something he didn't realize about a watch when he purchased it subsequently ruined his day when he discovered it. How nice it is then to occasionally have the opposite kind of experience!

Clint

I guess I ought to show the movements of these two watches. S# 132 is the earliest known, and most likely also the first, Howard Series I to be completed by the company. It is a "First Run" example of which fewer than a dozen are known, characterized by 17 jewels in screwed down settings, an unusual plate cut (in this instance, no lenticular cut-outs) and an engraved pallet bridge. Here is the link:

http://www.awco.org/Seminar2002/HowardTheme/H-1-movt.jpg

S# 21,572 is one of only approximately 140 Howard Model 1862's (Series III's) finished in damascened nickel. Of these, only the first run of at most 20 nickel damascened Model 1862 movements beginning at S# 21,561 are equipped with Mershon's compound regulator (the later ones have Reed's whip regulator) and only these examples carry the Reed's barrel patent, which is engraved on the main wheel. Four examples from the first run of nickel damascened movements are known. Of the over 23,000 Model 1862 movements produced, only these 140 nickel plated and damascened movements and another 280 "gold flashed" and damascened Model 1862 movements (the latter mostly completed before S# 21,561) feature engraved pallet bridges. Here is the link to movement # 21,572:

http://www.awco.org/Seminar2002/HowardTheme/H-13-movt.jpg

Clint: Aside from the material used to make the case, how do the Baldwins compare to the Muckle cases?

Jerry Freedman

Hi Jerry,

I'm afraid I don't know enough about Muckle case construction to answer your question confidently. Can you post some pictures of Muckle cases? There is also a Giles Patent reversible case that is quite interesting.

Clint