While cleaning this, I was marveling at the incredible finish work by Illinois, even putting the plate patterns (I thought were fish scales ) on the Pallet Bridge

Of course, this being a Getty, I was just enjoying all the work they did finishing plate work only the Watchmaker ever sees.

I remain puzzled though, as the "Blue Bible" refers to this platework as a "Bright Spotted Third Pattern", for the 2800 of these movements ever done, and it still looks like Fish scales to me.

Regardless, it remains a beautiful movement to me because it is a Getty, and it is still in fairly good shape for such an "Old Thing" made in 1894 . . .

Now I have "whumpped up the gumption" to tackle the 23 Jewel I have been procrastinating on . . . but the question remains are these "bright spots"?

Dave - a not too close view I would call it fish scales. Up close I would call it wavy lines. Whatever you call it, though, it does present a dramatic finish to the plates! And it's one of your favored Getty's.

Mary Ann, These damaskeening terms are like "Bird Watching" to me, giving names to similar critters to describe slight differences at best. The work these people did where you cannot see it os what really impresses me. Look at the superfinished clutch wheels and Damaskeening on both sides of the main plate!

David,

Here is a picture of a Bunn Special "Fishscale" pattern. It also looks like the scales on a fish and I suppose Meggars had to differentiate the two pattern styles some how. How the "Bright Spot" term came about intriques me. Maybe its the way the light hits it.

Steve

Thank You Steve, Lindell, and Bill Meggers for explaining and creating some sort of digest to describe this incredibly beautiful finish work.