H A M stands for Harold A. Morgenstern. He was the master engraver at Hamilton from 1879 - 1921 and was well known for emulating the home-engraving styles of the common man. For this novel work, he used only a sharpened screwdriver. ...pretty convincing I'd say! Some other work of his that I've seen included "Jake" "21 jewels" and "9 positions", all engraved on 7 jewel movements. In the pictured example, Harold scratched his own initials which makes this watch exceedingly rare and valuable! After Harold retired, Another master engraver named Alvin S. Stienblatt took his place. His work can be recognized easily as he used the more modern electric buzzing engraver. Known examples include "safety barrel" "Leonard C., Ithaca, NY" and "temp"
William
Posts: 1568 | Location: San Francisco, California USA | Registered: September 01, 2008
Sorry, but this reminds me of the way some animals mark their turf it is hard to accept that a so-called "master engraver" would desecrate what is otherwise a work of art, rather than artfully initial the case-back. But perhaps William is making a joke about all this at our expense.
Fortunately the immediate successor's initials would not lend themselves to such foolishness.
Don
Posts: 504 | Location: Pennsylvania in the USA | Registered: April 02, 2005
Very funny William! Brightened up my morning though it is a shame to see the damage that had been done. Was probably done by a previous owner many years ago who had no idea that any one would someday want to add that watch to their "collection". One hundred years ago only the very wealthy could afford to "collect" much of anything you couldn't find on the ground (arrowheads, horse shoes, old coins etc), so aren't we lucky to live in a time where we can have many fine examples of these mechanical wonders!!
Mike
Posts: 206 | Location: West Virginia in the USA | Registered: November 11, 2012
You're right! You guessed right! I was attempting to make a joke! ...the fool that I am. After all, what's done is done, right? ..and I don't feel that this unfortunate situation rises to the level of honoring the dead. Now if only someone could find the other 15J Hamilton 928 bearing the name "Milton", handily engraved in the same manner, then we would have something exceedingly rare and valuable! A matched set worth millions!
William
Posts: 1568 | Location: San Francisco, California USA | Registered: September 01, 2008
William - A joke that is the product of a lively imagination - the damage is already done by someone unknown and probably can't be reversed - so may your gifted utterings become part of the provenance of this disgraced piece.
Milton who???
Posts: 301 | Location: Ogallala, Nebraska in the USA | Registered: August 27, 2005
Peter and William - Thanks for the good advice on the cleanup ! Hope I find something else today that is hilarious enough that makes me lose control. A guy needs a good laugh, but preferably not the explosive kind. Cheers -
Clark Reed
Posts: 531 | Location: Anderson, South Carolina in the USA | Registered: April 09, 2013
Question to Bill Kapp. Tell us a bit about your watch 20926. I tried looking that serial number up thinking it was a Hamilton, but that serial number shows as a 999 ball. I'm thinking a 936 recieved that number instead? What info do you have on the watch? Thanks
Posts: 20 | Location: Diamond, Washington in the USA | Registered: February 26, 2015
Using the search function you can find a lot of info on the railroad watch co. I also have 20969 and 90179 which you can use the search function of view.
it is hard to accept that a so-called "master engraver" 
would desecrate what is otherwise a work of art, rather than artfully initial the case-back. But perhaps 
William is making a joke 
about all this at our expense. 
would not lend themselves to such foolishness.
