A couple of weeks ago I participated in one of those live ebay auctions. They were selling a very large quantity of pocket watches. I lost most of the ones I bid on except for one that was listed as 18s sold as-is..It looked old (dial had large chip, crazing). I took a shot and got it for 75.00 (buy it and pray for the best).. The following is what came in the mail today.. Lucky?? I think so..

The watch paper inside of the outside case

The rear of the watch paper

The movement... Marked R. Duncan Liverpool and serial number is 33271. I was amazed the chain was still on.. I wound it and it took right off. Cannon pinion was loose which was fixed with a piece of hair.

The movement is gilded and very bright. A few jewelers marks are present but not many.

Hallmarks on both outside and inner case are the same. Puts this one at 1817.

Bruce,
I've not seen an hour hand such as that, interesting! Do you think it is as old as the watch? The watch papers are highly collectible in and of themselves and with a date! Wow!!

The movement is absolutely beautiful! Yes, you are one lucky fella indeed, and on several counts!

Can anyone tell us more about Bruce's latest acquisition?

Cannon pinion loose and fixed with a piece of hair?

Well it is hallmarked 1817,as you say,and that pretty much matches the movement.Nice hand pierced cock.

Real great deal on your part.Very nice...I like these great find/price stories...well done!

Stephanie,that is an old watchmakers'trick;you pluck a hair out of your head,thread it between the cannon pinion and hour pipe-believe it or not,this works very well.Of course,one has to have hair!

Stephanie,

I had both of the hands off when fixing the cannon pinion. The hour hand is very tarnished underneath, not as much on the minute hand. Hard to tell if they are original to the movement. Decent timekeeper, off 1 minute after 6 hours..

I used to have a watch that was marked for and sold by C.Hequembourg (the name on the watchpaper).

I speculate that he must have ended up in St.Louis by 1844 when this paper was put in the watch. I will pass this info on to the family, too.

Jerry, I really enjoyed reading about what happened to your watch. That is one of the reasons I joined the national and IHC 185. Each one of these small machines has a story behind it, whether it be a 7 jewel Elgin, 17 Ruby Jewel Bunn or a Verge Fusee from 1817. In some sense we keep a little part of someone elses history alive..

Oh and by the way, only a minute off after 12 hours.. Not bad for being 187 years old