A pal scored this nice watch at the flea this morning. It was in a worn but original case model '98(or is it '99?) 21 jewel signed "Special for J.Q. Hatch "1047",all in gold filled lettering. I can't recall a town marking if there was one. I haven't looked him up yet but thought someone here might already be familiar with the name. Was the 1047 the number of an engine or was Hatch an inspector?

All in all it was rockin' at the flea today. One friend brought a ca. 1700 repousse repeater he bought this week for 300-. A Durand 1/4 repeater
sold too. I got a '33 Mickey, a '51 Alice and a Micheal Jackson, a Cambell's soup kid and an orphan annie. I sold an enormous oak drop pendulum clock case and a Longines 14k 17 diamond mystery dial.

This all transpired in less than an hour's time. Some days, nothing but today was hectic fun!
-Cort

Cort, Where is this flea market at?

The Hatch watches are really neat and interesting. Isn't it I.Q. Hatch? Every one I have seen is from one of the runs of "Assorted Specials". You can read a little about these specials at THIS WEB PAGE

Did you happen to get the serial number, or can you get the number for me? I would like to add it to the database I am keeping.

Bruce,
Oakland Colliseum flea, open Tuesday through Sunday. I go Fridays when the watch folks mass.

Jerry,
I'll get you the number. I haven't checked the link yet but will now. Thank you.
-Cort
p.s.- Jerry, the link spells it J.Q. too
I really love the connectivity here. Ask an off the wall question and you find the guy with a database on the subject.
- Cort

Yeah, I think I made an error on the "J". The clearest image I have seen of one is in Ehrhardt's Encyclopedia, V.1. The Old English character is tough to differentiate, but I believe now that it is an "I" rather than a "J" (the little tail on the left curls down rather than up).

Go back another hundred years and it is the same letter.

Well, I was able to acquire this watch today and bring you this pic. I still want to know who J.Q. Hatch was and where from. Also, any ideas on the "1047"?

The csae is a Boss/Keystone 14K G.F. that is also maked "Cased and Timed at the Factory" and "Waltham Watch Co. Waltham U.S.A.". I don't recall seeing one marked this way before.

Thanks
-Cort

Kent and I have three Walthams in our database for J. Q. Hatch. The first is an 18 size 21 jewel 845 grade S/N 15,007,176 marked "Made Expressly For J.Q. Hatch & Co., S.F. Cal.".
The other two are "specials" 16 size 17 jewel movements S/N 22,190,038 and 039, both marked "No. 1024 Specially Adjusted for J.Q. Hatch & Co.".
So it appears that Hatch was a San Francisco jeweler. Perhaps a search of the S.F. city directories may lead to additional information.

That is great news Ed! I can see S.F. out of my living room window. With that starting point, looking up Hatch should be no problem.That makes my day! It's nice to find a local watch.
-Cort

Other Hatch movements in my database of Waltham "Assorted Specials" --

17,052,257 16s, 21j "No.1047"
17,187,618 16s, 21j "No.1047"
18,135,297 16s, 17j "No.1024"
20,024,561 ?? 17j "No.1924" (may be mis-recorded 1024?)