Yes close to 40 years if not over. I found where he apparently passed away either late 1900 or early 1901. I tried to find his obit but no luck, he apparently was very big in the cities government and boards. I found a few books that mention him but they only allow a sentence or two to be viewed.

here is Will Bashaw from Centerville Iowa

I dug out this little s/n 2771408 "Bromberg & Gregory signed 16s 17J Hampden model 4 with a spotless Factory signed DS dial which has been languishing in my "disaster watch" pile for about 6 years.

After a quick inspection, it became clear that new hands, a new staff, mainspring and some pivot jewels could easily render it more affable to timekeeping again. After restoring it . . .

this Hampden Bridge Model holds within a second or two a day. A "quick Google" shows that Bromberg and Gregory who in the 1910-1912 era of this watch were quite active in Battle Creek Michigan. The basis of their success is certainly because they were at the Junction of Some US and Canadian Trunk Railways supporting Detroit in the East and Chicago in the West from points North of the compass as is seen on the cut of my big vintage RR map included below;

Pretty nice Dave!
Maybe you better take another look in that pile.

Here is a private label Hamilton showing Fred N Day of Winston, NC (prior to the merger of Winston and Salem in 1913). According to the Hamilton database the watch is a 17 jewel Model 974 from 1903. The 974 Hamilton typically has the "17 Jewels" engraved where this watch has "Special" and not to the right as the later 974s Specials had.

Movement 1

Movement 2

Note

I have no information on the proprietor of this 18 size private label Elgin, which I had to spring for because it was sold in San Francisco, my city of birth.

Apparently Elgin generally did not put PL names on both dial and movement. And this is the first Elgin PL with a nickel-plated movement I've seen.

I suppose it's possible that the dial came from another timepiece, but if I find out that O.M. Howard was selling to local trainmen, I'll wonder less about that.
kh

Here's the 15J railroad-grade movement from 1890.

Ken, get the loupe, are you sure it is not D.M. Howard?

Ken you have a RR Grade 116 B.W. Raymond movement which is quite valuable. The private label dial which costs more to do than marking the movement shows well for it's provenance too.

I don't have it yet, so I'm unsure about the initials. The listing read O.M., but I'll get out the loupe in a few days. Meanwhile, some research turned up the fact that most pre-1890 Elgin PL watches are movement-marked only; after 1890 dial-marked only, with exceptions.
But I understand that in the first place Elgin PLs are not real common.
kh

postscript: For anyone trying to reconcile "private label" with "railroad grade," there is this from a Richard Watkins who did some research and wrote about that: "Private label watches were accepted, a few for quite a long time on some railroads. Private labeling goes back almost to the earliest American watch production and was quite prevalent in the last quarter of the nineteenth century. In the 1860s, the Pennsylvania Rail Road ordered both Appleton, Tracy & Co. and National Watch Co. B.W. Raymond watches furnished with the railroad's name on the dials...by WWI the private labeled standard watches were pretty much done as in no longer being permitted to enter service, although surely a number were grandfathered forward."

There was a Oliver M. Howard who was a jeweler in San Francisco in the 1890's-1900's city directories.

Thanks Tom, I got an email note just a few minutes ago from Lorne indicating a D.M. Howard in the Elgin PL database, but I think that's due to the font style of the label, the O. was mistaken in the Database as a D.
Do you know anything about him -- what street he was on and/or info, photos?
kh

Here's a little newer Elgin PL marked on the dial and movement.
Grade 339 1909 serial# 13500064
Looks like I need a correct second hand.

Tom already looked this one up.
Looks like he was Gustave J. Kasper according to the 1920 census and he was living in Cleveland OH. It states he was born about 1881 in Ohio & is listed as a jeweler. He is married to Julia (abt 1885).

In the 1930 census he is still in Cleveland with Julia, now he has switched his occupation listing to optician, this appears to be very common in the early part of the century for jewelers to also become opticians.

Also he is listed as August J. in this census.

He & Julia are also in the 1910 Cleveland census, still a jeweler.

Ken

City directory shows for 1901 3294 Mission, residence 221 Duncan.

1903 Mutual Savings Bank, residence 221 Duncan
1907 3294 Mission, residence 717 Waller

So far I can't find him in the census but I will keep looking.

Here is a Hamilton 974 Dial and Movement marked Henry J Howe Syracuse,N.Y. S/N 358603=1905.Sorry dial is not marked Syracuse,N.Y.

Movement

Thank you, Tom. Mission is one likely street for a jewelry store in The City.

I have to say that I like the label type fonts for all these PL watches -- all different, all stylish.

kh

Here's one that I like. It's a Hamilton 927 SN 247503
W M Shlaes Special The Head Captain Hancock Mich.
This is the 3rd example that I have seen, but the
2 others just said The Captain Hancock Mich. Not
the Head Captain. I have not been able to find anything on Shlaes. Was he a Jeweler ? A Captain
on the Great Lakes ? I don't know.
I hope that someone can help. Tom Brown perhaps ?
Thank You Jack

Movement

Bridge

There was a William M. Shlaes that was a jeweler in Hancock Mich., this ad is from the 1910 city directory.

I'm looking for a 927 just that clean looking, Jack.

Thanks Tom. I knew that if anyone could find
Mr Shlaes it would be you. Ken, I brought it home to Michigan a few years back, I think its here to
stay now. ( I still don't get the Captain thing )

A little info. on Mr. Howe a civil war veteran,a courier and body guard to Gen.Burnsides.Opened jewelry store in Syracuse,N.Y. after the war and it stayed in business till the 1970's.
Roger

Wow. There's some history.

Ken

If you search Howe on this site you will find more info on him, he has been researched before.

Henry J. Howe was a major agent for Hamilton watches in central NYS. He also sold PL watches under the name "Central City." Central City is a nickname for Syracuse, NY, because of it's location in the state.

Following up on what Tom Brown said...

"If you search Howe on this site you will find more info on him, he has been researched before"

For those not familiar with utilizing our "Find-Or-Search" feature, typing in "Howe" brings up the following topics:

Click here for: Howe

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