Not sure if I am replying to the right post - I'm new here. Mike Benda, in response to your question, I have three of my Great Grandfather William Shlaes' watches - two models - the Captain, and the Head Captain. My search continues. It only took 25 years to find the first three!
Posts: 2 | Location: Oak Park, Illinois in the USA | Registered: April 25, 2015
That is wonderful Noah. A real piece of history. In the expanding technology age, it is delightful to imagine simpler times when clock works and watches were some of the more complicated machines.
Posts: 1119 | Location: Virginia Beach, Virginia in the USA | Registered: February 08, 2015
Here's another early large plate Hamilton 974 serial # 56010 with multicolor dial, and E. Nichols, Southington, Conn. on the movement, in a coin silver case.
Posts: 693 | Location: Washington in the USA | Registered: May 23, 2010
Chas. P. Starr Owego, NY I think this is an 1887 Illinois movement with a private label dial and marked movement. Owego is a small town in the southern tier of NY along the Pennsylvania border. In researching this watch, I found listing for a Chas. Starr, jeweler, on Lake Street in Owego. I also found a David P. Starr, jeweler, listed as a founding member of the Owego Rotary Club in 1920.
Posts: 353 | Location: Nichols, New York in the USA | Registered: April 04, 2010
I too have a W.M. Schlaes Special, ‘the head captain’ which I inherited from my great uncle. From what I could find or was told, Mr Schlaes was a jeweler in Hancock, Mi, and later had a location in downtown Chicago, where he adjusted conductors watches. I was told the watch belonged to my uncles father, and they both had worked for the railroad.
Posts: 2 | Location: Wisconsin in the USA | Registered: September 19, 2020
I thought about the great family connection, and for that reason sold the watch to the Shlaes family. It's great to have a watch with a connection like that. Yours has a great family connection as well. If you read the post from 4/26/15 you will learn about the Head Captain markings. Jack
Posts: 352 | Location: Southeast Michigan in the USA | Registered: March 22, 2012