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Illinois Motor Barrell Question "Click" to Login or Register 
posted
Were all Illinois Bunn Special 16s movements marked "Motor Barrell" considered to be 60 hour movements?
 
Posts: 47 | Location: Hamlin, New York USA | Registered: March 05, 2007
IHC President
Life Member
Picture of Lindell V. Riddle
posted

The simple answer is no, not all "Motor Barrel" marked Illinois 16-size movements are 60-hour.

Fact is there were "Motor Barrel" movements sold by Illinois Watch Company prior to the "Sixty-Hour" mainspring introduction. There was also overlapping in production and additionally certain 60-Hour 16-size movements were not necessarily marked as such Roll Eyes so it can get a little confusing. If you provide your movement number that would help in narrowing down exactly what you have.

Lindell

Wink
 
Posts: 10553 | Location: Northeastern Ohio in the USA | Registered: November 19, 2002
posted
Thanks!

The movement # is 3654711. It is listed as a 16s Bunn Special 23j. Just wondering if "motor barrell" does indicate it is a 60 movement

thanks again!!!
 
Posts: 47 | Location: Hamlin, New York USA | Registered: March 05, 2007
posted
The database says, no.
 
Posts: 986 | Location: Flagstaff, Arizona USA | Registered: June 19, 2005
posted
The first 60 Hr BunnSpecial was SN 4,492,501. These were model 14's. The model 13 was 60 hr and came out at SN 4,166,xxx. The model 13 is a 17S and is a Sangamo Special.

Tom
 
Posts: 1060 | Registered: March 10, 2003
posted
Thanks for the info. Just wanted to make sure before I committed to the purchase.
 
Posts: 47 | Location: Hamlin, New York USA | Registered: March 05, 2007
IHC President
Life Member
Picture of Lindell V. Riddle
posted

Foster,

So now you have three "NO" opinions! Smile

To flesh it out a bit further, according to the Illinois Factory Records your movement number 3654711 is a 16-size, Lever-Set, Open-Face, 23-Jewel, Model 11 Bunn Special from 1920 production. It is important to recognize the first 60-Hour Movements were not introduced until 1924 which is obviously 4 years later.

The earliest 60-Hour, 23-Jewel Bunn Specials show up in a run which began at the 4492001 movement number. But as stated earlier 60-Hour was phased in and there were many Non-60-Hour Bunn Specials intermixed into that and subsequent runs as well. This is a complicated subject. About beginnings, Tom is correct on the earliest 60-Hour Sangamo Specials (UN-MARKED 60-HOUR) at 4166001 movement number.

A lot of collectors and unfortunately many sellers improperly "assume" the three screws on a ratchet wheel or the words "Motor Barrel" mean 60-Hour Mainspring. Motor Barrel marking on a movement means Motor Barrel, the mainspring style is yet another matter. Rather than generalizing we should check the number.

Show your seller the real-deal below. Wink

Lindell


Here is 4492519 among the first 60-Hour Bunn Specials...


 
Posts: 10553 | Location: Northeastern Ohio in the USA | Registered: November 19, 2002
posted
Thank you to all for the info. Having access to such a large # of experts has made collecting so much easier.

Although it is not a 60 hour, I think I may buy it anyway. The movement appears to be very clean, it has a really nice montgomery dial and is in a Bunn Special Case.

Thanks again!
 
Posts: 47 | Location: Hamlin, New York USA | Registered: March 05, 2007
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