Today I won two Illinois Grade 705 17J OF watches with very close serial #s: 2526324 and 2526132. They each cost around $100 one was an auction and the other BIN.

What is amazing to me is that Meggers and Ehrhardt describe on page 140 of their book on the Illinois Watch Co that examples of Grade 705 "have been reported, but not seen." They list only 800 produced of the 17J variety! Am I missing something or are these watches as scarce as the "Blue Book" indicates?

If the 800 production figure is correct, then what strange good luck I've had to find two of these beauties on the same day!

Does anyone else have any Grade 705 Illinois watches to share?

John III

Wow, great find John. And to find 2 in one day is something special.
I wonder how many of these grades have turned up since this book was written now that ebay, the internet and other on line sources have become so popular?. Would seem to me that with more ability and ease than ever to have worldwide contact others, these seldom or rarely seen variants might not be as scarce as they were before these online venues were introduced to the world.

Ray

To add, I have a 19 jewel grade 806 which is also listed as none seen but some reported model 7's. Shows a production of 2350 pcs.
It is a marked Stewart Special movement with an Electric Railroad Standard dial.

Great topic John, hope someone else starts sharing their "Rarely Seen" Illinois with us, they sure are interesting.

Ray

Ray,

HERE is a discussion of a grade 707 that was never seen before. I have not come across another one and this was totally done after the Hamilton takeover.

Steve

Wow, very nice one Steve. Love that case as well.

Ray

I remember that thread Steve. I think these low production grades will only increase in value as the rarer Bunn Special varieties get out of reach of us common folk.

Ray, here is an another example of "reported, but not seen". If you scroll down in the thread you will find an Illinois Grade 105. Bob S. theorized that it was a typo in the serial number lists and that this is actually a Grade 405. Anyway, it was exciting to me to find one of these.

Link to Illinois Grade 105