ANYONE KNOW ABOUT MR. O'HARA'S PATENTS?

Everyone,

Our On-Site Auctions "Friday Fixer-Upper" this week is a Waltham William Ellery in a Coin Silver Case. I wonder about the case markings. There is reference on it to "O'HARA PATENTS" which raises the obvious question. Anyone know what Mr. O'Hara may have patented that caused his name to be cast into the case like you see below?

I find this kind of thing interesting...

Lindell

Lindell, over the next week I'll pull out everything I have on Waltham, and AWWC, and try and find anything that relates to
" O'HARA'S PATENTS". Lets see if we can't come up with somthing?
Jack

Jack Goldstein
NAWCC 0152932
IHC 185 #274
http://www.ball-rr-pocketwatches.com

Lindell,
The info I found says, In 1856 Daniel O'Hara who was born in Newport, Kentucky, had been working for the Duhme Jewelry Company across the Ohio River in Cincinnati. He worked in the department making solid gold watchcases, but this department was discontinued about 1878. He came to Waltham about 1881, perhaps somewhat earlier, and obtained the position of foreman of the case department in the Watch Factory. He obtained a patent for a screwback watchcase and later received several other patents for watch cases and parts. Early in 1890 the case department was closed, and Mr. O'Hara, in looking around for another connection, joined forces with a Mr. Edwin D. Wetherbee, who was born in Hanover, New Hampshire and had a dial company on Moody St. and then on Crescent St. in Waltham. They moved to Bedford St. and operated under the name of the Waltham Dial Company. Mr. Wetherbee withdrew shortly, and Mr. O'Hara, as sole owner, assumed the name of O'Hara Waltham Dial Company. A brick building was erected about 1897 on Rumford Avenue to take care of the growing business. Besides making watch dials, plain and hand decorated, he made a great variety of enamel dials for gas, electric and water meters. Number wheels for counting meters, ash trays in transparent enamel with fancy inserts, and buttons for political campaigns were other products.
Mr. O'Hara died in November 1912, about two months before his former partner, Mr. Wetherbee. On January 14, 1913, The O'Hara Waltham Dial Company was incorporated under that name by Arthur Lyman, president; Charles F. Stone, treasurer; and Clarence F. French, secretary. These three were trustees in charge of the O'Hara estate, and for the next fourteen years operated the factory for the benefit of the heirs. Eliot O'Hara, the oldest son, was made superintendent.
Other products were added, among them a transparent colored enamel for the Chatham sterling silver watch cases. Radium compass dials were in great demand during World War I and these, plus an increased demand for other items, required the employment of about two hundred workers, mostly skilled.
I'm not sure if O'Hara had anything to do with the dust proof or the swing-out case models but I will try and check it out.
Sorry to be so long but I'm from Waltham and find anything Waltham, interesting.
Brian C.

pwpartsetc@pwatch.com

Great find and some real nice history with it. Brian what book did you find this in? TED

Thanks Ted.
I don't remember where it came from. I collect stuff from the O'Hara Dial Co. In the 60s I worked across the street form the building but they where then making trafic lights and the dial company was long gone. There still is a painted sign on the bricks, O'Hara Dial Co. I never even noticed it for the five years I worked at the Waltham Screw Co. right across the street. I also didn't notice much stuff at the Waltham Precision Instrument Co. (Waltham Watch) where I worked for over 5 years and for this I will always regreat it, but I wasn't into watches then.
Brian C.

pwpartsetc@pwatch.com

Brian - Very Informative. I did not seen the O'Hara case trademarks before and have interest in the dials. Do you have any pix of the signed O'Hara dials (reverse side) to go with all this superb information. Were the dials signed "O'Hara Dial Company". How was it signed?

Doug

Doug,
I can't put my hands on a picture of the reverse dial side but they usually are signed in block letters, O'Hara Waltham Dial Co. or just O'Hara Dial Co. I would not buy one of these as an O'Hara Dial, unless it was signed. I have a picture of a rare signed O'Hara, on the front of the dial, which I will e-mail you.
Thanks,
Brian C.

pwpartsetc@pwatch.com

Brian, Thanks for the info and the pix. I recently turned down a supposed O'hara dial because it was unsigned on the reverse side. I guessed it to be a more modern Swiss repo.

Doug

Wise choice Doug.
Brian C.

pwpartsetc@pwatch.com