Internet Horology Club 185
Private label question

This topic can be found at:
https://ihc185.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/1086047761/m/7951047313

July 10, 2008, 00:56
Darren Sanders
Private label question
Like they say here in the south, Ill be switched! i like to think of myself as a fairly good researcher but man alive! Has the FBI recruited you? haha. Ive had this watch for several years. Ive search for the name online a few times but could not find anything definitive.
The ser# is 15494. It looks like an elgin but the number lookup shows the # as a J.T.Ryerson 7j. Ill try to find time to post a better pic of the movement for identification asap. Oh, of course thank you for the help. Now i can see if i can find out more about this koenig. Kind of neat that he was a watchmaker. usually PLs are jewlery companies.
July 10, 2008, 01:24
David Abbe
That has to be an early Elgin. 1870 - 1880, not far from Mr. Koenig's world, I think I have a Koenig too, now I gotta look.
July 10, 2008, 01:25
Sheila Gilbert
Remember, from the Elgin site. a note.

(*) notes on grade 55: Marked: RYR, LAF, FRY or NONE.

so it does not have to have the name.

Made in 1867 too! WOW!

See the information here.

http://elginwatches.org/cgi-bin/elgin_sn?sn=15494


Sheila
July 10, 2008, 01:39
Darren Sanders
Wouldnt the 1867 date put him at about 29? kindof young for a watchmaker to be ordering PL movements for his business isnt it?
July 10, 2008, 01:55
Sheila Gilbert
Funny you should mention that. I was also seeing a lot of Watch Co employee, and noticed that many of them were younger. Younger than I remember them to be.

There's no guarantee that he is even the right guy, but he also could have gotten it used, or was given to him by his father or someone.

He didn't necessarily own a Jewelry store either?
He may have just been a watchmaker.

I did go through every Koenig Jas. James. Joseph, Jos. and he was the only one that had anything to do with watches, and the others lived in remote areas and were mostly farmers. So I think he's your best bet.

Wish I could find him as a store owner.

David,
I didn't see your post before, hope you find one with his name on it. Neet.


Sheila
September 25, 2008, 21:52
Darren Sanders
Been a while but... I looked at the ser# lookup and the grade shows this as being a guilded movement. This one is more like a "frosted" nickle. the other oddity is that the 11j is listed as a solid balance and this one is not. this watch made me think that it was a swiss fake but the characteristics sometimes point otherwise(no swiss mark, compensated balance).
The other oddity is that it has a early elgin "national watch co" dial and the 3 feet fit correctly. i bought this watch because i thought that it was an early elgin(and i was an early collector Confused) and it only cost me $ TOO.Much. id like to eventually find out its "great" origins in hopes that i can show it to others w/o the pain in my stomach(pocket book)