Found this in a shoebox bought at a local estate sale...did not recognize the symbol in the serial number. Does anyone have any information about this symbol? Thanks

Wayne,

This subject came up earlier this year. I know that Sheila Gilbert did some extensive research but don't remember if she found anything out about the symbols Elgin used.

Any ideas on this one Sheila? Anyone else??

Hi,
I know that the part of the shape that looks like a house means (Inside) or (Housed) so it means that something is inside. I will post the pictures I have of the information. I will have to look them up. I'll get back to you.

I am sorry but I must disagree with Sheila. These symbols are not pictographs. I have been observing these for a long time, and they are a code that Elgin used to indicate the millions and hundred-thousands in the serial number. The full serial number is on the pillar plate and this symbol stands for 8,9xx,xxx. Other bridges on the watch will only have this symbol and a 5-digit number. There is a unique symbol used for each million/100-thousand series. They have no other significance. I have documented the consistency of this explanation through the observation of many different Elgin movements.

Appended are some of the symbols I have found on my own Elgin movements, each specific to a certain serial number range.

Hi Jerry,
Your right, and you did get me hooked, and someone asked in here about it too, and gave the site for symbols. I went there and found that there are many universal symbols that are used for many types of products. It was not uncommon in materials for information purposes.
Another item that made me wonder is from the Waltham MENTAL NUTS booklet I got with a puzzle in it and it gave the answers with it.
So, I decided to look around using what I had.
It doesn't mean that in ANY WAY it is related, BUT using symbols is not new to any industry, it's been used for years. Since I started looking, I have come to believe that SOME of the symbols are regular natural information relavant to the items, eg. a Watch.
Check these out, and see if you think that maybe it's a little too coincidental to be ignored.
I have a few to post, so this will take a while.

This was the answer, but that's not all....

Take a look at these and see if you come to the same conclusion.
Some of these symbols look very close, some do NOT. They should be looked over, thought about, and considered.


http://www.symbols.com/encyclopedia/04/0443.html

http://www.symbols.com/encyclopedia/04/0428.html

http://www.symbols.com/encyclopedia/04/0426.html

http://www.symbols.com/encyclopedia/45/457.html

This symbol can represent TIME or Hourglass
http://www.symbols.com/encyclopedia/45/4516.html

http://www.symbols.com/encyclopedia/04/0444.html

This symbol denotes borax. This substance is used in the production of ENAMEL, PORCELINE, and glass
http://www.symbols.com/encyclopedia/04/0449.html

I don't pretend that these symbols represent what many may be looking for, but I AM SAYING, THAT WE SHOULD NOT IGNORE SYMBOLS THAT ARE IN THE MAINSTREAM, AND MAYBE CONSIDER LOOKING AT THEM MORE CLOSELY FOR THEIR MEANING AND CONNECTION TO THE SYMBOLS THAT ARE SO CLEARLY MARKED ON THE WATCHES THAT MANY IN HERE OWN.

All of you have more knowledge of watches than I could ever hope to learn, you have watches with the symbols on them, if I WERE YOU, I WOULD BE LOOKING! (Until I found out what they mean, and would not dismiss ANYTHING someone would add to try to discover what it all means.
BUT THAT'S ME!

Lindell, Elgin was not alone. Illinois also did this. It allowed them to indicate the full serial number, even on the bottom of a balance cock where there was not enough room for 7 or 8 digits.

I have also seen watches with the box with dot and an arrow pointing in.
The symbols represent the box means inside, or housed with arrow pointing IN and the dot, which sometimes is represented as gold.
GOLD INSIDE. COULD THIS MEAN GOLD INSIDE LIKE MAYBE THE WHEEL? THE ONES THAT ARE GOLD THAT I READ YOU TALKING ABOUT????
I do NOT think this is a coincidence!

Jerry, I don't doubt, for one minute, that you are right, or that I know anything, but it's an interesting topic to me, and I have always wondered if it was too far fetched to see what I see.

Your experience is far better to follow, than my input, but I did want to share some of what I found, and what it had me thinking.

Sheila,

The code that you posted is also used in some degrees of Freemasonry. A lot of men in the the early American watchmaking industry were also Freemasons.