I'd like to know if there would be any extra value (or interest) in the more unusual factory-installed regulator for this Waltham movement; serial number 442232?
Thank you.

kh

dial

That is a Teske's Patent regulator that was produced and sold through Watchmakers to "upgrade" watches such as this beautiful s/n 443232 December 1869 reconstruction period 15 Jewel Model 1857 that is very Uniquely named "Waltham Watch Co", a very special specimen!

Hampden was the only watchmaker that I know of who did factory installed versions of this. The Waltham written production records make no note of this regulator.

As the regulator was patented in 1875 which should be engraved at the base, that makes it entirely possible this was added at the Point of Sale or soon thereafter.

Much thanks, David. I have seen one before, but did not know what it was exactly.

kh

Ken, the Teske is a regular on older Hampdens and I agree with Dave that Hampden seemed to factory install the Teske until they brought out their own regulator. The Tucker regulator is virtually the same except it has a square head instead of round.

I wonder if that is there the term "Patent Regulator" derived from since most of the early regulators to upgrade the watch to RR standards would have had the patent number stamped on it somewhere.

I just picked up a Model 1879 with a Teske Regulator. The base is a little different than what the Hampdens used. Only 1879 model I have ever seen with a Teske regulator although I am sure there are more but I don't know how many.

Harry

I've never seen one on anything but a Hampden.

Me either. Before I bought it I tried to find some info on it but I couldn't. One I determined it was a little different from a Hampden Teske regulator I decided to buy it to see for myself. I did find this post on a 1857 which I had never seen of or heard of either.

Charles Teske licensed his regulator design to the Hampden Watch Company in November 1881. The patent regulators on Hampden movements are derived from Patent #168,429 issued to Teske on October 5, 1875.

In addition to operating a watch repair and adjustment business in Hartford, Connecticut, Teske also manufactured, fitted, and sold his own patent regulators. These regulators were brilliantly designed to replace the graduated index on a variety of American-made movements by means of an elongated screw hole on one side. The unique shape of the base plate fits the idiosyncrasies of the various plate profiles on popular movements. This adaptable micrometric regulator was patented by Teske in April 1881 as an improvement upon his previous design.

Though Teske maintained a group of agents throughout the country that advertised and sold his patent regulator, surviving examples are fairly uncommon.

Here is a c.1885 advertisement published in the Jewelers’ Circular mentioning compatibility with the various American makers.

Comparison between the Teske “Adaptable” Regulator on a Rockford movement and the Teske Regulator manufactured and fitted by the Hampden Watch Company.

Thank you Nathan these two definitely look like the ones on my Waltham and Hampdens.