I was wondering if anyone here collects Elgin H. H. Taylor's. I mostly collect railroad watches but I have one Taylor. It was made in 1874 and keeps real good time. According to the Elgin site it probably has an incorrect dial but I like it anyway. These old keywind watches are pretty neat. The thing weighs a ton. Pictures and comments on your H. H. Taylor's would be appreciated.

Regards,

Bob

back

movement

dust cover

serial number

inside back cover

I see that the regulator is way over to one side. Has it been properly serviced?

Don

Donald,

The seller said that it had been serviced before I bought it a couple of years ago. It keeps almost perfect time in this position so I left it alone.

Regards,

Bob

Bob,

Very nice gilding on this one...

Bob,
There's nothing like an Elgin! I love em!

I think I have ONE HH Taylor, but I'm not sure, can you believe that. I have had so many of my watches packed up for so long, that the only ones I really know for sure, are the ones I listed in my Database, before packing them up.
Thank goodness, I picked some of them up yesterday, and hope to find out just how many, and just what, I really own.

Your Taylor is a Beauty. I just love the heavy ones. The dial, hands, and case look fantastic.

Before I really knew anything about buying a named Elgin, I had picked up a few of them about 4 years ago. I guess it's time to find out just what I have in my collection huh?

OH, and yours being one of only 28,354 made, makes it a honey too!
Thank you for sharing it with us.

Sheila,

I wish I had your problem! It's easy for me to keep track since I only have 17 at this point. I keep them in a display box on the wall so I can look at them anytime the mood hits me. I carry a different one every week. This week the H H Taylor is in the rotation. This hobby is so much fun!

Thanks for the kind words.

Regards,

Bob

Bob, My emphasis in collecting is 19th century RR grade watches. The HH Taylor was RR grade when it was built. I have seen documentation in different "Bulletin" articles that these were accepted and used on railroads. I have two HH Taylors, both stemwind and a little later than yours. It was Elgin's 3d highest grade at the time. Only the HZ Culver and the BW Raymond were higher. I believe that your dial is correct for your watch. The changeover from National Watch Co dials to Elgin National Watch Company came around 1874. Noone knows how long your watch took to go through the finishing dept and then to be sold. So your dial might be correctly put on the watch at time of sale.

I have an Elgin MD Ogden, SN 269,731 with the Elgin National Watch Co dial. I have every reason to believe that mine is original.

Yours is a very nice example.

Tom

Tom,

Thats good to hear. I was using the info on the elginwatches.org site. It was mentioned there that a watch with my serial number should probably have the National Watch Company dial. I guess it could go either way for this vintage watch. I like your answer better. lol

I didn't realize that the Taylor was considered railroad grade by some companies. Thanks for the information.

Regards,

Bob

Bob,
I did notice that it says, that it should read National Watch Company on the dial too, however if you look up Tom's watch serial number, it says it COULD BE EITHER, and was made the same year as yours! So I think Tom hit it right!

It may well be an original, and go perfectly with your watch.

Still a Gorgeous Watch too!