Hmmmmm...

The mainspring barrel cover is stamped 17j and the Serial # is:

Grade: 126

Movement Serial Number: 5355777
Estimated Production Year: 1894
Run Quantity: 1000
Size: 18s
Jewels: 15j
Movement Configuration: Hunting
Movement Finish: Nickel
Model: 2
Movement Setting: Lever
Plate: Full Plate
Barrel: Going
Adjusted: Yes

The info I can find on the Grade 126 shows only 8000 where made. However, getting 15j with the serial #, but show a 17j stamped on the barrel.

Don't know if someone swapped out the barrel cover or the data is incorrect.

Any thoughts????

I dunno Jon...sounds to me like a switch was made. Brad

I'm looking at the Ehrhardt Elgin book and it says 11,000 total production in 8 runs. The last serial number is 5356000, so yours is one of the last ones made. The book says 15 jewels. I'll have to go with Brad on a cover switch or a factory error.

I agree with Mike and Brad, Mike on the production numbers (except 2 runs) and Brad on the swap out thoughts....

With only 11,000 made back in the 1800's means that only a very few are still available and makes this one a very nice collectible watch....I believe these were only made for two years, 1893 & 1894....


Regards,

Jerry

Hmmmmm...

So, I took off the mainspring barrel cover and this is what was stamped underneath.

Now, believe it is matching and original, but guess will have take off the dial and count jewels unless someone has a better idea...

Thoughts?

Looks like you are correct and it won't be the first time a database has the wrong info, and it won't be the last either....

Good luck with it,

Regards,

Jerry

Jon, I missed this post and a friend mentioned it to me. I think you have a legit watch, you have to realize that Elgin was a large company and sometimes a bit sluggish in regards to marketing and what was happening in the watch market. My friend feels Mr Deuber at Hampden was pushing the market to higher jewel counts and your grade is an attempt to adjust to the watch market and what was happening in regards to sales.

There are other grades of Elgins that you find a mix of 15 and 17j versions. You can also see examples where Elgin came out with pendant sets and later converted them to lever sets with the 150/277 being a very good example of this.

There are other examples where Elgin upjeweled movements and a good example of this is the 166/266 grades.

I would look at the production timing and then look at what Hampden was rolling out in the market and see if you see a connection.

I tend to think Elgin was making an attempt to react to what was taking place in the market. It appears that Hampden was pushing the ad for its 17j watches with the concept "Hampden is on top, others must follow" during 1891.

If you look at the new Elgin database I think most of the errors that Wayne corrected over the years were restated again, but there is an option to comment for corrections, and in your case I would do so.

Claude,

That makes sense, if you look at Elgin and Hampden competing for sales back then...

Think I will hang on to the movement!

V/r

Jon

Someone would have to track a few more to get an ideal where Elgin started producing 17j versions and stopped making the 15j version. I would hang on to it for a couple of reasons, one more than likely even with a total production of 11K not all are 17J, since it was made in the 1890's probably many don't exist anymore, so you might be looking anywhere from 1K to maybe 5K for the 17J versions since the documentation is saying that most are 15J. Second a 17j adjusted hunter in the mid 1890s would still have been RR approved on more than a few lines.