Bunn Special #28 Case Question

February 08, 2011, 09:11

Keith Klimkowicz

Hi All

Just picked this up from Ebay. A Illinois Bunn Special #28 case with "droopy bow" (a term found in a March 21, 2006 post by Lin Riddle). It has a Elgin 21j Father Time in it. Want to know if this is a rare case and what Illinois Movement should I be looking for to make this correct. Thanks for any comments.

Regards
Keith

February 08, 2011, 09:12

Keith Klimkowicz

Inside of case back.

February 08, 2011, 11:58

Buster Beck

This case was introduced in 1928 and discontinued in 1932. Any era correct '28-'32 Bunn Special in either 21 or 23 Jewel will work in the case.

All BS cases are scarce, especially ones without a brass ring on the back cover. I thought this one may have a shadow of slight brassing but wasn't real sure, so I passed on it. At the price it was a very very good buy with the mvmt/dial/hands worth nearly what it went for. If it arrives and there is no brassing, you stole it!!

regards,
bb

February 09, 2011, 20:12

Edward L. Parsons, Jr.

Good find Keith, congrats!

February 10, 2011, 14:30

Lindell V. Riddle

Nice item Keith,

I named it "Droopy Bow" because of the way the bow droops on either side of the pendant.

That bow was apparently used for a short time and I suspect the reason is they may have found they had problems with it catching on the edge of watch pockets. However it is important to note we predominately find one variant, the 23-Jewel 163 Type IR in these cases. Remember, the "Type IR" was the first Grade 163 to reach production and one could easily surmise these unusual cases were used on the earliest 23-Jewel 163 Type IR movements and of course all of the perceived to be original examples are from early 1930 production.

What you found is a rare variant of the Model 28 or actually and more correctly "Knurled Model" case as it was referred to in contemporary advertising. What's more, there is no reference to this exact variant in any literature or even in the Bill Meggers "Illinois Encyclopedia" and we do not find it pictured in any advertisement, all that mystery makes it that much more important and dare I say exciting to any serious Bunn Special collector. The "Knurled Model" cases came only in 10K Yellow Gold-Filled and a few had pattern backs.

How that Elgin ended up in your case is anyone's guess, very strange!

Lindell

Here is a rare "Droopy Bow" case with pattern back...

February 10, 2011, 17:18

Keith Klimkowicz

The watch arrived today and what a nice example of the “droopy bow” Bunn Special #28 case. I will be replacing the plastic crystal with a nice glass crystal if I can find one in my stash, otherwise Mr. White will be contacted. The Elgin Father Time I have already parked in a nice Keystone 10k gold filled mainliner style case. The movement is running nicely and keeping time.

Thanks Lindell for the information posted above and the ever enjoyable phone conversation covering the more in depth importance of this case. I will be on the lookout for an early Illinois 23-Jewel 163 Type IR movement which will complete this case.

Regards
Keith