From Trader & Canadian Jeweller 1920 issue.

Article in Magazine


Canadian Ball Watch co. of Winnipeg founded in 1910

End of article.

A few more bits about the Canadian Ball Watch Co.

Mr. T Robertson to be the Ball rep covering the western provinces and will reside in Vancouver. 1920

There were other ads in the book but none showed an actual ball watch, not that you can see much on this one. 1920

A closer shot of the Ball watch in the ad. Note the prices. July 1920

From the same ad but a month later, note the price change. Aug. 1920

And another price hike. Sept. 1920 (124)

Lorne,

How interesting you should post that ad from 1920 showing the line up of Illinois watches. I happen to have a 19 jewel Bunn in a Balco case from the Ball Co. of Canada. I always wondered about it being legit for sure and now it seems to be it is.

Steve, the Pocket Watch Data Base shows your watch made just prior in 1919 so you have a pretty good idea of what was paid for it. I checked the other ads and there is a price progression for Illinois as well. Prices were the same all year until the jump in Aug. The ad changes in Oct. to one without pics or prices so it is hard to say what happened after that.

July $49.00
Aug. $53.90
Sept. $55.00

This raises an interesting question for me. I had just assumed that the Balco cases were only used for Ball watches but there are no others screw marks on yours so perhaps my assumption is incorrect. I had also wondered why they didn't use Ballco with two l's as the trademark.

I am a little envious you having that watch. It's the one used in your avatar, correct?

Larry B. can you help us out here?

Lorne,

Actually the one used in my avatar is a 19 jewel 60 HOUR (Motor Barrel 60). I believe the Balco cases were made in Canada and used for the Canadian Ball co. Plus the fact the watch has a 24 hour dial on it also gave me reason to believe this is an original example.

Steve

Steve, I was talking with Larry Buchan today.

While "Ball Model" cases were only sold with Ball movements the Balco cases could be purchased with non Ball movements. So there is no reason to believe yours is anything but original.

Can you post a picture of the inside of your case?

Here is an 18s that Larry has.

Just a note on the location of the Winnipeg office.

Larry Buchan posted an ad HERE from May1,1912, showing the Ball office located in the Dominion Bank Building.(Built 1899)

The 3rd post above from 1920 states that it is in the Confederation Life Building. It goes on to say it has been located there since it's inception, (I think the writer was wrong as his statement is refuted by Larry's post). Since the Confederation Building wasn't built until 1912 and the Ball Canada office opened in 1910. I believe what happened is this:

In 1910 the Ball Watch Co. moved into the Dominion Bank Building then relocated to the Confederation Life Building when it was completed in 1912.

Steve, I found one, does your case look like this?

Lorne,

Here is the Link to the discussion on this site we had about this watch about five years or so ago. My case is a Ball Model as you can see in the photo.

Steve

Thanks Steve.

I finally got around to posting the pictures of my Illinois 23 jewel with 24-hour Gothic double sunk dial.

A photo of the movement, Grade 163 manufactured in Springfield after the Hamilton watch company bought out the company, made around 1930.

Balco 16 size swing ring case with inscription Presented by Sir William Henry Thornton to Sam Elliott January 8, 1926, Sir William Henry Thornton was the President of the Canadian National Railways, and Sam Elliott was a bridge builder, two people were presented with these watches at a testimonial dinner held in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. I bought the watch many years ago from his son, who inherited it, still trying to figure out how a 1930 movement ended up in a 1926 presentation watch, the case marks all match. Winnipeg, Manitoba was a hub for both Canadian railways the CPR and CNR. so more than likely the railway purchased it from the Canadian Ball Watch Co.

I have many other photos and written testimony from Sam Elliott Junior about his father's career and when he left the railway went to British Columbia and worked as a millwright in the lumber factory until his passing away in 1956. Sir William Henry Thorton an American was appointed as the president to run the bankrupt railways that formed The Canadian National Railways System after World War I, he was appointed by the Canadian Liberal government (Democrats) and did some wonderful work restoring the bankrupt railways, and many new innovations were instituted by him, including the first radio broadcasts on passenger trains, this became the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation later on, when the Great Depression started the Canadian voters put RB Bennett's Conservative (Republican) government in power, a smear campaign was started and Sir Henry William Thornton was fired and died penniless in New York City, the true tragedy of justice. Canadian suffered under Bennett's rule, he started out as a CPR lawyer in Calgary, during the depression when there were shortages people pulled automobiles with their horses they were called Bennett's Buggies

Larry,

That is a interesting Gothic dial with the two (2) different style of numbers. Plus, the use of only Black for both sets of numbers! Maybe digging too deep into things, but always wondered why some of the 24 hours have red numbers, and some don't

Hello Jon:

Here is another one with the red inner tract.

It is on an Illinois Bunn Special Serial No. 4792254 circa 1926.

A photo of Sir William Henry Thornton