Here is an add from 1891 for Ball Dueber Hampden

Tom,

I actualy have this ad! Its earliest known publication was July 1890 and it ran until sometime in 1891. I have the July one!

happy hunting,

The address in this ad is the famous Ball Building in downtown Cleveland.


Circa 1911 image "The Ball Building" at Superior and Seneca...

Ed,

Did you notice that the front right side of the building seems to be occupied by a billiard parlor?

Seems like a strange tenant next to a jewelry store. In the late 1950's, I was part of the rough crowd that hung out at the local pool hall!

Maybe 50 years earlier they attracted a better class of customer

happy hunting,

Tom,

This ad ran in the 1890's BLE Journal, almost the same time as the Ball Hampden Ad.Dueber-Hampden AD

Notice that the picture of the dial on both ads is identical!! No Ball Standard watch has surfaced with that dial, but it tells me that Dueber and Ball were cooperating on Ad Copy!

Tom,

do your magic and get that pic for me!

happy hunting,

Here you go, keep them coming.

I always thought that July 1890 was the earliest Ball Standard watch Ad, but browsing google I found that there were 4 issues between Jan and June that ran this ad.
earlier Ball ad

That link doesn't quite work! note that it shows 5 of 19 references, you have to click on previous and get the 4th reference to see the ad I wanted to display here. Maybe Tom can clean it up for me again.
thanks for the great work Tom!

happy hunting

Ad

thanks again tom!

That earlier ad ran from Feb thru May 1890. Note the not so subtle difference! The earlier ads were weighted more in Dueber's favor than the ones appearing after July.
The earlier Ad is also more in keeping with other ads that Dueber ran in cooperation with other retailers such as G.A Schlecter, Reading Pa.

It is my calculation that Ball had ordered approximately 600 watches from Dueber, thus giving him a more favored status over other retailers, leading to the Ads that appeared from July onwards that gave Ball a more prominent presence.

So what do I think the reason might be for the eventual parting of the ways of Dueber and Ball?

When Rood and other prominent execs left Hampden to start up Hamilton, they called in their capital in Hampden forcing Hampden to shut down for a short time. They probably also had a personal relationship with Ball and invited him to participate in the new venture. Remember Ball was a VP early on in Hamilton's formation and had an exclusive agency for the western part of the US.

I surmise further that Ball might have been slightly overextended with Hampden at this time when Hampden needed to raise Capital to satisfy Rood et al.

This all occurred in the context of the Panic of 1893 when money was exceptionaly tight.

It wouldn't be the first "divorce" caused by money or the allure of a more attractive partner!

happy hunting,

Interesting Bill, it would be neat to have been a fly on the wall during those times to know what exactly went on in those companies.

Tom