When I had acquired this Hampden Ball Superior Grade, I understood the dial to be a Moorhouse style and likely a copy per this 2004 thread Why are Moorhouse dials special?????.

At the 2006 Ward Francillon Time Symposium however, Gerrit Nijssen gave a talk on O’Hara dials and covered some new information uncovered about Josiah Moorhouse. Specifically, Moorhouse left Waltham after Ezra Fitch assumed the Presidency and remained unemployed for more than a year after which, he worked at Hampden for another year before joining Howard.

As it is unsigned, it may still be appropriate to call this dial Moorhouse style.

Detail at 3 O'Clock showing characteristic "Mulberry" design in addition to fancy script.

The movement,serial 481303 marked Ball's Standard Superior Grade.

It would be interesting t see other Hampden Balls with Moorhouse style dials. Please post serial numbers here.

Ron

The Cleveland Symposium was great. I had no idea!

Ron,

I am trying to determine if these Ball Hampden's had their serial numbers under the barrel bridge.

Do you remember or can you take a look for me?

At least 3 of these Ball Hampdens have no serial number under the barrel bridge and I am trying to find out if that is the norm. On Hampdens other than Ball's we have found the serial number on the left underside straight edge. Each numeral is individualy stamped. The spacing and alignment is uneven.

Thanks,

Bill Kapp

I missed a buy it now on ebay that closed quickly May 8, but the buyer left enough info on the about me feature that I am going to try to contact him about serial number info under the barrel bridge.

Happy hunting,

Bill Kapp

Ball Hampden with similar "Moorhouse" dial markings. Jones & Horan auction 6/2009.

Ball Hampden movement. Jones & Horan auction 6/2009.

Interestingly enough, on Ron's example and #761682 the damaskeening on the barrel plate and the rest of the movemnt appear to match. I have no report on whether these watches have serialized barrel plate undersides.

On the five Hampden Ball watches whose barrel plate undersides have been reported or seen as unserialized, the damaskeening does not match!

Most of the online or published photos are not sharp enough to see the damaskeening adequately.

I would appreciate comments or reports on damaskeening or serialization.

Just returned from LA with A Ball's Standard Superior Grade Hampden, this along with my Ball's Standard High Grade and Ball's Standard Cleveland O, gives me all three variations of open faced Ball Hampden movements. Will take better pictures when I have Marty take it apart for me.


happy hunting

Dial for above BSSG. Its in really great shape, my pic is a bit fuzzy but not too bad.

Damaskeening on this is not matching and while this seems strange, it definitely isn't unusual.

Hope to get other reports, and maybe get a sense of what is happening here.



happy hunting

see this thread "Hampden damaskeening "

great discussion!! thanks guys

Ball Hampden High Grade Discussion

Thought this might be a good place to put a pic of a Ball Hampden, Cleveland O. Then all three variations would be in one thread.

Dial for Ball's Standard Cleveland O



happy hunting

Thirty Eight of these Ball Hampdens are known to me. 6 of them are marked Ball's Standard, Cleveland O, 3 of them are marked Ball's Standard High Grade and the last 29 are the more "common" marking Ball's Standard Superior Grade.

movement from my Ball's Standard Cleveland O
Seller gave me permission to use his photo.

Happy hunting

Thought I would put in a link to a related topic

Ball-Howard Moorhouse dials

happy hunting