Hampden 12 size

November 26, 2004, 17:19

Andre Schmidt

Hampden 12 size

Hi,

My name is Andre and i am from Germany.

I bought (ebay) a Hampden 12 size pocket watch from a German collector.

Its a "310". Has anybody more information about that movement?

November 26, 2004, 18:10

Andre Schmidt

Image of the dial:

November 26, 2004, 18:26

Lindell V. Riddle

Hello Andre,

WELCOME TO CHAPTER 185

We're glad to have you with us, you'll find a lot of nice people here.

Your Hampden Grade 310 is a good watch. It's a 17-Jewel, Adjusted, 12-size Model 5 and it is Pendant-Set. I have number 2915497 in my collection and it has the same style dial as yours. Hampdens are beginning to spark collector interest. In my opinion they represent one of today's best values and there is plenty of room for future appreciation.

Hampden started out in Springfield, Massachusetts and moved to Canton, Ohio when purchased in 1888 by John C. Dueber, the watch case manufacturer. Dueber built two plants, one for the watch factory and the other for building cases. They were successful until Mr. Dueber died in the 1920s and mis-management put the company into court-managed receivership. In 1929 Dueber-Hampden was sold to the Soviet government. All the tooling and material went to establish Russia's first watch factory. There are no factory records available today, all we know is compiled from research.

Hope this gets you started,

Lindell

November 26, 2004, 18:37

Wayne C. Anderson

Andre
Would you mind posting the serial no of your Hampden watch?

Lindell
Do you know of anyone who might be keeping a data base of Hampden watches?

November 26, 2004, 18:44

Andre Schmidt

Thanks for the nice welcome and reply.

I am very interested in american pocket watches.
I think that the movements and dials are very beautiful.

You can find not many of them here in Germany that are well preserved.

I have bought it from a son of a collector who sold almost 600 items of american pocket and wrist watches. I just was a little to late, so its not much left from his side.

Another fine watch i bought from him is a South-Bend 18 size "341", also 17 jewels, with double sunk dial.

Andre

November 26, 2004, 18:47

Andre Schmidt

Hello Wayne,

the serial number on the movement is 3045038.

Andre

November 26, 2004, 19:03

Lindell V. Riddle

Wayne,

For many years the late Jim Hernick along with Bob Arnold and a number of Hampden collectors compiled the serial numbers of thousands of Hampden movements. That listing is included in their difinitive work on the Hampden Watch Company.

The book is item "HAMP1" and is available from Heart of America Press...

http://www.hoapress.com/pwdesc.htm

We will soon be offering our members a number of books. Among those will be "Springfield to Moscow" which tells the Hampden history. Also worthwhile is "American Watchmaking" that charts the story of the American watchmaking industry down through the years.

These books and more will be coming soon.

Lindell

November 26, 2004, 19:14

Bernhard Schmidt

Hi Andre and welcome, especially with such a wonderful sirname

I have been a member in this chapter for a year now and the knowledge I have recived during this time is amazing. I did not thought I would learn this mutch in this short amount of time.
This is a great resourse of knowledge.
Best regards!
Bernhard Schmidt "aus Schweden"
PS. Will you participate in the show in munich next weekend? DS.