TOPIC: Revisions to Bill Meggers Illinois Encyclopedia


The definitive work on the Illinois Watch Company is the big blue "American Pocket Watches, Illinois Watch Company Encyclopedia" put together by the late Bill Meggers and published by Roy Ehrhardt's "Heart of America Press" more than twenty years ago. This landmark publication is essential for any serious Illinois collector. The 420 plus page volume weighs three pounds and when last offered new carried an equally heavy sounding $80.00 price tag.

You'll find this book to be a formidable volume. It is confusing in its layout, it takes a lot of patient study and concentration, but assimilating what Bill Meggers left behind for us is worthy of pursuing. If you're a serious Illinois collector this book is indispensable to getting the facts and keeping them straight. Illinois is a complicated company to understand, we're still learning about it every day and that's what makes this hobby so fascinating.


There are areas where some of us have noticed errors in this otherwise highly authoritative volume. Perhaps this topic could serve as a good place to point out errors, omissions and suggest a few marginal notes to assist in our study.


I'll begin this topic with the mixed up images on pages 125 and 127 which if left as they came could cause us to make serious mistakes in our evaluation and purchases.

On page 125 at number 6 close inspection will disclose the "Motor Barrel 23-Jewels, Elinvar on the balance bridge Type I E" that belongs as number 4 on page 127 and the image that correctly belongs there on page 125 is, you guessed it, on the other page. The two were simply mistakenly swapped when the book was originally published and unfortunately the error was never corrected over the years.


HERE ARE THE CORRECTION INSTRUCTIONS: You'll want to photocopy both pages 125 and 127 of your book. Then carefully cut out the copied images numbered as 6 on page 125 and image 4 on page 127 then paste your copy over the original images which were misplaced in error. (I use a "glue-stick" type of product for such things.) In other words illustration 6 on page 125 is in actuality the watch movement intended to be 4 on 127 and visa-versa.


Be sure to follow these instructions BEFORE you make a costly mistake.

Lindell

If I could ask Bill Meggers a question, I would ask him if he skipped the third pattern 16s Bunn Special. I am familiar with the first pattern bright-spotted, second pattern fish-scale, fourth pattern rayed, and fifth pattern interrupted ray.
Is there something I missed???.....Robert

It seems Bill 'numbered' some of the patterns in the 16 and 18 size bunn and bunn special movements...

On page 108, you will find the answer...

the third pattern is the sunray pattern used on the 17 and 19 Bunn movements...

There seems to not be a third pattern Bunn Special...
.

its sorta weird... how he did it.... he named and numbered them....

and each 'grade' has its own ID... a third pattern sangamo grade is not a third pattern bunn grade.... a first pattern 18 size is not the same as a first pattern 16 size.....

Terry is correct, apparantly Bill combined the numbering of the patterns of 16 size "Bunns" and 16 size "Bunn Specials". So in reality there is no such thing as a 3rd Pattern "Bunn Special" only the 3rd Pattern "Bunn" (Which just to simplify only had one pattern.) No matter if open face or hunter, no matter if jeweled barrel or motor barrel, and no matter if 40 hour or 60 hour wind, no matter if 17 jewel or 19 jewel, all the 16 size "Bunns" had the same Sunburst, 3rd pattern.

However, you did miss, "something" , Robert. The often discussed "All-over Gold" sixth pattern, mentioned on page 111, described on the left hand column of the page and illustrated on the front cover. Bill points out that only one example had been seen as of 1985. Notice it looks like a credible factory example with an "engraved" gold center wheel and "scalloped" gold overlay, gold bridge screws and gold overlay pallet fork bridge. It does NOT look like some of the cheaply done and crudely plated examples like we have seen on ebay in the last 5 years of which there have been half a dozen or so. None have looked even remotely like factory work to my eyes. So I make mention of this for the mere fact that although it technically is a 4th Rayed pattern as well, Bill did in fact gave it a pattern number and name all it's own the "All-over gold Sixth Pattern" is what he called it.

Has anyone else noticed that the Bunn Special "rayed" pattern resembles the turntable and tracks layout at the old locomotive roundhouse?? Look closely and you see rails and ties. As these were railroad watches I believe a railroad motive may have inspired the artwork. Or a coincidence? Just a thought.

Lindell,

I just received my Illinois Vol.2 book and wanted to know if you have found any other errors in the text or pictures, other than what you already have listed?

Regards,

Tim.

Thank you Lindell.

This volume is fantastic and very informative (and absorbing). I'm so glad to have gotten it.

Thank the heavens for Bill Meggers and his pursuit of knowledge for all of us.

Tim