September 18, 2015, 08:24
Dr. Debbie IrvineWilliam,
Check out these links…
"Hamilton Buys Illinois Watch Co." Announcement from 1928
This is what you expect to find...
THE USUAL ILLINOIS BUNN SPECIAL 21-JEWEL 60-HOUR IN ROSE ILLINOIS CASE
And finally, here is the direct answer to your question, read this entire story...
READ ALL OF THIS TOPIC: Late 161A movements with Hamilton-Style Cases & Dials Database
In the late 1940s Hamilton essentially "dumped" their excess inventory, the full story is very interesting.
Lindell put a further explanation of these unusual watches here...
WADSWORTH-HAMILTON CASE NUMBERS, History, Pictures of Cases and Database of Numbers
QUOTING LINDELL: "Finally, during 1948 some of the last new 21-Jewel Bunn Specials were marketed in leftover Number 3 Cases. For that reason if you find a late 161A Type II P Bunn Special housed in a Wadsworth-Hamilton Number 3 Case with no other screw marks please resist the temptation to re-case, you may have found an original combination. Click Late 161A's with Hamilton-Style Cases for more about these unusual Bunn Specials and what to look for."
Ed and Lindell tracked these for several years!
Debbie
