The Golden Lady

[McCDig]

The Golden Lady is an Elgin

Eight days since I last hunted this park in Reisterstown and I had a "first ever" find ...an Octagonal-shaped Lady Elgin pocket watch. The case back is marked "Warranted to Assay 14K". I haven't tested it, but it came out of the ground looking like gold. I know that the case was manufactured by Brooklyn Watch Case Company. There are three sets of numbers engraved on case back and the watch works has a number as well. What I can tell you is that finding this type of watch at this site is entirely within the period and use of the grounds. In the same area as the watch, I also found a clasp piece with a scroll work design. Heading over to the tot lot area I found a handful of clad to complete this couple hour hunt after work. Thanks for checking out the pics and any help you can lend on dating the watch is appreciated; my date range guess is 1870 to 1920.
HH


UPDATE!

Broke down the watch by removing front and back of case, cleaned the broken crystal and rebuilt it from the four pieces, removed corrosion from the dial (which revealed most of the numerals and the 'N' in 'Elgin'), and then reassembled the parts to complete this amateur restoration.
View attachment 1177518

 

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[Erik in NJ]

Great watch and very nice job on the clean up...congrats! How big is it?

 

[Subterranean]

Awesome! I hope it assays in your favor. Sub

 

[McCDig]

Hey Eric,

Thanks for the question. From opposing points on the octagon it measures exactly one inch.

 

[McCDig]

Thanks Sub. Hope to be able to date it.

 

[Argentium]

Your watch dates to the later end of your date range I think (circa 1920-30 ish ) The geometric "deco " lines suggest this ,
to me but I'm certainly no expert on time pieces. Nice Find .

 

[Erik in NJ]

That's a nice watch! It'll display well. Solid gold cased pocket watches are a rare find

Hey Eric,

Thanks for the question. From opposing points on the octagon it measures exactly one inch.

 

[sutphin]

NOW THATS ONE BAD MAAMA JAMA !!!NEAT OCTAGON,VANZUTPHEN

 

[McCDig]

Argentium, I think you're close. When I took the number that I could read on the clock works plate that say "Lady Elgin", and put it in the search box on the Elgin site, the date given was 1917.

 

[Maiden2112]

http://www.elginnumbers.com/index.php

 

[Maiden2112]

Type in 20920 and it'll give you all the information available on the watch.

 

[basque-man]

Cool old watch!! Someone I bet missed it way back when.................

 

[Sleepy]

I sent the photos to my friend who is a master watch maker and specializes in antique pocket watches. He has looked up many watches for me and has a ton of resources and he said your watch is from the 1920's. so, your guess looks pretty accurate. Congrats on a nice find!

 

[McCDig]

Thanks, Sleepy. Really appreciate your follow through on this. I'll have a final post to this when I can report on when the women's boarding school ceased operations. It started prior to 1840.

 

[OBN]

Cool find and she has gold!

 

[McCDig]

Thanks Joe. Heavy little watch it is!

 

[McCDig]

Boarding school was in operation until 1974.

 

[UnderMiner]

Looks like gold to me!

 

[Msbeepbeep]

Nice! Congrats great find!

So many times the watches are in pieces and not all there.

 

[cambria09]

Hello McCDig. Nice watch and it is consistent with the "clasp piece" you dug which is a vintage ladies corset clip. Nice going and good luck. C9