Watch, spoon, liberty nickle.

BLACKIE555

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Fun hour of hunting.
The watch back is plain and plated...Ingersoll?
20230926_152015.jpg

20230926_171025.jpg
 

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Tony in SC

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Is the AJ engraved or scratched in? Keep in mind when a watch was cleaned or repaired the jeweler/watch repairer would scratch his initials in the back.
 

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BLACKIE555

BLACKIE555

Full Member
Dec 6, 2020
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Is the AJ engraved or scratched in? Keep in mind when a watch was cleaned or repaired the jeweler/watch repairer would scratch his initials in the back.
Looks roughly scratched into place...could be a A T initial not sure. Thanks
 

Tony in SC

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Cool find on the watch! Your watch is what is called a "Dollar Watch" and was made in 1926. The scratching in the back would be the owner. ( A jeweler would be smaller and neater). Thanks for posting!!
 

Red-Coat

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Dec 23, 2019
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Cool find on the watch! Your watch is what is called a "Dollar Watch" and was made in 1926. The scratching in the back would be the owner. ( A jeweler would be smaller and neater). Thanks for posting!!

Not wishing to be pedantic, but I’m curious as to what prompted you to say “made in 1926”?

The movement is covered by a number of patents, for which the latest is Nov 14, 1922. So, obviously made after that date. But the earliest seems to Mar 5, 1907 (Ernest H. Horn’s balance-wheel bridge for watches). It wouldn’t be usual to put full patent dates on items much after the protection has expired (allowing a little time for existing stocks of components to be used up), and that one expired on Mar 5, 1924.

Unless I’m missing something, that would put the movement between November 1922 and not long after March 1924.
 

Tony in SC

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In 1922 the Ingersoll was taken over by Waterbury but continued to use the Ingersoll name until about 1930. The serial no. 69,000,00, started in 1926.
 

Red-Coat

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In 1922 the Ingersoll was taken over by Waterbury but continued to use the Ingersoll name until about 1930. The serial no. 69,000,00, started in 1926.

Thanks. Yes, I knew Ingersoll was bought out in 1922 which is why I was a little sceptical about possible alignment of serial numbers to dates in the period immediately after ownership by Waterbury.

I normally check via the (usually reliable) ‘Pocket Watch Database’ site, where the Ingersoll serial number 69414663 generates an approximate manufacturing date between 1930-1935, which didn’t sit easily with the patent dates.

Looking more widely, I see several sources stating that the approximate start date for Ingersoll serials beginning 69000000 is 1926 (and with 70500000 beginning in 1927), with some of them recognising this only applies to the cheaper ‘dollar watches’ without jewelled-lever movements.

While not disagreeing with a 1926 date, I’m still a little sceptical about using serial numbers alone for watch dating from some companies unless their records are impeccable, and particularly when a brand has changed hands.
 

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