Object Details
manufacturer
Elgin National Watch Co.
Description
This watch, once owned by a woman, dates from about 1879.
The Elgin National Watch Co. was founded in Elgin, Illinois, in 1864 at the end of the Civil War to compete with the American Waltham Watch Co. In its early decades it helped to establish a robust American watch manufacturing industry, and, by the time it ceased operation in 1968, it had produced millions of watches.
The donor of this watch, George W. Spier, was custodian of the U.S. National Museum's watch collection. He was also founding president, beginning in 1921, of the American Horological Institute, an organization for professional watchmakers. Born in Germany, Spier was a well-known jeweler in Washington, D.C.
Details:
Movement: spring going barrel, ¾ plate, gilt finish, 6 size, 7 jewels hunting, stem wind and lever set, bimetallic compensation balance, straight lever escapement, regulator on bridge; marked: "Elgin National Watch Co./ Patent Pinion/ 597929"
Dial: white enamel with Roman numerals, blued steel hands, sunk Arabic numeral seconds at 6; marked “ELGIN” in decorative rectangle
Case: hunting style; monogrammed "C.H.S."; dust cap engraved: “Presented by her Brothers”; also marked with maker’s marks: “B.&T./18K/11105”
Location
Currently not on view
Credit Line
George W. Spier
date made
1875
ID Number
ME.307399
patent number
577929
catalog number
307399
accession number
68114
Object Name
watch
Other Terms
watch; Mechanical, Spring-Driven; Pocket Watch
Physical Description
brass (watch case material)
metal, gold (watch movement material)
Measurements
overall: 2 1/2 in x 1 3/4 in x 5/8 in; 6.35 cm x 4.445 cm x 1.5875 cm
place made
United States
See more items in
Work and Industry: Mechanisms
Measuring & Mapping
Data Source
National Museum of American History
Link to Original Record
Record ID
nmah_851417