The Mailpeople Cometh On Sunday

[chris mabbott]

Well, today started out kinda humdrum, it’s dark, grey and storming to a biblical level…. DEWD where’s my ark 😆
I had to pick up some colleagues from the AP this morning, which infringes on my Sunday messing around, so I wasn’t too thrilled.
Anyway, when I picked them up, they had a little package of things that I’d sent to the office back home It sounds awful, but I thought I’d already received them last month, oh the age related memory loss 🙄

Anyway, I couldn’t wait to drop them off and play, even though I now have to repay tonight with dinner…

Three of them are, for me, exciting to finally have in hand.
but here’s the little pile out for a quickie photo shoot…. you’re an animal baby YEAH.. 😆

[chris mabbott]

This one is an interesting, early, 17j Bunn 18s. Interesting because we all know the famous Bunn Specials, well these are their early forefathers which were still produced into the early 1900s as 17j models, we don’t know why, maybe there was a niche? Anyway, this one has the plates demaskeened in an uncommon way, it’s a two tone style.. This is, I am told by the person I acquired it from, that all is original, including the case which is a half hunter, I’m not sure about that, but there seems to be only one set of mounting marks and they are for this movement.. Also, the patina is equal on case and move.. a good sign.. So I dunno..

Not sure what the issues are yet, but I will find out, oh yes, I will find out

[chris mabbott]

#2 is also a one that I’ve been searching for and finally a collector friend stepped up to the plate and offered me one of his, no wonder I can’t find them

An early 1920s Bunn 16s, 19j, again, with the jewel race going on strong for the past 25yrs, to continue making a 19j model is odd. It can only be assumed that it catered to the lower levels of the RR market, as in bus, tram, conductors etc or even to the general public who desired a more affordable RR Bunn model?
Still, a model, for this year, which has eluded me.. again, from another collector..

[chris mabbott]

# 3 is a very pretty Waltham 21j 645 16s, in its original case, the evening watch of the rail road inclined 😆

These are all fairly dirty as many collectors don’t worry about things like cleanliness nor functionality, they purely fit into an ordered line of historical progression :geek:

I can’t wait to get inside and shine these puppies up.. But for now, It’s time for payback

[bernie weishapl]

Wow those are some nice watches Chris. Can’t wait to see them shined up.

[chris mabbott]

Bernie, I started on the 18s this morning, found an interesting but annoying detail. Someone “had a go” at this in 1980 as the date plus their initials are unprofessionally scratched in very large characters underneath the top plate, in fact he scratched his initials 3 times just in case 😆
I think this guy must have purchased a new scriber as there are numerous marks all over, a pity as they are irreversible.
At least he didn’t scratch them on a visible surface in a fit of nostalgic pride 🙄

[bernie weishapl]

That sucks. I hate when they do that. I have had several like that with a lot of them right on visible surface and as you said it can’t be reversed. I also have a lot of clocks come in that they took a scriber and some even scribe their full name and date on the plates. Really makes it look tacky and to me just ruins them. Also hate those that scribe inside the back cover of pocket watches.

[Bob Tascione]

Nice looking harvest Chris!
Enjoy them,
Bob

[chris mabbott]

It cost me a payback dinner last night Bob, for 4 people, even though only one person carried them, so I don’t know if I made out like a bandit in the end 😆

[maitai11]

Showing off, Chris? How is it that you know all these collectors? Also, are you collecting, or reselling?

Tim

[chris mabbott]

@maitai11 wrote:

Showing off, Chris? How is it that you know all these collectors? Also, are you collecting, or reselling?

Tim

Strange questions Tim but I’ll try to answer them in order of appearance..

1. No, sharing

2. Through collecting forums

3. Collecting

[tukat44]

Chris, Thanks for sharing. “17 Ruby Jewels” is interesting. Looks old- Serial number 91216 stamped on the case? I think I cannot see it well enough to say so. Is there a different serial # inside the case back? Hope dinner was good, looks like a nice lot you picked up. Tukat

[chris mabbott]

Joseph, that one is an early Bunn 18s from 1898, kinda hard to find these with 17j. Not sure why they made these with a low jewel count while their 16s had minimum 19j. So for me it’s an interesting study to find out why and where this model fits into the scheme..
Ruby Jewels is a marketing term, the jewels used were no different from any other watch, they possibly picked out or had made, jewels that were more red in color, they are still man made or simply garnet.

The Bunn family were also quite unique, they were into every business venture. They also funded Abraham Lincoln’s campaign for president, so they had good political clout when they started the watch company. So watches that bear their surname are, for me, a small window into history..
The last Bunn to run the company died in 1926, so this is my stop point for Bunn watches..

[cazclocker]

Beautiful watches – at least they will be beautiful when you’re done!
…Doug

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