Illinois Watch Case Co. Serial Numbers
Illinois Watch FactoryThe Illinois Springfield Watch Company was organized in 1869 primarily through the efforts of J. The first company Directors were J. Miller, John Williams, John W. Bunn, George Black and George Passfield.John Stuart was a Springfield lawyer and former partner of Abraham Lincoln. John Williams was president of the First National bank of Springfield. Miller was a local merchant.
Bunn owned a grocery business.Though the first movements were produced in 1872, the company really didn't achieve full production until 1875. By serial number, the first watch made was the 'Stuart' model, followed in order by the 'Mason,' Bunn,' 'Miller,' and finally the 'Currier.
The first stem-wind watch was produced in 1875. The early Illinois models were key-wound and key-set and are quite collectible today. Illinois later produced an extensive line of extremely fine and accurate Railroad-grade pocket watches like the 'Sangamo Special,' 'Bunn Special' and 'Santa Fe Special' (just to name a few).
Illinois: A Great American Watch Since 1870In 1879, due to financial difficulties, the company was reorganized and the name changed to the Illinois Springfield Watch Company. By 1885 the company name was changed yet again to the Illinois Watch Company. Purchased by HamiltonThe Illinois Watch Company was purchased by Hamilton Watch Company in 1927, but continued to produce Illinois watches under Hamilton management until 1932 (the year the last 'true' Illinois watch was made). Hamilton continued producing Illinois watches in the Hamilton factory until 1939.The Illinois Watch Company produced watches under contract for several different brands, including Burlington Watch Company (Chicago, Illinois) which operated primarily as a mail-order business, and Santa Fe Watch Company (Topeka, Kansas). There is some question as to whether Burlington was actually a subsidiary of Illinois. Watches produced under the Burlington name include some very fine (including some railroad grade) watches, which are nearly identical to Illinois movements. Illinois also produced watches for the Plymouth Watch Company (Sears Roebuck) and the Washington Watch Company (Montgomery Ward).
Illinois Watch Case CompanyNOTE: The Illinois Watch Company should not be confused with the Illinois Watch Case Company of Elgin, Illinois. The Illinois Watch Case Company was a major manufacture in the city of Elgin, Illinois. It manufactured watch cases under many brands, such as 'Elgin Giant,' 'Elgin Pride,' 'Tivoli,' 'Spartan,' and 'Elgin Commander.' The use of the name 'Elgin' in their brand names, or marking the cases with 'Elgin USA' often leads people to believe that a watch was made by the Elgin National Watch Company when it was actually made by another manufacturer, or to think that a watch no longer has its original case because it is 'now in an Elgin case.' Illinois Watch Company Illinois Watch Serial Numbers and Production DatesTotal Production: Approx. 5.7 Million Watches YearS/N73112233445567891,01,01,080,000YearS/N18931,11,11,21,21,21,31,31,41,41,51,61,71,81,81,92,12,12,22,32,42,500,000YearS/N19142,62,72,83,03,23,43,63,73,94,04,54,74,85,000,000- Sold to Hamilton -19285,15,25,45,55,600,000.
Be sure to use the serial number on the movement (the works) of the watch. Do not use the serial number from the watch case.Can’t find your serial number in the table? For an explanation and example of how to use our serial number tables.Need help finding the serial number on your watch? For instructions on how to identify and open most common case types.At Renaissance Watch Repair, we are experts in the repair and restoration of Illinois watches.
We are also always looking for Illinois Watches to purchase. Cd crack software reviews. Please if you have any questions about the repair of your vintage Illinois watch.
The Illinois Pocket Watch Company is well described in this story written in 1913. This was from a paper handed to me by a colleague who discovered it by chance several years ago.
No author I'm afraid, but it is a fascinating read. Enjoy!In 1869 the attention of a number of public spirited citizens and capitalists of Springfield was called to the great advantage which would result to the city from the establishment and conduct of manufacturing industries.
Even in those days men who were what we now term promoters were keenly active in various lines, and one of the pioneers in this profession was Mr. He came to Springfield in 1869 and pointed out the benefits to the city, and the very possible and probable profits to be secured for the stockholders, of a company organised for the manufacture of watch movements.Attention was directed to the benefits which would come to the city in the establishment of an industry in which the chief expense of production was the high wages paid to skilled labor and in the bringing to the city of a large number of skilled mechanics and their families. As a result of these representations the SPRINGFIELD WATCH COMPANY was organized in 1869 with a capital stock of $100,000.00, with John T. Stuart as President, W.B. Miller, Secretary and a Board of Directors consisting of John W.
Bunn, George Passfield, John Williams, George N. Black, and the President and Secretary.After accomplishing these preliminary steps Mr. Adams visited, and engaged Otis Hoyt to take charge of the train room, W.T. Dean as die maker, C.E. Mason for the escapement department, D.G. Currier for model maker and finishing room, and George White as pattern maker. They came to Springfield in April 1870 and began work on the machine shop tools in a temporary shop, as it was found necessary to build the machine shop tools, that being the quickest way to get them at that time.Mr.
Illinois Watch Co
Bigelow came from the Company to act as Superintendent and held the position until July 1873.The plant of the company was located upon fourteen acres of ground just outside the (then) city limits of Springfield, on North Grand Avenue, between Ninth and Eleventh Streets, the property being purchased from Henry Converse for cash. Work on the factory building was commenced in December 1869, the first building being 30 x 100 feet, three stories high. In 1879 the center building was erected 40 x 50 feet, four stories high; in 1880 the South Wing, 30 x 100 feet, was completed. The cost of these buildings amounted to about one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000.00). The buildings are of brick with stone trimming, and the visitor is at once impressed with their compact and, at the same time, convenient arrangement.In December, 1870, the tools were erected in the basement of the North Wing and the work on watch making machinery was pushed. In May, 1871, they commenced the manufacture of watch parts, and in January, 1872, the first watches were completed.
These models were made by D. Currier and J. Bigalow, and were 18 size, full plate, key wind. They were called the Stuart, Bunn, Miller, Currier, Hoyt and Mason.Like so many others have tried to do since, the company attempted to sell direct to the retail trade, and the marketing of the product was placed in the hands of the Secretary, Mr. Miller, who took the road for that purpose and visited all the large cities.
Illinois Watch Serial Number Identification
This soon proved to be too great a task, and in 1873 a New York office was established at 11 Maiden Lane, in charge of J. Morrow, who placed the product with the jobbers and continued with the company until 1884.At the beginning of 1873, 125 employees were at work and the capacity of the factory was 25 movements per day. The company began making their own balances, having previously imported them. They also commenced the manufacture of dials and hairsprings and jewels, all of which had heretofore been imported. The panic of 1873, which paralyzed the business of the country, placed the company in an embarrassing position, as they had not been in business long enough to have a surplus of capital to sink during the depression which followed, and they soon found themselves with a large stock of watches on hand, with little or no demand for them, and no money with which to keep the factory running.To meet this emergency, fifty thousand dollars ($50,000.00) of preferred stock was issued, but it was not enough to do more than to postpone the inevitable.