Tour of American watch companies, part 2! Illinois, Columbus, Aurora, Rockford.

The next round of the tour took me through Illinois, Columbus, Aurora and Rockford.  All four of these companies offer a wide range of grades and fascinating research opportunities.  Keep in mind, I love Gilt... Sorry for the lack of nickel movements previously, a couple will be added here.    

Illinois Watch Co

The Illinois Springfield Watch Company was founded in 1869.  Their first movements completed in early 1872.  The great panic of 1873 made some hard times for the company which reorganized in 1875.  Then again in 1879 as the Springfield Illinois Watch Company, and finally settled on Illinois Watch Company in 1885.   

Their early grades, like many other companies, carried the names of important people of the company.  

Here is an 1878 price list detailing their movements.  A wonderful find courtesy of the Harvard Library.

While I have a Stuart stemwind (which needs a good amount of restoration) and a Currier stemwind, this Miller stemwinder is my choice to represent early Illinois.  

This watch (#53056) is from a mixed run of key and stem.  It is 15 jewels, adjusted and coarse train (16,200bph). 

the case is also interesting.  It reads Ferd. F. Ide Springfield Ill & Dueber pats.

Ferdinand F. Ide had a few patents issued to him.  I can't find one that would put him on this case, however.  He did work for Illinois watch co at the time.  

If you would like to see it running, I've been fooling around with youtube, click here

I have a soft spot for these early Illinois, and would love to find a good, early private label Keywind.  It just hasn't come my way yet.  There have been a couple later Illinois that slid into the collection because of interesting private labels.  

Columbus Watch Co

Dietrich Gruen started importing and selling Swiss made movements in 1874 as The Columbus Watch Manufacturing Company.  Added a partner in 1879 and became Gruen and Savage.  The Columbus Watch Company built a facility and began making American made movements in 1882.  The company ran into some hardships and reorganized as New Columbus Watch company in 1895.  In 1905, after being sold and moved to South Bend Indiana, the company became the South Bend Watch Co.

Retailer advertisements courtesy of Library of Congress.

The spirit of democracy(Woodsfield, Ohio), December 25, 1877

The Weekly Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Iowa), July 06, 1882

Not the most exciting ads, but fun to find!

It took me a couple years to find a Columbus that I really loved.  This watch is a private label marked Carpenter, Mauch Chunk Pa.  Serial number 13155.  It is an early Swiss made Columbus.  The watch is open-faced and 11 or 15 jewels(haven't taken it apart yet to confirm).  I believe this is the original coin silver case.    From researching the jeweler, I can date this watch to at least 1881 maybe later.  (He didn't own his own shop in 1880)

 

Columbus offers a fascinating collecting opportunity with the early Swiss, the Railway King, Columbus Time King, North Star, ECT ECT.  Definitely worth more of a look than my brief description!  (Of course, all of these companies do!)

Aurora Watch Company

By the end of 1883, a small machine shop was finished in Aurora, Illinois to start building the machinery for the Aurora Watch Co.  Their plan was to eliminate the middleman (jobber) and sell movements directly to retailers who were the exclusive dealers in their respective cities.  The first movement was finished in October of 1884.  First ladies movements delivered in Sept of 1888.  Their plan to have exclusive agents also fell through by this time.

After many hardships, the factory closed in  Oct of 1889.  A syndicate led by Charles Rood purchased the factory at auction in Aug of 1890.  Between then and January of 1893, some remaining material and watches were finished, sold and the machines packed up and moved to Lancaster, Pa for Cain and Rood's new venture.  

This is a very very brief and paraphrased overview from "Aurora Watch Company, Grades and Production" by Greg R. Frauenhoff.    If Aurora Watches interest you, this is a must read!  I just wanted to give a quick overview of dates of operation.  

A couple advertisements for the company, courtesy of the Library of Congress:

The Marlboro democrat (Bennettsville, S.C.), July 20, 1887,

A description of the co-operative plan.  Eliminating the middleman!  

Northern tribune. (Cheboygan, Mich.), August 07, 1884, 

My first Aurora was purchased because of its private label.  W.J. Kemler, Pittsburgh Pa.  His shop was not very far from where I live and was great fun to research.  This watch has lost its patent regulator at some point, and it may have originally had a matching P.L. dial, but that's not set in stone.  Nevertheless, it's a gorgeous movement with a great story.  It is 15 jewels, hunting, and currently lives in a glass back display case.  SN 39941 

Just because I'm excited about it, I'll show another.  This one is a keywinder and 11 jewels in pairs.  A lovely original watch. SN 22901.  Grade 2KW

Estimated Keywind Aurora production is at 10,180 total according to Mr. Frauenhoff.  The grade 2 is the second highest produced at an estimated 2,500.  

Now, I love Gilt movements, but Aurora made some of the most gorgeous Nickel movement I've seen.  Also, their women's movements are beautifully designed and as much as I've looked, one has not come my way yet.  Please go forth and discover more about this company! 

Rockford watch company

Founded in 1874, the Rockford watch company delivered it's first movement in late 1876.  They decided to sell directly to the trade, instead of a jobber or middleman.  Focusing on quick train (18,00bph) quality watches and marketing to railroad men made them successful from the start.  The company lasted untill 1915, but not without financial troubles in the 1890s and being sold to new owners shortly after the turn of the century.  

This 1882 catalog described their movements, courtesy of the PocketWatchDatabase

A nice illustrated retailers advertisement from Bismarck Tribune, Sept 28, 1880, courtesy of https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov

This example was collected because of its condition, and the original sidewinder is something that appeals to me.  It's in a great heavy 5 ounce Dueber coin silver case with Duebers patented bow.

SN 70443 is a Gilt, 15 jewel, model 2 movement. The jeweling confirmed when I serviced it.  

SN 70399 is a Nickel, 11 jewel model 2

These are big 18s earlier watches from the company, but if you look there is something for everyone.  Rockford made many exceptional watches throughout it's operation ranging in size and quality.  

Early Rockford production is not well documented which causes a difficult time researching a watch.  A fellow researcher is currently gathering observations in order to reconstruct the runs.  If you have a Rockford under 300,000 and would like to contribute to the cause, please visit this thread on the NAWCC Forums!  

That's all I have for now. There are many more watch companies to explore and will be coming soon. Thanks for reading and have a great day!