164 Discussions and CommentsMember since July 9, 2009
Here are a few pictures for comparison of my Tschopp-Boston Cal. Another of these small and rare jewels from the beginnings of IWC. I´m sure we will all know more about these as the thread goes along, especially the info´s on the Bee´s or fly trade mark stamp on the movement...Which is also still a mystery to Alan Myers ;-)
The watch is still on it´s way to me and when I get it, I will post better pictures (before and after a sevice and cleaning)
The hallmarks in your watch are quite difficult to read. I am fairly sure that the office mark is the anchor of the Birmingham Assay Office. The date letter would then be the Gothic "l" of the hallmarking year 1885 - 1886.
The sponsor's mark is not exactly the same as any recorded in Priestley, but the most likely candidate is Frank Moss, registered 25 August 1882. There are two other FM marks recorded by Priestley but their dates of registration are later and the shape of the shield around the marks are different. I will write to the Birmingham Assay Office and see if they can confirm this.
164 Discussions and CommentsMember since July 9, 2009
Hi David, thanks for your reply and offer to write to the Birmingham Assay Office... My watch also seems to lack the'F' stamp, meaning it went on sale, not quite legally :-) as Alan Myres told me the watch was probably from 1882/1883. So very close to the Seeland era.
I do hope I can take a few better pictures than the ones provided, after a good clean.
525 Discussions and CommentsMember since Jan. 29, 2003
Well, I pulled my Meis book off the shelf, but don't see this caliber mentioned. It looks very much like a Seeland though, and thereby very similar to the full plate American watches of the period.
cliffh Wrote:Well, I pulled my Meis book off the shelf, but don't see this caliber mentioned. It looks very much like a Seeland though, and thereby very similar to the full plate American watches of the period.
Where can I find more info on these?
I know several people --expert collectors-- who consider the Boston a Seeland model. A Calibre 26 Boston is shown in the Seeland section of my Iwcpocketwatch.com website. They are quite rare, as the Toelke-King book shows in its lists.
525 Discussions and CommentsMember since Jan. 29, 2003
Michael Friedberg Wrote in reply to:
cliffh Wrote:Well, I pulled my Meis book off the shelf, but don't see this caliber mentioned. It looks very much like a Seeland though, and thereby very similar to the full plate American watches of the period.
Where can I find more info on these?
I know several people --expert collectors-- who consider the Boston a Seeland model. A Calibre 26 Boston is shown in the Seeland section of my Iwcpocketwatch.com website. They are quite rare, as the Toelke-King book shows in its lists.
164 Discussions and CommentsMember since July 9, 2009
Here are a few hard facts I´ve found... The 'Fly/Bee' trademark was used by; Joel Blanckensee & Co. Chronometers, watch manufacturer, importer Swiss (Geneva) watches, Regent Street, Birmingham, England, registered on 12/08/1876
Found in the book: Clock & Watches Trademark Index of European Origin. Page 83
Louis Tschopp was Technical Director at Johannes Rauschenbach: To avoid bankruptcy, the agricultural machinery manufacturer John Rauschenbach acquired the entire company ("Internationale Uhrenfabrik")in 1879 in a public auction.
The watch is still on it´s way to me and when I get it, I will post better pictures (before and after a sevice and cleaning)
Best Regards
Jimmy
Last edited: 31 January, 2013 - 23:31
The hallmarks in your watch are quite difficult to read. I am fairly sure that the office mark is the anchor of the Birmingham Assay Office. The date letter would then be the Gothic "l" of the hallmarking year 1885 - 1886.
The sponsor's mark is not exactly the same as any recorded in Priestley, but the most likely candidate is Frank Moss, registered 25 August 1882. There are two other FM marks recorded by Priestley but their dates of registration are later and the shape of the shield around the marks are different. I will write to the Birmingham Assay Office and see if they can confirm this.
Regards - David
Best regards
Mark
Last edited: 16 April, 2013 - 00:36
Congratulations!
I assume that you find this PW through your special relations to US PW market.;)
Best regards
Hajo
Fair Winds and Following Seas
thanks for your reply and offer to write to the Birmingham Assay Office...
My watch also seems to lack the'F' stamp, meaning it went on sale, not quite legally :-) as Alan Myres told me the watch was probably from 1882/1883.
So very close to the Seeland era.
I do hope I can take a few better pictures than the ones provided, after a good clean.
Best Regards
Jimmy
Hi Hajo,
No, this one came from a relatively new German auction house :-)
Best Regards
Jimmy
Where can I find more info on these?
Regards,
Cliff
I know several people --expert collectors-- who consider the Boston a Seeland model. A Calibre 26 Boston is shown in the Seeland section of my Iwcpocketwatch.com website. They are quite rare, as the Toelke-King book shows in its lists.
Regards, Michael
mfriedberg@iwcforum.com
Many thanks, I'll have a look.
Regards,
Cliff
The 'Fly/Bee' trademark was used by;
Joel Blanckensee & Co.
Chronometers, watch manufacturer, importer Swiss (Geneva) watches, Regent Street, Birmingham, England, registered on 12/08/1876
Found in the book:
Clock & Watches Trademark Index of European Origin. Page 83
Louis Tschopp was Technical Director at Johannes Rauschenbach:
To avoid bankruptcy, the agricultural machinery manufacturer John Rauschenbach acquired the entire company ("Internationale Uhrenfabrik")in 1879 in a public auction.
Source;
The IWC story
Last edited: 17 February, 2013 - 18:40