American Watch Company Ladies Pocket Watch
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1882
This ladies pocket watch, manufactured in 1882 by the American Watch Company of Waltham, Massachusetts, is a hunter-case model. The watch bears the movement serial number 1786018.
It features a silver hunter-style case, which is decorated with an engine-turned pattern and the initials 'M.M.' engraved on both the front and back covers. The white enamel dial displays black Roman numerals and includes a subsidiary seconds dial positioned at the six o'clock mark. Internal case markings include a Birmingham hallmark consisting of a lion, anchor, and the letter 'h', alongside the initials 'A.B.' and the number '33849'.
The back plate of the movement is stamped with the manufacturer's details, the patent status of the pinion, and the individual movement serial number.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Technical characteristics
- Type
- Ladies hunter case pocket watch
- Dial style
- White enamel with Roman numerals
- Manufacturer
- American Watch Company
- Case Hallmark
- Birmingham assay marks
- Case initials
- M.M.
- Place recorded
- United States
- Escapement type
- Lever escapement
- Winding mechanism
- Key wound
- Maker / attribution
- American Watch Company
- Movement Serial Number
- 1786018
Design
- Case and Dial
- The watch is housed in a silver hunter-style case featuring an engine-turned pattern. The front and back covers of the case are inscribed with the initials 'M.M.', and the exterior is designed with a spring-loaded cover that protects the watch dial. The dial is composed of white enamel and is marked with black Roman numerals for the hours. A subsidiary seconds dial is positioned at the six o'clock mark on the main dial surface.
- Visible features
- • Silver hunter case with engine-turned surface decoration • White enamel dial with Roman numeral hour markers • Subsidiary seconds dial located at the six o'clock position • Key-wound movement indicated by the absence of a visible winding stem
- Movement and Mechanism
- The timepiece is driven by a key-wound movement, indicating that the watch does not possess an integrated stem-winding mechanism. The back plate of the movement displays technical information, including the manufacturer's name, the location of the factory in Waltham, and a declaration regarding the 'Patent Pinion'. The movement serial number 1786018 is also stamped directly onto the plate.
- Signatures, Marks and Provenance
- Internal examinations of the silver case reveal a series of hallmarks associated with the Birmingham Assay Office, consisting of a lion, an anchor, and the letter 'h'. Additional stamps inside the case include the initials 'A.B.' and the serial number 33849. The movement bears the serial number 1786018. The object was acquired by the museum through a donation from Miss M. Miller on July 23, 1928. These marks collectively provide evidence of the watch's origin and the identity of the original manufacturer.
Identification
- Serial number
- 1786018
- Source note
- Facts transcribed from the linked source listing or collection record. Attribution and specifications are source-reported and have not been independently authenticated.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: The provenance of the case marks from Birmingham while the watch movement is American-made remains an area for further investigation
- Research required: The specific nature of the relationship between the case maker initials 'A.B.' and the watch production is not documented