Charles Fasoldt Unfinished Keyless Movement
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1880'S
This horological object is an unsigned, unfinished, and incomplete keyless movement attributed by the source auction catalog to Charles Fasoldt of Albany, New York, dated to the 1880s.
The 18-size mechanism features a nickel bridge layout, wolf's tooth winding, gold jewel settings, and Fasoldt's co-axial double wheel chronometer lever escapement with a bimetallic balance and overcoiled spring. Catalogued as lacking a winding arbor, center arbor, and motion work, it bears an incomplete stamped serial ending in '8' on the dial plate and has no dial. The movement is mounted inside a glazed gilt metal display case.
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
- Case
- Glazed gilt metal display case
- Date
- 1880'S
- Type
- Unfinished keyless pocket watch movement in glazed display case
- Escapement
- Fasoldt's co-axial double wheel chronometer lever escapement
- Deficiencies
- Lacking winding arbor, center arbor, motion work
- Place recorded
- United States
- Maker attribution
- Charles Fasoldt, Albany, New York
- Maker / attribution
- Charles Fasoldt
- Movement description
- 18-size nickel bridge pattern, wolf's tooth winding, gold jewel settings
Design
- Visible features
- • Bridge side of an uncased movement enclosed within a circular glazed metal display container with a top bow • Visible wolf's tooth winding teeth and multiple blued screws securing the nickel bridges • Absence of an installed dial or hands, revealing raw wheel work and balance assembly
- Identity and Attribution
- In the catalog description for Bonhams New York sale #26923 (Lot 2), this lot is listed under Charles Fasoldt of Albany, New York, as an "UNSIGNED, UNFINISHED, INCOMPLETE KEYLESS MOVEMENT" and dated to the 1880'S. The catalog records an "incomplete serial number on dial plate,??8". The movement itself is described as unsigned in the lot title, leaving the attribution based on design characteristics and the cataloguer's classification rather than a signed signature plate.
- Movement Architecture and Escapement
- The movement is documented by the auctioneer as an "18-size nickel bridge pattern, wolf's tooth winding, gold jewel settings, Fasoldt's co-axial double wheel chronometer lever escapement, bimetallic balance, overcoiled spring, gold patent micrometer regulator". Direct visual inspection of the movement shows the bridge side with nickel bridges secured by blued screws, alongside visible wolf's tooth winding teeth on the winding wheels.
- State of Completion and Presentation
- The catalog specifically notes that the movement is "lacking winding arbor, center arbor, motion work" and records "Dial: None". Rather than being housed in a standard watch pocket case, the lot is catalogued as "Case: Glazed gilt metal display case". Visual observation confirms the bridge side of the uncased movement is mounted inside a circular glazed metal container fitted with an upper bow.
Identification
- Serial number
- ??8
- 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: Source reports the movement is unsigned, unfinished, and incomplete, lacking winding arbor, center arbor, and motion work
- Research required: Dial plate and opposite side of the movement are not visible in the provided image
- Research required: Full serial number is incomplete or obscured, recorded by the source as '??8'