Manistee Watch Company 16-size movement, serial 0028148

Technical characteristics

Type

Pocket watch movement

Jewel count

17 jewels

Place recorded

United States

Maker / attribution

Manistee Watch Co.

Jeweling construction

Center wheel unjeweled on pillar plate; cap jewel on upper escape wheel

Serial numbering style

Zero-padded serial number

Maker and model identification

Manistee Watch Company 16-Size Movement

Design

Visible features

• Bridge plate configuration with decorative wave damaskeening and floral engraving on the balance cock. • Engraved plate signature reading 'Manistee Watch Co. Manistee, Mich.' • Engraved barrel bridge markings '17 JEWELS' and zero-padded serial number '0028148'. • Visible micrometric regulator assembly with index scale marked 'F' and 'S'. • Balance wheel with timing screws and hairspring visible under the balance cock. • Movement shown mounted in an open watch case frame with pendant winding stem.

Identity and Serial Markings

Movement number 0028148 is a 16-size pocket watch movement manufactured by the Manistee Watch Company of Manistee, Michigan. Designed as a higher-quality line following early production of 18-size movements, the piece retains the zero-padded serial number convention found on the maker's earlier output. The source notes that this zero-padded practice was discontinued shortly after serial number 30,001. Direct visual inspection shows a bridge plate configuration decorated with wave damaskeening and floral engraving on the balance cock. Engravings on the plates confirm the signature 'Manistee Watch Co. Manistee, Mich.', the jewel count designation '17 JEWELS', and the serial number '0028148'.

Commercial Context and Observations

In contemporary marketing, the 16-size Manistee movement was listed in the 1912 S.F. Myers & Company catalog at $20.75, compared to $31.66 for an Elgin Grade 386. The plate configuration was noted by the source as bearing a striking resemblance to the 16-size Elgin Model 6. The manufacturer ceased operations in 1912. In the provided movement photograph, the movement is shown mounted in an open watch case frame with a pendant winding stem. The internal escapement parts and front dial mentioned in the historical catalog text are not fully displayed in this single back-plate view.

Jeweling and Escapement Construction

Although marked for 17 jewels, the jewel layout differs from standard American practice where the center wheel typically carries upper and lower pivot hole jewels. The source explains that Manistee left the center wheel unjeweled on the pillar plate, instead reaching the 17-jewel specification by installing a cap jewel on the upper escape wheel. Visible on the balance assembly are a balance wheel with timing screws, a hairspring under the balance cock, and a micrometric regulator assembly with an index marked 'F' and 'S'. Historical specifications from a 1912 S.F. Myers & Company catalog cited by the source describe the model as featuring exposed pallets, a Breguet steel hairspring, and a double roller escapement with a steel escape wheel.

Identification

Serial number

0028148

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.