Waltham P.S. Bartlett Hunting Case Pocket Watch
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
circa 1897
This American Waltham pocket watch, produced circa 1897, is a size 18 timepiece housed in a hunting case. The watch is defined by its custom-painted dial, featuring a hand-painted depiction of a fox with three cubs, consistent with the hunting theme of the exterior case engravings.
The gold-filled case measures 55 millimeters in diameter, with the reverse side showing a hound engraving and the front cover featuring a shield-shaped cartouche surrounded by scrollwork. The movement is a Waltham P.S. Bartlett model, featuring 17 jewels, adjusted status, and full-plate construction with damaskeening. It is a stem-wound, lever-set movement. The dial displays black Roman numerals and blue-toned steel hands.
The piece remains in functional order according to the source.
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
- Date
- circa 1897
- Type
- Hunter-case watch
- Maker
- Waltham
- Model
- P.S. Bartlett
- Diameter
- 55 mm
- Case Material
- Gold Filled
- Movement Specs
- 17 Jewels, Adjusted
- Place recorded
- United States
- Winding/Setting
- Stem Wind, Lever Set
- Maker / attribution
- Waltham
Design
- Visible features
- • Front cover features an unengraved shield-shaped cartouche for initials • Reverse cover depicts an engraved hound in a field setting • Dial displays a polychrome hand-painted scene of a fox family
- Case and Exterior Design
- The watch is presented in a size 18 hunting case manufactured with a gold-filled finish. The case measures 55 millimeters in diameter, a standard large size for American pocket watches of this era. It is decorated with intricate surface work, including a scene engraved on the back cover depicting a hound. The front cover incorporates a central cartouche shaped like a shield, left blank for potential owner personalization, surrounded by ornamental scrollwork designs. The hunting case construction protects the dial while providing space for thematic engraving, which relates to the hunting motifs popular during the period of manufacture. The overall aesthetic is tied together by the exterior engraving and the thematic dial artwork.
- Dial and Artistic Customization
- The most prominent visual feature of this timepiece is the custom-painted dial, which features a detailed scene of a mother fox and three cubs. The dial also utilizes standard black Roman numeral indices and blued steel hands to maintain legibility against the complex hand-painted artwork. This practice of dial modification was documented during the late 19th century as a means for owners to customize their timepieces.
- Movement and Technical Configuration
- The internal mechanism is a P.S. Bartlett model movement, a specific production grade from the Waltham factory in Massachusetts. The movement is built with 17 jewels and is described as adjusted, indicating that it was calibrated to maintain timekeeping precision under varying conditions. The plate layout is a full-plate design, featuring damaskeening decorative finishes on the plates. Operational control of the watch is achieved via a stem-winding mechanism, while the time is set using a lever-set system.
Identification
- 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 identity of the artist who performed the dial painting is not provided
- Research required: Service history and internal mechanical maintenance records are unavailable