The Art of American Horology Part ll,...

Roosevelt Hotel, Madison Avenue @ 45th Street, Dec 04, 2002

LOT 537

Fancy IllinoisIllinois Watch Co., Springfield, Ill., No. 121408, Model 2, circa 1877.Fine and very rare, 14K gold and diamond-set, hunting-cased, full box-hinged,keyless watch with an unusual case and dial.

USD 15,000 - 18,000

C. Four-body, "bassine", triple-hinged, by Dueber, No. 1680201, back elaborately decorated with applied multicolored gold flowers and leaves on matted reserve, small cartouche with a diamond, vermicelli band, borders and hinges, gold hinged cuvette. D. White enamel, double sunk, gold Arabic numerals on blue cartouches within gold frames, sunk sub-seconds. Blued steel "Morning Glory" hands. M. 18 size, nickel, elaborately damascened, 17 jewels, lateral counterpoised lever escapement, cut-bimetallc compensation ba-lance with blued steel Breguet balance spring, Chalmers patented (No. 269,385) micrometric regulator.Signed on dial and movement.Diam. 54 mm.


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Grading System
Grade: AAA

Excellent
Case: 2

Very good
Movement: 3*

Good

Overhaul recommended, at buyer's expense
Dial: 3-17-12-01

Good

Slightly spotted

Worn

HANDS Original

Notes

Fancy Illinois dials are very rare, specialy in so heavy, elaborately decorated case.Dueber Watch Case Co.In 1886 the U.S. Supreme Court decreed that corporations are "persons" under the 14th amendment, thus granting them protection under the Bill of Rights. This ruling gave corporations unprecedented rights to question almost any law applied to them. The watch case manufacturers formed an organization and boycotted Dueber. To stay in business he had to make cases better than others. This one clearly testifies that he did.