DESCRIPTION:
APW - Hamilton, "Time Ball Special For Railroad Service" marked mvt also with Time Ball marked image, Grade 936, 17J, 18S, gold-filled OF original case with terrific locomotive scene to rear, "G. Beninghausen, Seattle, Wash" marked white enamel DS dial, SW-LS, nickel damascene, gilt mvt screws and regulator assembly, s#290404. A very rare watch that features one of Hamilton's most eye-catching and stylish movement signatures with its detailed Time Ball image. This movement is listed in the Hamilton factory ledger as being one of four movements from this Grade 936 run that were sold to G. Beninghausen on September 30th, 1904. Gerhard Beninghausen established his jewelry business in Seattle in 1885, served as a time inspector for the Columbia & Puget Sound Railroad, and operated Seattle's only streetside time ball. Beninghausen's Time Ball was located in front of his business in Seattle's Pioneer Square at 713-715 First Avenue and consisted of a post with a large metallic ball which dropped at a specific time each day, and residents and passerby made use of Beninghausen's Time Ball to set their watches to the correct time. Please see our photos of this lot for the image of an advertisement Beninghausen ran in the February 4th, 1902 issue of the "Seattle Star" newspaper and for the image of an advertisement ran in the January 1904 issue of "The Coast" magazine; with Beninghausen prominently promoting the Time Ball in each of these advertisements. From the well-known Hamilton collection of Robert Bennett of Olivehurst, California.
CONDITION:
Mvt: Running, excellent-plus cosmetic mvt condition overall, some typical mild micro-fine scratches, regulator spring with loss of nearly all gilt finish; nearly flawless dial with minuscule flaking of seconds-register hole, two minuscule pinpoint surface nicks at bottom right perimeter of seconds-register, very small fracture tight along outer edge under bezel near 2, very slight thin line of perimeter rub from tip of minute hand; excellent time-zone hour hands, fine minute and seconds-hand wtih some oxide and finish loss; case shows hardly any wear, no dents or dings, superb engine turning and engraving detail, some filing marks and marring to lever-set slot; tight bow, crown shows hardly any wear; clean plastic crystal.
ESTIMATE:
$1000
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$2000
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