DESCRIPTION:
APW - Columbus, "J.P. Stevens & Bro. Atlanta, GA" marked mvt with Stevens' patent spiral regulator, 15J, 18S, massive 14K gold box hinge drum style original Dueber HC with monogram initials to front, monogram 1888 date to rear, gold cuvette, "J.P. Stevens & Bro. New Model Atlanta. GA." marked white enamel DS dial, SW-LS, nickel damascene, s#77101. Gross weight of assembled watch 101.4 dwt (157.7 g); gross weight of case only with movement, crown/stem assembly, bow and crystal removed 55.7 dwt (86.9 g). The distinctive spiral regulator design of Josiah P. Stevens of Atlanta, Georgia was granted US patent 264787 on September 19th, 1882. Stevens notably produced 169 watches of his own manufacture with this regulator design, and beyond this was to contract an additional quantity of private label movements from Hampden, Aurora, and Columbus which were equipped with Stevens' patent spiral regulator. From the relatively low number of Columbus examples we have encountered, we believe that Columbus likely supplied fewer of these movements than Hampden or Aurora, and this is in fact the first Columbus J.P. Stevens private label which our firm has handled. This particular example is notable for its massive and quite attractive original gold case.
CONDITION:
Mvt: NR, fully wound, balance swings freely though hairspring appears somewhat out of shape, will tick briefly out of beat with a twist or continuously out of beat with a twist and some excess pressure held to its crown, overhaul needed, fine-plus cosmetic mvt condition overall, scratch at right side perimeter of barrel bridge, scattered fine to micro-fine scratches elsewhere, some oxide to regulator and to some screw heads, balance cock screw is a blued replacement; dial with a patched chip at lower-left corner of center section, patched chipping and white fill material around lower perimeter of seconds-register which is rotated somewhat out of index, scattered outer chapter hls, hls above seconds-register, fracture at lower edge below seconds-register, edge flakes at 9 and 10; fine hands, hour is blue, minute appears to have originally been blue that has been altered to plum color with ink, seconds-hand is plum colored; case with a protruding replacement screw in the reverse of its pendant with marred head, and crown/stem assembly is pulling freely out, and case will need attention to this issue to properly secure its crown/stem assembly, case shows little wear, scratches to rear of pendant, cuvette with perimeter scratches from slipped past openings, no dents or dings, good engraving detail; tight brassy gold-filled replacement bow, brass crown shows ample wear and crown/stem assembly pulls out freely; good glass crystal.
ESTIMATE:
$3000
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$3600
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