DESCRIPTION:
APW - Hamilton, "Cady & Olmstead, Kansas City, MO" marked mvt, Grade 942, 21J, 18S, nickel OF recase with locomotive detail to rear, "Cady & Olmstead" marked white enamel SS dial, SW-LS, fully capped lever escapement, bull's-eye pattern nickel damascene, s#48377. An interesting private label with a damascene pattern rarely seen among Grade 942 production. The dial of this example is notable for its similarity to Ball Hamilton dials of this era, and Cady & Olmstead are in fact listed in late 1890s Webb C. Ball advertisements as being authorized agents for Ball Watch Co. products, so presumably Ball was aware of and approving of the similarity of these dial designs. Beyond this, Cady & Olmstead were also active as railroad watch inspectors for a number of lines passing through Kansas City, with an 1899 "Jeweler's Circular" article listing them as inspectors for the Kansas City, Fort Scott & Memphis Railroad Co.; the Kansas City, Memphis & Birmingham Railroad Co.; the Kansas City, Clinton & Springfield Railway Co.; the Current River Railroad Co.; and the Kansas City & Memphis Railway & Bridge Co.
CONDITION:
Mvt: Running, fine cosmetic mvt condition overall, bright lustrous plates, barrel bridge and balance cock foot with numerous scattered fine to micro-fine scratches, main plate and balance cock table with lesser degree of scattered micro-fine scratches, spot of oxide to one balance jewel setting screw and adjacent area, some mild bits of oxide to regulator assembly; dial with scratch beginning above center and extending to below 1, two hls from edge at 9 extending to upper-left of seconds-register, faint hl above seconds-register, small patched edge chip at 9, short edge scratch at setting lever area, beveling wear of perimeter edge under bezel that is more notable around lower portion; fine hands, hour with oxide and finish loss, seconds-hand with some oxide, minute hand with bend to tip; case shows little wear, small ding to reeding at upper portion of bezel, no dents, good engraving detail, some moderate spotty tarnish; bow pivots freely, crown shows little wear; thick glass crystal with a long fine scratch to right side, some additional scattered scratches elsewhere.
ESTIMATE:
$400
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$650
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