Old Pocket Watch

by Gerald Cowperthwait
(Fruitland, Idaho)

Side-Wound Pocket Watch

My Dad found this in his mothers house. We have no idea of its history. It is a fascinating piece and has brought us countless hours of speculation.

I wonder why the winder is at the three-o'clock position?

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Old Pocket Watch

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Jan 18, 2011
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Pocket Watch
by: tfoster

I have a pocket watch from the same time frame and only know it was made in PA, and it was my husband's great great grandfather's. I went to a highly recommended Jeweler in town who suggested I search eBay or estate auctioneers. Just wanted to share this info.
Good luck to you!
T.Foster

Nov 27, 2007
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Antique Waltham 1898
by: Oscar C. Jones

Yesterday I was completely ignorant of all matters Horological, but I had the great fortune to come upon a pocketwatch at an estate sale, price only $1. I've always had a thing for pocket watches, just think they look cool, you know?

Anyway, I paid a dollar for the watch, thinking that I'd gotten a good deal because it worked...I didn't have a clue as to anything else, but when I got it home I started wondering as to the history of the watch, so I looked up the serial number on this site, the first site that came up for Waltham serial numbers, and found out it was made in 1898....imagine my surprise and elation.

I couldn't believe that I was this lucky, so I took it to the local pawnshop...I trust the pawnbroker and he knows the value of everything pretty much....well, he straight off offered me $500 and I said no, that I didn't want to sell it, I wanted him to tell me anything he could about it.

He said exactly what I knew already, which was what I wanted to hear, he guessed 1890's and told me to get it better appraised so I wouldn't get ripped off or anything, but that it was something good to have, and not to hock it....even though he wanted it, of course...but he is a friend, a buisnessman first, but a friend all the same.

So.....that was a long back story, but it gets me back to my reason for posting.....is there anyone out there who knows of anywhere in Alabama that I could take the watch? Or, if anyone is interested, I'll take offers on it...I can email pictures and all. oscarcjones3377@yahoo.com Email me with anything you can, and if anyone out there wants the watch but doesn't want to rip someone off (i.e. Is a Man of Honor...there aren't so many of those out there anymore.....and I don't say "man" to exclude women, i believe the sexes are equal, if not equal, than the women win out on every single count.....it's just a phrase..hahah.)

I'd really like to find out as much as I can, I can't find anywhere in Alabama using the internet, i thought maybe someone out there would know....I don't want to take it to someone who doesn't know what they're doing and get the watch messed up, and I want to know for sure what it's worth...I have an idea, but I only want to sell it to someone who'd appreciate it, not rip me off and then turn around and triple their profit or something.....I consider myself honorable, and trust that whomever I'm dealing with is also, until proven otherwise....I'd like to know that the person who it eventually found would appreciate it for what it is....appreciate the history that it has been through and is a testament to the passage of all that time...this watch went through both world wars, kept the time for someone, it marked the passage of time for almost 110 years and I don't take that lightly...I am a writer, if you couldn't tell...ok, I've written probably way too much, but I wanted to get it out there. I hope to hear from someone soon.

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