Seth Thomas Pocket Watches with Locomotive Motif
Due to the critical role that high grade mechanical pocket watches played in standards adopted to improve railroad safety during the 19th century; locomotives and railroad related themes make up a popular motif found on many pocket watches of all grades from around the turn of the 20th century. This article will focus on the use of the locomotive motif on pocket watches manufactured by Seth Thomas. Roy Ehrhardt notes in his “Railroad Watches – Identification and Price Guide – 1995” that these are referred to as “Railroad-Marked Watches”.
Pocket watch production by Seth Thomas was limited to the thirty years between 1885 and 1915. Seth Thomas produced a limited number of pocket watches that could be considered “railroad grade”; but produced others that bore the image and/or name of a locomotive painted on the dial and/or engraved on the top plate of the watch movement, visible by opening the back cover of the watch case. Some of the watch cases also bore engravings with a locomotive motif; but watch cases and watch movements were two separate items and were purchased separately, often matched and put together by a local jeweler or “jobber” for the customer. This article will be focused on the pocket watch movements and dials produced by Seth Thomas that bear a locomotive motif. These should not be confused with the high grade pocket watches that kept passengers and crews safe while traveling on the rails across America, and they certainly do not bear the valor associated with those railroad grade pocket watches or the workers who were required to obtain and maintain them at their own expense. That is why I will refer to the watches presented in this article as having Locomotive Motif instead of as Railroad-Marked Watches.
Withing their regular product line, the Seth Thomas Watch Company did produce a limited number of high-grade pocket watches that met the standards of the Railroad Safety Board to be used in rail transportation. Among those high-grade pocket watches were all of the Seth Thomas Maiden Lane grade pocket watches, the Model 5 marked grade 260, and the Model 5 marked grade 382. Other railroad grade watches were also produced by Seth Thomas as special orders or private labels at the request of certain customers.
It may sound like an overly simplified approach to learning; but by carefully examining the pages of the Pocket Watch Database dedicated to images of each model of our favorite manufacturers’ watches we can pick up invaluable bits of information and history that is difficult to find anywhere else.
As a fan of Seth Thomas pocket watches I have found that the locomotive motif can be a tricky one to trace in any reference source or collection of reference sources that you choose. By searching in the pages of the Pocket Watch Database the following private label Seth Thomas pocket watches can be found with a locomotive on the dial and/or the movement: Bosell Couri, Biddeford, ME.; Century U.S.A.; Engine Special; Liberty U.S.A.; R.R. Special U.S.A.; Seth Thomas; Trainmens Special; and T & M Special.
A brief description and photographic illustration of each Seth Thomas private label utilizing the locomotive motif is presented here. All but one of the watches described here have locomotives on their dials. Less than half have locomotives engraved on their movement. Some of the locomotives on the dials have train numbers visible, none of the locomotives engraved on the movements have train numbers. There is plenty of variation between the locomotives depicted on the dozen Seth Thomas pocket watches presented.
Bosell Couri, Biddeford, ME.
EA 810 - Bosell Couri, Biddeford, ME. - Private Label - Model 5 - Serial Number 225562 - 15 jewels - Micro-Regulator - Grade: 159
The combined information from the 1900 U.S. Census, the 1905 Death Record of Bosell Couri, and the Portland Maine City Directory tells us that after emigrating from Syria; Bosell Couri was a jeweler in Portland Maine until his death in 1905 at age 31. He was a jeweler with a close family member, probably a brother, Bshara G. Couri who continued to be a jeweler after the death of Bosell Couri. There are pocket watches with the locomotive motif bearing the signature “B. G. Couri Special” that were produced by other watch manufacturers. This Bosell Couri private label pocket watch, serial number 225562, was purchased from a seller in Ragalna, Italy on the island of Sicily. Ragalna is near Catania.
Century U.S.A. with Locomotive (Trading Watch)
EA 813C - Century U.S.A. - Trading Watch - Model 12 - Serial Number 1066094 - 7 jewels - Micro-Regulator - Factory Grade Century
These photographs are of Century U.S.A. Trading Watch dials. The first one is attached to an ordinary Model 12 Century U.S.A. movement, and the second one is attached to a Model 12 R.R. Special movement.
Century U.S.A. was a private label watch that Seth Thomas manufactured for Sears, Roebuck & Co. to sell in their mail order catalog. While they did sell other trading watches; I have not yet seen this one advertised in any of their catalogs. I’ll keep looking.
Engine Special
EA 813C - Engine Special - Trading Watch - Model 12 - Serial Number 1083797 - 7 jewels - Micro-Regulator - Factory Grade Century
“Engine Special” is a Private Label Trading Watch in Seth Thomas Model 12. The Engine Special has 7-jewels, a micrometric regulator, and is a non-adjusted movement fitted with pivot covers resembling raised jewel settings; but holding only a ruby-colored translucent bead, and with false movement markings indicating that the movement has 23 jewels and that it is adjusted.
Liberty U.S.A.
EA 813C - Liberty U.S.A. - Private Label - Model 12 - Serial Number 1300196 - 7 jewels - Simple Regulator - Factory Grade Century
EA 813C - Liberty U.S.A. - Private Label - Model 12 - Serial Number 1300131 - 7 jewels - Simple Regulator - Factory Grade Century
On the Arabic version of the Liberty U.S.A. dial the locomotive does not display any number. On the Roman version of the Liberty U.S.A. dial the locomotive displays the number 10.
Pettit’s Special Railway
Pettit’s Special Railway – E.E. Pettit – Private Label – Model 2 – Ser # 67410 – 15j – Micro-Regulator – Grade: 197
Edward Emory Pettit was a jeweler in Belvidere Illinois between 1870 and 1900. He was born on June 9, 1847 in Boone County Illinois. The 1870 US Census of Belvidere Illinois shows, that he was the apprentice to a jeweler at age 23.
In 1873, at the age of 26, Edward Emory Pettit became married to Jennie Alexander Pettit. The 1880 US Census of Belvidere Illinois shows that E.E. Pettit had already become a jeweler since the previous census in 1870 when he was still an apprentice.
There are no records from the 1890 US Census of Belvidere Illinois available; but the 1900 US Census of Belvidere Illinois shows that Edward Emory Pettit was working as a sewing machine adjuster.
Edward Emory Pettit died on January 8, 1924.
R.R. Special U.S.A.
EA 813C - R.R. Special - Private Label - Model 12 - Serial Number 1105623 - 7 jewels - Simple Regulator - Factory Grade Century
On the Arabic version of the Liberty U.S.A. dial the locomotive does not display any number. On the Roman version of the Liberty U.S.A. dial the locomotive displays the number 10.
Locomotive with Seth Thomas Signature
EA 810 - Seth Thomas - Private Label - Model 5 - Serial Number 212068 - 15 jewels - Micro-Regulator - Grade: 159
These photographs are of Century U.S.A. Trading Watch dial that is attached to a R.R. Special movement.
Century U.S.A. was a private label watch that Seth Thomas manufactured for Sears, Roebuck & Co. to sell in their mail order catalog. While they did sell other trading watches; I have not yet seen this one advertised in any of their catalogs. I’ll keep looking.
Seth Thomas Pocket Watches with Railroad Motif
*References
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