Seth Thomas Private Label & Named Grade Pocket Watches

EA 814A – Sentinel U.S.A. – 18-size – Model 13 – Serial Number 1740292 – 7 Jewels - Factory Named Grade Century

EA 822 – Sentinel U.S.A. – 6-size – Model 18 – Serial Number 3256317 – 7 Jewels - Factory Named Grade Century

Sentinel U.S.A. is a private label in Seth Thomas 18-size Model 12 and Model 13. and 6-size Model 18.

Sentinel U.S.A.

EA 813C – Sentinel U.S.A. – 18-size – Model 12 – Serial Number 1197564 – 7 Jewels (Marked 19) - Factory Named Grade Century

EA 810 – G.E. Simanton’s Precision Watch – 18-size – Model 5 – Serial Number 206614 – 17 Jewels - Grade 182

G.E. Simanton’s Precision Watch is a private label in Seth Thomas 18-size hunting Model 5.

G.E. Simanton’s Precision Watch

EA 810 – G.E. Simanton’s Precision Watch – 18-size – Model 5 – Serial Number 206612 – 17 Jewels - Grade 182

Special Motor Service is a private label in Seth Thomas 18-size hunting Model 5.

In early 20th-century railroad parlance, the phrase “Special Motor Service” appears in transportation reporting and advertising to describe the use of motor vehicle conveyance to shuttle passengers to connecting rail lines when continuous track was not available. The extent to which this private label directly references such services remains under investigation.

New York Times - Sunday August 29, 1915.

By the 1910s, newspapers regularly reported on “motor truck” and “motor express” services operating in direct competition with railroads and to describe motor vehicle conveyance used in connection with rail service where direct rail continuity was not available. The terminology reflects a transitional period in which railroads and highway motor conveyance coexisted and overlapped in function.

While no direct documentation has yet been located linking the Seth Thomas “Special Motor Service” private label to a specific routing arrangement, contemporary reporting demonstrates that motor-truck transfer and intercity motor services were well established in railroad-adjacent operations during this period. However, without direct documentary evidence linking the private label to a specific routing arrangement or service, its precise reference remains uncertain.

Special Motor Service

EA 810 – Special Motor Service – 18-size – Model 5 – Serial Number 204503 – 17 Jewels - Grade 182

J. F. Stewart - Albion, Ill. is a private label in Seth Thomas 18-size hunting Model 5. Based upon U.S. Census records, available genealogies, and death records; John Finley Stewart, born July 5, 1852, in Rutland Vermont, was later a dry goods merchant in Albion, Edwards County, Illinois, where he died on January 4, 1946. The dry goods business was named J. F. Stewart in the 1800’s and later J. F. Stewart & Son.

I recently purchased the 20mm round aluminum trade token shown below that is marked “J. F. Stewart / Albion, Ill.”. It provides confirmation of the presence of a merchant with this name operating in Albion during the late 19th or early 20th century when this style of trade token was used. This is a link to view other J. F. Stewart Trade Tokens at the TokenCatolog.com website.

Albion Illinois is the county seat of Edwards County Illinois. The postcards below show The Pagoda built by the Women’s Beautifying Club of Albion in the county Courtyard Square. The Pagoda contains a mineral well and was used as a bandstand for concerts held every Saturday evening in the summer. The courthouse is behind The Pagoda in one 1913 photograph, and in the other 1910 photograph the 5th Street block where the J. F. Stewart & Son store was located until its closing in the early 2020’s is in the background.

There was also another Stewart’s Dry Goods [and Jewelry Store] in Albion run by Charles and Edwin Stewart (sons of Alexander Stewart) in the 1890’s; but that store and that Stewart family were not connected in any way to the J. F. Stewart inscribed on this Seth Thomas Model 5 pocket watch.

J. F. Stewart - Albion, Ill.

EA 810 – J. F. Stewart - Albion, Ill. – 18-size – Model 5 – Serial Number 205617 – 11 Jewels - Grade 58

EA 813C – Stratford U.S.A. – 18-size – Model 12 – Serial Number 1205238 – 7 Jewels - Factory Named Grade Century

EA 814A – Stratford U.S.A. – 18-size – Model 13 – Serial Number X – 7 Jewels - Factory Named Grade Century

EA 821 – Stratford U.S.A. – 6-size – Model 18 – Serial Number 980589 – 7 Jewels - Factory Named Grade Century

Stratford U.S.A.

EA 813C – Stratford U.S.A. – 18-size – Model 12 – Serial Number 1153777 – 7 Jewels - Factory Named Grade Century

Stratford U.S.A. is a private label in Seth Thomas 18-size open-face Model 12, Seth Thomas 18-size hunting Model 13 and 6-size hunting Model 18.

The Stratford designation appears to have functioned as a J. M. Smyth Company house brand applied to Seth Thomas movements supplied for catalog sale. No surviving documentation currently links the name to a specific geographic origin. In the absence of such evidence, the most plausible explanation is that “Stratford” was selected for its marketing tone rather than geographic significance.

EA 814A – Tornado Watch Co. – 18-size – Model 13– Serial Number X – 7 Jewels - Factory Named Grade Century

Tornado Watch Co. is a private label in Seth Thomas 18-size Model 12 and Model 13.

Toronado Watch Co.

EA 813C – Tornado Watch Co. – 18-size – Model 12– Serial Number X – 7 Jewels - Factory Named Grade Century

EA 813C – Trainmens Special – 18-size – Model 12 – Serial Number TRAINMENS12A – 7 Jewels (Marked as 23) - Named Grade Century

EA 813C – Trainmens Special – 18-size – Model 12 – Serial Number TRAINMENS12B – 7 Jewels (Marked as 17) - Named Grade Century

EA 814A – Trainmens Special – 18-size – Model 13 – Serial Number TRAINMENS13A – 7 Jewels (Marked as17) - Named Grade Century

Trainmens Special is a private label in Seth Thomas 18-size open-face Model 12 and Seth Thomas 18-size hunting Model 13 manufactured for Sears, Roebuck & Company for sale in their catalog. You can see the Trainmens Special advertisement in the lower right-hand corner of the Sears Catalog page shown below.

Trainmens Special

EA 813C – Trainmens Special – 18-size – Model 12 – Serial Number 1010272 – 7 Jewels (Marked as 23) - Factory Named Grade Century

In the Sears, Roebuck & Company 1904 Spring Catalog No 113Y the 18-size 7-Jewel open-face Model 12 Edgemere, the 17-Jewel Model 9 Edgemere, the 12-Jewel open-face Model 8 Edgemere pocket watch movements, and the 7-Jewel Model 12 private label trading watch Trainmens Special manufactured by Seth Thomas debuted.

EA 814A – Tribune – 18-size – Model 13 – Serial Number X – 7 Jewels - Factory Named Grade Century

Tribune is a private label in Seth Thomas 18-sizeModel 12 and Model 13.

Tribune (Not in STFS Collection)

EA 813C – Tribune – 18-size – Model 12 – Serial Number X – 7 Jewels - Factory Named Grade Century

E. Van Sickle is a private label in Seth Thomas 18-size Model 3.

Emmett Van Sickle lived at 43 Sussex Street in Port Jervis New York with his wife, Madaline, and their children. From the 1870’s into the 1920’s he operated a jewelry store at 62 Pike Street, was also an optometrist, and served as the Railroad Watch Inspector at the Port Jervis Railyard. The postcard photographs below show Pike Street and the Port Jervis Railyard in the first decade of the 1900’s.

E. Van Sickle - Port Jervis, N.Y. (Not in STFS Collection)

EA 807 – E. Van Sickle – 18-size – Model 3– Serial Number X – 15 Jewels - Grade 201

Von Gunten Bros. - Keystone Special

EA 810 – Von Gunten Bros. Keystone Special – 18-size – Model 5 – Serial Number 227076 – 17 Jewels - Grade 182

This 1905 Seth Thomas open-face 18-size Model 5 pocket watch was manufactured with a two-tone finished full plate, 17 jewels, and it is adjusted. The movement is stem wound and lever set, with a Breguet hair spring, and micrometric regulator. Its serial number is 227076, and its grade is Seth Thomas numbered grade 182. The movement is signed “Von Gunten Bros. - Keystone Special”.

The movement presents with an 18-size Seth Thomas Arabic Montgomery dial with a dots minute track, red five-minute marginals and black one-minute marginals; fitted with Seth Thomas #1282 blued spade & whip Railroad hands 18-size. This dial and hand combination was chosen to replace a Seth Thomas #1217 dial that was stylistically inconsistent with documented Von Gunten examples. There were no hands on the movement at the time of purchase.

Charles and Louis Von Gunten, Swiss born jewelers doing business in Ontario, were the Van Gunten Bros. They started out in St. Mary’s Perth South, Ontario Canada and then opened a store, Von Gunten Bros. Jewelry, on King Street in Chatham Ontario. A local historical source places the Von Gunten Bros. Jewelry store at 31 King St. W., within the Scane Block on the north side of King Street between William Street and Market Square. Further primary documentation is being sought to confirm this address.

Louis Von Gunten eventually left the business which was then carried on by Charles and his son, Alexander. “Alex” Von Gunten, born July 25, 1862, was a successful jeweler in Chatham Ontario Canada from the 1880’s until the 1940’s. He was also appointed by the Ontario government as the Issuer of Marriage Licenses. He died in 1952 at 89 years of age after 8 years in retirement.

Von Gunten Bros. commissioned private label pocket watches manufactured by Seth Thomas (Von Gunten Bros. Keystone Special in Model 5); Rockford (Von Gunten Bros. Railroad Keystone), Hamilton (Von Gunten Bros. Railroad Keystone Chatham), and Columbia (Von Gunten Bros Keystone) Watch Company.

“Keystone” was very likely the Von Gunten Bros. store brand and the “Keystone Special” name may have been used to designate this particular 17-jewel version of their Keystone pocket watch.

The movement is not presently cased.

Retail Setting – King Street, Chatham, Ontario

Below you can see period views of King Street, Chatham, Ontario — the commercial district in which Von Gunten Bros. Jewelry operated during the late 19th and early 20th century.

The location of Chatham Ontario is shown as a red dot on this map of Canada.

EA 821 – Waldorf U.S.A. – 6-size – Model 18 – Serial Number 4010508 – 15 Jewels - Factory Named Grade Century

EA 821 – Waldorf U.S.A. – 6-size – Model 18 – Serial Number 4010986 – 15 Jewels - Factory Named Grade Century

EA 822 – Waldorf U.S.A. – 6-size – Model 24 – Serial Number 3062425 – 15 Jewels - Grade 322

EA 822 – Waldorf U.S.A. – 6-size – Model 24 – Serial Number 3062426 – 15 Jewels - Grade 322

Waldorf U.S.A. is a private label in Seth Thomas 6-size hunting Model 18 and Seth Thomas 6-size open-face Model 24 manufactured for Sears, Roebuck & Company for sale in their catalog. You can see the advertisements for the Model 18 Waldorf and the Model 24 Waldorf on each of the Sears Catalog pages shown below in the lower right-hand corner of each page.

Waldorf U.S.A.

EA 821 – Waldorf U.S.A. – 6-size – Model 18 – Serial Number 4004713 – 15 Jewels - Factory Named Grade Century

In the Sears, Roebuck & Company 1910 Fall Catalog No 121V the 6-size 7-Jewel open-face Model 24 Waldorf U.S.A. and the 6-size hunting Model 18 Waldorf U.S.A. pocket watches manufactured by Seth Thomas debuted. They can each be seen in the lower right hand corner of their respective pages.

Above is a drawing of the 6-size open-face Waldorf U.S.A. movement advertised in the Sears, Roebuck & Company catalog on page 811.

Fall 1910 - Butler Brothers Catalog - Number 821

The Fall 1910 Catalog Number 821, Butler Brothers’ “Book of Profits” contained advertisements for three product lines that Seth Thomas produced pocket watch movements for, Century U.S. A. in 18-size, Republic U.S.A. in 18-size and 6-size; and Waldorf U.S.A. in a 6-size movement with a 12-size dial and case, often referred to as a 12X6 and sold as a compact 12-size watch.

These pages from the N. Shure Company’s catalog are believed to be from sometime between 1910 and 1915. They were selling private label Waldorf U.S.A. pocket watches that Seth Thomas had manufactured to be sold by a number of wholesalers in their catalogs. Waldorf movements were manufactured in Seth Thomas 6-size hunting Model 18 and 6-size open-face Model 24. Some of the 6-size movements were fitted with 12-size dials, and placed in special compact 12-size watch cases that could accommodate a 6-size movement. These hybrid pocket watches were referred to as 12X6 pocket watches and were frequently sold as compact 12-size watches.

The N. Shure Company was also selling 18-size and 6-size Century movements, left over from when Sear, Roebuck & Company ended the contract to sell Century movements in their own catalog. Shown in the advertisement is the 18-size hunting Model 11 and the 6-size hunting Model 18; but the advertisement refers to open-face and thin models; so they could have been selling Model 10, Model 11, Model 12, and Model 13.

Wallace & Simmons PROVIDENCE, R.I. is a private label in Seth Thomas 18-size hunting Model 2.

The 1887 Providence Rhode Island City Directory tells us that there was a William Wallace in practice as a jeweler at 25 Autumn Street in Providence. The first postcard below is from 1886 at Market Square in Providence Rhode Island. The second postcard is from 1903 at Westminster Street in Providence Rhode Island.

Wallace & Simmons PROVIDENCE, R.I.

EA 806 – Wallace & Simmons PROVIDENCE, R.I. – 18-size – Model 2 – Serial Number 505818 – 15 Jewels - Grade 152

According to the Oneida New York city directories from 1887, 1888, and 1890 C.J. Wells was a watchmaker and jeweler, operating a store at 1 Hickox Block in Oneida New York. He lived at 4 Madison Square in Oneida. The two postcards below show Main Steet and Madison Street in Oneida New York in 1905.

C. J. Wells ONEIDA, N.Y.

EA 806 – C.J. Wells ONEIDA, N.Y. – 18-size – Model 2 – Serial Number 28349 – 15 Jewels - Grade 102

W. L. Wentworth - Bridgeport, Conn. is a private label in Seth Thomas 18-size hunting Model 2, and open-face Model 5.

Watson Lyman Wentworth was born on December 11, 1844, in Hamden Massachusetts. He owned a home furnishings store at 69 & 71 John Street in Bridgeport Connecticut from the 1890’s until his death in 1905. W. L. Wentworth is buried at Mountain Grove Cemetery in Bridgeport. An advertisement from the 1896 Bridgeport Connecticut City Directory is shown below.

The rendering above is of Main Street in Bridgeport Connecticut in 1911 from the intersection of State Street. The intersection of John Street is two blocks ahead in the direction that we are looking. You would turn right onto John Street to arrive at W. L. Wentworth’s store.

The photo above is of Main Street in Bridgeport Connecticut in 1905. The buildings shown on the right are very similar to the building on John Street that housed W. L. Wentworth’s store.

W. L. Wentworth - Bridgeport, Conn.

EA 810 – W. L. Wentworth - Bridgeport, Conn. – 18-size – Model 5 – Serial Number 206150 – 11 Jewels - Grade 158

Robert Whitby Portland, Conn. is a private label in Seth Thomas 18-size hunting Model 3.

Robert James Whitby (b. Sept. 9, 1862 – d. Jun 29, 1897) was a jeweler in Portland Connecticut in the 1880s-90s.

Robert Whitby Portland, Conn.

EA 807 – Robert Whitby Portland, Conn. – 18-size – Model 3 – Serial Number 64847 – 17 Jewels - Grade 506

H.R. Woodward Norwich, Conn. is a private label in Seth Thomas 6-size hunting Model 14.

Henry Robert Woodward was a jeweler on Main Street in Norwich Connecticut from the 1880’s through the 1920’s. The postcards below show scenes on Main Street in Norwich during the first decade of the 20th Century. As a Clinical/Forensic Social Worker I was based in Norwich Connecticut from 2016-2019 as a member of the Crisis Intervention Team working with the Connecticut State Police and at the same time covered a position on the Mobile Crisis Team riding along with Police Officers of the Norwich Police Department. Much of the downtown area would have still been recognizable from these photographs at that time.

H.R. Woodward Norwich, Conn.

EA 818 – H.R. Woodward Norwich, Conn. – 6-size – Model 14 – Serial Number 121334 – 15 Jewels - Grade 152

Workingman’s Friend is a private label in Seth Thomas 18-size open-face Model 5, manufactured for Siegel Brothers Jewelers in Boston Massachusetts U.S.A.

In his “1980 Price Indicator” Roy Ehrhardt illustrated that the Siegel Bros. commissioned Seth Thomas to produce three different private label pocket watch lines with their name marked on the movements. The photos in this posting are of my recently acquired example of “Workingman’s Friend”. Illustrations from the “1980 Price Indicator” of Siegel Bros. “The King”, “American Best” and “Workingman’s Friend” are also included in this post.

Workingman’s Friend is a private label in Seth Thomas Model 5.

The 1908 Boston Massachusetts City Directory identifies Eli and George Siegel as the “Siegel Bros.” jewelers at 387 Washington Street in Boston. Their business is also identified as Washington Jewelry Co. in other period documents. The Siegel Brothers must have known Dan’l Pratt’s Son, Daniel F. Pratt, because his store was located at 335 Washington Street. In one of the photographs, you can see the address on the marquis of a blueprint maker, 345 Washington Street.