Job Number 220021, Hampden General Stark

Here's a nice Hampden Watch Company, General Stark, model 4, 16 size, 17 jewels made about 1906.

It's quite a decorative movement.

As is usually the case the fingered bridge over the 4th and escape is actually one part, although the two screws are real. This type of bridge is just a matter of style.

On the dial side, it's a little tricky to get all the wheels and the spring placed during assembly, but it's not the most awkward design I've seen for lever-setting. 

This is one of those movements where one of the screws for the pallet bridge is directly under the center wheel. This one isn't the most awkward I've seen though. There's plenty of room in there.

See the album for this project here:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/fpwJzP9j2pGcfdEM9

New Arrival, Job Number 220021

Album for this project here:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/fpwJzP9j2pGcfdEM9 

Hampden General Stark

This 16 size Hampden was made about 1881.  It's a 17 jewel General Stark model in a fantastic gold hunter case.

Whenever I see one of these I think about how many more cases like this existed prior to the spike in gold prices in the 1970s. People destroyed these irreplaceable cases in large numbers for really relatively little cash.

This is happening now as well.  eBay is littered with bare movements that have lost their cases.  It was likely worse in the '70s though, since back then no one wanted these "clunky old watches".