This Illinois Watch Company pocketwatch is 12 size, 17 jewel model, made about 1882.I really like the character of the dial and hands on this one.
Illinois Watch Company, 12 Size
This Illinois Watch Company pocketwatch is 12 size, 17 jewel model, made about 1882.I really like the character of the dial and hands on this one.
An Electric Clock Which Does Everything Except Think
From The American Horologist magazine, January 1942
An electric clock which tells the time of the largest cities in the world, sounds chimes, plays a harp and an organ, predicts weather, sends a statue of Uncle Sam parading arm in arm with the Goddess of Liberty, recites Lincoln's Gettysburg address at the exact hour the EmancipatorPresident was laid to rest, and a host of other things, has made it appropriately called "the clock that does everything but think."
This clock is 12 feet tall, four feet wide and 32 inches deep and is made of 5000 pieces of wood taken from 32 different kinds of trees. Miles of wire regulate the intricate mechanism. The material alone cost over $5000 and the clock is valued at $50,000. It is a practical timepiece, ingeniously contrived by electricity and is the fruit of patience, tenacity and time.
The clock was made by Marvin Shearer in his workshop in Akron, Ohio. He spent 15 months alone in drawing the blue prints for the master-piece and seven years in building it. Now he has thrown the blueprints away to make sure that there will not be another to match its marvel.
In more detail the clock does the following which are only a few of its accomplishments. It has 27 dials. At a quarter to the hour, the chimes ring out soft and low. At a quarter after, a harp sounds a sweet melody. On the hour and half hour, a reedless pipe organ peels out his music.
The clock pays honor not only to the memory of the Civil War president but also to the other martyr presidents, namely, William McKinley and James Garfield. At the hour of McKinley's funeral the organ plays softly the beautiful hymn "Lead Kindly Light." At the hour of Garfield's services it plays another hymn, "Gates Ajar."
The small figures of Uncle Sam and the Goddess of Liberty leave their pedestal once an hour, enter elevators on each side of the face of the clock, descend to a balcony, join hands and go for a stroll around the base of the timepiece. The base of the clock is a model of Akron's new passenger depot. It is encircled by a miniature train which stops in front of the station after completing seven laps on the tiny track. Above the station is an electrical water cascade in a moonlit mill scene. Sixteen lights in the waterfall change color constantly. Other lights of the clock change with the tones of the organ and the harp.
Revolving pictures on the front panel depict events in the world history from 1492 to the present year. On the rear panels are portraits of the leaders of the five most important countries of the world. The clock is made in sections and can be taken down and put up again in less than an hour. It is truely a marvelous timepiece and justly merited to the title of "the clock that does everything but think."
An Electric Clock Which Does Everything Except Think
By MAJOR WILL TALSEY
An electric clock which tells the time of the largest cities in the world, sounds chimes, plays a harp and an organ, predicts weather, sends a statue of Uncle Sam parading arm in arm with the Goddess of Liberty, recites Lincoln's Gettysburg address at the exact hour the EmancipatorPresident was laid to rest, and a host of other things, has made it appropriately called "the clock that does everything but think."
This clock is 12 feet tall, four feet wide and 32 inches deep and is made of 5000 pieces of wood taken from 32 different kinds of trees. Miles of wire regulate the intricate mechanism. The material alone cost over $5000 and the clock is valued at $50,000. It is a practical timepiece, ingeniously contrived by electricity and is the fruit of patience, tenacity and time.
The clock was made by Marvin Shearer in his workshop in Akron, Ohio. He spent 15 months alone in drawing the blue prints for the master-piece and seven years in building it. Now he has thrown the blueprints away to make sure that there will not be another to match its marvel.
In more detail the clock does the following which are only a few of its accomplishments. It has 27 dials. At a quarter to the hour, the chimes ring out soft and low. At a quarter after, a harp sounds a sweet melody. On the hour and half hour, a reedless pipe organ peels out his music.
The clock pays honor not only to the memory of the Civil War president but also to the other martyr presidents, namely, William McKinley and James Garfield. At the hour of McKinley's funeral the organ plays softly the beautiful hymn "Lead Kindly Light." At the hour of Garfield's services it plays another hymn, "Gates Ajar."
The small figures of Uncle Sam and the Goddess of Liberty leave their pedestal once an hour, enter elevators on each side of the face of the clock, descend to a balcony, join hands and go for a stroll around the base of the timepiece. The base of the clock is a model of Akron's new passenger depot. It is encircled by a miniature train which stops in front of the station after completing seven laps on the tiny track. Above the station is an electrical water cascade in a moonlit mill scene. Sixteen lights in the waterfall change color constantly. Other lights of the clock change with the tones of the organ and the harp.
Revolving pictures on the front panel depict events in the world history from 1492 to the present year. On the rear panels are portraits of the leaders of the five most important countries of the world. The clock is made in sections and can be taken down and put up again in less than an hour. It is truely a marvelous timepiece and justly merited to the title of "the clock that does everything but think."
Angular Pendulum
From The American Horologist magazine, January 1942
This type of pendulum is formed of two pieces, or legs, like a sector, and suspended by the angular point "A". This pendulum is constructed with a view of diminishing the length of the common pendulum, and at the same time maintain, or even increase the time of vibration. In this pendulum the time of vibration depends on the length of the legs and on the angle contained between conjointly, the duration of the time of vibration increasing with the angle. Consequently, a pendulum of this construction may be made to oscillate in any given time.
This pendulum is used on occasions when it is desirable to have a pendulum vibrate long portions of time and when the situation will not admit of a pendulum of the usual construction, but it is not suited for any purpose where accuracy is required.
The difficulty of compensating this pendulum and the great and fatal tendency it has to wobble, or swing in an elliptical plane, renders it unsuitable for purposes where precision is an object.
Angular Pendulum
By W. H. SAMELIUS, Director Elgin Watchmaqers College
This type of pendulum is formed of two pieces, or legs, like a sector, and suspended by the angular point "A". This pendulum is constructed with a view of diminishing the length of the common pendulum, and at the same time maintain, or even increase the time of vibration. In this pendulum the time of vibration depends on the length of the legs and on the angle contained between conjointly, the duration of the time of vibration increasing with the angle. Consequently, a pendulum of this construction may be made to oscillate in any given time.
At the lower extremity of each leg is a ball or the usual bob, and if it vibrates half-seconds when the legs are closed, it will vibrate full seconds when the legs are opened, so as to contain an angle equal to 1510 2' 30".
This pendulum is used on occasions when it is desirable to have a pendulum vibrate long portions of time and when the situation will not admit of a pendulum of the usual construction, but it is not suited for any purpose where accuracy is required.
The difficulty of compensating this pendulum and the great and fatal tendency it has to wobble, or swing in an elliptical plane, renders it unsuitable for purposes where precision is an object.
Elgin Grade 326
This one was made about 1913. It is in a pretty typical open-faced case, threaded front and back.
Elgin Grade 291
Open-faced, gold-filled case, threaded front and back...
Current Elgin Watches
Now and then I get an email about new Elgin watches. It's usually someone wanting to obtain a link for a watch bracelet, or other repair.
The Elgin National Watch Company went completely out of business in 1968, after 100 years of operation. Since then the name has been used by a variety of watch and clock manufacturers, with no connection at all to the original operation. Current Elgin watches are, as far as I know, Chinese-made by a company called MZ Berger.
Elgin Grade 303
This is a 12 size, 7 jewel grade 303 with a nice looking dial. I'm not sure the dial is as old as the movement, it may be, but it is definitely of an appropriate style.
This movement was made about 1930.
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