How nice! This should be *very* early according to the markings on the barrel bridge and the beautiful chatons kept in place with screws. However, the plates are quite crudely finished, nothing remains of the former Dueber-Hampden decorations. I would date it 1933/1934. Did the seller date it?
Thank you zvezda, I hope to tell more when it arrives. I'm hoping the fact that the balance says only F & S and the low serial number will help date it. The seller just said early.
Do you think the guy who stamped F & S didn't understand the characters? There seems to have been more than one Go!
hampden ha scritto:Do you think the guy who stamped F & S didn't understand the characters? There seems to have been more than one Go!
Indeed, I was meditating on the additional S and F. Not only they are oddly skewed, but also mistakenly placed, provided they were meant to stand for Fast and Slow, that is.
type1.jpg
Maybe you will solve the riddle once the watch is in your hands, maybe not. Anyway, it is a little thing of mystery that adds to the intriguing allure of the watch.
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Just to follow-up.
The watch arrived safely. I'm no expert but the finish looks Moscow. The balance may be Hampden, the balance spring is blue steel.
Based upon the re-stamped Russian/English regulator, I think it is early and safe to extend zvezda's estimate to 1931-1934.
I have another question which this forum may be best to answer because it concerns Soviet history as much as horology.
I have a Type-1 chronograph, also in transit. It says Industrial Cooperative Artel 'Right Time' Moscow - промю. кооп. арт верное время москва on the dial. It has a 1st SWF 1938-40 logo (cannot see the full date stamp from the photo's) movement stamp and ABB stamped into the case.
According to Mark Gordon's example... "Altmeppen reports that the production records he examined at the 1st Moscow Watch factory do not contain any mention of this caliber. It is my belief that the records are blank because the modification of the movement did not occur at this factory. Rather, I believe, the modification was made at the factory whose name appears in the dial signature."
Unless I'm mistaken Artels were disbanded by 1938.
Your thoughts would be appreciated.
hampden ha scritto:The balance may be Hampden, the balance spring is blue steel.
What? No pictures? Please! I am eager to have a look at the hairspring
hampden ha scritto:I have a Type-1 chronograph, also in transit.
Congratulations on your new purchase! Please open a new thread. Those beauties deserve their own space
As to Artels, I know some survived until the early 1950s but I have no information on when were ABB disbanded. However, they were still producing small batches of customised Type 1 watches as late as 1941.
