history of the rockford watch co. and their products · history cont. •watch ppgroduction began...
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History Of The Rockford History Of The Rockford Watch Co. and Their ProductsWatch Co. and Their Products
Copyright by D. G. Artzner
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Brief History• John C. Adams investigated in 1850
L d i R kf d Ill b i• Located in Rockford, Ill. to be near main customer (railroad)
• Rockford in 1866. Boo!• High Gear in December 1873g• Local Investors led by Levi Rhoades and
H R Enoch organized in Jan 1874H. R. Enoch organized in Jan. 1874
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History contHistory cont.
• Officially licensed on March 1874Officially licensed on March 1874• George D. Clark and P.H. Wheeler
(previous Superintendent And Assist(previous Superintendent And Assist. Super. Cornell W.C. respectively) supervised construction and purchase ofsupervised construction and purchase of machinery (1874-1876)C ll W t h C l id d• Cornell Watch Co. employees provided initial expertise
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Rockford Factory, Rockford Ill.y
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Rockford Factory, Rockford Ill.
Courtesy Rockford yPub Library
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Rockford Factory (today) (courtesy L. Seikel)
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Rockford Factory (today)
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History cont.
• Watch production began in Feb. 1876.p g• Company failed in 1896 and reorganized
as Rockford Watch Company, Ltd. in 1901as Rockford Watch Company, Ltd. in 1901• Discontinued in 1915 (remaining stock
marketed by The Illinois Watch Case Comarketed by The Illinois Watch Case Co. of Elgin, Ill.)Name transferred to Elgin Ill in 1919• Name transferred to Elgin, Ill. in 1919
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Conventional Jeweled Watches
• Elgin 700,000 9,000,000 33,000,0001880 1900 1930
g• Waltham 1,500,000 9,000,000 27,000,000• Hampden 200,000 1,300,000 4,600,000
Illi i 190 000 1 000 000 5 300 000• Illinois 190,000 1,000,000 5,300,000• Lancaster 50,000 150,000 150,000• Rockford 50 000 100 000 1 000 000• Rockford 50,000 100,000 1,000,000• Howard 50,000 100,000 250,000• U.S. Marion 20,000 - 20,000U S a o 0,000 0,000• Newark 13,000 - 13,000• Hamilton - 100,000 2,500,000
Source M.C. Harrold, 1984
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WatchesWatchesSize Models (types) Production*Known Grades
18 10 65 514,93316 7 62 207 66316 7 62 207,66312 2 17 49,700 8 2 0 13,1006 2 8 18,800,0 3 14 48,800
T t l 938 000* = approximate Total 938,000
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18s Models
Model 2 = Key\stem wind and key setModel 1 = Key wind and set y y
Two case screwsOne case screw
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18s Models514,933
Model 3 Model 4 Model 5
Model 6 Model 7 Model 8
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18s Models
Model 9 Model 10
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16s Models207,663
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8s 12s 6s 0s
18,800
48,800
49,700
13,100
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Different Plate Size (14/12, 12/10)
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Medium Grade
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High Grade
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Standard Dials
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Fancy Dials
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Fancy Dials
Courtesy Fred Hansen Courtesy Fred HansenCourtesy Fred Hansen
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Rockford Watch Case CompanyRockford Watch Case Company
• 1872 Rockford Watch Case Co was1872 Rockford Watch Case Co. was Organized
• Producing cases approx 1878• Producing cases approx. 1878• 1878 NW Watch Case Co. (Racine,
Wi i ) d t R kf d IllWisconsin) moved to Rockford, Ill.
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Rockford Watch Case CompanyRockford Watch Case Company
• 1872 Rockford Watch Case Co was1872 Rockford Watch Case Co. was Organized
• 1878 NW Watch Case Co (Racine• 1878 NW Watch Case Co. (Racine, Wisconsin) moved to Rockford, Ill.RWCC b ht NWWCC 1883• RWCC bought NWWCC 1883
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Rockford Watch Case Co Acquires The NW Watch Case Co.
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Rockford Watch Case CompanyRockford Watch Case Company• 1872 Rockford Watch Case Co. was
OrganizedOrganized • 1878 NW Watch Case Co. (Racine,
Wi i ) d t R kf d IllWisconsin) moved to Rockford, Ill.• RWCC bought NWWCC in1883• Initiated production (1878?)• Sixty employees and $50 000 sales 1880Sixty employees and $50,000 sales 1880 • Closed 1915
Q tit k• Quantity unknown
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Rockford Watch Case Factory1887 - 1895
112 116 N Main 2nd floor112-116 N. Main 2nd floor
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Rockford Marked Cases
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Additional MarkingsAdditional MarkingsFound on 0s, 6s, 12s, 16s
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Hunter Cases
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OF Cases
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Wrist Watches
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Wrist Watches Cont.
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Ladies
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Art Deco
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Disguised 1905 & 1908
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Propaganda
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Catchy Adsy
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Jeweler’s Handouts
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Tip Trays
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Gadgets To Promote
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Post CardsPost Cards
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This presentation can be found on Chapter 139 web page
http://sanjacinto139.homestead.com/index.html
More detailed article may be obtained at
the Chapter 149 web page research sectionthe Chapter 149 web page research section
http://www.nawcc-ch149.com/pw_dbresearch.html
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References• 1. Dean A. Olsen, 1971, History of Rockford Watches
Presented To Rockford Public Library; Rockford Public Library; Rockford, Ill.
• 2. P.H. Wheeler (Wheeler’s Patent) and C.W. Parker• 3 Rockford Public Library; Rockford Ill3. Rockford Public Library; Rockford, Ill.• 4. Galena & Chicago Union RR; Chicago &
Northwestern RR; Illinois Central RR5 Th h d d bl k f S M di• 5. Three hundred block of S. Madison
• 6. Pendant and Pocket Watches; C. Jeanenne Bell; 2007; p. 111; p
• 7. Richard Warren Sears and His Watch Companies part 2; William F. Meggers, Jr.; NAWCC Bulletin, vol. 32/6, Dec 1990 Dec 269 p 540-554Dec. 1990, Dec 269, p. 540 554.
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References
• 8. Industrial and Picturesque Rockford, 1891; compiled b E B d F F d R F t Citby Eugene Browne and F. Ford Rowe; Forest City Publishing Co., Rockford, Ill