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http://www.pricelessads.com/m57/JamesRussell/ Who Made These Watches?James Russell & Co., Hartford Conn(updated September 21, 2011)I am currently aware of a number of James Russell watches that appear to be custom/private label American Watch Co. Model 57s, Circa 1860s. Although each movement has something inconsistent with a M57, everything else looks correct. Indeed, they look like some watchmaker made the movements from M57 parts. Even James Russell dials are surfacing.
Interestingly each movement has a subassembly serial number stamped on the parts like Walthams, but the sub-number is not from the movement number, although a different sub-number is also stamped on the parts which does match the movement number; all of which makes one think "remanufactured Walthams". Michael Edidin sent me his Russell for hands on examination. In my hand I would have sworn it was a Waltham, until I measured the parts. They were not exactly the same size as Waltham parts. A great copy! Moreover, we have not yet heard of a James Russell jeweler or watchmaker in Hartford, CT; possibly a made-up name. However, there might have been a James Russell jewelry store in the suburbs of Hartford, CT. A September, 2011, eBay ad selling costume jewelry included a James Russell jewelry box "of the Hartford, CT area." I have since purchased other Russells; e.g., #20590, #21147 and #22899. They are even closer to factory Model 57 movements than Edidin's. If not factory parts, factory tools must have been employed to make them. The watch (#331), owned by Dave Wallace has not been taken apart, so we do not yet know if it has any other numbers (e.g., 20331) as on the other Russells, but its case is engraved '62 (1862?). I originally thought perhaps these movements were made in England in the 1860s and maybe finished here from different ebauches and parts. They do not look like Swiss fakes to me. However, the train speed is the Model 57 speed of 16,200 beats per hour, not the earlier English speed of 14,400 (at least Russell #19841 is 16,200). Our English friends (e.g., Philip Priestley and David Penney ) think they are American built or with American machinery. There actually might be a Waltham connection. The dials on the Russells #20145(145), #20687(687), 21283(283) and #331 look just like the dial on an early Waltham AT&Co grade M57 #6429, possibly made by Moorhouse (see the 20145/145 page). I'd appreciate your comments. Gerrit Nijssen describes two Model 57 look-a-likes (Hiram W. Smith and Nathaniel G. Wood) in his February, 2005, NAWCC Bulletin article "George P. Reed & Hiram W. Smith", pp: 3-24 (the Smith & Wood descriptions start on page 23). Dennis Murphy sent me pictures of his Hiram W. Smith, another look-a-like. Although not quite as similar to the Russells, one has to wonder if these Smiths and Woods came from the same maker; or maybe all English full plate movements of the 1850/60s era look like Model 57s. My current theory (perhaps harebrained) is that the Waltham factory was selling "seconds" (i.e., rejected parts that didn't meet their specifications) and someone was re-fitting them to make the Russells as a business. The factory was adamant about interchangeability and they likely had many rejects in the 1860 period before advanced automatic machinery came into play. A good candidate for the "someone" is Jonas G. Hall, inventor of the staking tool and sometime Waltham employee. This was brought to may attention by contributor Michael Edidin. See article in NAWCC Bulletin #184 (1976) which starts on page 436. On p 438, Fig. 4 shows Hall #23, which is identical to the Russell! It is signed Montpelier (VT) where he worked until 1858. Hall is said to have designed the first ladies' watch at Waltham, the 10 size Appleton Tracey and P.S. Bartlett models. The article says Hall made 65 lever watches from 1848 through 1858, which probably included Hall #23. He joined the AWCo in 1859 where he worked to 1862. Maybe Hall made the Russells with factory parts after 1862 as a side business. Chris Carey provided another lead. He notes Chamberlain's book "It's About Time" states that Lyman Thompson, 1825-1910, bought hole jewels, train wheels, dials and springs from the Waltham Watch Factory sometime in the 1850's (pages 438-440). Lyman survived the Civil War and perhaps continued his watchmaking business after the Civil War, setting up a business for his son Avery Jay. That would correspond with the Russells which look like Circa 1860s. With a 10% survival rate, the above Russells represent a sizable production of watches. This was a big business for a watchmaker in the 1860s! Below are links for more information and pictures on each James Russell watch; also the Hiram W. Smith watches. Please respond to rprice@pricelessads.com Thanks for your help #19841 information provided by Robert Niemeyer #20145 information provided by Michael Edidin #20242 information provided by Mike Warren #20493 information provided by William Meggers (no pictures) #20590 from Derek Foster (observations by Ron Price, Sept., 2011) #21147 provided by Ron Price (Feb., 2010) #21283 information provided by Alan House #22177 information provided by Alan House #22899 provided by Ron Price (Jan., 2011)
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