Interstatetime Watch of the Month August 2001

ILLINOIS WATCH CO. - SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS

18 size Grade Bunn Special - 21 jewel open face "Benjamin Franklin"

Made for the Oskamp-Nolting Company of Cincinnati, Ohio, it is one of 2 18 size Bunn Special grade Illinois watches made with the "Ben Franklin" name. The other is a very rare 26 jewel Bunn ( See a 26j BF ) Oskamp-Nolting was a large wholsale jewelry and watch dealer. To see an Oskamp-Nolting advertesement from the November, 1907 edition of "The Keystone" click GO TO AD.

Ben Franklin watches were made from a variety of Illinois movements. The most collectable of these are the 26 jewel Bunn Special version and this 21 jewel Bunn Special in 18 size and 25 jewel and 21 jewel Sangamo grade examples in both open face and hunter in 16 size. There are also some examples of lesser grade 18 and 16 size 17 jewel models, some 12 size and some lady's watches.

All Benjamin Franklin watches seem to be very hard to find. There are no accurate production figures for any of the grades, as far as I know, but examples do not show up on the market very often.

Thanks to interstatetime.com friend Jerry Barko for letting me take pictures of his nice private label Illinois. We are proud to make it the January 2006 watch of the month.

If you have a watch you would like to submit...

SEND ME AN E-MAIL.


THIS IS THE JANUARY, 2006 interstatetime.com "WATCH OF THE MONTH" THIS PAGE COULD FEATURE YOUR WATCH!!! Every month we will pick a watch, submitted by one of our viewers, to be "Watch of the Month". "Watch of the Month" submissions should be a vintage or antique American pocket watch. They don't have to be rare or expensive, just interesting (this should give you lots of options). If you have a watch you would like to submit CLICK HERE to go to the "submission rules" page. THESE WATCHES ARE NOT FOR SALE! GO BACK TO OUR HOME PAGE OR TO THE WATCH OF THE MONTH ARCHIVES


ILLINOIS WATCH CO. - SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS 18 size Grade Bunn Special - 21 jewel open face "Benjamin Franklin" Made for the Oskamp-Nolting Company of Cincinnati, Ohio, it is one of 2 18 size Bunn Special grade Illinois watches made with the "Ben Franklin" name. The other is a very rare 26 jewel Bunn ( See a 26j BF ) Oskamp-Nolting was a large wholsale jewelry and watch dealer. To see an Oskamp-Nolting advertesement from the November, 1907 edition of "The Keystone" click GO TO AD. Ben Franklin watches were made from a variety of Illinois movements. The most collectable of these are the 26 jewel Bunn Special version and this 21 jewel Bunn Special in 18 size and 25 jewel and 21 jewel Sangamo grade examples in both open face and hunter in 16 size. There are also some examples of lesser grade 18 and 16 size 17 jewel models, some 12 size and some lady's watches. All Benjamin Franklin watches seem to be very hard to find. There are no accurate production figures for any of the grades, as far as I know, but examples do not show up on the market very often. Thanks to interstatetime.com friend Jerry Barko for letting me take pictures of his nice private label Illinois. We are proud to make it the January 2006 watch of the month. If you have a watch you would like to submit... SEND ME AN E-MAIL.