Old pocket watch ID

[Anygreg]

Some of you may know from another post I’m clearing through the late father in laws property and have come across a few trinkets.
This is another of those things.

Anyone share any information on this one? Have found the winding key as well but doesn’t seem to want to turn, not going to force it for obvious reasons. Wondering if it’s worth restoring as well? Any help or suggestions welcomed. Just noticed on the last photo there looks to be some inscriptions, I’ll try and photo those better as well

Thanks in advance
guys

[sundial]

Silver watch case has a London 1882 hallmark. Watch movement engraved Eames Bro ... could be the maker ... could be the retailer. Station Building South Kensington refers to the original South Kensington Railway Station shops parade ... station opened in 1868. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_...n_tube_station.

Not a railway watch but might be of interest to a railway watch collector due to its South Kensington Railway Station connection ... retailer likely occupied one the arcade shops.

Appears to be fairly good quality English fusee movement but maybe made at a time when Swiss and American keyless pocket watches were flooding the market

A watchmaker should be able to restore the watch but restoration cost might exceed potential value.

Maybe a TZ UK pocket watch enthusiast can comment about the movement quality?

dunk

[Anygreg]

Silver watch case has a London 1882 hallmark. Watch movement engraved Eames Bro ... could be the maker ... could be the retailer. Station Building South Kensington refers to the original South Kensington Railway Station opened in 1868 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_...n_tube_station.

Appears to be fairly good quality English fusee movement but maybe made at a time when Swiss and American keyless pocket watches were flooding the market

A watchmaker should be able to restore the watch but restoration cost might exceed potential value.

Maybe a TZ UK pocket watch enthusiast can comment about the movement quality?

dunk

Hi dunk, thanks for the update very interesting indeed. Maybe owned by somebody working on the trains back then? Intriguing
I’ll try and get some better photos of the back as it looks like there are dates inscriptions.

Thanks again very much appreciated

[alfat33]

Eames and Eames of Brockley are shown as watchmakers in the 1896 Kellys London Suburban Directory.



There are quite a few other makers called Eames but these look like brothers, not so far from South Kensington.

[sundial]

Hi dunk, thanks for the update very interesting indeed. Maybe owned by somebody working on the trains back then? Intriguing
I’ll try and get some better photos of the back as it looks like there are dates inscriptions.

Thanks again very much appreciated

If it was a Metropolitan Railway 'issued' watch, the case back would be engraved to show the company name. Dates scribed inside case are likely watchmakers' repair / service dates.

Additional Eames info: https://www.clockswatches.com/showindex_e.php. ... so likely the watchmaker

Also bear in mind the watchmaker would likely not have made all the watch parts ... movements and parts were 'outsourced' and assembled / refinished. In Coventry children were employed to make fusee chains ... their fingers were nimbler than those of adults.


dunk

[Neil.C]

Nothing to add except it is a lovely piece of history.

[Anygreg]

Nothing to add except it is a lovely piece of history.

I agree with this entirely.

[Anygreg]

Eames and Eames of Brockley are shown as watchmakers in the 1896 Kellys London Suburban Directory.



There are quite a few other makers called Eames but these look like brothers, not so far from South Kensington.

Fantastic work, there looks to be quite a bit of history behind this. I wonder if there were any watchmakers actually in the station back then? Fascinating stuff

[sundial]

English watchmaking was a major 19th C industry with watchmakers trading parts with other watchmakers: https://thewatchforum.co.uk/index.ph...comment=387496

The Swiss and American mass produced pocket watch imports resulted in the English watchmaking industry's demise.

Brief history of the English watchmaking industry's demise: https://journals.lib.unb.ca/index.ph...ew/17529/22464

Coventry watchmakers' skills were 'recycled' to Coventry's bicycle, motor cycle and automobile industries. Bicycle / motorcycle chains are similar to watch and clock fusee movement chains ... but bigger

Lots of pocket watch books listed by Amazon https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=the+poc..._1_16_ts-doa-p