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Lot # 884: 19th Century Baseball Pocket Watch by Equity

Category: Early Baseball

Starting Bid: $500.00

Bids: 10 (Bid History)

Time Left: Auction closed
Lot / Auction Closed




This lot is closed. Bidding is not allowed.

Item was in Auction "Winter Classic 2022",
which ran from 2/13/2022 3:00 PM to
3/12/2022 10:00 PM



Rare nineteenth-century baseball pocket watch produced by the Equity Watch Company of Boston, Massachusetts. The attractive design on the facing features illustrations of generic ballplayers at each hour mark, with all the players pictured in various playing poses (throwing, catching, fielding, sliding, etc.). The name "Equity" is printed near the center of the facing. This is one of only a few examples of this baseball pocket watch we have ever seen, but the first bearing the Equity company name. The others all featured the American Waltham Watch Company name on the facing. That is not surprising, though, because Equity was one of several trade names used by Waltham during the late 1800s/early 1900s. The American Waltham Watch Company of Waltham, Massachusetts, which was founded in 1851 and remained in business for 106 years, was the first company to mass produce watches in American. However, the company was also known for producing high-quality time pieces, such as the offered example. Baseball was exploding in popularity during the late 1800s and Waltham obviously designed this watch as a special commemorative piece to be presented to players or team officials (we have seen at least one example engraved as such on the reverse). The offered example works intermittently when wound, but probably needs to be serviced by a qualified jeweler for regular use. EX-MT condition overall. An exceptional example of this seldom-seen watch, and one that has appeal to both baseball and watch collectors.

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