Bidspirit auction | Hampden Watch Co 18-Size Gold-Filled

Hampden Watch Co 18-Size Gold-Filled Sidewinder Pocket Watch Runs - An antique American pocket watch by the Hampden Watch Co. featuring an 18-size, manual-wind, lever-set movement. The white porcelain enamel dial features black Roman numeral hour markers, a sub-seconds dial at the three o'clock position, and ornate blued steel hands. The dial is printed HAMPDEN WATCH CO. in black capital letters. This timepiece is configured as a sidewinder, with the winding crown positioned at nine o'clock relative to the twelve o'clock dial position. The movement is decorated with circular damaskeening and is engraved PATENT PINION, HAMPDEN WATCH CO., Springfield, Mass. and the serial number 235708. The watch runs as intended. The movement is housed in a gold-filled open-face case with an ornate floral and scroll engraved bezel. The outer edge of the case frame is stamped GEM PAT. APRIL 5. 1881 between two stars. The interior of the case back is stamped GEM and 120541, alongside two hand-scratched watchmaker service marks reading W247457 and W156157. The porcelain dial exhibits several hairline cracks, primarily running from the center toward the ten, eleven, and four o'clock positions (photo 1 and 2). The gold-filled case shows moderate wear and brassing to the high points of the base metal, particularly on the bow and the winding crown (photo 3). The interior of the case back shows light surface scratches from mechanical servicing (photo 6). The crystal is present and displays light surface scratching throughout (photo 1). The movement appears clean and free of significant corrosion (photo 4 and 5).