Bidspirit auction | Hampden Watch Co. John C.

Hampden Watch Co. John C. Dueber Grade 18s Open Face Pocket Watch - An American antique open-face pocket watch featuring a movement manufactured by the Hampden Watch Co. in Canton, Ohio. The white porcelain enamel dial features a double-sunk design with Roman numeral hour markers and a sub-seconds dial. The outer minute track is marked with red Arabic numerals at five-minute intervals. The dial is printed in Gothic script with the name John C. Dueber. The manual wind, 17-jewel movement is decorated with ornate damaskeening and blued steel screws. The movement is engraved JOHN C. DUEBER, CANTON, O., HAMPDEN WATCH CO., ADJUSTED TO HEAT & COLD, PAT PINION, and the serial number 622951. The base metal case features engine-turned linear decoration on the back with a vacant shield-shaped cartouche and beaded detailing around the edges. The interior of the case back is marked ILLINOIS WATCH CASE CO., SPARTAN, and 0873718, with a hand-scratched jeweler mark reading KA 312. A stamped mark on the case edge reads I. W. C. CO. BASE METAL. Diameter: 2 inches (50 mm). The watch does not run and needs a crown and stem. The winding crown and suspension bow are completely missing, leaving an open aperture at the top of the case (photo 3). The hour and minute hands are missing; only the blued steel seconds hand remains (photo 2). The porcelain dial exhibits significant hairline cracks radiating from the center and across the sub-seconds dial (photo 9). The case shows heavy surface scratching and wear to the base metal plating throughout (photo 4). The movement is exposed; while the balance wheel and internal components appear intact, the functional status is unknown (photo 7).