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This watch has a hallmark from Birmingham for 1833, which places it later than the Colonial/Federal period, but it has interesting marking and watch papers that connect it to the development of the American watch industry. B. Fitts of Holliston Massachusetts, is most likely Bucklin Fitts and the father of Daniel Bucklin Fitts. D. B. Fitts worked for the American Watch Co. and in 1858 patented a device to prevent damage to the watch in the event of mainspring breakage. D. B. Fitts was also one of the employees of the earlier Boston Watch Co. The topmost of 5 papers in the back of the watch, is from F. C. Raymond of Boston. It is unlikely that this Raymond has any relationship to B. W. Raymond, the first president of the Elgin Watch Co. but it is interesting to find the name with a watch a generation earlier than the rise of Waltham and Elgin. The paper has the date of June 2d 1841 and Raymond's signature. There are a total of 5 papers plus a silk in the outer case of this watch. The earliest one has no name on it and appears to be cut from a piece of correspondence on fairly heavy paper. The next 3 are all from Pawtucket, Rhode Island with the earliest one from A. G. Reynolds and two from David B. Warren. The last and top one is the F. C. Raymond, Boston paper. A red slip of silk seems to have been associated with the papers for a long time and has served to preserve them well. |
