Movements Offered by the Illinois Watch Company in the 1890 Lapp & Flershem Illustrated Catalog (Busiest House in America)

Original catalogs are an invaluable primary source for understanding movement descriptions. Examining these resources can yield crucial insights into production tendencies, grade attributes, and pricing trends.

These catalogs often form the foundation for information that modern collectors rely on when company documentation is scarce or unavailable.

The 1890 edition of “The Busiest House in America” catalog, published by Lapp & Flershem, showcases the primary movements offered by the Illinois Watch Company at the time. (Illustrated movements in italics)

18 Size, Full Plate, Hunting or Open Face Lever Set – Gilt

• BUNN. 15 Jewels, 4 Pairs in Settings, Adjusted, Patent Regulator, Double Sunk Dial. Stem Wind: $35.00.
• No. 107. Nameless, same as Bunn [15 Jewels, 4 Pairs in Settings, Adjusted, Patent Regulator, Double Sunk Dial]. Stem Wind: $35.00
• No. 5. 15 Jewels, 4 Pairs in Settings, Patent Regulator, Adjusted, Double Sunk Dial. Key Wind: $19.00, Stem Wind: $25.00
• No. 60. 15 Jewels, 4 Pair in Settings, Patent Regulator. Key Wind: $15.50, Stem Wind: $17.00
• No. 6. 11 Jewels, 4 Upper Holes, Silver Index. Key Wind: $10.00
• No. 2. 11 Jewels, 4 Upper Holes. Stem Wind: $12.50
• I.W.Co. 7 Jewels, Plain, Sunk Second Dial. Key Wind: $7.00, Stem Wind: $10.00

18-Size, Full Plate – Nickel

• No. 105. 15 Jewels, 4 Pairs in Settings, Adjusted, Patent Regulator, Breguet Hair Spring. Stem Wind: $100.00
• No. 65. 15 Jewels, 4 Piars in Settings, Adjusted, Patent Regulator, Double Sunk Dial. Stem Wind: $30.00
• No. 64. 15 Jewels, 4 Pairs in Settings, Adjusted, Patent Regulator, Single Sunk Dial. Stem Wind: $24.00
• No. 61. 15 Jewels, 4 Pairs in Settings, Patent Regulator, Single Sunk Dial. Stem Wind: $18.00
• No. 99. 11 Jewels. 4 Upper Holes, Patent Regulator. Key Wind: $11.50, Stem Wind: $14.00
• No. 101. 11 Jewels. 4 Upper Holes. Stem Wind: $14.00

16 Size, 3/4 Plate – Gilt

• No. 110. 7 Jewels, Gilt, Hunting. $10.00

14 Size, 3/4 Plate, Open Face, Pendant Set – Gilt

• No. 120. 7 Jewels Complete in Silveroid Case. $11.50
• No. 120. 7 Jewels Complete in Silver Case, Plain of E.T. $17.00
• No. 120. 7 Jewels Complete in Silver Case, E.T.E. $17.60

Ladies’ 3/4 Plate Movements, 6 Size.

• No. 146. Nickel, 16 Jewels, 4 1/2 Pairs in Settings, Adjusted. $60.00
• No. 144. Nickel, 15 Jewels, 4 Pairs in Settings. $27.00
• No. 142. Nickel, 11 Jewels, 4 Upper Holes. $15.50
• No. 149. Nickel, 7 Jewels, Plain. $13.50
• No. 143. Gilded, 15 Jewels, 4 Pairs in Settings. $24.00
• No. 141. Gilded, 11 Jewels, 4 Upper Holes. $14.50
• No. 140. Gilded, 7 Jewels, Plain. $12.00

Ladies’ 3/4 Plate Movements, 4 Size.

• No. 136. [Nickel, 16 Jewels, 4 1/2 Pairs in Settings, Adjusted.] $60.00
• No. 134. [Nickel, 15 Jewels, 4 Pairs in Settings.] $27.00
• No. 132. [Nickel, 11 Jewels, 4 Upper Holes.] $15.50
• No. 133. [Gilded, 15 Jewels, 4 Pairs in Settings.] $24.00
• No. 131. [Gilded, 11 Jewels, 4 Upper Holes.] $14.50
• No. 130. [Gilded, 7 Jewels, Plain.] $12.00

By analyzing the grade descriptions and pricing, we find that the Illinois Watch Company leveraged a few distinct features to position the movements in their product line: Winding Method, Finish, Jeweling, Regulator, Adjustment, Dial Type, and Hair Spring. These traits are more complex than the product line offered by Seth Thomas in the same catalog.

Winding Method

During this time, stem-wind movements were the market trend, even though many watch companies still offered key-wind movements adhering to the older style. The Illinois Watch Company was no different. Five of the company’s grades offered in the 1890 Lapp & Flershem catalog could be purchased as key-wind. The premium required for a stem-wind movement of the same grade ranged from $1.50 (Grade 60) to $6.00 (Grade 5).

Finish

Movements were offered in both nickel and gilded plate finishes, with nickel positioned as the premium option. In the 18-size line, we can compare Grade No. 5 (Gilt) to Grade No. 65 (Nickel), revealing a $5.00 difference in the finishes. For lower-quality movements, this disparity is slightly less. Grade No. 2 (Gilt) was priced at only $3.00 less than Grade No. 99 (Nickel). The ladies’ movements showcase an even tighter disparity, ranging from $1.50 to $3.00 extra for a similar grade with a nickel finish.

Jeweling

The Illinois Watch Company offered movements in 7, 11, 15, and 16 jewel configurations in the 1890 Lapp & Flershem catalog. Because other features were typically added with jewel count increases, it is difficult to determine pricing differentials isolated to jeweling. The 11-Jewel Grade No. 2 was priced $2.50 above the 7-Jewel Grade I.W.Co. The Grade No. 60 was priced $4.50 above the No. 2, but the regulator was also upgraded. The No. 5 was priced $8.00 more than the No. 60 but was also adjusted and fitted with a double-sunk dial.

Regulator

The Illinois Watch Company’s movements were typically offered with patent regulators on 18-Size movements with 15 Jewels. However, some 11-Jewel movements could be purchased with an upgraded regulator. By comparing Grade No. 101 (Plain Regulator) to Grade No. 99 (Patent Regulator), we find the premium to be $1.50 for this option.

Adjustment

Only the finer movements were offered with factory adjustments: Bunn, No. 107, No. 5, No. 105, No. 65, No. 64, No. 146, and No. 136. We can compare Grade No. 61 (Unadjusted) to Grade No. 64 (Adjusted) to find that the base-level adjustment option required an extra $6.00. However, it is important to note that the tolerance requirements and level of adjustment likely increased as the quality of the movement increased. Not all movements described as “Adjusted” were adjusted to the same extent.

Dial Type

The finer grades offered by the Illinois Watch Company were fitted with double-sunk dials: Bunn, No. 107, No. 5, and No. 65. Though not described as such in this particular catalog, we know the No. 105 was also fitted with a double-sunk dial. Based on the price difference between Grade No. 64 (Single-Sunk Dial) and Grade No. 65 (Double-Sunk Dial), this option demanded a premium of around $6.00.

Hairspring

Only a single grade was described as featuring a Breguet Hair Spring in the 1890 Lapp & Flershem catalog – the prestigious and most-expensive Grade No. 105. In the 1890s, the company’s finer movements featured the Breguet hairspring, and even lower-quality grades were eventually upgraded to feature this option as well.

It is also important to note that the 14-Size movements offered by the company were sold as complete watches – offered in silveroid or silver cases.

The Illinois Watch Company also offered movements that were not included in the Lapp & Flershem catalog. It is important to note that period catalogs often contain a selection of grades, likely what the wholesaler expected to sell, rather than depicting the comprehensive product line.