# Mappin



## chrisdt (Nov 15, 2013)

Hi guys. Just spotted a silver Mappin "Campaign" wristwatch on screwbay. Does anyone know anything about these. I do collect some

WW! memorabelia but at Â£420 asking price I hesitated. Were they actually army issue? (No sign of the arrow) It says the movement was

made by Longines but from the pic it does look a bit crappy! Worth an offer perhaps.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/321491807409?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT


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## Delroyb (Jul 17, 2013)

Not worth it in my opinion. Can get much nicer ww1 watches for a lot less.


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## Will Fly (Apr 10, 2012)

Early Longines movements weren't quite as finely made as they are today. The problem is - particularly at the moment - that there's a lot of hype over militaria and watches from the 1914-1919 period. But iff they're not functioning, or break, parts can be impossible to get. Furthermore, there's no absolute provenance for this watch. It may say "Campaign" on the dial, but that in itself means nothing as far as being used as a military watch.

The auction ad is correct in that Baume of London was indeed an importer of Longines movements and may well have been responsible for putting the watch together for sale by Mappin. See my recent post on the Audemars watch firm.

A watch is worth what the market will stand, of course, so the seller may get his Â£300 asking price - I wouldn't pay it.


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## Will Fly (Apr 10, 2012)

Incidentally, he claims the watch has silver import marks for 1917 - the photos don't show any.


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## chrisdt (Nov 15, 2013)

Many thanks for your input guys....Perhaps I'll let this one go

Chris


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## mel (Dec 6, 2006)

I too would very much doubt a watch with "CAMPAIGN" on the dial would have anything to do with a real Mil watch - - as Mach will testify, there are a whole range of *"ServiceS"* watches with various Mil sounding names as dial signatures that are simply good marketing techniques of the day :yes:

The number of times you will see a *"ServiceS"* ARMY watch described as being Mil Issue on fleabay is - - - - well *LOADS* of 'em :lol:

OTOH, Mappin, (Mappin and Webb) might well have been the type of place an Office and Gentleman would *purchase* a wrist or other watch to wear for himself, and it would be a cut above those issued by the War Office - - it was common for Officers to have their uniforms and etc made to measure by Military Tailors and so on. :yes:


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