# Cook County Watch Co. "Chicago"



## Trevor (Apr 18, 2010)

Recently was given an antique pocket watch, but I can't find out too much about it. I was told it was a mid-to-late 19th century watch. Maybe my "Google-Fu" is weak and someone here can shed some light on the subject. I haven't looked at the anatomy further than to just pop open the domes and look inside at the movement. It has the words "Cook County Watch, Co." and "Chicago" inscribed on the inside (as well as numbers that as of yet mean nothing to me).

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I did find something about some Swiss imitations that came around at some point that used the name "Chicago Watch Company", but haven't found too much info on that either.

Any help? Thanks!

Trevor


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## Jon Hanson (Apr 18, 2010)

Hello,

What you have here is a Swiss made watch, madeto resemble an American watch. The Swiss made tens of thousands of these type watches with American names--these are referred to in American watch collecting circles as Swiss Fakes.

Many times the names are misspelled, the finish and gilding is NOT AMERICAN and the serial numbers make no sense.

While common low grade watches, there are some who colect these watches.

Jon


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## Trevor (Apr 18, 2010)

Interesting!

Do you know if there was a time period in which these watches were made (or at least most commonly made), or is it sort of an ongoing process with no real traceable/cataloged way of determining age.

Either way, thank you for your response!

Trevor


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## Jon Hanson (Apr 18, 2010)

If I remember correctly these were made from the 1880s on, and later as some of the late ones are stem wind.

There is a list somewhere I have of the variou names, e.g. Marian, Bartlet--notoce they are usually (but not always) spelled incorectly.

Jon


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## ValvesRule (May 20, 2009)

Jon Hanson said:


> If I remember correctly these were made from the 1880s on,


It looks late 1800s.


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## Jon Hanson (Apr 18, 2010)

Trevor said:


> Interesting!
> 
> Do you know if there was a time period in which these watches were made (or at least most commonly made), or is it sort of an ongoing process with no real traceable/cataloged way of determining age.
> 
> ...


There is no existing calalogue of these--just some lists collectors made over time as these were recorded.

Always glad to help, Trevor.

Jon


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## watchnutz (Jan 18, 2008)

There was a Chicago Watch Co from 1895-1903 that sold watches made by other manufacturers such as New York Standard, Illinois and Waltham. I don't know anymore about them than that. BTW Chicago is in Cook County, Illinois. Swiss fakes started before 1871 when Congress passed a law requiring the country of origin to be on the watch. Usually the Swiss fakes had a mispelled name or one close to a watch company name such as Hampton to look like Hampden at a glance. Having said all that, I cannot speak for your watch as I don't have that much experience. I will say your watch movement looks like most of the photos I have seen of Swiss fakes.


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