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The Encyclopedia of Horology

Catalogue record · Pocket watch

Illinois Sangamo Special

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Illinois's most prestigious named grade of the 1920s, sharing the Bunn Special's railroad ambitions with a higher jewel count and finer finishing.

Overview

The Sangamo Special, named for the Illinois county in which Springfield sits, was Illinois's top-of-line railroad grade during the 1920s, offered alongside the better-known Bunn Special.

It typically carries 21 or 23 jewels and the elaborate damaskeening and finishing Illinois used to differentiate its premium grades from ordinary commercial production.

History

Illinois built a reputation in the American railroad watch market second only to Hamilton and Waltham, and used prestige grade names — Bunn Special and Sangamo Special among them — to compete at the top of that market.

Illinois was acquired by Hamilton in the 1920s and Illinois-branded production ended within the following decade, making late Illinois grades a documented closing chapter of the company's independent history.

Design

Bridge-plate construction with elaborate plate finishing typical of Illinois's premium grades.

Dial and hand conventions follow the American railroad-legibility standard shared across manufacturers.

Movement

High jewel counts and multi-position adjustment are consistent with marketing the grade for railroad service and for discerning private buyers.

Case

Cases were sold separately from the movement in the American trade; an honest period pairing, not necessarily an original factory pairing, is what should be expected.

Dial and hands

As with other American railroad watches, enamel dial condition and the presence or absence of repainting are central to assessing an example.

Technical specifications

Technical specifications for Illinois Sangamo Special
MovementIllinois Sangamo Special, 16 size bridge movement
Movement typeBridge, lever-set, stem-wind
EscapementLever escapement
Jewels21 or 23 jewels depending on grade
Winding and settingStem-wind, lever-set
Size16 size
Power reserveApproximately 30–40 hours
Frequency18,000 vibrations per hour (2.5 Hz)
AccuracyAdjusted railroad grade, marketed as among Illinois's finest production
ComplicationsRunning seconds
Size16 size
Jewels21 or 23
SettingLever-set
EscapementLever

Identification

  • Movement signed Illinois Watch Co., grade Sangamo Special, with a serial number for dating.
  • Bridge construction and elaborate plate finishing distinguish premium Illinois grades from plainer commercial production.

Variations

  • Jewel counts of 21 and 23 both occur; dial styles include Montgomery and plain Arabic patterns.
  • A related Sangamo grade (without 'Special') exists at a different specification and should not be confused with this grade.

Serial numbers and dating

  • Illinois serial numbers are documented in published references and give an approximate production year for the movement.

Known examples and institutional holdings

  • Held in American pocket watch collections; Illinois's closing years as an independent maker make well-documented late examples of particular interest to specialists.

Collecting

  • Collected alongside the Bunn Special as one of Illinois's two flagship railroad grades; scarcer than the Bunn Special in some configurations.
  • No prices are given here; condition, grade, dial and market determine value.

Restoration and conservation

  • Elaborate damaskeened finishes should be conserved, not re-finished, since re-finishing removes original factory work.
  • Movement work — cleaning, lubrication, mainspring replacement, pivot or jewel work — belongs with a qualified watchmaker. Conserve original parts; do not refinish dials or polish cases to remove honest wear.

Bibliography

  • Published Illinois grade and serial-number references (edition-dependent).
  • Historical studies of the Illinois Watch Company and its acquisition by Hamilton.

Bibliographic entries are given only at the level we can support. Where an edition, publisher or ISBN is not confirmed, it is deliberately omitted rather than invented.

Photographs

Vintage Illinois Watch Company, Springfield Illinois, Gold-Filled Pocket Watch, Bunn Special, 21 Jewels, B&B Royal 20-Year Case, A. Lincoln Grade Movement (9174547388)
Vintage Illinois Watch Company, Springfield Illinois, Gold-Filled Pocket Watch, Bunn Special, 21 Jewels, B&B Royal 20-Year Case, A. Lincoln Grade Movement (9174547388) — Joe Haupt from USA, CC BY-SA 2.0. Wikimedia Commons file page
Vintage Illinois Springfield Watch Company Open Face Pocket Watch, Key Wind & Set, 9 Jewels, Size 18s, Grade - Hoyt, Baystate Imperial Coin Silver Case, Circa 1874 (14788963233)
Vintage Illinois Springfield Watch Company Open Face Pocket Watch, Key Wind & Set, 9 Jewels, Size 18s, Grade - Hoyt, Baystate Imperial Coin Silver Case, Circa 1874 (14788963233) — Joe Haupt from USA, CC BY-SA 2.0. Wikimedia Commons file page
Vintage Illinois Springfield Watch Company Open Face Pocket Watch, Key Wind & Set, 9 Jewels, Size 18s, Grade - Hoyt, Baystate Imperial Coin Silver Case, Circa 1874 (14769107055)
Vintage Illinois Springfield Watch Company Open Face Pocket Watch, Key Wind & Set, 9 Jewels, Size 18s, Grade - Hoyt, Baystate Imperial Coin Silver Case, Circa 1874 (14769107055) — Joe Haupt from USA, CC BY-SA 2.0. Wikimedia Commons file page

Photographs are illustrative examples of the type, not necessarily the exact object described. Verify details against the source file page.

Sources & references

  1. Published Illinois grade and serial-number references.
  2. Historical studies of the Illinois Watch Company.

Where sources disagree, the disagreement is stated rather than resolved silently.