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The Models 8 and 9
1902 to 1913
The New Eagle Series was yet another 3/4-plate design, starting where the Old line left off, and again the two models were mirror images for hunter and open-face. The reasons for the change are unclear, but the newer versions were more accurate watches. The Model 8 and Model 9 were nearly identical to their respective forebears, but with two big differences - the balance bridge alignment pins were inverted, and they were significantly thinner, allowing them to fit into the new snug cases. Jewel choices were still 7 to 17 and the plate finishes remained the same.
Grade Assignment
Grade assignments applied to both the Old and New Eagle models. The patterns were all nickel and two-tone, and the open-face Model 8 could be pendant-set or lever-set, while the hunting Model 9 was lever-set. No gilt examples have turned up, but private labels have been reported. Grades 110 and 111 are assigned and have been reported exclusively on the Edgemere grade. Grades 216 and 217 are also assigned and apply to the Adjusted variants of the established 17-jewel Grades 210 and 211.
The Travel Clocks
Seth Thomas made an interesting line of folding leather travel watches with names like the Tourist and the Companion, depending on the size of the movement it contained, one of which was the 7-jewel Model 8. They usually fronted the heavy Roman #1222 dial with no seconds bit and are the only known pin-set watch made by the company.
The New Eagle Contract Grades
20th Century
20th Century
20th Century
11-jewel two-tone Grade 106
Montgomery Ward was a mail-order company founded in Chicago by traveling salesman Aaron Montgomery Ward in 1872, who noticed that his rural customers wanted items that were only available in the city. His first catalog was a single sheet of paper, but by the mid-1890s had grown to over 300 pages when Richard Sears launched his company.
The Montgomery Ward grade carries a "20th Century" dial, and has been reported in both the Models 8 and 9 during the entire run of the New Eagle Series. They were evidently ordered from the factory in one count of 11 jewels, screw-set early on and press-fit later. Examples without the Montgomery Ward name have been reported.
Edgemere
20th Century
20th Century
17-jewel flashed-gilt Grade 210
The Edgemere was also a named grade, made by the factory for Sears Roebuck & Co, which was also a Chicago-based mail-order retailer founded by Richard Sears and watchmaker Alvah Roebuck in 1891. The Edgemere was available in 6 and 18-size with matching dials, with all of the models being offered with an unusual 12-jewel count - the upper plate was fully jeweled, while the pillar plate was not. It's not known exactly when the Eagle Series Models 8 and 9 debuted, but the Edgemere grade appears fairly early in the run, with the earliest known block of them appearing at 17-jewel at SN 785801. The Sears Roebuck & Co catalog debuted in 1893, but it's also not known when they started carrying Seth Thomas watches.
Lakesite
20th Century
Lakesite
15-jewel two-tone Grade 206
The Lakesite grade is a mystery, and the only clue is the location of Chicago, Illinois on both the movement and the matching dial. It is not known for whom it was made, and the only reporting examples fall into a single block of a hundred between SN 2585901 and 2586000. All have the same pattern and a jewel count of fifteen, and it's entirely possible that these were a private-label.
There is a Lakeside grade with an identical pattern and jewel count appearing in a single block of a hundred between SN 793801 and 793900, and it's not known if the Lakeside and the Lakesite are meant to be the same grade with a simple misspelling, but that seems unlikely.
The M8 & 9 Damask Patterns
7-jewel nickel Grade 36
7-jewel two-tone Grade 36
11-jewel two-tone Grade 106
15-jewel nickel Grade 206
15-jewel two-tone Grade 206
17-jewel two-tone Grade 210
The Companion
The factory offered a simple 7-jewel travel clock containing a Model 8 in a leather-wrapped metal case that was available in several color choices. The factory listed its top-grain leathers as lizard, alligator and seal with second-quality hides of pig and morocco in half a dozen colors.
The movements that were used for the Companion were a pin-set design, which is what the pushbutton on the left side of the case was for. The pillar plate underwent several more milling procedures, using additional components from a separate parts list. The standard yoke was used under the dial but without a shuttle of any kind on the right side.
Example shown below contributed by Jacobe C of Garland, Texas
Setting Lever
Milled Pin Slot
Milled Pin Slot
A circular depression was milled for a cam-shaped lever, which disengaged the yoke from the ratchet wheel when pushed.
Milled Pin Slot
Milled Pin Slot
Milled Pin Slot
A slot was machined on the left side of the pillar plate as a guide for the setting pin, which was held in place by a set screw.
Setting Pin
Milled Pin Slot
Setting Pin
The spring-loaded setting pin in place at rest, allowing the yoke to mesh with the ratchet wheel in winding mode.
Period Ad Cuts
1904
Factory ad cut.
1908
Factory trade list.
1914
1914
Dearcat & Co advert.
Seth Thomas Highlights
The rarest regular-production two-tone pattern of all, made in one block of seventy - and then never again.