Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-08-25
oldest Wdtch in the W0rld.

Anaconda Standard: Seth Long
abaugh, a prospector and miner of
Butte, has in his possession probably
enc of the most valuable relics in the
country. 1t is a timepiece in the shape
of Il watch, and bearing the name and
date of Joseph Davis, London, 1921
The genuineneSS of the article is uIl-
questioned, and its great value lies in
the fact that the earliest record of a
pocket timepiece is 1494, and of a Swiss
ma6emake. The Davis watch has been
an heirloom of the Swan family for
nearly two hundred years. 1t finally
came into the possession Of Frank
Swan, one OF the family, who lives in
Nevada. He did not appreciate the
value of the watch and gave it to his
children to play with, and when Mr..
LOngabaugh first saw it, about II
years ago, the hands had been broken
off and one of the three cases within
which the works were incloSed was lost.
He recognized it's value and secured it
from Swan. The watch was examined
by Tucker, the San Francisco ieweler,
and, after making researches, he pro-
nOunced it genuine, More recently
Hight & Fairfield, Of Butte, made a
search in the misty past, but the earli-
est date they could find in the existence
of watches was in 1900.
The watch in question doubtless rep
resented the labor of many years, as
it was made entirely by hand, and the
tool marks throughout all it's parts are
plainly visible, and the watch was prob
ably the only one made by Mr.. Davis,
Of London. The machinery consists of
large steel balance wheel, which
with a pendulum like a lever, and in
place of the modern hair spring is a
! long steel chain which winds and I'M
winds upon pulleys. Another large
wheel, the purpose of which is not ap-
parent. looks like a belt wheel on a
th4eShing machine. The works are pro-
tected and held together by Il fine Or
nan6ntal network of brass carved out
by hand and riveted together with
brass rivetS, which show plain hammer
marks. On the back of the works is
q polished steel face similar to the sec
Ond dial en- q modern watch, but the
figures running from one to six. The
object Of it has never been figured out
by any of the jewelers. who have ex-
amined it. The face of the watch is
of polished steel, and the hours are
marked by raised Roman numerals
Around the edge of the faces are figures
from 5 to 80, to represent either sec
ondS or minutes. In the center of the
dial is the British coat of arms in raised
brass. consisting of the crown, lion and
unicorn. The whole works are enclosed
in a silver hemisphere, the silver being
hammered and sharpaned by hand, the
indentureS Of the hammer showing dis
tinctly. On the outside of the silver
case is another of hammered brass, and
the evidence is plain that at one time
4, there was still a third case on the out
side of these two. The watch was
wound up with some kind Of a key,
the keyhOle being protected by Il rude
trap or sliding door. The watch has
q stem nearly two inches long and
ring on the end large enough to hitch
horse to. The stem is of solid silver
and in the middle is nearly half worn
away, which alone is a slight indication
of it's extreme age. The watch is said
to have been in running order up to
20 years ago. 1t weighs about four
ounces, and in shape looks like a base
ball cut in halves. Mr.. Longabaugh has
at different times been offered several
small fortunes for his relic, but he says
it is not for sale. He will have it on
exhibition at the worlds fair.