Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-08-13
OLD EST WATCH IN THE WORLD.
1t Was Made In London and Is Owned by
an American.

Seth Longabaugh, q prospector and
mine-owner OF Butte, has in his possession
probably one Of the most valuable relies
IN the country. says the Anaconda Mont
Standard. 1t is a timepiece III the shape
of a watch and bearing the name Of
Joseph Davis, London, l22l." The
genuineness of the article is unquestioned,
and ITS great value lies in the feet that the
earnest record Of pocket tImepiece Is
1884 and Is of Swiss make.
The Davis watch has been an heirloom
Of the Swan family for nearly 200 years. II
finally came into the possession of Frank
Swan, one OF the family, who lives IN Ne
vada. He did not appreciate the value OF
the watch and gave 1t TO his children TO
play with, and when Mr. Longabaugh first
saw IT, about fourteen years ago, the hands
had been broken off and one OF the
three cases within winch the works
were enclosed was lost. lie recognized It's
value and secured It from swan. The
watch was examined by Tucker, the San
Francisco jeweller. and, after making re-
searches, he pronounced It genuine. More
recently Hight & Fairfield, OF Butte, made
n search in the misty past, but the earliest
date they could tnd of the existence OF
watches was 1900.
The watch III question doubtless repre-
sents the labor OF many years, as 1t Wa
made entirely by hand, and the tool-mark:
throughput all It's parts are plainly visible
| and the watch vas probably the only one
made by MIR. Davis, Of London. The ma
| chinery consists OF large steel balance
| wheel. which works with a pendulum Ike
! a lever, and in place of the modern hair
! spring is long steel chain, which winds
| and unwinds upon pulleys. Another large
| wheel, the purpose OF which Is not ap
| parent, looks like belI-wheel on thresh
lnR-machine.
The works are protected and held to
| gether 10y fine ornamental network o
| brass, carved out by hand and Tiyeted 10
/ gether with brass rivets which show plan
! hammer marks. On the back OF the works
! IS u polished steel face similar to the Sc
I cond dlai on a modern watch, but tl'
| figures running from l to q. The OBJ
| iect of II has never heen fgurtC
| out by any of the jewellers who have eN
amined 1t. The face OF the watch IS o
! polished steel and the hours are marked
! by raised Roman numerals. Around tn'
edge of the faces are figures from to %
/ 10 represent either seconds or minutes. LIZ
| the centre of the dial is the British coat
| of-arms IN raised brass, consisting OF th'
crown. lion, aud unicorn.
! The whole works are enclosed IN silve
hemisphere, the silver being hammered
and sharpened by hand, the indentures o.
the hammer showing distinctly. On th'
outside Of the silver case il another o.
hammered brass, aud the evidence Is plaii
that of one time there was still a third cas-
on the outside of these two. Tho watcf
was wound up with some kind OF key
the key-hole being protected by rude tral
or sliding-door.
The watch has q stem nearly two inehe
long and ring on the end large enough Z
| hitch horse TO. The stem is OF solid Ell
yer and in the middle is nearly halt-worl
away. which alone is a slight Indication o
its extreme age. The watch Is said 10 hav
been in running order up to about twent.
years ago. IL weighs about four ounces
halves. Mr.. Longabangh has at diferen
times been offered several small fortune
for mis- relic. but he Gays 1t is not for sale
He will hayeit on exhibition at the World
Far.