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Post by donnyb on Aug 17, 2007 18:40:08 GMT -5
This is a Ball Trainmaster I acquired earlier this year. It is NOS and has never been worn. It runs like a champ – I wind it at least once every week and put it back in my display case. The seller claimed that it was still in the possession of The Ball Watch Company in Chicago on the day they declared bankruptcy in the 1970’s and was one of the last made of it’s kind. Can anyone here provide me with any history of the watches that were being made by Ball at the time of their bankruptcy? Any thoughts on how the story could ever be verified? Even if that never happens, I still love this watch and would never part with it. Donny   |
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Post by timefinder on Aug 17, 2007 22:33:06 GMT -5
Congrats on this great find. I do not have much history; but, Jeremy from Ball posts to this forum, and he may be able to assist.
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Post by bullosa on Aug 18, 2007 11:29:30 GMT -5
Wow Donnyb, thx for sharing. I have never seen this one before.
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Post by GJ on Aug 19, 2007 4:17:55 GMT -5
Great vintage timepiece you found there...  And with box... How about a wrist shot? |
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Post by Jeff Hess on Aug 20, 2007 7:46:10 GMT -5
I am 99% sure that a bankruptcy was not involved but I will check into it. I may be wrong. Ball, an Amerian Company, was nevertheless going through some changes and hard times in the 1970's and 1980's (just as the Swiss companies were going through troubles during this time.
I think in 1984 or so, there was one of the very first (and possibly the ONLY) "closeout" in Ball's long history.
A Ball Pocket Watch collector at the time (and one of my mentors) and older gentleman named Ed Kieft in Chicago bought everything he could from the company. He bought boxes, watches, half assembled watches, bands, straps, etc. Also a coulpe of hundred complete watches EXACTLY likethe one you pictures. He sold most of them at NAWCC shows and so, most of them are inthe hands of collectors.
Yours is probably one of those examples! A fine terrific example of on of Ball's Railroad Wrist watch.
BTW, BAll pioneered getting the RR's to allow Wrists to be used on the railroads and in spite of other companies claims, Ball was the first wrist to be allowed according to comapny records in my possession.
Jeffrey P. Hess
Ball WATCH USA
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Post by timefinder on Aug 20, 2007 12:19:26 GMT -5
Jeff, thanks for the insight. How about registering now and becoming a member?  ;D  |
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Post by foghorn on Aug 20, 2007 13:43:51 GMT -5
I'll second that suggestion.
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Post by boscoe on Aug 20, 2007 15:33:01 GMT -5
Very nice indeed. Great find
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Post by donnyb on Aug 20, 2007 22:35:54 GMT -5
Thanks for that insight Jeff. I just knew I'd find someone here that knew more about it than I did. The party I purchased it from claimed to have purchased it at a NAWCC show in Tennessee. It may indeed have been your mentor Mr. Kleft. What a smart man he was to make those purchases!
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