Octagonal Case, Hand-Painted Poker Dial, c.1922
This is a 12-size Elgin dress pocket watch from the early 1920s, housed in an eight-sided Art Deco case and fitted with a decorative playing-card dial. The movement is a genuine Elgin National Watch Co. calibre, 17 jewels, serial number 24033092, which dates it to around 1922 (Elgin's 24-million serial block, 1921 to 1923). It is a clean, nickel-plated movement that winds, sets and runs well.
The octagonal case was made by the Star Watch Case Co. of Ludington, Michigan, and is stamped with their star mark, "S.W.C.Co.", and "14KT Gold Filled 25 Years" - a good-quality gold-filled case, bright and crisp, with a plain polished back. Case number 5175689. There are old watchmaker service initials ("VW") inside the back, the honest trace of a long working life.
The dial is where this watch earns its character: a hand-painted enamel "poker" dial showing a fanned hand of cards with queen and king face cards, marked Elgin National Watch Co. and Atlantic City, with a sub-seconds register at six. In the interest of full honesty, this is a later decorative "fantasy" dial rather than original Elgin factory work - Elgin did not make gambling-theme dials. It is well executed and completely intact, and it is precisely the sort of piece the gambling and playing-card memorabilia market seeks out. The enamel shows only fine surface crazing, with no chips or losses.
A genuine period Elgin, a quality octagonal gold-filled case, and an eye-catching card dial - a fun, wearable novelty with genuine crossover appeal.
