Hello Christine,
Thank you for sending in this interesting pocket watch to mearto.com for an appraisal.
TITLE:
Gent’s, full size, transitional pendant wound and pin set with emergency key winding feature, gilt Silverex, open face pocket watch, The Alaska model, made by Louis Strassburger & Company, La Chaux de Fonds and New York City (15 Maiden Lane New York), circa 1885.
DESCRIPTION:
Case: Size not provided but similar to an American 18 size case, made of gilt Silverex (white metal with no silver), fluted ball pendant and round bow placed at the twelve position. The outer case is assumed to be undecorated and is not shown. The inside of the cover reveals that it is made of Silverex (any and all white metals except there is no silver in this alloy), and carries the first trademark of the watch manufacturing firm Louis Strassburger & Cie. first registered in 1883. “The Alaska” with a str and two wings in a circle was registered in 1883 and is seen on your case. {Louis Strassburger and Charles Adler started the company in 1883 and was registered in Switzerland for metal watch cases. There is a gilt Silverex bezel with a thick beveled crystal overlying the dial.
Dial: This is a white enameled triple tier dial, double sunk with fine Roman hour chapter ring, open bar minute track, sunken subsidiary seconds dial @6, sunken dial center marked ‘The Alaska’ in the upper dial center, and having gilt rococo Louis XVth style hands.
Movement: This is a half nickel damascened plate movement with a Swiss made regulator marked for fast and slow along with a monometallic balance wheel. The movement is signed in script, ‘The Alaska” and just above it appears that if the pendant should fail there is an arbor for winding the mainspring with a key.
Condition: Case – The outer case is not seen but assumed to resemble the bezel around the dial. The inside of the back cover is quite good and remains legible. Dial: few brown scuffs and rubs, partly from excessive oiling, but remains in good condition. Movement – very good and true to form.
HISTORY Louis Strassburg & Company:
The company was founded by Louis Strassburg and Charles Adler in 1883 to make metal watch cases. The firm became Louis Strassburg and son when Brian Strassburg came in to the business c. 1885. By 1886 Byron continued in the watch exporting business while the original house became a diamond importing and exporting business. The three trademarks were given up, one in 1895 and the other two in 1903 and 1904. Byron continued working the watch line until 1924.
COMPARABLES:
https://www.ebay.ca/itm/203532130735?hash=item2f6375d9af:g:8ZgAAOSwIFFg-Gc8 (Sold in 2021 on eBay for $35)
https://www.icollector.com/784-Large-Heavy-Pocket-Watch-The-Alaska-Case-marked-Swiss-Silverex-No-140095-Key-Wind-watch-w_i17476403 (sold for $60 back in 2013)
PRICING:
THE Fair Market value of this watch is in the range of $40-$60. It is a transitional watch between the changeover from key winding to pendant winding and this example retains both, although inexpensive a footnote to horological history.
Thank you for choosing mearto.com for this appraisal.
My best
David