All about Gruen

[Mr. Bieser]

This is a quick example of the wide variety of Gruen related items that could fit in "Miscellaneous".

The letterpress printing block I am showing today is for the "Gruen Junior", otherwise known as "Gruen SemiThin Junior". A pocket watch for boys from around 1924 to 1926:

Reverse:

A few ads with this particular Gruen letterpress in action.

Frank Herschede, Cincinnati Enquirer 29 March, 1925.

One more ad from another important Gruen dealer, Frank Clark in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, 4 May, 1925.

Overtime I will add more of my Gruen letterpress printing items and of course if anyone has any they'd like to add, please share.

[Dietrich]

Thank you very much for showing this, Mr. Bieser!
I own a letter press from that period as well, it is for one of the Cartouche watches. Let me take a photo in a few weeks and then I will add it here.

[Mr. Bieser]

This is a Louis XIV press (L 14). I have yet to find an example of this exact press in use with the minute hand not on the 45 mark, bow, and the profile of the case.
This clip from 1919.

[Dietrich]

1922 it is:

[Mr. Bieser]

Interesting, thanks a lot for finding this, no mention of Louis xiv model name in either ad, I see why I wasn't coming across, yes a little later than I thought, "the young man's watch", funny how the models evolve.

[Mr. Bieser]

It comes full circle. Semi 32, cal 716.

[Fred]

New acquisition? The relief is still very clear. First live one I’ve ever seen. Congrats!

[Mr. Bieser]

New acquisition? The relief is still very clear. First live one I’ve ever seen. Congrats!

Yessir! Aren't boys watches neat?

[Fred]

They sure are! But the complete set together with the letterpress? I’m still in awe. Thanks for sharing all these with us!

[Mr. Bieser]

Yeah, no problem.

"First live one I’ve ever seen"


Betcha the boys were hard on 'em, many a kid reenacted the scene on the watch, some never made the return home, watches not the kids.
28 dollars in 1926 has a lot of buying power today. Watch like this would've been grounds for some serious bragging rights at the schoolyard imo. I mean here I am today 100 years later talkin 'bout it. Lol.
Didn't Waddy's have a patent for this relief process? Not the photographic etching one. How did they do mass produce it? stamp it before the gold fill or? It doesn't look hand carved, like the bezel...Do you know the process?