NAWCC Bulletin
August 2002 Volume 44/4 Number 339
Table of Contents

About the Cover

William Meggers Jr. loved the Illinois Grade 105 and devoted a great deal of time to tracking down these elusive items. The watches on the front cover represent one of the most active periods in the development of the American pocket watch. In the mid 1880s, Illinois developed the Grade 105 as their first attempt to make a truly high grade watch. The Grade 105 open face remains one of the most elusive of prizes for American pocket watch collectors. The other four watches represent the response to the  introduction of the Grade 105 by Aurora, Columbus, Rockford, and Fredonia. All these companies rose to the challenge with their best effort, but none could top the Grade 105. The article discussing these watches starts on page 419.

Tom McIntyre
Photos courtesy of authors Greg Frauenhoff, Tom McIntyre and Russ Snyder;
top right photo courtesy of Robert F. Arnold.