Retracing Bulova History.
The Bulova Corporation was founded in 1875 by Czech immigrant Joseph Bulova in a small premises on Maiden Lane, New York City.
By 1911, Joseph Bulova had set up manufacturing to build high quality boudoir clocks, table clocks and pocket watches and by the following year (1912) Joseph Bulova was able to establish his first dedicated Watch manufacturing and assembly plant in Bienne, Switzerland, building only quality fully jeweled movements.
'At about the time of the First World War, there were many European watch manufacturers that said that the wearing of a watch on the wrist would never be a popular alternative to the pocket watch. Joseph Bulova, creating a pioneering spirit that was to become the 'culture' of Bulova, started to experiment with compact spring and balance wheel timepieces that could withstand the impacts and shocks of being worn on the wrist. Out of only a handful of manufacturers of the day, Bulova introduced its first line of fully jeweled men's wristwatches in 1919'
So, where are these 'Bulova Watches' Dating from 1911 to 1921 You may ask? The clues are right before Us. The first clue was recently discoverd in an ad which appeared in a 1922 Cosmopolitan Magazine.
* Note: the ad reads: J. Bulova Co. Fifth Avenue at 36th Street. New York
Makers of the famous HUDSON MAXIM and RUBAIYAT Watches.
The image appears to be Copyrighted 1920 or 1921 and there is no mention of Bulova Watch Co in fact to the contary, the ad reads J. Bulova Co.
Clue 2.
In 1917 a Patent was issued to the J. Bulova Co. *Note: there is no notation of when this Patent was applied for or when the Name 'Rubaiyat' was first used by the J. Bulova Co
Clue 3.
Enter into the picture this piece: The Watch shown above is a First World War era (WWI 1914 - 1918) Gent's wrist Watch, correctly Jeweled (7) for Military issue at the time, manufactured in Switzerland, signed on both Case and Movement Rubaiyat W. Co. in the very same fashion, identically even, to early movements signed Bulova W. Co., which appear around 1921. Also please note the Rubaiyat signature on the Movement rolls the same way depicted in the Patent issued to J. Bulova Co.
What does this mean?
It is My contention that this Rubaiyat W Co. signed piece is the early work of Joseph Bulova manufactured while operating as the J. Bulova Co. pre Bulova Watch Company and the reason We do not see any 'Bulova Watches' pre Dating the early 1920's is that they do not exist. They do, only during the Decade of 1911-1921 Mr Joseph Bulova of the J. Bulova Co was manufacturing His famous Watches from the facility in Bienne, Switzerland under the Names of 'Rubaiyat' and 'Maxim' as indicated by the early 1920's ad.
This contention would also help explain early 1920's Watches which are American Standard Cased Bulova signed Movements with Maxim, Rubaiyat or nothing at all printed on their Dials, as J. Bulova Co grew and morphed into Bulova Watch Company, casing and timing Watches downstairs from the newly constructed Bulova observatory on Fifth Avenue, New York.
Many thanks to Mr Stephen Oilman, owner/admin of MyBulova.com for allowing the presentation of this information on site and to fellow MyBulova members who take time to read, evaluate, enjoy or critique.
Mark.
Fifth Avenue Restorations.
agreed admin. A liitle more about the origins of J. Bulova Co. I stumbled across this image:
The image is Artist John Mackie Falconers' rendition of what was 55-59 Maiden Ln. New York. 57 Maiden Lane being the address of Joseph Bulova in 1875. The rectangular sign which is centrally located in the image next to the Road states '59 Toys', a Toy shop which would make 55-57 Maiden Lane on the left the property of J. Rucklass -Tailor. The painting is Dated 1851 This locale is at the Corner of Maiden Lane and Williams St. where the Federal Reserve building now stands. The origins of Maiden Lane. "Where Maiden Lane is there was once a narrow stream or spring water, which flowed from about the present Nassau Street. Women went there to wash their clothing, so that it came to be called the Virgin's Path, and from that the Maiden's Lane."
above excerpt from the book: Nooks and Corners of Old New York by Charles Hemstreet.
Mr. T. Jefferson Esq. from June 2nd. 1790 until Sept. 1st. same year.
Very true Bob. "His house, located at 57 Maiden Lane, was rented from Robert and Peter Bruce, grocers at 3 Front Street, "for 100 pounds per year." St. John de Crevecoeur wrote that Jefferson "lived in a mean house in Maiden Lane and not approving much of the stiff style and etiquette of New York he gave up all his time to the establishment of his new department, foreign affairs, and home."To his home he added a multi-windowed gallery in the back for his papers, books, and plants. A plaque erected in 1921 by the Home Insurance Company commemorates Jefferson's place of residence in the former capital."
edit: (although the plaque itself states 1929) http://www.monticello.org/site/research-and-collections/new-york-city
So Bulova was "busy" early on. There are several "Bulova Company Reports" from the early 1920"s which are digitized by various US research Library reserve collections. Some of these reports can be found via Google Books. While the actual repots to shareholders, company reports, etc are completely digitized, only "snippets" of the reports come up via Google Books. In most examples, the inside cover is visible, along with then name of the library reserve section which has the full digitized version. A major research library digitized pubs in it's reserve collection to make available to other libraries and the public, so I'm contacting the various library reserve folks to find out how to gain access to the entire publications. Most likely through the modern/digital interlibrary loan process.
Also found a J Bulova ad from 1897 in a Jewelers Circular PDF.
And a snippet of a company report from 1931 (published in mid 1932 as their fiscal year ended at the end of March) . I see American Standard Watch Case Co, along with American Standard Watch Co, (and many others) were subsidiary's of Bulova. The early 1920's reports may have info on Rubaiyat Watch Co, Hudson-Maxim, if they were owned by "Bulova". Several other subsidiaries are listed, but not coming up as a snippet view. Most of these subsidiaries were wholly owned by Bulova Watch Co after 1923 and J Bulova before- if we can just get the entire pub, we can see who/what Bulova "owned".
One can join in the search here:
http://www.worldcat.org/title/jewelers-circular/oclc/10460562
There's a couple Rubaiyat patent comments above. One registered March 2, 1943- which must have been a reapplication for the original (below), as the application date is Oct 1942- apx 25 years after the original patent below.
The Jewelers' Circular Weekly March 14, 1917
In reply to J. Bulova Co. moves from 2 by mybulova_admin
Fifth Ave at 36th St mentioned in the snippet above is the location of the 1905 Gorham building (392 Fifth Ave?). The address I have for the Bulova Observatory is 580 Fifth Ave on what's known today as the World Diamond Tower http://www.580worlddiamondtower.com/history.htm formerly known as the Empire Trust Company Building, which was the former Ampico Towers. The building at 580 Fifh Ave is showing as competed in 1927. http://www.skyscrapercenter.com/new-york-city/empire-trust-company-building/ and 1929 http://www.emporis.com/building/empiretrustcompanybuilding-newyorkcity-ny-usa The World Diamond Tower link gives a building permit issuance Date of 1927. If this information is correct the Bulova Observatory could not have been in operation until 1929 at the earliest, which the database ads reflect. http://www.mybulova.com/sites/default/files/vintage_ads/bulova%20ad%201…
One to watch for:Everett Watch Co No indication of a Date but typically when J. Bulova & Cie. is mentioned it's an older record. image above is of an 'Everett Watch Co. New York' Swiss Pocket Watch - 7 Jewels. http://www.propertyroom.com/l/l/7997312 I cannot get the image of the movement to load * this description from an Everett Watch Co pocket Watch recently auctioned: "Having a circular dial, with Roman numeral chapters, subsidiary seconds dial, 7 jewel stem wind manual movement, having 2 adjustments, concealed within a yellow gold-filled hunting case #2138690. Signed on movement Factory S, Switzerland and on dial Everett Watch Co., New York. Movement size approximately 0". http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/everett-watch-co-yellow-gold-filled-hunting-case No images - interestingly the Movement was signed 'Factory S.'
I hadn't noticed this before, but there are a few Bulova model names that exist that are both Bulova AND Westfield. ie: Air King, Air Queen, American Boy, American Girl, Sky King, Trojan, Miss Liberty, etc. I'm wondering if the cases are identical, and swapping has occurred.
There is a lot of info at Mikrolisk, including what appears to be all of the Bulova Model name patents.
It looks like Bulova patented/trademarked many model names and lots of stuff under different company names too. Many are non-USA registered. Many don't have dates associated w/ the info for each entry. I think they just registered things to secure the names/trademarks, and didn't necessarily "do anything" with some of them short of this.
I don't think cases btwn Bulova and Westfield were identical or even "close", but Bulova wanted some options, and to keep others from marketing a competing product?
In reply to Dial signed 'HUDSON MAXIM' by FifthAvenueRes…
Will, Considering the published information that 'Bulova introduced its first line of fully Jeweled Gent's wristwatches in 1919' and the "Makers of the famous Hudson Maxim Watches" statement in the fine print of the J. Bulova Co ad Dated 1922. Manufactured between 1919-1922.
preliminary indications are the font used on the Hudson Maxim Dial signature is the same as found on an early Maxim brand pocket Watch (signed Case, Movement and Dial) shown below on the left. This font also matches the font used on Dials signed Rubaiyat and those later signed Bulova.
Here is a Rubaiyat the went through the bay a couple weeks ago, Rubaiyat on the dial, American Standard case, Bulova BII 15J movement just like one that I have in the movement database...
http://www.mybulova.com/node/1029
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Note the triangle on the left side of the movement...just like the one that I have in the movement database.
Watches I have seen branded Maxim are very different than the Bulova examples. I recently saw one that was a Roskopf. There were several companies that used the Maxim name as a brand, but they are easily distinguishable from the Bulova made Maxim models, at least in the ones I have seen so far.
In reply to Watches I have seen branded by Reverend Rob
2 new images of the Hudson Maxim * a point of interest on this example is the Porcelain Dial.
Stem is at the 3 O'Clock position. Noting 'MAXIM' is the prominant Name on the Dial Will, I'd have to say MAXIM is a brand, the 'Lady' MAXIM and 'Hudson' MAXIM are models associated with the brand. This reasoning would also suggest the early pieces signed 'RUBAIYAT' on the Dial as Greg shows were also a brand and not a Bulova model at this period in time.
What We are seeing are 2 companies - 'MAXIM' and 'RUBAIYAT' morphing, merging and forming Bulova Watch Company Inc.
I'm leaning towards the model "Maxim", Lady and Hudson, without there being a Maxim brand per se, owned by Bulova. There were already several Maxim brands in Europe, which Joseph would have been well aware of. He may not have been convinced, at this point in his life, that putting his own name on the watch was a good move, recognition wise. However, we clearly see he came quickly to this idea, and Bulova was born as a brand. I tend to view both the Rubaiyats and the Maxim models as Bulovas, kind of like viewing a Wilsdorf and Davis pocket watch as a Rolex, despite predating the name.
In reply to Five Hundred Bucks for a Lady by Reverend Rob
It IS a lot of money! But also, you have to remember that the wristwatch was a brand-new item, a mechanical marvel in miniaturisation. If you compare the pocket calculator when it came out (I remember when it came out, our senior science and maths buffs at school had just finished building a computer from scratch, it only did what a pocket calculator did, but it fit in a double wardrobe!) in 1972, they cost about a couple of weeks wages.
We have an ad for the solid Platinum Phantom pocket model, at $1,000 too!
In reply to Hey Mark, here is a shot of by DarHin
So during this brief time period, did the J Bulova Co make a series of Models named Lady Maxim under the J Bulova name, or was J Bulova Co the parent company of "Maxim Watch Co" ? How were the movements stamped? It appears from the ads directly above, the Model series was "Lady Maxim" made by J Bulova Co. I'm not seeing the little "whited out" area with BULOVA on the actual watch graphics, as is seen in other watch graphics of this period which we "know" were marketed as Bulova (whether the name was on the dial or not).
In reply to Here's another movement found by DarHin
In reply to Darren, Is the a shot of the by FifthAvenueRes…