What's the difference between full and half hunter?

A full hunter has a solid lid; you open it to see the dial. A half hunter has a glazed window in the centre of the lid with numerals around it, so the time reads with the cover shut. Full hunters dominate the archive, 456 titles against 241 for half hunters. Current stock on Sellingantiques is closer to an even split.

Which makers turn up most often?

Waltham is the single commonest name, in 221 of 739 titles. Elgin follows among the American firms, and both are often sold under grade names rather than a model number. On the Swiss side Cyma leads a group that includes Revue, Vertex, Record and Buren. British retailer names run to J W Benson and Thomas Russell more than any others.

When were most of these watches made?

Dealers date them from 1850 to 1950, but the mass sits between 1900 and 1939, about nine in ten dated listings. The 1920s are the single biggest decade with 243 listings, followed by the 1910s, 1900s and 1930s. Victorian examples are scarce in this archive and post-war ones scarcer.

Are hunter cases usually silver or gold?

Silver appears in a quarter of titles and covers the middle of the range, often with its assay year and office quoted. Gold is in only 44 titles, and 18ct or 14K in about a dozen across the whole archive. A large share of titles state no metal at all, which points to plated or base-metal cases.

What does a grade name like Traveler mean?

It is an American maker's name for a movement grade, used in listings much as a model name would be. Traveler turns up in 40 titles, P S Bartlett in 16 and Riverside in 8. Others appear once or twice: Seaside, Ensign, Equity, Beacon, Marquis, Royal, Bond Street, Crescent St. Named grades list above the plain equivalents.

Do these watches come with a chain?

Sometimes. Chain appears in 36 titles, with albert and double albert in a few more. The same watch offered with its chain generally lists above one offered on its own.

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Antique Hunter Pocket Watches

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A pocket watch with a hinged metal lid closing over the dial, made to protect the glass and hands in the pocket, either solid or with a glazed window so the time reads shut.