New Wristwatch Display Efforts Have Begun: Gallet Guest Curator of Wristwatches

The National Watch & Clock Museum is happy to welcome back Adam Harris in the role of Gallet Guest Curator of Wristwatches. Utilizing watches in the Museum collection, Adam will be developing and installing a new Museum display on the history of the wristwatch. Thanks to Gallet Watch for supporting the Museum's efforts.

Well after a 25 hour journey starting Alicante Spain via Boston to New York, I arrived Friday at the National Watch & Clock Museum. On Saturday I decided to do some research in the Museum’s magnificent Library. For anyone interested in horology, this is the place to look. You don't necessarily have to visit the Museum and Library to use its magnificent archives, much is online with more being added all the time. You can call in and ask the Library staff (Sarah and Nancy) to look for any info you require. NAWCC members receive this service free and for non-members there is just a small charge which is used to buy books, etc.

This time, I wanted to look/study adverts on wristwatches for the exhibition/display I am tasked in setting up. I did check these out last year but recently Nancy Dyer, Library Archivist, has been purchasing and donating many more. I was both amazed and very happy to find two amazing adverts, one from 1908 on a watch worn by Peary on his expedition to the Pole on July 17th 1908. You will be blown away by this two page advert that I will blog separately. The second 'amazing' find was an Elgin advert from 1913 with Louis Disbrow (1876–1939). Disbrow was an American racecar driver, born on September 23, 1876 in Chicago. Disbrow raced in the first four Indianapolis 500, with a best finish of 8th in 1913. The advert (attached) shows him in his racing car wearing his Elgin wristwatch on his RIGHT ARM! The advert states "The Watch for Live Active Men!"  Remember that Elgin were at the forefront of trying to convince men to wear wristwatches. 1913 is the earliest American wristwatch advert I have ever seen!

The Disbrow-Elgin Advertisement from 1913.

Monday being the Labor Day Holiday, I officially started my position and task on Tuesday 3rd September. First order of the day was signing the Volunteer Agreement - then I could officially start. I logged into the Museum's cataloging database (Past Perfect), searched and listed all wristwatches (a total of 1372 objects) that I had photographed and described last year.  Here it is printed on 175 double sided pages. I have already started to mark it up with the most possible candidates for the display!  This will take up my first few days, studying and selecting possible candidate wristwatches. Not all will make it into the display - fine tuning will take more time and input from Museum Director Noel Poirier and Head Curator Carter Harris. In addition to the pieces I remembered as candidates, I was mighty pleased to have already found some other great pieces that had escaped my memory.

The work of selecting objects starts with the collection records.

We have an excellent large area for the display with three good walls for graphics (see attached)

The exhibit's "blank-slate"

So the 'task' is started!

Adam R Harris
National Watch & Clock Museum Gallet Guest Curator of Wristwatches