Collecting Historical Horoligacal books

[Tmuir]

I've got a small collection of what I would call 'Historical Horoligcal books'.

That is books that are over 70 or 80 years, with 2 or 3 over 100 years old now.

Admittedly some of these books are still reprinted today so you can easily get yourself a modern reprint of them, but like old watches I find there is something special in reading through a book that is around 100 years old and still finding what is written in it is useful and relevant.

My list of books that all into this catagory is

Watch and Clockmakers Handbook Dictionary and Guide by Britten 1938 edition

Watch and Clockmakers Handbook Dictionary and Guide by Britten 1902 edition

The watch adjusters manual by Charles Edgar Fritts 1904 edition

Watch and Clock Making and Repairing by W J Gazeley 1953 Edition

Watch Repairing F J Garrard 1903 edition

Chats on Old Clocks by Arthur Hayden 1917 edition

 

There are a couple of other books I'm aware of that I haven't managed to get yet that are on my 'want list'

 

Am I the only one here that seeks out old dusty books, or are there other 'book nerds' here too.

I will add that I do also have a reasonable collection of modern books too, but its the old ones that I really seek out.

[bobm12]

AH! The old book bug! I have it! But not for watch books, regretfully, in this case. For those, I try to be as up to date as possible which is understandable being kind of as beginner myself on this hobby. It is interesting because you are the first one to "target" books (specifically) in the forum. That is a great topic we are largely missing other than the rare advise when they surface in random conversations. 

I'm a Sci-Fi nuts but mostly mid XX century so you can call the great bulk of my collection vintage....Authors like Isaac Asimov, Norton, Heinlein, Bradbury, etc, to name a few of the "default" ones,

However, you have a nice vintage collection in horology, I will definitely add those titles to my wish list.

Cheers,

Bob

[diveboy]

I have one or two by Fried, mainly to do with the early electronic movements, one has even been signed by him.

Then I have a large collection of The Watch Word which was Elgin's monthly staff magazine which has been used for a lot of research, the oldest one is early 1920s.

I have also started collecting the wholesale catalogs but mainly to get reference material for research. I've converted alot of my stuff to PDF so it can be shared with the people I research with and also avoids damage to the source material. 

[MilTimeCan]

11 hours ago, Tmuir said:

Watch and Clockmakers Handbook Dictionary and Guide by Britten 1938 edition

This one appears to be available at AbeBooks in the UK:

The Watch and Clockmakers Handbook - Dictionary and Guide (14th Edition)

Britten, F. J.

Published by Chemical Publishing Company, Inc., 1938

http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=12730616176&searchurl=tn%3Dthe%2Bwatch%2Band%2Bclockmakers%2Bhandbook%2Bdictionary%2Band%2Bguide%26sortby%3D17%26an%3Dbritten%2Bf%2Bj 

Hope that helps

PS found this as well a few minutes later for the 1938 version:

http://picclick.co.uk/WATCH-CLOCKMAKERS-HANDBOOK-Dict-Guide-BRITTEN-112153540654.html 

it's currently on ebay: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/112153540654?clk_rvr_id=1111959542657&rmvSB=true 

Edited October 20, 2016 by MilTimeCan
more info

[MilTimeCan]

12 hours ago, Tmuir said:

The watch adjusters manual by Charles Edgar Fritts 1904 edition

This is available online in various digital formats, the price is great ....FREEE>>>> 

https://archive.org/details/watchadjustersma00frit 

if you want hard copy, AbeBooks have a reprint:

http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=16157545884&searchurl=sortby%3D17%26an%3Dcharles%2Bedgar%2Bfritts 

 

[MilTimeCan]

12 hours ago, Tmuir said:

There are a couple of other books I'm aware of that I haven't managed to get yet that are on my 'want list'

You might want to have a look at this ebay item on DVD for 9.95 US, not paper...but might be interesting nonetheless.

Horology the Science of Time and timekeeping, clock and watch repair 100 books

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/142131858494?rmvSB=true

Edited October 20, 2016 by MilTimeCan

[Tmuir]

12 minutes ago, MilTimeCan said:

You might want to have a look at this ebay item on DVD for 9.95 US, not paper...but might be interesting nonetheless.

Horology the Science of Time and timekeeping, clock and watch repair 100 books

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/142131858494?rmvSB=true

Yes I've seen the DVDs full of the old scanned books, very useful if all you want it for is for the research, but for me thats only part of what I'm interested in. I find most of these old books have a name and date written on the inside cover and usually notes in the back which gives the book a bit more life, plus its a bit about 'the chase' in finding a copy of the book in reasonable condition that doesn't break the bank.

I should of added that the 18938 edition of my Britten's book belonged to my grandfather and has his name and the date 1944 written inside it, so that I would rate as my most precious book.

Also my 1904 edition of the watch adjusters manual was my grandfathers, but this one he didn't write his name in, so I dont know if its just a book he picked up at some point, or even if it belonged to his father, my great grandfather.

 

At any given time on ebay UK there is atleast one copy of Brittens Dictionary and guide as they have been printing it now for some 122 years so there are just a few copies out there.

[Vich]

Thanks to MilTimeCan for that link, always interesting to browse through the old books. 

And Tmuir, I understand your fascination. However if I start collecting anything else my wife will kick me out

Cheers,

Vic

[Tmuir]

I just cant help myself, two more old books are coming to my collection.

I already have a PDF of this book, but at £13 I couldn't pass it up.

1895 copy of 'The Watch Jobber's Handybook'

How handy the book will actually be remains doubtful, but I do love finding these old books.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/361742038298?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

and

an 1894 copy of Britten's book

Former Clock Makers and their Work

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/FORMER-CLOCK-AND-WATCHMAKERS-AND-THEIR-WORK-BY-F-J-BRITTEN-1st-EDITION-1894-/302110050629?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&nma=true&si=oZxjZV%2BqZEhnkGjEDMhqfs0Js7M%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

Good thing I've still got some space on my shelves.