The BULOVA "DRAKE," or perhaps "RADIO CITY," Circa 1940 and maybe 1941? Yellow or Pink (Rose) gold filled case, 14 Karat, RGP.
NOTE the modified 1939 President style (vs. terraced lug, on the 40s Senator) case design, please...
Best :-) Scott
Is/are this 1940/1 cased model/s indeed a "SPENCER?" No... There is no mention of a like cased (and crystaled) "Spencer," prior to 1943... in any of several brand/year crystal catalogs I have here... FURTHERMORE, the 1942 "Spencer" takes an "MX" (curved, rectangular)crystal...
:-) Scott
MODEL
GS
SUC
BB
PERFIT
(1940s:) Drake, Radio City, Senator "A," Spencer
4
CMY311
RME111-10
3
CMY2415 176
HMB240/7 177
P.S. BB Crystal Catalog Suppliment: (July, '42 - December, 45) The "DRAKE" and "RADIO CITY."
SEE WHY YOU MUST ALSO HAVE THE CRYSTAL CATALOGS, PEOPLE??? :-p
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Scott,
The 'expolding' numeral Dial, or any printed Dial for that matter does not appear in any ad depicting a 'SENATOR'. All ads showing a 'SENATOR' are Dialed with applied Gilt Arabic numerals in the standard form.
There is however this obscure ad showing a step lugged case with an exploding numeral Dial named a 'SPENCER'.
Being the horn lug 'SPENCER' case does does not appear in this configuration post 1945+/- , last known ad being Dated 1943 (and becomes a 'PRESIDENT'?) consensus is the 'SPENCER' took on the stepped lug case form along with its exploding printed numeral Dial.
As discussed here http://www.mybulova.com/node/1442
* as an added note there is suspicion that the exploding numeral Dial could possibly be the elusive 'RADIO CITY' as the printed exploding numeral Dial does resemble that of an old Bulova Radio.
In reply to Scott, The 'expolding' by FifthAvenueRes…
Hey Mark,
Thanks for the follow up... I presumed (as an initial guess) after finding the above listings/images on eBay a few months ago... that they were either the SPENCER," or the "DRAKE?" (1940/1, mind you... if the date stamps correlate?)
I believe the Radio City is one I sent months ago to Philip... that is the classier act (copper dial, with RGF case) version, that otherwise looks like a "SENATOR," as I recall???
I'm searching my Harddrives, as I type... (Senator, Drake, Spencer, Radio City...)
And is there perhaps an ad date for this Spencer illustration? (i.e. about 1941, or 1946, maybe??)
Best :-) Scott
In reply to Scott, The 'expolding' by FifthAvenueRes…
Hey Mark,
I have a problem with that 1943/4 "GRAD AD" illustrating the SPENCER, in a light that creates an OPTICAL ILLUSION..." appearing to show the scalloped lugs, when IN FACT... ONLY THE SENATOR (and maybe the Radio City and/or Drake?) remains a wild card, between these two similar case designs, in my opinion... at this point:
i.e. CASES IN POINT:
AND THIS ONE... PROVES THE POINT... I THINK???
Bulova Spencer Ad (43) .png
In reply to Hey Mark, I have a problem by WatchCrystals.net
Scott,
I fail to see what it is You are trying to emphasize with the enlarged image? it still looks like a 3 step Case lug to Me.
The vintage card ad is what the vintage card ad is: - what has been known on site until recently as a 1940's 'SENATOR' Case shown with an exploding numeral Dial and named the 'SPENCER' (*which incidentally has never been depicted in any of the many currently available ads as a 'SENATOR')
.....or am I missing something here?
In reply to Scott, The 'expolding' by FifthAvenueRes…
I suspect the Senator case (NOT Spencer!) and the Expoding dial is EITHER the 10 and/or 14 karat gold filled RADIO CITY? Or perhaps the DRAKE?? (1942- 5?) ALL five models take the same exact crystals... Furthermore, ONE of those models (that looks like a SENATOR) IS solid 14 karat gold! (So few would remain, after two gold price spikes, and most now melted down...)
Best :-) Scott
P.S. The 40s SENATOR was (also... following the latter 30s design) a good seller, for some 9- 10 (?) years straight, in the same case! SO... WHY the heck would they have only offered ONE FACE, for a dial option?! Is that not TOTALLY CONTRAIRE to USA watch marketing 101, since DAY ONE, with wristwatches? (i.e. the 19teens, ladies strap watches, roaring 20s +)
Mark,
THANKS... It seems the SPENCER is then likely a 1943- 46 design... and the DRAKE and RADIO CITY, remain unproven??? Another issue I see here (right and left) is the LACK of differentiation between the modified lugs for use in 1939+ for the PRESIDENT, then apparently the SPENCER... And the scalloped (tri- terraced) step down lug design... on the SENATORS! (1940- 49?) LOL...
And the lack of INQUIRY for say my looking up the 1942 "Spencer glass" in one minute's time as clearly an "MX" (curved RECTANGULAR...) all but PROVING that the prior (to 1943) namesake, WASN'T the same...) makes me believe that at least one/two examples posted above are then rather and either the DRAKE and/or RADIO CITY, if... the movements were dately correctly, in the eBay listings???)
:-) Scott
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