Newly found 1953 Ad.... NEW NAMES!

Submitted by plainsmen on December 19, 2011 - 10:38pm

Well this guy sure changes up some things... new names for models we've had named already... The Thayer and the Jordan.  A heretofor unknown Andsley... also a unknown Director model?  Cool looking Spencer with two-tone dial.

Pretty cool ad really.

Daca102090
Posted December 19, 2011 - 10:57pm

Cool!!  I have a Spencer case and dial, just need to find a movement.

geezer_D
Posted December 20, 2011 - 6:20am

 Excellent find, I have a Thayer and didn't know it!  

OldTicker
Posted December 20, 2011 - 8:52am

Another great ad Jerin, that X dial Spencer looks a lot like a Franklin.

Bob Bruno
Posted December 20, 2011 - 8:56am

Nice one Jerin. You certainly have a knack for finding the obscure ads!

plainsmen
Posted December 20, 2011 - 8:58am

In reply to by Bob Bruno

Your in Chi-Town Bob... do you remember or know of this Busch's Jewelers?  Is it still in business? 

It would be very interesting to maybe see if they have any copies of their old catalogs like these?

Bob Bruno
Posted December 20, 2011 - 9:27am

Yes I remember them well Plains. Unfortunately they went out of business years ago when the big mall jewelers took over.

Terry K.
Posted December 20, 2011 - 11:20am

Hi Bob,

I picked up what I now know is a "Thayer", thanks to you. I got it about a month ago in it's original box and could not find it in the ad section.

Thanks!!

Terry

vintagebulova.com
Posted December 20, 2011 - 11:49am

Gotta love tha phrase "...Bulova watches at lowest factory fixed prices".  As Bulovas were fair traded and all retailers(at least in the 50s) were required to sign a contract which stated that they would sell Bulovas for the price set by the factory I don't really know what that statement means.  It sure sounds good though.

 

Jay

 

vintagebulova.com

simpletreasures
Posted December 20, 2011 - 11:58am

OK, this brings up a whole other issue concerning the "Fair trade" comment.

Would it be possible for "Buschs" to "Name" watches they were selling under contract with Bulova? Since some of these new names have never been seen before, and since these aren't actually "Bulova Company" paid for ads, and without benefit of being able to view the contract between the two companies (thank's Lowes) how would we ever know?

Do we just take it on "Faith"?

Geoff Baker
Posted December 21, 2011 - 5:29am

In reply to by simpletreasures

Bob - I've always suspected that dealers had the option of creating heir own ad copy. Most of what we have in ads is from national sources and would have come from the home office - closely controlled - ad dept. This appears to be copy assembled from many different sources, with 'local flavor' tossed in generously, eg 'kredit' terms, the 1.50 down, dollar a week Thayer (I'll take five, please). I've also wondered why these heretofore unnamed models show up in Canada and S America and attributed it to Bulova having different watch names in different countries (I think they still do sell some models only in the Orient,  Europe and the States).

And then Jerin throws CHICAGO into the mix.........? A new riddle - great ad though - nice work plains.

simpletreasures
Posted December 21, 2011 - 9:58am

In reply to by Geoff Baker

My point EXACTLY! For all we know, some of these watches could be named after the family dog, or Buschs mistress etc. Hell, for all we know one of these coud be Capone's guns name  :-0

I tend to believe that this is real however, if we look at this "time frame" in reference to Bulovas operating history and knowing Bulova was hurting financially and not long after this time frame went on the auction block etc. I could go on, but????????????????????????????????????????

Way more questions than answers

bourg01
Posted December 20, 2011 - 3:20pm

Well, I think there is enough consistancy to some of the Bulova names we know to consider this legit. Nice find Jerin, you are one amazing bully detector Dude. Keep it up!

yugioh1776
Posted December 20, 2011 - 9:34pm

I  just got a Thayer model sunday thanks now I know the name. Hope we'll find another lost/unknow add soon.

plainsmen
Posted December 20, 2011 - 9:46pm

In reply to by yugioh1776

Yah gotta BE the ad man.... BE the ad.... haha... I do believe I've chased down about 70-80 of our ads.

Think outside the box... For awhile there Bulova was the official watch of American Airlines....  For a while Bulova was the official timepeace of the Ringling Bro. Circus.... 

Old catalogs... and the like.

What I haven't really tapped into to much as I live in a very rural area... are the local jewelry store vintage catalogs/ads that one can maybe find in vintage shops in the cities.

Case in point... the above ad from an old Jewelry store... Busch's from Chicago.

Also... wholesale catalogs... distributor catalogs... those old school catalogs will have some watches in them.  I'd definately ask if there are Bulovas in there before you buy them... also.. maybe PM me a link before you buy a magazine or catalog.  I may know if I've already checked that one or not.