Sorry this has taken me so long to post it up after I got it but as most of you know I've been pretty busy the last few months. Well.. this is the first one I've gotten... I believe this is NOS.The Jefferson. We don't have an advert for this yet other than a very horrible catalog ad someplace you can barely make out it looks something like "Jefferson". Well low and behold inside the case was the original hang tag! This watch is in pristine mint condition. I haven't had one like it and certainly haven't seen one from the 1950's in this good a shape except for a couple that Oldticker had found in parts and was fixed up by Mike. I'm adding a few more pics just because I think this will be the primere go-to for this model in the future
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I think I may be able to shed some light on the box and why it resembles the box used for the Academy Award line of watches.
While at the Library of Congress, I found an article regarding a design award given to Bulova for a specific line of watches. The award was given by the Fashion Academy and was called the "1950 Fashion Academy Gold Medal Award".
The article below is dated 1950 and ran in the New York Times. The article does not refer to the Academy Award line of watches. It doesn't call the line by any name. Rather, the article simply states that "Bulova will shortly present to the public the complete line of watches for which the award was presented".
Now, read the gold tag that came with Plains' watch. It reads, "Fashion Academy, Gold Medal, Awarded to Bulova for Outstanding Design".
I think that award offers a very reasonable explanation for why there is another box that is so similar to the box used for the Academy Award line of watches, which was produced at the same time. Bulova may have been purposefully playing them off of each other, hoping each would add to the popularity and value of the other. In short, we have two "award" lines and two types of "award" boxes.
I also think that the hang tag, viewed in conjunction with the 1950 article, indicates that these types of boxes were likely used long before 1953 and were, therefore, used concurrently with even the most conservative view on when the Academy Award watches were produced.
In reply to I think I may be able to shed by NOVA
In reply to I think I may be able to shed by NOVA
In reply to I think I may be able to shed by NOVA
You have been busy snagging a few huh Jerin...I had my eye on this one, and if I remember right, it just suddenly ended and was no longer available for sale....~N-I-C-E-!~
For Fifth and Nova...
Here are a couple boxes...AA box, and Post AA box,... I would bet that with the sucess of the early AA's, Bulova ramped up the production and had to put the brakes on when the lawsuit started, the only real difference is the statue guy is missing, and no mention of "Academy Award", other than that they are both the same...
In reply to You have been busy snagging a by OldTicker
Ah interesting... I'm betting yours on the left was the transitional box before they changed the felt to tan? Or yours on the left was produced the same time as the original AA boxes and they used the same stuffing if you will.
Oh... and I got this one a month or two ago.. remember? Nobody bid on it... I was the only one. I think it went oh... schuper affordable.
AH HA!! Here it is.. I remember now, it was back in April... 17th to be exact... holy moly is time flying.
In reply to You have been busy snagging a by OldTicker
OT, what lawsuit?
This issue has been researched and discussed more than once. The lawsuit that is always cited in this context had nothing whatsoever to do with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, who owned--and still owns--the rights to the terms and symbols "Oscar" and "Academy Award", and who contracted with Bulova to allow them to use those words and symbols for their watches.
The suit was brought by a different company that filed fraudulent trademarks for "Oscar" and "Academy Award" and then sued Bulova for infringement of those trademarks. Subsequently, the trademarks were cancelled and the lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice. Bulova had counter-sued for damages and won that counter-claim. The decision in Bulova's favor was affirmed on appeal.
The FTC stipulation is also often cited. All that 1952 stipulation required was that Bulova change the way it advertised the AAs.
The relevant cites are below. I encourage everyone to read them carefully so that we don't continue to have a misunderstanding regarding this issue.
If you have any other sources--other than third party misinterpretations of the matters cited below--to call to my attention, please do so. I would love to see them.
Academy Award Products v. Bulova Watch Company, 129 F.Supp. 780 (2nd Cir. 1955).
Academy Award Products v. Bulova Watch Company, 233 F.2d 449 (S.D. New York 1956).
Federal Trade Commission Decisions, Stipulation No. 8385, October 1952.
Also, see my post above regarding the award that coincides with Plains' box and gold tag and, presumably, also your non-Academy Award box shown above.
In reply to OT, what lawsuit? This issue by NOVA
In reply to I am aware of this, but don't by OldTicker