Bulova 1941 Ranger

Submitted by JimDon5822 on April 8, 2018 - 12:58am
Manufacture Year
1941
Movement Model
10AX
Movement Date Code
Asterisk
Movement Jewels
15
Movement Serial No.
-
Case Serial No.
1704164
Case shape
Tonneau
Case color
Yellow
Case Manufacturer
Bulova
Crystal details
plastic domed
Gender
Mens
Watch Description

This appears to be a 1941 Lieutenant based on the following previous watch.  http://www.mybulova.com/watches/1941-lieutenant-3483

This is a yellow gold watch with a 10AX movement with the asterick date code.   The dial is a silver champagne color with gold applied hour numbers.  It appears the same as the above watch and others listed as a Lieutenant but the sub second register has no second numbers.   Interestingly the watch is engraved on the back Michael Salay.  I did find a Michael Salay who was a race care driver and this could have been a prize he won for winning a race.   The watch is not currently running. 

1941 Bulova Ranger watch
1941 Bulova watch
1941 Bulova watch
1941 Bulova watch
jabs
Posted April 8, 2018 - 3:35am

Your watch will be Ranger with silver color dial while Lieutenant is rose gold

Andersok
Posted April 9, 2018 - 7:37am

I'm good with Ranger id.

neetstuf-4-u
Posted April 9, 2018 - 5:28pm

I will agree with The ID of Ranger.

Geoff Baker
Posted April 10, 2018 - 6:59am

I always pause on this watch, too many possible ID's

1941 Bulova Ranger

bourg01
Posted April 10, 2018 - 11:00am

I'd agree with Ranger.

plainsmen
Posted April 10, 2018 - 7:42pm

Ranger is fine.

JimDon5822
Posted May 13, 2020 - 8:48pm

Been doing some research on the engraving on the back.   Turns out Michael Salay was a race car driver who actually raced in the Indy 500.   

Michael Salay

Mike Salay
10/6/1909 - 19/11/1973

Mike Salay was born in South Bend, Indiana. His parents were born in Hungary and his real family name was Szalai. He started racing before WWII and was president of the South Bend Hungarian Auto Club, though history does not recount how many members the SBHAC had. 

He won the feature race at the last event ever held at the Evanston Motor Speedway (which was also known as the Chicago Midget Speedway) on the 9th August 1936. The track suffered severe storm damage and all further racing was cancelled. The track never reopened.

He went on to race in midgets and Champ Cars between 1948 and 1951.

He qualified the Terman Marine Supply Wetteroth Offy for the Indy 500 in 1948 at the back of the grid and was the first to retire on lap 13 when for some reason he stalled in the south east turn.

He went back to Indy in 1951 but failed to qualify when he crashed out in practice.

He died in South Bend, Indiana in 1973.  He was inducted into the Michiana Racers Hall of Fame in 2007.
 

Kathy L.
Posted May 13, 2020 - 8:51pm

In reply to by JimDon5822

Wow, that is really cool!  I really like inscriptions for this reason.  Nice being able to get a little history.  Thanks for sharing.

JimDon5822
Posted May 13, 2020 - 9:16pm

Here are some more articles.   I am fairly certain the watch was probably a prize for winning one of these races in 1941.  All articles are from 1941.

Salay 1941Salay 2SALAY 3SALAY 4

neetstuf-4-u
Posted May 14, 2020 - 11:19am

VERY cool! Thanks for sharing.