Here's one that is crazy cool. Purchased from a couple fuzzy photos with no mention or photo of the inscription on back. I was pretty excited when I opened the package.
One ad in the Db - first example of this model documented. 1946 War Hawk. Note the small square "nubs" on the tops of the lugs next to the crystal, they show in the ad. Ad states 17J, watch is a 21J.
Inscription on back ID's watch as an award presented by the NY Herald Tribune for the East - West Basketball game (1946 NCAA Finals). Recipient was a member of the NYU (East) team - they placed third. He went on the next year to play for the NY Knicks. I actually found examples of his autograph for sale on sporting collectible websites. Watch is running and keeping time, but needs a second hand.
In reply to Wow that is really cool when by Kathy L.
In reply to Wow, great history. I find it by mybulova_admin
It's a toss up, he either ate at the NYU dining hall, or the Horn & Hardart Automat on East 42nd Street near Grand Central Station on the way to Madison Square Garden. :oP
Just kidding. Yes, it's pretty amazing what is available on the internet. I love inscribed watches, the inscription turns them from an object into a time capsule of someone's life. Sometimes you get lucky and can open the capsule and see what's inside; as is the case with this watch.
In reply to Cool find Bob -I think it's a by Geoff Baker
Thanks Geoff, I'm a strong believer in the preservation of history so it seemed the logical thing to do to attempt to keep the surprisingly detailed story I unearthed with the watch for future generations of collectors.
I found the name War Hawk a bit curious as well. Japan surrendered on Aug. 14, 1945 - WWII officially ended Sept. 2, 1945 when McArthur accepted; watch is a 1946. My thought is that this model was designed, named and in production with at least one ad printed prior to the war's end under the assumption the war would continue into 1946.
Perhaps the war ended and so did marketing of the watch as the War Hawk. Sooner or later I suspect an ad post 1946 will surface with this model marketed under a different name. Maybe it was discontinued all together, and the Newspaper got a heck of a deal buying out the jeweler stock of a model name thought to be a hard sell in peace time. It's kind of an odd name watch to present to members of a college basketball team.
Lisa has an example with a movement dated 1949 and case s/n starting with a "1" (and no date stamp), which ads to the mystery.
Just my random thoughts....
A bit more history associated with this watch. The original owner was on the first roster of one of the first and oldest surviving NBA teams (NY Knicks) and played in the first NBA basketball game. He owned and wore this watch at the time.
1946/47: On June 6th a group of 11 franchises formed the Basketball Association of America (later the NBA) in a meeting at New York’s Commodore Hotel. The Knickerbockers face the Huskies in the league’s first game on November 1st in Toronto’s historic Maple Leaf Gardens. The Knicks, as they will become more well known, win that inaugural game 68-66, followed by winning 10 of their first 12 games.
The 1946–47 New York Knicks season was the first season of the franchise in the NBA. The Knicks, the shortened form of Knickerbockers, are one of only two teams of the original National Basketball Association still located in it's original city (the other being the Boston Celtics).
How cool is that?