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Blue observatory [message #13403] Mon, 24 August 2020 20:41 Go to next message
Jenneke is currently offline  Jenneke
Messages: 1848
Registered: May 2013
Location: Netherlands
Gruen Authority
Description
Blue box in the shape of an observatory. With text Gruen the precision factory, measurement marking and a gruen crest. Underneath Gruen Time Hill, cincinnati. Made in USA. Blue velvet insert with watch holder.

The design was inspired by the old observatory shown in the 1929 guild book (probably neuchatel). The exact length of a second was determined by the motion of the earth around the sun. The precise optics in observatories allowed a precision measurement for time.

Period : 1948 -1950
Watch type : veri-thin
Size : tbd
Inventor : unknown
Patents : unknown (patents pending)

Box maker : B. C. N. Design Products, Inc. of Middle Village, NY (doing business also under the name “Braun-Crystal Mfg. Co)

/vgforum/index.php?t=getfile&id=6889&private=0
/vgforum/index.php?t=getfile&id=6890&private=0
/vgforum/index.php?t=getfile&id=6892&private=0
/vgforum/index.php?t=getfile&id=6891&private=0
/vgforum/index.php?t=getfile&id=6893&private=0


You can only waste time if you forget to enjoy it - Loesje

[Updated on: Tue, 25 August 2020 16:42]

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Re: Blue observatory [message #13405 is a reply to message #13403] Mon, 24 August 2020 20:55 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Jenneke is currently offline  Jenneke
Messages: 1848
Registered: May 2013
Location: Netherlands
Gruen Authority
Dating research using a quick look through advertisements.

From 1935 gruen switched from guild to “the precision watch”. In 1938 same lettering for Gruen started. In 1939/1940 the crest disappeared in the ads. In 1939/1940 Precision lettering was more graceful Looking (like on the box). In 1941 you see trademark behind precision. Trademark disappeared in 1948. In 1950 the precision writing looks different again.

I have seen this box with a veri-thin Baylor, All star 1 and my ladies veri-thin. She has a movement cal 215 (>1948) and the case style is from 1950.

/vgforum/index.php?t=getfile&id=6894&private=0

Thoughts?


You can only waste time if you forget to enjoy it - Loesje
Re: Blue observatory [message #13419 is a reply to message #13405] Tue, 25 August 2020 16:17 Go to previous messageGo to next message
DRGM is currently offline  DRGM
Messages: 18
Registered: January 2020
Gruen Apprentice
Hi Jenneke,

Thanks for showing! This is a very nice and unique box. A rare and desirable box!

Regarding the maker:

Jenneke wrote on Mon, 24 August 2020 20:41
Box maker : ECB
Sorry, no, the maker isn’t ECB, but BCN. To be exact: B. C. N. Design Products, Inc. of Middle Village, NY (doing business also under the name “Braun-Crystal Mfg. Co.”).

I’m sure for 100%, as the “gray egg” shown here:

http://vintagegruen.org/vgforum/index.php?t=msg&th=1774& amp;start=0&

also was made by BCN (btw: BCN stands for Braun-Crystal, Nassau, as the company originally was located in Nassau, NY). BCN’s logo is present also on some Hamilton boxes - and there’s evidence, that BCN was, in fact, the maker of said Hamilton boxes.

Regards

Martin
Re: Blue observatory [message #13420 is a reply to message #13419] Tue, 25 August 2020 16:41 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Jenneke is currently offline  Jenneke
Messages: 1848
Registered: May 2013
Location: Netherlands
Gruen Authority
Great, i will change it. Where did you find the patent of yours?

You can only waste time if you forget to enjoy it - Loesje
Re: Blue observatory [message #13423 is a reply to message #13420] Tue, 25 August 2020 20:10 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Ephemerald
Messages: 1039
Registered: October 2018
Location: City of Lake Salt
Gruen Authority
I do not know if this is one of their designs but Francis Blod and Alfred Blumenfeld had assigned Gruen patents produced under both E.C.B. Co. *and* B.C.N.

Matthias
Re: Blue observatory [message #13495 is a reply to message #13420] Thu, 27 August 2020 16:42 Go to previous messageGo to next message
DRGM is currently offline  DRGM
Messages: 18
Registered: January 2020
Gruen Apprentice
Jenneke wrote on Tue, 25 August 2020 16:41
Where did you find the patent of yours?
Hi Jenneke,

I found the design patent regarding the “gray egg” on google patents:

https://patents.google.com/

Searching for pre-1976 US design patents is a frustrating job. At least, you may find some on google, but only few. Obviously, google is using some kind of OCR technique making it possible to find some, but not all patents. The USPTO has - in principle - all design patents on its site, but you can find these pre-1976 patents there only by the number or by the US patent class. And that’s a sophisticated system, to say the least. Watch boxes can fall in US Patent class D03 or in D09, maybe in other classes, depending on the official who decided. Let’s take a look on D03 (“Carrier or Storage Container”):

https://www.uspto.gov/web/patents/classification/uspcd03/sch edd03.htm

/vgforum/index.php?t=getfile&id=6952&private=0


The first Curvex box (US Design Patent No. 101,129) is in class D03/294 (“Enclosed - Hinged closure”), while the “gray egg” is classified in class D9/420:

https://www.uspto.gov/web/patents/classification/uspcd09/sch edd09.htm


/vgforum/index.php?t=getfile&id=6953&private=0


As I said: sophisticated and if you don’t guess the matching class right, it’s next to impossible find the design patent you are after.

Well, I tried to find the “observatory” patent - without success.

Regards

Martin




Re: Blue observatory [message #13502 is a reply to message #13495] Thu, 27 August 2020 18:53 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Jenneke is currently offline  Jenneke
Messages: 1848
Registered: May 2013
Location: Netherlands
Gruen Authority
Thanks Martin. Yeah, i tried Google patents. Did not find it.

And I would like a google search option for the site you suggested. 😂 that site is vast.


You can only waste time if you forget to enjoy it - Loesje
Re: Blue observatory [message #14056 is a reply to message #13502] Sat, 05 December 2020 22:32 Go to previous message
Jenneke is currently offline  Jenneke
Messages: 1848
Registered: May 2013
Location: Netherlands
Gruen Authority
The box was used for the all star models. See topic https://vintagegruen.org/vgforum/index.php?t=msg&th=1853 &start=0&

You can only waste time if you forget to enjoy it - Loesje
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