Archives Center, National Museum of American History
Jon and Jennifer Hanson Watch and Clock Collection
Hanson, Jon
Hamilton Watch Company.
NMAH.AC.1122
Archival Resource Key
11.7 Cubic feet
8 boxes including photographs and negatives
1931-1954
undated
Photographic prints and negatives documenting the interior operations of the Hamilton Watch Company primarily in the 1930s and 1940s.
English
.
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open for research use.
Researchers must handle unprotected photographs with gloves.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
This collection was donated by Jon Hanson in 2008.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged in one series.
Series 1: Photographic Prints and Negatives, 1931-1954, undated
Biographical / Historical
Hamilton Watch Company, established in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in 1892, was known for its manufacture of high quality wrist and pocket watches. Broadway Limited, its first series of pocket watches, was nicknamed "the watch of railroad accuracy," and Hamilton soon became associated with the railroad industry. The company also supplied wristwatches to the United States Armed Forces in the 1910s Hamilton continued its association with the military during World War II when it stopped production of watches for consumers in order to provide the armed forces with one million timepieces. The company was responsible for the Ventura, the world's first electric (battery-powered) watch, and in 1970, the world's first digital watch.
In 1969, Hamilton closed its factory in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, signaling the end of its American manufacturing operations. All production moved to the facilities of the Buren Watch Company in Switzerland, a company that Hamilton had acquired three years before. The Hamilton brand is currently owned by the Swatch Group and carries two product lines, American Classic and Khaki.
Preferred Citation
Hamilton Watch Company Photographs, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
Processing Information
Processed by Kiley Orchard (intern), 2008, Christopher Ruggiero (intern), 2008, and Vanessa Broussard Simmons, archivist, 2008.
Custodial History
Acquired by a clock and watch collector in 1969 when Hamilton closed its Lancaster plant and later sold by his estate.
Related Materials
Materials in the Archives Center
E. Howard Clock Company Records (NMAH.AC.0776)
Seth Thomas Clock Company Records (NMAH.AC.0627)
James Arthur Clock and Watch Collection (NMAH.AC.0130)
National Company (NATCO) Atomic Clocks Records (NMAH.AC.0547)
Harold Lyons Atomic Clocks Collection (NMAH.AC.0701)
Warshaw Collection of Business Americana (NMAH.AC.0060)
Scope and Contents
The collection consists of approximately 760 photographs and negatives created by the Hamilton Watch Company and documenting its employees, equipment, materials, and factory in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Many photographs depict the company's research and development efforts. There are also images of the Hamilton Watch Company's work in fuse assembly for bombs during WWII. The photographs are mainly organized by factory department or location. A number of these photographs were created by the advertising department and include identification numbers, location of the image, name of the photographer, and the identification of people in the photograph, as well as release forms for those pictured. If not located with the photographs, these items, as well as additional information, can be found in the corresponding folders. Negatives in poor condition were scanned. There are also five glass plate negatives.
Conditions Governing Use
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Annual reports
Advertising
Blueprints
Assembly-line methods
Price lists
World War, 1939-1945 -- Industries
Account books -- 20th century
Photographs -- Black-and-white photoprints -- Silver gelatin -- 1940-1950
Fuses
Factories -- Pennsylvania
Manufacturing processes
Horology
Business records
Bombs
Clocks and watches
Chronometers
Photographic Prints and Negatives
Series 1
Archival Resource Key
1931-1954, undated
Assembly casing
Archival Resource Key
undated
1953
1
Assembly casing
Archival Resource Key
undated
8
1
Assembly casing
Scope and Contents
Scanned image, AC1122-0000004.tif
Assembly line
Archival Resource Key
undated
1941
1
Assembly line
Archival Resource Key
1941
undated
8
2
Assembly line
Archival Resource Key
undated
8
3
Assembly line
Scope and Contents
Scanned images, AC1122-0000001.tif, AC1122-0000002.tif, and AC1122-0000003.tif
Automatic department
Archival Resource Key
undated
1
Automatic department
Archival Resource Key
undated
8
4
Balance and flat steel
Archival Resource Key
undated
1
Balance and flat steel
Archival Resource Key
undated
8
5
Balance staff department
Archival Resource Key
undated
1943
2
Balance staff department
Archival Resource Key
1943
undated
8
6
Balance wheel
Archival Resource Key
undated
2
Balance wheel
Archival Resource Key
undated
8
7
Balance wheel
Scope and Contents
Scanned images, AC1122-0000005.tif and AC1122-0000006.tif
Boiler house
Archival Resource Key
undated
2
Cafeteria
Archival Resource Key
undated
2
Chemical research laboratory
Archival Resource Key
undated
2
Chronometer assembly
Archival Resource Key
undated
2
Chronometer assembly
Archival Resource Key
undated
8
8
Chronometer assembly
Scope and Contents
Scanned image, AC1122-00000007.tif
Credit union
Archival Resource Key
undated
2
Credit union
Archival Resource Key
undated
8
9
Credit union
Archival Resource Key
undated
8
10
Credit union
Scope and Contents
Scanned images, AC1122-0000008.tif and AC1122-0000009.tif
Crystal tool laboratory
Archival Resource Key
1943
2
Crystallography laboratory
Archival Resource Key
undated
1943
2
Crystallography laboratory
Archival Resource Key
undated
1943
8
11
Crystallography laboratory
Archival Resource Key
undated
8
12
Crystallography laboratory
Archival Resource Key
undated
8
13
Crystallography laboratory
Scope and Contents
Scanned image, AC1122-0000010.tif
Dial
Archival Resource Key
undated
2
Dial department
Archival Resource Key
undated
1943
3
Dial department
Archival Resource Key
1943
undated
8
14
Dial department
Archival Resource Key
undated
8
15
Dial department
Scope and Contents
Scanned images, AC1122-0000011.tif and AC1122-0000012.tif
Dixie room
Archival Resource Key
undated
3
Engineering department
Archival Resource Key
undated
1931
3
Engineering department
Archival Resource Key
undated
1931
8
16
Escape department
Archival Resource Key
undated
1931
3
Factory (air view)
Archival Resource Key
1954
undated
1946
1952
1945
3
Factory (air view)
Archival Resource Key
1945
1946
1954
1952
undated
8
17
Finishing department
Archival Resource Key
1931
1943
1941
undated
4
Finishing department
Archival Resource Key
1943
1941
undated
1931
8
18
First aid room
Archival Resource Key
1943
undated
4
First aid room
Archival Resource Key
1943
undated
8
19
Friction jewelling
Archival Resource Key
1932
1943
undated
4
Friction jewelling
Archival Resource Key
1932
1943
undated
8
20
Fuze assembly, North plant
Archival Resource Key
1943
4
Hairspring
Archival Resource Key
undated
4
Hairspring, glass negatives
Archival Resource Key
undated
7
1
Hairspring
Archival Resource Key
undated
8
21
Hairspring
Archival Resource Key
undated
8
22
Hairspring
Scope and Contents
Scanned images, AC1122-0000013.tif and AC1122-0000014.tif
Hairspring manufacture
Archival Resource Key
1949
4
Hairspring manufacture
Archival Resource Key
1949
8
23
Jewel department
Archival Resource Key
1943
1948
undated
4
Jewel department, glass negative
Archival Resource Key
undated
7
2
Jewel department
Archival Resource Key
undated
1948
1943
8
24
Jewel department
Archival Resource Key
undated
8
25
Jewel department
Scope and Contents
Scanned image, AC1122-0000015.tif
Jewels
Archival Resource Key
undated
1947
5
Jewels
Jewels, glass negative
Archival Resource Key
undated
7
3
Library
Archival Resource Key
undated
1945
1943
5
Library
Archival Resource Key
1943
8
26
Machine shop
Archival Resource Key
1931
undated
1949
1943
1941
5
Machine shop
Archival Resource Key
1943
1949
1931
1941
undated
8
27
Material sales
Archival Resource Key
undated
1953
5
Metrology laboratory (standards section)
Archival Resource Key
1949
undated
1948
5
Metrology laboratory (standards section)
Archival Resource Key
1948
1949
undated
8
28
North plant
Archival Resource Key
1943
5
North plant
Archival Resource Key
1943
8
29
Oil laboratory
Archival Resource Key
1948
1941
undated
1943
1946
5
Oil laboratory
Archival Resource Key
1946
1948
1941
1943
undated
8
30
Pallet arbor
Archival Resource Key
1947
6
Pallet fork
Archival Resource Key
undated
6
Pallet fork
Archival Resource Key
8
31
Pallet fork
Scope and Contents
Scanned image, AC1122-0000016.tif
Pillar plate
Archival Resource Key
undated
1947
6
Pillar plate
Archival Resource Key
undated
1947
8
32
Screws
Archival Resource Key
undated
1947
1946
1943
6
Screws
Archival Resource Key
undated
1947
1946
1943
8
33
Train wheels
Archival Resource Key
undated
8
34
Unassembled parts
Archival Resource Key
undated
6