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The Nº1. Mickey Mouse Watch from the Chicago Exposition has different characteristics to the later models. The bezel has Art Deco decoration and the casing is stamped stainless steel with wire lugs, this was the basic Ingersoll Mite model available with leather straps or stainless steel braclet with novelty Mickey Charms.
There is a noticable difference between the Wirelug Ingersoll Mite model (Chicago Expo) and the Deluxe Mite (used in the design of succeeding models). The watch face has various design differences, the most obvious being that the numbers 5 and 7 in the Wirelug sit above Mickey's knees, while in later versions font characters for the 5 and 7 are reduced in size and printed below the knees. Examples of the early watch face design with the Deluxe casing can be attributed to late '33 editions.
The Nº1. Box is unique to the Wirelug Mickey Watch, though the Wirelug watch was also presented in the 'Critter Box'. Later designs which made use of the Ingersoll Deluxe Mite version (with brass cast, nickle-plated casings and altered face style) also used the more commonly seen 'Critter Box' design. This box displayed the various Disney characters accompanying Mickey Mouse, such as Minnie Mouse, Pluto, Clarabelle Cow and Horace Horsecollar, this display box was also redesigned for the later '35, '36 and '37 models as a blue box with a single image of Mickey and a free standing insert.
In '34 the following year the Wirelug casing was replaced by the Deluxe Mite with brass cast, nickle-plated casings. The face design displayed a leaner Mickey with numerals 5 and 7 reduced in size and positioned below Mickey's knees. There is no perceptable difference between the watches in the following two editions in late '34 and early '35 other than the late '34 leather strap version having a rounded leading end.
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A late 30's style Mickey Mouse Ingersoll watch 7 Jeweled movement and 10 Karat rolled gold case (stamped). This is a '30s Kelton watch by Ingersoll/Waterbury. Kelton was used as a line name and most were generally produced for the French market. This Mickey is a step up from the steel pin lever movement manufactured at the time for most of the Ingersoll Mickey Mouse line and could be regarded as an adult deluxe model, some were converted from the standard Kelton model to accommodate the demand. It came with either bracelet or leather strap as in this example.
Similar to the Ingersoll/Kelton was the Ingersoll Curve Wristwatch. It came with a single jewel balance and was found occasionally converted for adults, worn with either leather strap or matching chrome finished bracelet
Along with the Mickey Nº 1 Watch, Ingersoll brought out the Long Stem Mickey Mouse pocket watch succeeded shortly after by the short stem, both having embossed back covers and presented in the same current style of box as the wrist watches. By '35 Ingersoll also introduced the Lapel Watch, a black laquered face, bulls eye crystal and an attractive decal of a running Mickey Mouse on the back. The Mickey Mouse Lapel Watch is far rarer and a favourite collectable.
With the advent of the Ingersoll Mickey Mouse Watch popularised in the US, the British market was issued its own version of the now famous Mickey Mouse character by Ingersoll Ltd. of London. The 'Balloon Trousers Mickey Watch' the first of two versions depicted a straight legged running Mickey with long snout, red balloon trousers, five fingered hands, proportionately small orange shoes and a seconds disc with three walking Mickeys. The words 'Mickey Mouse Ingersoll' are printed on a glossy paper with 'Foreign printed below the Nº6.
The watch came in a similar box to the US Mickey Mouse Watch, but the wording indicated it as being British issue, and printed on the lid below the standard legend 'Reproduced with the consent of Walter E. Disney' and inside again with the added small print...'This box printed and made in England'
Along with the 1934 'Balloon Trousers Mickey' and 1936 'Bearded Mickey' pocket watch, Ingersoll Ltd. of London brought out wrist watch version for both pocket watch designs, they were the same in every detail, but scaled down.
The English Ingersoll Mickey Mouse Wrist Watch, with wire lugs was smaller than its American counterpart, but far more attractive. Due to the fewer numbers marketed in comparison to the US Mickey.
They were also rarer due to cost. In the mid 30's pocket watches in Britain were the norm and a working family would have to save up the 6/11 cost for the Mickey Mouse pocket watch but to pay more than double at 15/- for a Mickey Mouse wristwatch would be near impossible for a working man. Only the more affluent classes could afford them, making it a rarer and much more collectable Mickey Mouse Watch.
(Glen Benson)
By kind permission of Michael Garner
A rare example of an advert by Ingersolls of London Ltd, promoting the English Mickey Mouse pocket watch and wristwatch. The promotional presents both the 1934 version of wristwatch and pocket watch with other Disneyana time piece prices listed in old pounds and shillings. The Mickey Mouse wristwatch described as sporting either wrist strap or ribbon as displayed in the illustration and the images below with boxes.
Images of the very rare 1934 Nº1 English Mickey Mouse Wristwatch and Box
by kind permission of Michael Garner
Rare example of the Nº1 Ingersoll English Mickey Mouse Wristwatch and Box displaying a black labeled legend with the words 'Ingersoll Mickey Mouse Wrist Watch' - 'Reproduced with the consent of Walter E Disney'
Below are two examples of the 1936 Nº2 English Mickey Mouse Wristwatch displaying the two original straps supplied with these watches.
The highly collectable 1936 Ingersoll 'Bearded Mickey' pocket watch for the British market. Marked 'Foreign', the design varies from the US version in that Mickey runs and has a pink beard, there is also more detailed modeling of the figure, particularly in the orange gloves and boots. The seconds disc has walking Mickeys, differing form the US watch. This watch is arguably the most attractive of all the early Ingersoll Mickey Mouse Watches.
Fobs used with the Ingersoll English Mickey Pocket Watch were usually the small Ingersoll token that was attached to Disney merchandise of the times, the other was the prized 'Mickey and Pluto Hunter' fob.
A rarer version of the attractive '36 English Ingersoll Mickey Mouse Pocket Watch...
The Regular Pull-to-Set Movement with Stem Barrel, Ring and Crown.
This watch operates by pulling out the crown to set the time (as in regular pocket watches). Contrasting with the push action of the Mickey Ingersoll Pocket Watches both American and English, as used in the famous 'dollar' watch of the '20s and '30s.
The Foreign model movements were made under contract in Germany, between the wars, by the UMF/Ruhla factory and because of this (as with all goods made between the wars in Germany) the dials had to be marked Foreign. It is also why at the outbreak of the 2nd world war in 1939, spare parts and watches became impossible to buy. At the close of the 2nd world war, the UMF/Ruhla factory was in the Russian East German zone and trading was not impossible but very difficult. The Ingersoll Mickey was only made in one design, the push to set model but at the same time, UMF made standard models of the same Ligne (size) in Pin-Set, Push Set and Pull Set models. They all carry the same face 'clip set' mounting and because of this it's very easy to take a UMF Mickey face and attach it to the other models. The Ingersoll Push-Set model was very fragile and with a bit of wear, it became very difficult when pushing the crown to change the gearing over from wind to time set, so watch makers moved the faces from Push to Pull and Pin-Set models, as the 'pull to set' example displayed here.
Besides Ingersoll, Smiths & Services bought from UMF/Ruhla, so there was a wide variety of watches that could be used for parts. All Ingersoll had nickel/chrome plates but Services and UMF had mostly Gold coloured plates. The Pull-Set model also has an additional Pallet bridging Plate on the movement (above right)
Information kindly provided by Glen Benson
A very rare (Circa) 1938 Ingersoll 'Bearded Mickey' pocket watch with alarm.
The design varies from the standard '36 version in that it has a larger celluloid face and the seconds disc doesn't display the 30 second numeral. It also carries a third hand/arrow in red to select alarm settings. It has a Swiss movement (BREVET 124160) which is understood to have been issued to a line of prewar Ingersoll alarm pocket watches.
(I have very little information on this watch which was aquired from a German collection. Any further information would be gratefully appreciated )
The famous Electric 'Tumbling' Mickey Mouse Clock was produced in 1933. It displays the similar image of Mickey Mouse used in the wrist and pocket watches of that period. Mickey rotates/tumbles around the clock with his hands pointing to the time. The clock sometimes came with a paperband displaying various Walt Disney characters along with Mickey Mouse, such as Horace Horse Collar, Clarabelle Cow, Pluto and Minnie Mouse
In '34 Ingersoll produced a Mickey Mouse Alarm Clock, Marketing section realising that there was a demand for inclusion of an alarm which was missing from the previous year's clocks. Ingersoll innovations included a wagging head to compliment the animated hands in this round faced version. The clock came in a lime green or red with a generous stepped Art Deco pedestal
The 1936 Mickey Mouse English Clock was produced a couple of years after its American counterpart. The cases were altogether similar, with paper band illustrating the various Walt Disney characters along with Mickey Mouse, such as Horace Horse Collar, Clarabelle Cow, Pluto and Minnie Mouse. On the other hand the face designs differ, reflecting their use of the relative designs used in their Mickey Mouse watches. The English version from Ingersoll of London also displays a seconds disc sporting two running Mickeys with long legs. The American version retains the three running Mickeys as in the wrist and pocket watches.
(The American version is not displayed... can't get a hold of one!)
