secondhand Ingersoll Midget WWI watch used, white and silver

Used • Color: White, Silver

Ingersoll Midget 1916 WWI Watch – With Original Documents – Trench / Desk Watch

For sale: Ingersoll Midget watch, manufactured in the USA, purchased on 1 May 1916, during World War I, complete with original handwritten warranty card and documents.

The watch was produced by Robt. H. Ingersoll & Bro. and distributed through the British office (Audrey House, Ely Place, London E.C.), with documented circulation in New Zealand, one of the British colonies at the time. The warranty card is handwritten by a dealer signed Mr. Score, likely a Scottish retailer from Ingersoll’s colonial distribution network.

Its provenance can be traced to New Zealand, where Ingersoll watches were sold in the early 20th century by Gilbert Bros Ltd, Tainui Street, Greymouth (visible on period material). This makes the watch a genuine witness to a remarkable intercontinental journey across the British Empire, eventually returning to Europe.

The movement is American, stamped MADE IN U.S.A., with patents from 1904 and 1908, and retains its original F–S regulator. The dial is authentic, featuring the characteristic red “12”, typical for the period.
The case retains one original wire lug, with evidence of an old repair solder — a common trait of trench-style watches, later adapted and used as desk clocks.

Technical details:
• Brand & model: Ingersoll Midget
• Origin: MADE IN U.S.A.
• Patents: Nov. 29, 1904 / Sep. 22, 1908
• Case diameter: 39 mm (excluding crown)
• Construction: one preserved wire lug, used as a stand
• Use: trench watch, later desk watch

A rare historical object — the kind that starts conversations on its own, combining authentic WWI history, documented provenance, and strong collector appeal.

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