POCKET WATCHES - S.T.B.
(Societatea Comunala a Tramvaielor Bucuresti – engl. Bucharest Trams Communal Company)
Some of the most interesting pocket watches, ordered for Romania, were the S.T.B. series – Societatea Comunala a Tramvaielor Bucuresti – engl. Bucharest Trams Communal Company.
(from left to right: Zenith 18’’’, Zenith 20 1/2’’’, Omega 19’’’, Movado)
Until the end of 2008 there were known only the Zenith S.T.B. variants but recent "discoveries" make the things be more interesting.
About these watches I try a presentation next!
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At a simple Internet browsing it is surprisingly how many information can be found about the Societatea Comunala a Tramvaielor Bucuresti S.T.B.– engl. Bucharest Trams Communal Company.
Founded in 1909, S.T.B. was in the center of Bucharest’s social, economic and politic life at the beginning of the century.
photos source: forumul TramClub Romania
The history of Bucharest’s tram is much older, being started in 1871-1872 when the City Hall has made a concession, for 45 years (until 1916), this activity of Harry Hubert de Mervee Slade, representing a Belgian society that has administrated the "Romanian Tram Society".
The beginning belonged to trams lead by horses (functioning until 1929) but beginning with 1894 the functioning of electric trams started.
In 1909, the end of the concession being near and the economic opportunity of such an activity being evident, influent characters from the politic life of the epoch wanted to "grasp" public transportation of Bucharest.
Beginning with 1936 S.T.B. gets also the exclusivity of Bucharest bus public transportation but also for the suburban communes.
photo source: forumul TramClub Romania
The epoch’s public scandals that had in close-up view the S.T.B. were numerous but did not stopped the society to function until 1948 (through the Founding Statute had as functioning period 40 years) when it was transformed in the more known – I.T.B. | Intreprinderea de Transport Bucuresti – engl. Bucharest Transport Enterprise.
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The pocket watches that equipped the S.T.B. personnel were supplied by 3 producers – Omega, Zenith and Movado and were acquired in the interval 1917-1930.
POCKET WATCHES | ROMANIAN ORDER | S.T.B. (Societatea Comunala a Tramvaielor Bucuresti – engl. Bucharest Trams Communal Company)
(from left to right: Zenith 20 1/2’’’, Zenith 18’’’, Movado, Omega 19’’’)
Next are a few details for each of these watches (information is going to be updated as soon as details are obtained and also identifications from the producers’ museums):
OMEGA S.T.B. (deliveries during 1917-1922):
1. Omega S.T.B. | dial marked "NATHAN TETELZWEIG STRADA CAROL 27", "S.T.B." above second’s hands 06:00 | cal. 19’’’ LO quality B (ref. 131.19), 17 jewels movement, circa 1917-1922
2. Omega S.T.B. | cal. 20’’’, LO quality B (ref. 131.20), 17 jewels movement, cca. 1917-1922
Note: The Omega Museum specifies that during 1917-1922 were delivered to STB around 2.000 pocket watches.
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OMEGA S.T.B. IDENTIFICATIONS (for last update list please check the Romanian list version) :
- movement: 4717181 | case: 5468715 | cal. 19 ’’’ | December.1916 | private collection - movement: 4723094 | case: 5507556 | cal. 19 ’’’ | December.1916 | Ceasuri pentru Romania – engl. Watches for Romania collection
- movement: 4739549 | case: 5507511 | cal. 19 ’’’ | Decembrer.1916 | Jan Bejan collection
ZENITH S.T.B. (deliveries during 1927-1930):
3. Zenith S.T.B. (1927) | dial marked: “S.T.B. BUCURESTI” | cal. 20 ½’’’, 17 jewels movement, lid marked on the interior xxx (no. of 3 figures) | January.1927
4. Zenith S.T.B. (1930) | dial marked: “S.T.B. BUCURESTI” | cal. 18’’’, 17 jewels movement, lid marked on the interior xxx (no. of 3 figures) | April.1930
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ZENITH S.T.B. IDENTIFICATIONS (for last update list please check the Romanian list version) :
- movement: 2476234 | case: 4979182 | cal. 20 ½ ’’’ | "No." 16 | xx.xxxxxxx.1920 (?) | Klaus Frintz collection
- movement: 2726437 | case: 8009865 | cal. 20 ½ ’’’ | no. 288 | 15.January.1927 | Ciprian Ganea collection
- movement: 2726501 | case: 8009929 | cal. 20 ½ ’’’ | no. 352 | 15.ianuarie.1927 | Ciprian Ganea collection
- movement: 2754944 | case: 8009692 | cal. 20 ½ ’’’ | no. 115 | 15.January.1927 | Ceasuri pentru Romania collection
- movement: 2754985 | case: 8009763 | cal. 20 ½ ’’’ | no. 186 | 15.January.1927 | Jan Bejan collection
- movement: 2874569 | case: 8089885 | cal. 20 ½ ’’’ | nr. 510 | 15.January.1927 | Erik L. (USA) collection
- movement: 2874620 | case: 8080828 | cal. 20 ½ ’’’ | no. 453 | 15.January.1927 | Muzeul Ceasului – Ploiesti collection
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- movement: 2772652 | case: 8010066 | cal. 18 ’’’ | no. 379 | 15.April.1930 | Ceasuri pentru Romania – engl. Watches for Romania collection
- movement: 2971308 | case: 8080946 | cal. 18 ’’’ | no. 571 | 15.April.1930 | Ceasuri pentru Romania – engl. Watches for Romania collection
- movement: 2971324 | case: 8080974 | cal. 18 ’’’ | no. 599 | 15.April.1930 | Ciprian Ganea collection
- movement: 2971325 | case: 8080975 | cal. 18 ’’’ | no. 600 | 15.April.1930 | Tiberiu Dendrino collection
- movement: 2971329 | case: 8080979 | cal. 18 ’’’ | no. 604 | 15.April.1930 | Ciprian Ganea collection
MOVADO S.T.B. (deliveries cca. 1920-1930)
5. Movado S.T.B. (1920-1930) | dial marked ’’S.T.B.’’ | movement 800 M (link), 15 jewels movement, 4 adjustments, movement marked under the dial.
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MOVADO S.T.B. IDENTIFICATIONS (for last update list please check the Romanian list version):
- movement: xxxxxxx | case: 881594 35592 | 1920-1930 | collection Marius A. Burnete
- movement: xxxxxxx | case: 881635 35592 | 1920-1930 | Ceasuri pentru Romania – engl. Watches for Romania collection
- movement: xxxxxxx | case: 881630 35592 | 1920-1930 | collection Mihai Parvan
Note: the watches were shot together with a STB shareholder certificate of 10 (ten) shares ( cca. 1924 / IX emission) in nominal value of 5.000 lei.
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Thanks to Ciprian Ganea and Klaus Frintz for the pictures made available.
Any questions, completions, corrections are welcomed and help a lot at the reconstruction of the history of these watches.
I also invite any owner to send me via email pictures for similar watches from his collection, by doing so increasing the number of identified watches that still “live” today.
[up-date: 2013, December]
Brasov - 2009, March
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