Unknown Case Manufacturer
Silveride

Note: Case manufacturers modified markings over time. As a result, the image above is simply a representation of one particular marking used by the company. Your case marking may differ based on the production era and other parameters.

Silveride

The Levy Brothers (Canadian Retailer in Hamilton, Ontario) also advertised their "L.B. Silveride" cases in 1890. It is not clear if these are the same cases as cataloged with the embossed "Silveride" name in a pointed banner or not.

Some "Silveride" cases are marked with "Dennison Watch Case Co."

There are two separate eras in which "Silveride" watch cases were sold in the United States.

The earliest company to sell silveride watch cases was Lockwood & Rogers (New York). Around 1870, this company began advertising "Silveride Watches, in hunting cases, elegantly engraved, that will always resemble silver..." The watches were sold for $6.00, and the company also offered a "gold composite" watch for $8.00 [Harper's Weekly, May 21, 1870]. Later advertisements suggest that these watches were imported.

An advertisement published by Lockwood & Rogers in the June 4, 1870 issue of Every Sunday suggests they are "the sole manufacturers in the United States of their gold composite and silveride cases through a collaboration with the New York Consolidated Case Company. [https://archive.org/details/sim_every-saturday-a-journal-of-choice-reading_1870-06-04_1_23/page/366/mode/2up]

Based on available sources, Lockwood & Rogers terminated this advertising campaign in October 1870.

The next era of silveride cases began around 1887. This era likely produced the known surviving examples cataloged thus far - production not associated with Lockwood & Rogers. The earliest mention found advertising silveride watch cases in this era appears in 1887 - published by Gault & Vass in the November 19, 1887 issue of The Plattsmouth Daily Herald (Plattsmouth, Nebraska). This advertisement references several nickel alloy names in a list of available case options.

By 1889, general advertisements for silveride cases began appearing in various newspapers. These advertisements began to wane around 1892, though some references carry on beyond that. Though, it appears that most of the production and promotion was in 1888-1891. From the sources analyzed during this research, No manufacturer is identified for these cases within the sources analyzed during my research.

It appears that these Silveride cases were only produced in 18-Size and were designed for keywind/keyset movements. Known examples are embossed with "Silveride" in a pointed banner and carry a three-digit serial number, suggesting very limited production or cycled serial blocks.

At least two examples have been observed with an additional "3" in a diamond marked on the inner cap, a marking style consistent with known production from the Blauer Watch Case Company. Blauer was reorganized in 1889 as the Kenosha Watch Case Company. The association with Otto Young & Co. provided additional support for this theory. The "Silveride" case is offered in the 1888 Otto Young catalog, and the 1890 catalog features a full-page promotion for the "Matchless Silveride Case." Otto Young was one of the primary owners of the Blauer Watch Case Company.

An Otto Young & Co. advertisement from the same period, held in the archive at the Chicago Public Libary, describes "The Matchless 'Silveride' Case" further:

"It is the WHITEST Metal Case made. The Metal is HARDER than the Metal of any other Case. It has the HIGHEST POLISH of any Metal Case made. Will Not TURN BROWN or TARNISH. HAS SILVERIDE CAP. It is the BEST IN EVERY WAY, AND IT IS THE CHEAPEST."

The case was offered in both 18 and 16 Size, Open Face or Hunting, Key or Stem Wind. However, almost all cases observed have been 18-Size and designed for Keywind/Keyset movements. Prices ranged from .70 (18-Size, Open Face, Keywind) to $1.05 (18-Size, Hunting, Stemwind).

Examining some of the major case manufacturers in the United States can also rule out a few potential manufacturers, assuming that each would only maintain a single marketable name for their nickel alloy cases.

The following companies were actively promoting nickel alloy cases under these names:

Keystone Watch Case Company: Silveroid (Introduced April 1886)
Dueber Watch Case Mfg. Company: Silverine (Introduced 1884)
Fahys Watch Case Company: Silverore/Ore Silver (Introduced c.1886)
H. Muhrs Sons: Silverode (Introduced c.1892, Possible Muhr Began Production Using "Silveride")
Philadelphia Watch Case Company: [No Nickel Alloy Cases Known in c.1889-1890]

Theophilus Zurbrugg had just organized the Philadelphia Watch Case Company around 1889, and most of the early production from this company is unaccounted for. It is possible that Zurbrugg began manufacturing nickel allot cases under the "Silveride" name. In 1898, Zurbrugg purchased the Muhr factory, and Philadelphia began manufacturing the "Silverode" case originally introduced by Muhr.

Because some "Silveride" cases are also marked with "Dennison Watch Case Co.," many have attributed all silveride cases to be products of Dennison. However, I believe this jump is premature considering the advertising found in the United States during 1889-1891, generally inconsistent with Dennison's marketing efforts.