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DescriptionThe Ultimate Raymond A. Sterwerf Career Archive: 1975 Hamilton Automatic Watch Full Set & Complete Partridge Meats Co. Cincinnati Industrial History Estate LotUp for sale is a spectacular, museum-grade single-owner lifetime service archive chronicling the 25+ year career of Raymond A. Sterwerf at the historic Partridge Meats Inc. Company (A division of John Morrell & Co.) operating out of Cincinnati, Ohio.
This comprehensive time-capsule collection preserves not just an elite corporate award watch, but an expansive array of physical company history from the heart of America\'s historic \"Porkopolis\" meatpacking era. Every single piece in this lot is traceably linked back to this specific employee.Part 1: The 1975 Hamilton Masterpiece \"Full Set\" Time Capsule
* The Watch: A beautiful vintage Hamilton Masterpiece Automatic dress watch. Stamped \"10K R.G.P.\" along the Star Watch Case Co. rim. Stamped with serial number: 920173.
* The Dial: Features the iconic, custom factory-printed John Morrell \"Morrell Pride\" heart logo above the \"selfwinding\" signature.
* The Inscription: Beautifully factory-engraved case back reads: \"Quarter Century Club — Raymond A. Sterwerf — Elected 1975 — Partridge\".
* The Ephemera: Housed inside its pristine hardshell crimson velvet original Hamilton box, complete with the original white embossed Hamilton Guarantee & Instructions manual.
* The Provenance: Includes a fully intact clipping from The Cincinnati Post (Monday, May 12, 1975) detailing the grand opening of the new $5 Million Partridge plant on Bank Street/Brighton neighborhood in Cincinnati, verifying the exact month of distribution.
* Mechanical Status: NON-RUNNING / SOLD AS-IS FOR PARTS OR REPAIR. The watch is currently wound tight but the automatic mechanism does not tick. Hands can still be set manually.
Part 2: The Complete Company Archive (Memorabilia Lot Included)* The Apparel: An authentic navy blue 1970s industrial employee/delivery driver work smock jacket. Features the name \"RAY\" custom chain-stitched in yellow embroidery directly above the front chest pocket, flawlessly matching the 1975 Raymond A. Sterwerf engraved Hamilton.
* Vintage Advertising Items: A rare collection of Partridge Meats promotional materials including branded stationery, original corporate letterhead, and vintage meat ordering booklets distributed throughout the greater Cincinnati area.* Stadium & Sports Tie-Ins: Rare promotional ephemera linking Partridge Meats to historic Riverfront Stadium, where they served as an official concessions provider during the legendary \"Big Red Machine\" era of Cincinnati Reds baseball.* Service Memorabilia: Multiple official pocket protectors, corporate pins, pot holder, carnival style apron, employee only Christmas ornament, partridge fishing knife, 1974 calendar, framed Partridge delivery truck photo, sew on patches, and profit calculator. Condition Report & Collector Notes
* The Watch: The cosmetic condition is excellent with minimal surface wear to the 10K RGP case. The dial is pristine with crisp printing. Please Note: The watch is currently non-running. It is wound tight and sold strictly as-is for parts, restoration, or repair.
* The Ephemera & Apparel: The vintage work jacket shows light, authentic signs of industrial use but remains fully intact with vibrant stitching. Paper ephemera, news clippings, and Partridge collectibles range from Very Good to Pristine vintage condition, safely stored in a smoke-free estate for decades.Why This Lot is UniqueThis is not just a watch; it is a complete, traceable piece of Cincinnati industrial history. Finding a 10K RGP corporate Hamilton watch is rare, but finding it alongside the original recipient\'s embroidered work uniform, local newspaper launch day clippings, and official company ephemera is practically unheard of. Perfect for Cincinnati historians, Hamilton watch restorers, and mid-century advertising collectors alike.
Historic Corporate Provenance: The Rise & Fall of Partridge Meats
* Porkopolis Roots (1876): Born from Cincinnati\'s historic H.H. Meyer Packing Co. in Over-the-Rhine, Partridge Meats became a legendary local staple, famous for its iconic hillside neon sign.
* The 1975 Peak: In May 1975, the company opened a state-of-the-art $5 million plant on Bank Street—exactly when Mr. Sterwerf received this watch. During this era, Partridge supplied concessions for the Reds\' \"Big Red Machine\" at Riverfront Stadium.
*Corporate Liquidation: Shortly after, the company consolidated under John Morrell & Co., who systematically closed the downtown urban plants and moved operations to Springdale before halting local production entirely.
* Partridge is out of business today, with Smithfield absorbing it’s trademarksReach out with questions or need additional information. Selling for benefit of the estate Ray recently moved to an assisted living community.
