Cartoon Watch Appraisal

Vintage Alice in Wonderland Character Watch

This item is a vintage wrist watch featuring an illustration of Alice from Disney's 'Alice in Wonderland' on its face. The watch has a circular, silver-toned metal case that appears to be made of a base metal, possibly chrome-plated, given its somewhat dull luster and areas of minor discoloration. The watch face is light blue with black Arabic numerals marking the hours from 1 to 12. The character of Alice is prominently displayed in the center, depicted in her iconic blue dress with a white apron and blonde hair, her hands seemingly holding something that constitutes the hour and minute hands of the watch, although the exact hands are not distinctly visible due to the image resolution and the character's posing. There are no visible manufacturer's marks or signatures on the watch face itself, which is common for character watches of this era. The watch is attached to a light brown or tan fabric strap, which exhibits significant signs of wear, discoloration, and fraying, suggesting a considerable age and frequent use. A single metal eyelet is visible on the lower part of the strap, indicating where it would be secured. The overall condition suggests that this watch is well-worn, with potential scratching on the crystal, though this is not clearly discernible. Given the style of the illustration and the visible wear, this watch likely dates from the mid to late 20th century, possibly from the 1950s-1970s, coinciding with common periods for Disney character merchandise. Its craftsmanship appears to be typical of mass-produced character watches, focused more on novelty than precision horology, suggesting a lower-end or children's watch from its time.