75th Anniversary Popeye Vintage Watch – I am not really a vintage-anything guy but, I stumbled across this watch on Etsy, and it was not from a watch seller per-se.  The lady has a small store with a mishmash of items to sell, and I am guessing she found this in a garage sale somewhere.

The Popeye theme is strong with this one (me) and even tho this was purely a novelty package back in 2004, the seller had all the packaging (including in French and English) and the watch was in good shape. I just replaced the battery, put my own suede strap on it and away we go!

Right away I mostly knew I wanted this watch to do a photoshoot and believe it or not, finding reasonable looking non-licensed Popeye toys are not cheap but I found this facsimile on AliExpress and received it today. I like this dude and I will put him to work on other shots for sure!

The lore of Chester, Illinois, holds that the character of Popeye was inspired by town resident Frank “Rocky” Fiegel. Lee Huffstutler, herself a Chester local, makes and well supports this argument. According to Huffstutler, Rocky Fiegel was of Polish descent and lived with his mother in a house near the Evergreen Cemetery. Mrs. Huffstutler describes him as “tall, strong, always ready for a fight and always a winner” …

Rocky worked part-time at George Gozney’s saloon. When he finished his work and had consumed a couple of beers, he would take a chair outside, seat himself, tilt the chair back, and, with pipe in his mouth, proceed to take a nap in the sunshine. Of course, the sleeping Rocky became an amusing target for the school children who came by. They would creep near, yell loudly, and run. Rocky would awaken with a start and jump out of his chair, arms flailing, ready for a fight. but alas, there would be no opponent. The children would be a block away by that time.

In the March 28, 1947, issue of the Chester Herald Tribune, there is an obituary for Mr. Fiegel, who died at his home in Chester on March 24, 1947. Born January 27, 1868, he was 79 years of age at the time of his death.

The editor wrote that Frank “Rocky” Fiegel was a familiar character in Chester and was credited for being the inspiration of Elsie Segar’s “Popeye.” The article reads: “In his younger days he performed amazing feats of strength. Because of his hardened physique he was affectionately known as “Rocky.” His angular jaw and familiar corn-cob pipe apparently impressed the young Segar.

Until now, I did not realize the two info cards in the box were in French and English. I only took photos of the French version. I am wondering if all of these had the French and English “marketing” package or if this package is unique?

After I bought this I did search Ebay and I did see similar versions but not with the entire provenance that this watch has….SCORE!

You peeps probably know all these quotes by heart!!!

• “I’m strong to the finich, ’cause I eats me spinach, I’m Popeye the sailor man!”
• “Where’s the entrance to the exit?”
• “I’ll take all on one at a time!”
• “I ain’t no tailor but I know what suits me.”
• “That’s all I can stands, I can stands no more.”
• “If I’m not me, who am I. And If I’m somebody else, why do I look like me?”

Don’t forget to eat your spinach kiddies! 🤣🫏🤠👆