Initial Marking: MHC

Location: Philadelphia

Years of Operation: 1878-1882

Successor: H. Muhrs Sons

Cronin operated a case company in New York 1863-1874. After returning to Philadelphia and working with H.G.Gill, he started up another company in 1878. Gold Cases. This company failed in 1882 and the tools and machinery was sold to Muhr & Son. [Crossman]

Identification: Cronin cases can be identified by the marking of a star on top of a crown, typically with the word "Warranted" stamped underneath. This symbol was described by Cronin when he registered the trademark in 1882. When the Muhr company purchased Cronin's case business, the star was changed to a maltese cross, providing a way to distinguish between the two makers. Some Cronin cases are additionally marked with a "MHC" monogram.

Collectibility: Cronin cases are somewhat uncommon and are frequently misidentified as products of H. Muhr's Sons or the Philadelphia Watch Case Company (both having origins with Michael H. Cronin). Cronin cases are more collectible than more common cases due to their early influence in the Philadelphia case market. However, because they are often conflated with Muhr and Philadelphia, the market does not typically demand a premium for these cases.