Watch fobs were made to serve several purposes. One being a method of handling a pocket watch and the other as an advertising medium for manufacturers.
In the years before wrist watches, the fob was worn outside the man's watch pocket, serving as a pull to remove the watch from within. The advertising type shown here were made to hang on a leather strap three-eighths or one-half inch wide and about four inches long, connecting the watch to the fob.
If a person had a tractor, auto, motorcycle or any other product he was proud of, or satisfied with, the watch fob representing it was a way to show his feelings .
Originally fobs were given away at fairs, trade shows, stores and any place of sales by the manufacturers. Due to rising labor costs and the decline of pocket watch use, very few are now used for advertising. Today key chains, caps, pens and other cheaper items are given out as gifts.
Many people under 60 years of age, have never seen or had a fob. They were in use from the early 1900's until about 1940.