The Howard Pocket Watch Company

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Edward Howard gained financial backing from Charles Rice in 1857 to try to construct the Howard Pocket Watch making company from the failed Waltham Watch Co. Although he was unable to purchase the entire company, he managed to lay claim to the parts and mechanisms that were in the process of being produced. He also managed to gain the use of all the tools and machinery from the factory. Howard lost no time in moving all the machinery, tools, parts and existing movements to Roxbury, Massachusetts, where he had aquired a watch making factory.

From this beginning it wasn't until the summer of 1858 that his pocket watch finally left the factory. Howard wanted to produce his own pocket watch however and especially a new, high-grade watch. With this in mind Howard set up a new company - E. Howard & Co - in December 1858. The watch he created presented new innovations and improvements not seen in the watch making industry before. It had a new, "fast" or "quick-beat" train, a top plate in two sections with 6 instead of the usual 4 pillars, compensated balance and made in size 18. These movements were marked with the letter "N" for recognition purposes.

A short time after this, Howard again showed his inventive spirit with the introduction of the first Stem-Wind movement. These movements by Howard were made until the early 1900s, all had enamel dials and were marked with the inscription "E. Howard & Co., Boston".

The company never produced its own watch cases and in 1902 the rights to use the name "Edward Howard" were assigned to the watch case making company, the Keystone Watch Case Co. They produced watches with the name "Howard" on the dial and "E. Howard Watch Co", Boston. U.S.A" on the movement. Complete watches (that is - as manufactured) will therefore only ever be found from the Keystone Watch Case Co.

Chronology of E.Howard & Co

• Warren Manufacturing Company, Boston. 1851-53.
• Boston Watch Co, Boston. 1853-54.
• Boston Watch Co & Waltham. 1854-57.
• Howard & Rice, Boston. 1857-58.
• E.Howard & Co, Boston. 1858-1903.
• Keystone Watch Case Co, New Jersey. 1902-30.

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