Boston and Roxbury, Massachusetts, United States
E. Howard & Co.
Partially verifiedHigh-grade American pocket watches and precision regulator clocks
History
Edward Howard, one of the founders of the Waltham enterprise, went on to make watches under his own name to a deliberately higher standard and in far smaller numbers, alongside tower and regulator clocks made by the associated clock business.
Following the departure of Rice, Edward Howard led the firm through various reorganizations, including the short-lived Howard Clock & Watch Company in 1861. The company became a prominent manufacturer of high-quality watches and precision timepieces, notably including wall clocks and regulators. After Edward Howard retired in 1882, the firm transitioned through several management changes and eventually ceased regular watch production in 1903 when the name was sold to Keystone. Clock production continued under various iterations, including the formation of Howard Clock Products in 1934, until the firm was placed under bankruptcy protection in the 1980s.
The extended history summarises the open references listed under Sources; each statement was checked against the cited passage. Confirm key dates in period documents before relying on them.
Timeline
E. Howard & Co's recorded dates, dated events from this profile and its sources, and dated pieces and sales from the object catalogue. Dates are as each record gives them.
1855-1859 · Catalogued piece
1861 · Career
Following the departure of Rice, Edward Howard led the firm through various reorganizations, including the short-lived Howard Clock & Watch Company in 1861.
c1868 · Catalogued piece
1882 · Career
After Edward Howard retired in 1882, the firm transitioned through several management changes and eventually ceased regular watch production in 1903 when the name was sold to Keystone.
circa 1887–1888 · Catalogued piece
1934 · Career
Clock production continued under various iterations, including the formation of Howard Clock Products in 1934, until the firm was placed under bankruptcy protection in the 1980s.
Current watchmaking & later fate
- The clockmaking portion of the business was sold to private investors who continue to offer Howard clocks.
As stated in the references listed under Sources, retrieved 2026-10-27. Ownership and collections change; check the maker's own announcements for the latest position.
Key models
- Wall models #5 and #10
- These common wall timepieces were the only weight-driven wall models produced as standard stock items by the firm.
- Blue Sapphire
- This model was produced by E. Howard & Co. and is referenced in historical collections.
Major innovations
- American watch sizing system of its own rather than the Lancashire sizes used elsewhere
- Precision regulator clocks used as standards by observatories, railroads and jewellers
- The company manufactured high-grade pocket watches featuring three-quarter plate calibres.
Known markings
- 'E. Howard & Co. Boston'
- Series and grade markings
- 'Howard' on clock dials and movements
Serial numbers
Howard watch numbering differs from other American factories and does not map onto general American serial tables; grade and series identification usually precedes dating.
Collecting significance
Small production and distinctive construction make Howard watches a specialist study; the watch and clock businesses are frequently confused with one another.
Identification and dating notes
- Watches marked E. Howard Watch Co. produced after 1903 signify manufacture by the Keystone Watch Case Company.
- Watches produced between 1939 and 1949 with the E. Howard Watch Co. name were manufactured by Hamilton.
In the object catalogue
4 catalogued objects are recorded under E. Howard & Co. Attributions are as given by each source and are not independent authentication.
- E. Howard & Co. 14K Tri-Color Gold Hunter Case Pocket WatchHunter-case watch · circa 1887–1888
- E. Howard & Co. N size Series V No 2 pocket watch movementPocket watch movement · c1868
- E. Howard and Company Astronomical RegulatorRegulator · 1855-1859
- E. Howard Round Top Tower ClockTurret & tower clock
Provenance
Where the 4 catalogued pieces by E. Howard & Co were recorded, with the collectors, owners and sales their records name.
Provenance map
Each piece is linked to the museum, auction house or dealer whose record it comes from, and to any other house or collection its own provenance names. Select a name to see its pieces.
Museums · 1 piece
Auction houses · 2 pieces
Dealers & other listings · 1 piece
Antiques Boutique
Dealer · 1 piece
E. Howard & Co. N size Series V No 2 pocket watch movementPocket watch movement · c1868 · Record source
The record names no sale, lot or earlier owner.
Collectors, owners and donors
- The Hedgepath EstateProvenance · E. Howard & Co. 14K Tri-Color Gold Hunter Case Pocket Watch
Auction history
| House | Sale & lot | Object |
|---|---|---|
| Witherell Auctions | lot 230 | E. Howard & Co. 14K Tri-Color Gold Hunter Case Pocket Watch |
| Fontaine's Auction Gallery | lot 250 | E. Howard Round Top Tower Clock |
Each line is copied from the object's source record and is not independently verified. Holders are as recorded when the piece was catalogued: museum objects may not be on display, and sold lots have since changed hands.
Photographs
Photographs are illustrative examples of the type, not necessarily the exact object described. Verify details against the source file page.
Sources & references
- E. Howard & Co., Wikipedia (English), retrieved 2026-10-27 (text CC BY-SA 4.0)
- E. Howard and Co., Watch-Wiki, retrieved 2026-10-27
- NAWCC literature on Howard watches and clocks
- The corporate relationship between the Howard watch and clock businesses changed several times and is reported inconsistently.
Where sources disagree, the disagreement is stated rather than resolved silently.