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The Encyclopedia of Horology

Not recorded, United States · 1768–1854

Elnathan Taber

Partially verified

Maker of tall case clocks and patent timepieces

Life & work

Born in Dartmouth, Massachusetts, Elnathan Taber traveled to Roxbury where he began his horological training under Simon Willard at the age of sixteen.

Following his apprenticeship, he established his own workshop on Union Street in Roxbury, a location eventually renamed Taber Street in his honor. Taber maintained a lifelong friendship with Simon Willard and was officially authorized to produce Willard's patent timepieces during their active term. Upon Simon Willard's retirement, Taber acquired a significant portion of his mentor's tools and business goodwill.

In his later years, Taber continued his professional activity by manufacturing clocks for the firm of Simon Willard, Jr. & Son between 1838 and 1854.

The fuller biography 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.

Training, contributions & innovations

  • Taber served as an authorized manufacturer of the patent timepieces originally invented by Simon Willard.

Key models

Patent timepiece
Taber was licensed to produce these specific timekeeping innovations during their patent term.

Collecting significance

The catalogued pieces listed on this page show the kinds of objects auction houses, dealers and museums attribute to this maker; each attribution is the source's own.

Firms, key models & movements

No firm, model or movement in this encyclopedia is yet recorded under this maker's name.

In the object catalogue

2 catalogued objects are recorded under Elnathan Taber. Attributions are as given by each source and are not independent authentication.

Diagram

12345let downstripcleanoilregulateorder of work; never skip letting down the mainspring
Schematic: order of work at the bench. An outline schematic drawn to show the arrangement of the parts discussed here. It is not a dimensioned working drawing and does not depict a particular maker's calibre.

Sources & references

  1. Taber, Elnathan, Watch-Wiki, retrieved 2026-11-03

Where sources disagree, the disagreement is stated rather than resolved silently.