D Goddard private labels

[vinmarsh]

Good evening, I know Luther Goddards were made in Shrewsbury, MA and are very rare and can go from 5-15 thousand dollars.

However, I’m wondering about the fusee watches with his son’s name on them- D Goddardor as well as D Goddard and son. I understand this was after the family moved the shop to Worcester and after the embargo was lifted they started importing fusee watches from England and just putting their name on it similar to what jewelers did with private label watches.

Could someone please tell meabout how many D Goddard or D Goddard and son watches there are and how much one in good working order could sell for?

 

[Rich Newman]

Vinmarsh, just a couple of quick thoughts on your post; there are respected horologists who think that Goddard's watchmaking exploits continued after Luther and Daniel move to Worcester, so an assumption that all Worcester-signed watches were simply imported may be wrong. There has never been a study of surviving Goddard watches and unfortunately the last large publication on Goddard was way back in the 1960's by Percy Small. I think you will be able to find auction results if you look at one of NAWCC's sponsors, Jones & Horan as I recall that they sold a few last year.

 

[vinmarsh]

Rich, thank you for your quick reply! Any idea how to tell if the ones marked D Goddard and Worcester, Mass were actually made in Worcester or if they were just imported from England?

 

[John Matthews]

There is a NAWCC publication published in 2011 Clockmakers & Watchmakers of America by Splitters & Bailey that has a couple of pages on the Goddard family together with their activities and dates. Unfortunately the source of the information is not provided on an entry by entry basis.

Rich Newman should be able to provide guidance as to the reliability of the entries.

John

 

[Rich Newman]

Any idea how to tell if the ones marked D Goddard and Worcester, Mass were actually made in Worcester or if they were just imported from England?

Vinmarsh, an entire day of lectures and fun could be devoted to your question, including what is meant by the word "made". A small number of makers in America were able to finish watches locally having imported the rough movement and dial from England (similarly to how some makers were working back in England). One older article that gives some background on this topic was published in the Bulletin back in December, 2010 (Vol 52 #389), "Colonial and Early American Watchmakers". I can send you a copy (send me a private message with your email).

However, regarding your question, It is nearly impossible to tell without disassembly and study, and very few have those skills. As I stated, the topic is ripe for someone to do new research on this family of makers. I think for most of us, one should assume that the movement was imported unless from some specialist dealer who is going to provide you with sound analysis to the contrary. Regardless, all Goddard signed watches by Luther or his sons and various engraved variations (as John stated) are pretty special in American watchmaking history.

Particular to many Goddard signed watches are Goddard made cases and that is something that you can readily identify. Early cases with American maker marks are very rare but apparently many of the watches that the Goddard's retailed, whether they worked on the movement or not, are in cases that we think were made by Luther's son, Daniel. That in itself is pretty special in my way of thinking. I'm attaching a picture of his distinctive mark, sometimes stamped multiple times as on this example.

Hope this helps...

 

[gmorse]

Hi Rich,

similarly to how some makers were working back in England

I think it would be true to say that practically all English watches at this time were being made this way; no one person made an entire watch.

Regards,

Graham

 

[John Matthews]

Rich,

An eagle facing left in an oval/circle is a fairly common American silver mark. Are there any distinctive characteristics of those found on the silver cases containing Goddard movements? Are there cases which have either of the marks used by Daniel & his son Luther (D Goddard & Son or D Goddard & Co.) that also have the eagle?

I just found this link from 2015 of a Goddard 'Shrewsbury' watch (1809-1817) acquired by the museum. It contains a slightly out of focus photograph of the eagle stamp, sufficient to identify its distinctive features ...

John

 

[Rich Newman]

John, thanks for posting the mark from the watch in the museum, and you are absolutely correct that many silversmiths were making silver and gold cases for imported movements later in the century that have an eagle stamp along with other marks.

Interestingly, many American silversmiths adopted an eagle after independence, which they stamped in combination with their initials or name on their wares. Many designs followed the coinage designs of the late 1700s that also featured an eagle. Lots of variations exist, for example, with or without a shield, full body or just an eagle head, facing right or left, wings spread, flying or standing, etc. Catherine Hollan wrote a small book, "Eagle Marks on American Silver" in 2015 with hundreds of entries. This is the same author who has published the best books in my view on South Carolina, Virginia & Philadelphia silversmiths and the Philadelphia book is particularly excellent identifying watch case makers.

The Goddard mark seems to also be inspired by coinage. Luther began making watches in 1803 or perhaps a bit earlier. I think their watch cases either have no mark or the mark as pictured. The various watches signed by Luther or with one of his son's Parley and/or Daniel, or just Parley and Daniel ends in about 1832 so I would be surprised to see it on a later watch signed by or with other relatives. The D. Goddard & Son, and variations, are for Daniel and his son Luther (named after his grandfather) and are circa 1848-51.