E. Howard & Co. Series VI (M1874) G-Size Ladies' Watches

[Jim M.]

I enjoyed reading Professor Alan Myers recent well-researched Bulletin article on E. Howard Ladies' G-Size Watches (A. Myers. "The Ladies G-Size Pocket Waches of E. Howard & Co.", NAWCC Watch & Clock Bulletin, Volume 64/1 Number 455, January/February 2022, P. 50-58). More than 4,500 of these ~6S size ladies' watches were marketed, and Alan describes the functional design changes made during the twenty-two years of its production. He also comments, "For the most part, ladies of the time regarded a pocket watch to be worn as jewelry around the neck and admired. The watches were housed in gold hunter cases, frequently with an impressive ornate decoration". I noticed that, to date, there has not been a dedicated Forum thread for these lovely G-size watches and this one was started to encourage other collectors to peruse Alan's Bulletin article and to post their watches here for viewing.

The fine unhanded condition E. Howard & Co. ladies' watch shown below was purchased at the recent Lakeland Florida Mid-Winter Mart from a gentleman NAWCC member and Howard collector. I particularly liked the watch because it meets all of the quality attributes I typically look for. The watch has been recently serviced and it runs perfectly. William White replaced the crystal for me, and William kindly sent me some natural afternoon light pictures of the dial taken with his digital camera fitted with a close-up macro lens.

{The three photos of the watch dial below are by William White, with permission}





----- The fancy blue and white enamel on copper multicolor dial is especially noteworthy for the fine hand painting with radial Arabic numerals and yellow, green, and rose color gold embossed ornaments, applied and then fired under clear glass.

----- SN 102,783 is a Grade 4 Nickel Type 2C second model movement. It is the highest-grade G-Size movement advertised, having a compensated bi-metallic balance, swing triangle setting shipper, pallet bridge banking, whiplash regulator, raised gold jewel settings, and surfaces finished with rayed damascening.

----- 14K gold watchcase SN 53,762 by Jeannot & Shiebler, with case cover "JCS" monogram and dust cover inscription "From HCS Jan{uar}y 27, '87" done by a skilled engraver.

 

[musicguy]

Fantastic.



Rob

 

[Bernhard J.]

Indeed!

What is this?

 

[MrRoundel]

Indeed!
What is this?

I believe you have circled the hairspring retainer arm that attaches to the bridge and drops down to the level of the hairspring. I'm not certain of the exact terminology, FWIW.

 

[musicguy]

It looks like a hack(to stop watch) but probably not
but now I am curious too. It is blurry.

Rob

 

[musicguy]

I believe you have circled the hairspring retainer arm that attaches to the bridge and drops down to the level of the hairspring. I'm not certain of the exact terminology, FWIW.

I would agree



Rob

 

[MrRoundel]

That entire watch is gorgeous, and will be very hard to top. It checks all of the boxes, IMO. Movement, case, dial, overall condition, etc., are all top-notch. Congratulations on owning it. Cheers.

 

[PatH]

Congratulations on a beautiful find!!

And, thanks for the article reminder. The referenced article has excellent, labeled photos of the watch parts for key-wind and stem wind models, etc. It looks to me like the part in question is identified as the "flat hairspring stud."

 

[Bernhard J.]

It looks to me like the part in question is identified as the "flat hairspring stud."

I wonder, because that would then end, where I would rather expect the pins of the regulator.

 

[PatH]

Perhaps others who are more familiar with the watches will add insight. I'm always trying to learn and look forward to hearing thoughts and seeing additional examples. (Additional details are included in the article which members can access when logged into the NAWCC website, or in the hard copy. Log In)

 

[MrRoundel]

The way the design works is the HS is attached to the flat-hairspring (Non-Breguet) stud, which is then attached to the top of the plate. The regulator, of course, stays with the balance-cock. The balance wheel, HS, and stud, are too heavy to hang under the bridge when reassembling and aren't truly fastened to the balance cock, the HS is set between the pins. The balance assembly, comprised of the stud, HS, and balance, are dropped into the lower jewel and pallet-fork, and the stud attached to the plate. The balance-cock, with the regulator and pins, is dropped over the top of the outer coil of the HS not far from the point of pinning to the stud. When disassembling, you remove the balance-cock screw, lift the balance cock, and it should come right, leaving the balance assembly behind. Make any sense?

 

[Bernhard J.]

Perhaps Jim can provide a detail photo of that part of the movement?

 

[Clint Geller]

The part Bernhard circled is most definitely the hairsrping stud, a standard part on all Howard G Size Model 1874 (Series VI) movements. The stud dips downward because, as others have mentioned, The G Size Model 1874 Howard Ladies watches have flat hairsprings with no overcoils.

 

[Clint Geller]

----- SN 102,783 is a Grade 4 Nickel Type 2C second model movement. It is the highest-grade G-Size movement advertised, having a compensated bi-metallic balance, swing triangle setting shipper, pallet bridge banking, whiplash regulator, raised gold jewel settings, and surfaces finished with rayed damascening.

Jim, congratulations on acquiring that absolutely lovely G Size Model 1874 Howard Ladies watch. The gorgeous aftermarket multicolor dial is scarce and highly sought after by collectors and really makes the watch. An N Size Howard with a multicolor dial, movement and 18K case of comparable quality to those on your watch sold at Jones & Horan on May 1 of this year. A good friend of mine bought it, and the dial was a big part of the watch's appeal for him

Alan Myers did indeed make an outstanding contribution to the Howard literature with his G Size article, and it is only his first of several on Howard watches. Alan published a second excellent article on the rare Howard K Size movements, and I have collaborated with Alan on two more articles, one on the rare Howard I Size movements, and a longer and more ambitious article on the Howard Model 1862 N Size (Series III) movements. Both of these latter articles are now with the Bulletin editor.

I do want to discuss one other detail in your post, Jim. The nickel stemwind Grade 4 Model 1874 may or may not have been the highest grade of Model 1874 movement "advertised," but it was not the highest grade of Model 1874 movement actually made. (Some ads even advertise a G Size finishing combination that does not actually exist, a nickel keywind G Size movement.) Grade 4 movements like yours were adjusted only for isochronism, i.e., uniform rate over the running period. Nearly all Model 1874 G Size movements were adjusted only for isochronism. However, a small number of these movements were adjusted to isochronism, and temperature ("heat and cold"), and a few were even fully adjusted to isochronism, temperature, and positions (six). My 2005 NAWCC Book: E. Howard & Co. Watchmaking Innovations 1858-1875, lists four Model 1874 movements in each category that were listed in the factory records:

HCI6P: 100,221 (gilt), 100,265 , 100, 276 , 101,136
HCI : 101,238 , 101,332 , 101, 447 , 103,815

The level of adjustment affected movement inventory price more than any other single finishing detail. A few of these HCI and HCI6P movement identifications have been confirmed by direct examination. I used to own one of the nickel HCI6P watches, but unfortunately I have no easily acessable picture of it.

I have added this thread to the list of E. Howard & Co. watch collecting resources in the sticky thread at the top of this forum.

 

[Jim M.]

Perhaps Jim can provide a detail photo of that part of the movement?

Greetings Bernhard,
Mr Roundel and Clint Geller provided good descriptions of the flat hairspring stud. Here is an off angle photo, as requested, illustrating the balance spring is attached through a collet at the end of the hairspring stud.
With best regards,
Jim

 

[Clint Geller]

Here are some nice Howard G Size watch pix for folks to peruse that weren't in Alan's fine article. None of these are my watches anymore, if they ever were, but I have rights to use the pix here.

Alas, I have many more printed pix from before my digital camera days that are not in electronic format. Among these are pix of SN 100,003 with its unique dial marked "Pat. Feb 4., 1868" in an arc above the seconds bit (a common marking on early Model 1869 L Size and Model 1871 N Size movements, but unique to SN 100,003 on G Size watches), a G Size black dial, signed Moorhouse G Size hunting-to-open face conversion dials, a fully adjusted Grade 7 G Size nickel movement, and a second magnificent originally cased example of a scarce G Size keywind (only 85 made).

Notice the "ADJUSTED" marking on the outer edge of the balance cock of movement SN 100,221 in the last image. This movement predates by a decade the introduction in 1884 of the Howard numerical grade code, originally with grades 1 through 7, but eventually extended up to grade 10 to cover the split plates in the 1890's. In my book, I devised my own grade code to cover all the quality levels produced by the company both before and after the introduction of the 1884 grade code and I provided a table in my book showing how my "Universal Howard Grade Code" maps onto the 10 quality levels defined by the company's post-1884 code. In that expanded system, movement SN 100,221 is Grade 6-1R-3, a gilt stemwind movement with Reed's patented whipspring regulator and fully adjusted to HCI6P, but without a full set of screwed down top plate train jewel settings. 6-1R-3 movements were listed as costing $146 wholesale in 1874. A Howard Grade 4 movement is a Grade 8-3R-1 movement in my expanded grading system, and it wholesaled in 1874 for $131.

 

[amilevad]

Greetings Bernhard,
Mr Roundel and Clint Geller provided good descriptions of the flat hairspring stud. Here is an off angle photo, as requested, illustrating the balance spring is attached through a collet at the end of the hairspring stud.
With best regards,
Jim

View attachment 714951

Jim, your watch and your photographs of it are beautiful! Would you mind sharing your photography technique and setup, please?
Congratulations,
Dave

 

[amilevad]

I enjoyed reading Professor Alan Myers recent well-researched Bulletin article on E. Howard Ladies' G-Size Watches (A. Myers. "The Ladies G-Size Pocket Waches of E. Howard & Co.", NAWCC Watch & Clock Bulletin, Volume 64/1 Number 455, January/February 2022, P. 50-58).

I too enjoyed Dr. Myers' article very much! I also looked up his article on the K-size Howard movement in the July-August 2021 Bulletin, which was also very interesting. In that article's "About The Author", other articles are mentioned, including one about Howard Factory Tools. I have searched for this article to no avail. Can anyone suggest where I might find it, please?
Best regards,
Dave

 

[PatH]

Alan Myers did indeed make an outstanding contribution to the Howard literature with his G Size article, and it is only his first of several on Howard watches. Alan published a second excellent article on the rare Howard K Size movements, and I have collaborated with Alan on two more articles, one on the rare Howard I Size movements, and a longer and more ambitious article on the Howard Model 1862 N Size (Series III) movements. Both of these latter articles are now with the Bulletin editor.

Clint Geller , many thanks to you and Alan for the wonderful article on the Howard I size movements that is included in the July/August Bulletin p.222! Some of it is still over my head, but I'll keep reading and studying the excellent, and abundant, photos until it sinks in.

 

[Jim M.]

Jim, your watch and your photographs of it are beautiful! Would you mind sharing your photography technique and setup, please?
Congratulations,
Dave

Greetings David,
I use an iPhone 12 Pro Max cell phone mounted to a Job Handy Pod Tripod (see below). The camera lenses are positioned to the upper right side in order to eliminate camera shadowing. The photos were taken in the camera close-up picture mode under natural afternoon light within an east facing home bay picture window. The set-up is simple and the results are professional.

I also like use a soft satin black background for appealing photo contrast. The examples shown (photos of my Waltham-Howard watch) were taken in the same manner, and by simply placing the watch on the back of the iPhone shipping box.

William White's excellent photos of the multicolored watch dial (purple background photos in the original post) were taken using a Cannon DSL camera fitted with a macro lens.

Best regards,
Jim

 

[amilevad]

Greetings David,
I use an iPhone 12 Pro Max cell phone mounted to a Job Handy Pod Tripod (see below). The camera lenses are positioned to the upper right side in order to eliminate camera shadowing. The photos were taken in the camera close-up picture mode under natural afternoon light within an east facing home bay picture window. The set-up is simple and the results are professional.
View attachment 716292
I also like use a soft satin black background for appealing photo contrast. The examples shown (photos of my Waltham-Howard watch) were taken in the same manner, and by simply placing the watch on the back of the iPhone shipping box.
View attachment 716293 View attachment 716294 View attachment 716295
William White's excellent photos of the multicolored watch dial (purple background photos in the original post) were taken using a Cannon DSL camera fitted with a macro lens.

Best regards,
Jim

Thank you, Jim! And my compliments on the beautiful pictures!
Best regards,
Dave

 

[Jerry Treiman]

I have only recently acquired a G-size Howard, but found what I think is a nice one. It is nickel grade 4 movement, type 2D. What made this particularly nice for me is the private-label Moorhouse dial, signed on the back.


It was missing a few screws, Maltese cross and dust band, and had a bad winding pinion, but I was able to replace those. Then I purchased another gilt grade 1 (type 2C) complete watch so that my nickel movement could have an appropriate home. Here is the second complete watch, as purchased -


I may be criticized by some, but I think the restored Moorhouse-dialed movement looks great in this case -

(the gilt movement will stay with this watch as long as I have them).

 

[John Pavlik]

Jerry, I would do the same on the case and movement … Excellent package !!

 

[amilevad]

Congratulations, Jerry! I’ve been searching for a beautiful Arabic dial G-size with no luck so far. They seem to be in a tiny minority of G’s. I guess in the nineteenth century “Roman” was more popular, or the Arabic examples are all closely held in collections.
Nice!
Dave