"English" E. Howard Series III and Brooklyn Watch Co.
These two watches are interesting and relatively inexpensive examples of the commerce around early Howard watches. The E. Howard watch is a fairly nice example of the gilt damascened Series III movement with Mershon's regulator. It is cased in an English double bottom case that originally housed a different watch. The case was made by Bedford and is hallmarked for Birmingham 1901. Bedford was associated with Dennison in the start of the Dennison Case Co. and was also a frequent supplier of cases for Waltham imports. It would be nice if the case were 25 years earlier and original to the watch. Then it would have disclosed that Bedford was working with both Waltham and Howard during this period.
The Brooklyn Watch Co. watch is an interesting and rather accurate copy of the same ebauche done by an unknown Swiss manufacturer. In comparing the work on the two movements, the Mershon's regualtor is an obvious difference. You can also readily see the difference between the Reed's patent barrel and the barrel on the Brooklyn watch. The spring that operates the click on the maintaining power of the Reed's patent barrel appears to be present in the Brooklyn Watch also. It is possible that the watch has something similar to the Reed construction with the Barrel turned over.
The workmanship on the Brooklyn Watch is much heavier in execution than on the Howard as can be seen from the Geneva cover piece and from the escutcheon on the center arbor.
The case on the Brooklyn is unmarked but was reportedly tested at 18K. The bow on the pendent gives it away as a Swiss case, but it is well made if not very heavy for an 18K case.
Brooklyn Front, Brooklyn Front Inside, Brooklyn Face, Brooklyn Back, Brooklyn Back Inside, Brooklyn Cuvette, Brooklyn Cuvette Inside, Brooklyn Movement, Brooklyn Movement Closeup.
Howard Front, Howard Dial & Hinge, Howard Back, Howard Back Inside, Howard Case Bottom, Howard Case Bottom Inside, Howard Movement, Howard Movement Closeup.
