E. Howard & Co. Model No. 5. The banjo. The smallest size of 5. 216061.
This attractive timepiece is called the Model Number 5. It was made by the E. Howard & Company of Boston, Massachusetts.
The E. Howard & Company offered five sizes of this very popular banjo form. This example is the smallest of the five. It is the model most commonly found. The largest size is called the Model Number 1.
This Number 5 size has very pleasing proportions. The case is approximately 29 inches long and constructed in cherry. The cherrywood retains its original grain-painted decoration. (Howard banjo clock cases were originally grained with India ink to simulate the rich look of the grain found in rosewood.) The frames and lower board are stamped “100” by the cabinetmaking shop. The frames are also fitted with reverse-painted tablets or glasses. This black, gold, and red painted design is formatted in the traditional E. Howard color combinations. The glasses in this example have been professionally restored. The movement is made of brass and is of excellent quality. It is weight-driven and has a recoil escapement. It is a very accurate timekeeper for its small size. The movement is die-stamped on the front plate, “E. Howard & Company, Boston.” The painted iron dial measures seven inches in diameter. It is signed in a script letter format. The original weight is cast iron. The brass bob features a ring-turned design. It is supported by the original wooden rod. Remnants of the Maker’s setup label remain inside the case and are pasted to the bottom board.
This clock was made circa 1870.
Inventory number 216061.
The E. Howard & Company succeeded the Howard & Davis firm in 1857. The Howard & Davis firm was comprised of Edward Howard and David Porter Davis and was established in 1842 in Roxbury, Massachusetts. Both men had just completed their clock apprenticeship under the guidance of Aaron Willard Jr in Boston. The Howard & Davis firm made high-grade clocks, precision balances, sewing machines, fire engines, and watches. After the dissolution of Howard & Davis, Edward Howard became Boston's leading manufacturer of weight-driven residential and commercial clocks. The firm also made a large number of tower clocks and watchman and salve clock systems. These sold well in the last quarter of the 1800s.
It has been said that the E. Howard Clock company never made an inexpensive clock, and everything they made was of very good quality. As a result, Howard clocks have become very collectible and are prized by their owners. Today, the E. Howard name enjoys outstanding name recognition.
For a more in-depth reading of Edward Howard and his various businesses, please read "Willard's Patent Time Pieces," written by Paul Foley.
