Silver pocket watch, E.Howard & C.Rice, #6060, Roxbury, 1858

Edward Howard & Charles Rice, No 6060, Roxbury, 1858

Coin silver hunter case with gold joints, casemaker C E H & Co (C E Hayle & Co), numbered 7242 (57mm diameter without stem). Fullplate keywound movement with Liverpool-style engraved cock and jewelling to the 3rd, plus one at the centre (16 jewels in total). Unusual detached lever escapement with distinctive pallet frame having large 'upright' jewels. Steel balance, spiral balance-spring. Unsigned enamelled copper dial, original American spade hands with polished tops.

Of the about 500 raw movements taken from the American Horlogue Company by Rice and finished in the new factory in Roxbury, only 47 are recorded and most are not in as original state as this No. 6060.

One of the rarest American made watches! Most probably the only example in Europe.

Enamel dial in excellent unrestored condition, smallest hairline at 5:30

Works well, accuracy not tested

The history of the 500 rare, transitional versions of which this is one of the 47 surviving examples, can be read by searching the first reference below. Ron Price and Richard Watkins are two most reputable experts of early American watchmaking. 

Ron Price has listed this watch in his database among the 47 known pieces with full description. The book by Richard Watkins can be accessed for free online as well.

Ron Price, Origin of the Waltham Model 57, MA, 1995 - 2025 

Richard Watkins, Watchmaking and the American System of Manufacturing, 2009

Provenance of this watch: Ex. Clint Geller (USA), David Penney (UK)

Photos are part of the description

No returns