Antique E Howard and Company "Regulator No. 44" Model Clock

Price Type: auction
Sold Date: 1/1/2003
Pre-Sale Estimate: (subscribers only)
Sold For: (subscribers only)

Catalog Description:

E. Howard "Regulator No. 44", ca1874, the rarest of all Howard clocks. Only 5 original clocks are known to exist today. They never come on the market, but I am told by those that are continually looking for one, it would take about $100,000 to buy one today, if one were for sale. In the early 1970's an outstanding clockmaker from Florida, made this case. It was sold at the Ft. Mitchell, Ky Regional. The new owner eventually found an original Howard No. 44 movement, a 4 jar mercury pendulum, and completed the clock. He kept it in his collection 15 years before selling it to a friend. If you could find an original Howard No.44 movement today, you would have to pay $25,000.This 7 foot, 2 inch, case is made of solid mahogany, highly carved, stained, and polished. All the carvings and trim on this case are identical to the original No.44's, including the beat scale, small round egg weight, and the 14 inch glass dial with reverse painted name and numerals. The hour dial has Roman numerals, minute and second dials are Arabic. Everyone who has seen this clock thinks it is old and original. The thing that gives it away is the seat board. It looks a little too nice to be 125 years old. The exceptionally carved top is removable. The beat scale was copied from another Howard Astronomical clock, not a No.44. The restorer had never seen an original No.44, therefore didn't know exactly how the beat scale was supposed to look. A most unusual case, very different from any other clock we have seen. The carved bezel over the dial is mounted in two slots. You turn the bezel counter clockwise about an inch and the bezel comes off. The bottom door is held by a latch at the top, and lifts up and out of its slots.The large movement is enclosed with dust covers all around. It is an upside down movement with the hour wheel on top and escape wheel on the bottom. It has Geneva type stop works, maintaining power, anchor pallets and escape wheel on jewel bearings. The wheels are impressive with the great wheel being 5 1/2 inches in diameter. The movement is stamped "11" on top of the front and rear plates, and on other movement parts. There are some holes drilled on the front plate at the bottom. My "experts" say that the movement was no doubt made to go on other Howard Regulators as well, and on some models the pendulum hanger bolted on the front plate. The movement was hand brushed and lacquered at the factory, so you can tell those holes have never been used.This clock sold for $600 in 1874. What would that translate to in today's dollars?Ly-American No.436. This is an artist rendering and is pretty accurate except for the ladies head carved on the top. The lady in the book looks kind of funky.

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