Earlier today I posted the Illinois Getty 189 watch I bought this past week,
well it wasn't the only one. Here's the other one I got at the same time.

* 18s E. Howard
* Series IX Serial No. 404210 N size movement
with hound marking
* Dueber solid 14k Gold Hunting case.
* Wonderful single sunk porcelain dial with correct hands

The watch is running great, but needs a clean. This one will also be going
up to Chris Abell for some TLC

I'd appreciate comments and feedback from our Howard experts
on this particular watch.

Figure I

Figure II

Figure III

Figure IV

Hi Dave,

You omitted one digit of the S# in your opening post, so at first I thought you had a Series IV (Model 1871), but it is indeed a Series IX (i.e., a Model 1890) movement. All Model 1890 movements have 15 jewel, are gilded, and are stemwind/pendant set. They are all also of the "Hound" grade, signifying time adjustment to isochronism, but not temperature or positions. This was a lower priced model, representing a half-hearted effort by the struggling Howard firm to offer a somewhat less expensive watch. About 5,000 were produced. The movement appears to fit the case quite well; there are no obvious extraneous case screw marks; and I see no evidence of either a filled lever slot under the bezel or a superfluous set screw in the pendant. The oval shaped bow is also correct for the 1890's. Thus I would tentatively conclude that your case is correct for the movement, based on what I can see. Dueber is not especially associated with cases for Howard watches, but Dueber was a very large, prominent case maker and it is almost inconceivable that this firm did not make at least some cases for Howard movements in the 1890's. Condition-wise, the case still has most of its engine turning and some lovely beading around the bezel. I do see some evidence, however, of some shallow dents in the front lid.

The movement appears to be in pretty good shape too, at least cosmetically, but the dial looks like it has some edge flakes, at least as viewed through the crystal. Incidentally, the dial also carries some simple line and dot decorations at the quarters of the minute track. Some have fancifully styled this dial embellishment, which is relatively common on Howard watches of the period, "mulberries" [sic]. This pattern often is associated with the work of Josiah Moorhouse, Howard's dial room foreman from 1886 through some time in the mid to late 1890's, which is the period during which your movement would have been produced. (August, 1993 BULLETIN article on early Howard watch dials is still the best reference on the career and artistic output of Josiah Moorhouse.) Thus you should check the reverse of your dial, as Moorhouse often signed his work.

Hi Clint,
thanks for your input, I've corrected the mistake I made with the serial number. I think you may well be correct about the possibility of this watch having Moorhouse markings, I guess I overlooked this feature. When I have Chris clean the watch we'll make sure to get pictures of the back of the dial.
If it turns out to have been signed by Moorhouse this would only add more to it's rarity and subsequently it's value.

NOTE:- I still treasure the E.Howard with the Moorhouse dial that I bought from you a few years ago.

Regards