Hello,

I would like to learn more about E Howard number 70 models with a sync device.

I found a site on the Internet that provided the info below.

(The Sync device is Lund's earlier patent # 201185, March 12, 1878. It is also reported the there were some 161 of these clocks used in the New York City Elevated railroad starting about 1882 and serviced by Connecticut's Standard Time Company using Lunds' synchronizer. )

Few pictures were also provided for reference on the site.

1) How Rare are these E Howard number 70's with a sync device ?

2) How collectible are they ? Value ?

3) Were there only 161 of these made ? How many are left ?

4) If the clocks were used on the RR, are the cases marked RR on the doors ?


I look forward to seeing comments and other examples.

Thank You
Rich

Pic # 2 - Close up.

Rich,

I found several of these without the synchronization device...

Click for: Google Search for "Howard Clock 70" results.

Then check this one, a synchronized clock on display at Greenwich...

Here is: National Maritime Museum Electrically Corrected Clock

Looks like the "Lund Patent" was really quite an ingenious regulation device...

Quoting: ..."on receiving an hourly electrical synchronisation signal delivered by wires connected to a 'master clock' (often several miles away, and in some cases from the Royal Observatory in Greenwich), a pair of pins which protrude through the top of the dial at the XII position move down a crescent-shaped track to the centre position, and then are released back to their upper, rest, positions. If the minute-hand of the clock was anywhere between :59 and :01, it is brought exactly to the :00 position when the signal is received. The clock is thus corrected every hour for errors of ± one minute per hour."

The one you found would make a very interesting restoration!

Lindell




English clock with Lund's electric correction device...

Lindell,

Thank You for taking the time to research this one. These seem to be very rare and very limited. I would love to know how many are know to exist today. I was only able to find one example on the internet.

The one I found is not the one in the picture. I am going to guess it is mahogany.

I know E Howard #70's sell $1500 - $3000 depending on condition. But how many #70's were produced ? Also, how many of these #70's were possibly made with the sync device.

Alot of unknowns at this point.

If anyone else knows more about these clocks, please provide info.


Thank You
Rich

I finally found some info on this Rare NYC R.R clock.

E Howard 70 type case for "New York Elevated R.R Co"

http://www.columbia.edu/~brennan/beach/chapter10.html

(7 Broadway was the oldest building associated with New York transit history. A history of 1860 calls it ‘a modern-built residence’ but it was at least a few decades old since the same house with one less story appears in an aquatint dated variously from 1826 to 1844. Its neighbors dating to the colonial period were torn down in 1860 when the Hudson River Railroad depot was built.35)




[ 10-7 ]

Images from an 1885 Robinson Atlas adapted to show earlier conditions. Top: The freight terminal, after Dripps, Plan of New York City, 1867, showing buildings only at 7 and 9 Broadway and tracks curving in from Greenwich St, the whole labelled as ‘H R R R Freight Depot’.

Below: The property labelled as ‘New York Elevated R R Co’, after Bromley and Robinson, Atlas of the Entire City of New York, 1879, showing two large simple wooden buildings filling the southern half of the property together with 7 Broadway itself. The 1879 atlas does not show elevated tracks and the red lines here show conditions of 1873-1875 with one track down the east curb line of Greenwich St ending at Battery Place and a curved track suggesting the path into the terminal. The underlying map of 1885 shows no buildings on the property at that date except 7 Broadway itself.


[ 10-8 ]

Hi Rich,,

I see in Tran Duy Ly's American Clock guide there must be at least 5 sizes of the Howard # 70 clock. 12",14",16",20" and 24". In 1991 he priced the 12" at a $ 1000.00 and the largest with a 24" dial at $4500.00 and that wasn't as unusual as yours.
You didn't mention where you found this GEM but you have yourself a real keeper. I hope you learn more about it. Any Howard is a keeper...Congrats...

Would be cool to show a Picture of a NYC RR - E Howard Custom order 70 right ?

Close up. This is not the standard 70 case. The bezel is different and the dial is very unique. Bottom glass was not painted and weight is GREEN.

Trying to locate which station exactly my E Howard clock was at. I hope to have more info in a few weeks.

This story is getting better. I sent the dial to Martha at The Dial House in GA. NOT going to believe this one. She had the same dial in her files and did a repaint in 1975. Can you believe the dial will now be restored to the Original RR dial in the picture now. WOW.....

The really cool thing is, I have the ORIGINAL RR Hands in the picture. VERY Unique... Red Minute hand with a long bar

I Can not wait to post a finished picture of this clock in a month or so.