This 1914 Seth Thomas open-face 18-size Model 8 pocket watch was manufactured with a nickel finished 3/4 plate, 7 jewels, and it is non-adjusted. The movement is stem wound and pendant set, with a Breguet hair spring, and plain/simple regulator. Its serial number is 2567940, and its grade is Seth Thomas numbered grade 36.  The movement is signed “Seth Thomas Thomaston, Conn.”.

The movement presents with an 18-size “C. Cowles & Co. - New Haven, CT.” private label Arabic heavy railroad dial with a ring minute track and no marginals, fitted with Seth Thomas #1282 blued spade railroad hands 18-size.

“C. Cowles & Co. - New Haven, CT.” is a private label in Seth Thomas Model 8 on the dial only. C. Cowles & Company was established in 1838 as a manufacturer of lanterns, and hardware for horse-drawn carriages in New Haven Connecticut. Over the years they made various types of bicycles, tricycles, and baby carriages and accessories for horse-drawn carriages. Given the evidence presented on the Coach & Carriage Timepieces page it seems very possible that this pocket watch was meant for use on a horse-drawn carriage or bicycle in a watch holder manufactured by C. Cowles & Company.

C. Cowles & Company also contracted the New England Watch Company to manufacture private label pocket watches which also utilized heavy railroad dials and hands and incorporated a conversion dial placing a special pendant at the 6:00 o’clock position as we have seen in other specialized travel and transportation timepieces from that era.

C. Cowles & Company is presently a major manufacturer located in North Haven Connecticut. The company is now split into three divisions: Carlin Combustion Technologies, Hydrolevel Company, and Cowles Products.

The movement is cased in an 18-size Illinois Watch Case Company open-face nickel pocket watch case with screw back and bezel, serial number 684639.

The postcard photographs below show downtown New Haven Connecticut just after the turn of the 20th century.