t the result of experience gained in making conventional models
is not clear. The earliest evidence dating the appearance of the
thermometer is the 1881 _Boston directory_ which appeared on July 1. This
illustrates the same model of thermometer seen in figure 22. The patents
cover means of eliminating springs of any sort from the mechanism, so
that the hand or dial pointer is entirely under the influence of the
fused bimetallic thermal strips. Manufacture of the timers was carried
along with thermometer manufacture at first, but production of the timer
was finally dropped, as the stock on hand was constantly increasing, and
for a while the factory was at last operated at a profit, on thermometers
alone. These were furnished in cases from 20 inches in diameter down to
the size of a ten cent piece, according to the advertising.

[Illustration: Figure 20 (_left_).--AUBURNDALE TIMER WITH SPLIT SECOND
HAND. Note the stop and start lever for the "split" hand at the side of
the case. (In author's collection.)]

[Illustration: Figure 21 (_above_).--AUBURNDALE THREE-QUARTER PLATE
WATCH, typical of both Lincoln and Bentley grades. (In author's
collection.)]

Unfortunately Mr. Fowle had suffered so much loss through the watch
venture and from other investments that he was forced to make an
assignment of his personal estate. The watch company, without his
support, was carrying too large a burden of debt to be self-supporting.
In the fall of 1883 a voluntary assignment was made and the equipment was
sold in February 1884.[48] The _Newton directory_ of 1885 lists W. B.
Fowle as a thermometer manufacturer on Woodbine Street, "house near." His
home, "Tanglewood," was on Woodbine Street and perhaps the thermometer
business was operating in one of the outbuildings. William A. Wales
assigned to the Auburndale Watch Co. patent 276101, of December 4, 1883,
covering details of a unit counter for keeping score in games, and for
similar work. Among the relics in the author's collection is a box
bearing the label "Auburndale Counter, W. B. Fowle & Son, Auburndale,
Mass." These counters were packed two in a box, the box just mentioned
being suitable to contain counters the size of the thermometer in
figure 22. Figure 23 shows a larger counter measuring 4-1/2 inches in
diameter. From this and the fact that Fowle as late as 1887, is carried
in the _Newton directory_ as a manufacturer of metallic thermometers, it
seems that some attempt was made