Active between at least 1869 and 1874, Reed & Bowen (a partnership of Henry O. Reed and Edward C. Bowen) made machinery for wood and iron workers, including drill presses and hand- and foot-powered tablesaws.

Information Sources

• At the 1869 Exhibition of the Massachusetts Charitable Mechanic Association, Reed & Bowen were awarded a silver medal for their "screw press".
• At the 1869 Fair of the American Institute in New York City, Reed & Bowen, 36 Kilby street, Boston, Mass. won a "Second medal and diploma" for their "combined shear, punch, upsetter and bender."
• Wentworth's Boston commercial directory for 1869 lists "Reed & Bowen, 36 Kilby" in the category of "Machinists and Machinery Manufacturers".
• The 1870 Boston City Directory lists Henry O. Reed and Edward C. Bowen as the partners in Reed & Bowen, 36 Kilby. The same listing appears in the 1872 directory. In the 1875 directory the address had changed to 17 Batterymarch.
• According to the results of the 1871 Fair of the Iowa Agricultural Society, "Best combined shears, Reed & Bowen, Boston, Mass, per D. C. Sutton, Floyd, diploma and two dollars." The category was "farmers' and mechanics' tools" and we are not certain what type of shears is meant.
• At the 1872 Fair of the Essex County Agricultural Society, Reed & Bowen won a Diploma for their "Sawing Machine".
• Ca. 1873 catalog of "Hand and Foot Power Machinery for Iron and Wood Workers. Combined Shearing, Punching, Upsetting and Bending Machines. Hand Power Shearing Machines. Bolt and Nut Cutting Machines (Hand and Power). Hand and Foot Power Circular Sawing and Boring Machines, Etc."
• The September 1873 issue of Manufacturer & Builder had a brief illustrated article on a Reed & Bowen hand-powered machine for threading nuts, bolts, and gas pipe.
• An text ad in the 1874-03-28 edition of Scientific American read as follows.

  A responsible firm, having a large and centrally located store In Boston, well adapted for exhibition of machinery and manufactured goods, would like the New England agency of some well established Manufacturing Company or firm whose goods are Introduced and favorably known. Address Reed & Bowen. 36 Kilby St., Boston, Mass.

• The 1876 Sampson, Davenport Boston Almanac and Business Directory lists "Reed & Bowen, 17 Batterymarch".