108-C-0299

SETH THOMAS "COMAX NOVELTY TIMEPIECE
INDEX # : 108-T-0299

circa: 1930-1940

CLOCK STYLE Novelty Tambour

CLOCK NAME Comax

MANUFACTURE

Seth Thomas Clock Co., Thomaston, Conn.

Seth Thomas (1785-1859)

CASE MODEL # N/A

MOVEMENT TYPE Brass, 8 day, spring driven, time only.

CASE SIZE & CONSTRUCTION Base=8", Height=4", Depth=2"

LABEL INFORMATION N/A

DIAL INFORMATION

2 1/2" chapter ring, porcelain dial with black Arabic numerals.

MISC. FEATURES N/A

ACQUIRED FROM Co-worker at GTE.

CONDITION WHEN ACQUIRED Not running, case in good condition. Crack in porcelain dial.

RESTORATION February 1999 - Cleaned movement and case, set clock to running.

HISTORICAL DATA

Seth Thomas's Case Factory c. 1885 in Thomaston, Conn.
Seth Thomas (1785-1859) apprenticed to Eli Terry. He along with Silas Hoadley worked for Terry from around 1807-1810 making wood tall case movements. This was the point in history were the mass production of clock movements started. Terry contracted to make 4,000 movements in three years, a feat which had never been accomplished before. Terry had introduced a method of using interchangeable parts to make these movements, an idea he had gotten from Eli Whitney. After the contract was fulfilled, he sold the business to Thomas and Hoadley who continued manufacturing the wood tall case movements. Thomas eventually bought out Hoadley's interest in the business, and began producing shelf clocks with Eli Terry's patented wood 30 hour shelf clock movement. Seth Thomas had an elaborate career making wood and brass movement shelf clocks, and his company became the most well known name in the clock business. In 1853 his company became the Seth Thomas Clock Co., and operated under this name until 1931 when it became a division of General Time Instrument Co. (Seth Thomas's Great Grandson was chairman of the board until he died in 1932). In 1949, The company became a division of General Time Corp. In 1970, became a division of Tally Industries, who still produces clocks with the Seth Thomas Trademark. The town of Plymouth Hollow, Conn. changed it's name to Thomaston in 1866 to honor the clock maker.

REFERENCES 1. "Seth Thomas Clocks and Movements" by Tran Duy Ly, 1996, page 351, figure 1411.

NOTES N/A

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CLOCK STYLE	Novelty Tambour
CLOCK NAME	Comax
MANUFACTURE	Seth Thomas Clock Co., Thomaston, Conn. Seth Thomas (1785-1859)
CASE MODEL #	N/A
MOVEMENT TYPE	Brass, 8 day, spring driven, time only.
CASE SIZE & CONSTRUCTION	Base=8", Height=4", Depth=2"
LABEL INFORMATION	N/A
DIAL INFORMATION	2 1/2" chapter ring, porcelain dial with black Arabic numerals.
MISC. FEATURES	N/A
ACQUIRED FROM	Co-worker at GTE.
CONDITION WHEN ACQUIRED	Not running, case in good condition. Crack in porcelain dial.
RESTORATION	February 1999 - Cleaned movement and case, set clock to running.
HISTORICAL DATA Seth Thomas's Case Factory c. 1885 in Thomaston, Conn.	Seth Thomas (1785-1859) apprenticed to Eli Terry. He along with Silas Hoadley worked for Terry from around 1807-1810 making wood tall case movements. This was the point in history were the mass production of clock movements started. Terry contracted to make 4,000 movements in three years, a feat which had never been accomplished before. Terry had introduced a method of using interchangeable parts to make these movements, an idea he had gotten from Eli Whitney. After the contract was fulfilled, he sold the business to Thomas and Hoadley who continued manufacturing the wood tall case movements. Thomas eventually bought out Hoadley's interest in the business, and began producing shelf clocks with Eli Terry's patented wood 30 hour shelf clock movement. Seth Thomas had an elaborate career making wood and brass movement shelf clocks, and his company became the most well known name in the clock business. In 1853 his company became the Seth Thomas Clock Co., and operated under this name until 1931 when it became a division of General Time Instrument Co. (Seth Thomas's Great Grandson was chairman of the board until he died in 1932). In 1949, The company became a division of General Time Corp. In 1970, became a division of Tally Industries, who still produces clocks with the Seth Thomas Trademark. The town of Plymouth Hollow, Conn. changed it's name to Thomaston in 1866 to honor the clock maker.
REFERENCES	1. "Seth Thomas Clocks and Movements" by Tran Duy Ly, 1996, page 351, figure 1411.
NOTES	N/A