016-C-1191

SETH THOMAS COLUMN SHELF CLOCK
INDEX # : 016-C-1191

circa: 1860-1865

CLOCK STYLE Small Shelf Clock

CLOCK NAME Column or Bullseye

MANUFACTURE

Seth Thomas, Plymouth Hollow, Conn.

Seth Thomas (1785-1859)

CASE MODEL # N/A

MOVEMENT TYPE

Brass, lyre movement, spring driven, 8-day, T&S, hour strike on cathedral gong, recoil escapement. Movement is stamped "Seth Thomas, Plymouth, Conn. USA."

CASE SIZE & CONSTRUCTION Base = 10 ½", Height = 16", Depth = 4 ¾"

LABEL INFORMATION

Original in excellent condition:
"Patent Spring Brass Eight Day Clocks / Made and Sold by / Seth Thomas / Plymouth Hollow, Connecticut / Warranted Good".

DIAL INFORMATION

Original zinc dial 6 3/4" x 6 1/2" with white painted background and black roman numerals. Seth Thomas minute (S) and hour (T) hands. Escapement visible through dial. Dial glass appears to be original and is 6" x 5 3/4", held in place with 3 wood strips.

Chapter ring is 5 1/4".

MISC. FEATURES

Reverse painting of winter scene with sleigh. Tablet is 5 7/8" x 2 3/4" and is held in place with 3 wood strips. Reverse painting appears to be an early replacement, and is very well done.

Gilt wood columns are 10 3/8" long.

ACQUIRED FROM Antique auction at "Klienfelter's Auction House" in Lebanon, PA..

CONDITION WHEN ACQUIRED Not running, veneer missing several areas around cornice. Columns were re-gilded by a previous owner.

RESTORATION December 1991 - Cleaned and oiled movement.
March 1995 - Re-bushed movement, replaced strike side spring, cleaned and oiled movement.
July 2000 - Replaced missing veneer on sides of cornice and stained to match original finish on the rest of the case.

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.

Seth Thomas started using brass movements in approximately 1850. The "Column" clock was discontinued in 1890. The purchase price in 1879 was $3.50.

REFERENCES 1. "Seth Thomas Clocks and Movements - A guide to Identification and Prices" by Tran Duy Ly 1985. Page 95.
2. "Clock Identification and Price Guide - Book 2" by Roy Erhardt. Pages 27 & 53.
3. "Seth Thomas Clocks and Movements - A Guide to Identification and Prices" by Tran Duy Ly 1996. Clock on page 265, figure 944, Movement on page 265, figure 947.

NOTES Took a NAWCC sponsored Veneer Patching course in July 2000, this was the first clock that I did veneer patching on. The course was taught by a very nice couple from Houston, TX., and was held at the educational building in Old City Park in Dallas, TX. It was a very good course, and the instructors did an excellent job teaching patching techniques and how to blend oils to match the existing color of the case.

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CLOCK STYLE	Small Shelf Clock
CLOCK NAME	Column or Bullseye
MANUFACTURE	Seth Thomas, Plymouth Hollow, Conn. Seth Thomas (1785-1859)
CASE MODEL #	N/A
MOVEMENT TYPE	Brass, lyre movement, spring driven, 8-day, T&S, hour strike on cathedral gong, recoil escapement. Movement is stamped "Seth Thomas, Plymouth, Conn. USA."
CASE SIZE & CONSTRUCTION	Base = 10 ½", Height = 16", Depth = 4 ¾"
LABEL INFORMATION	Original in excellent condition: "Patent Spring Brass Eight Day Clocks / Made and Sold by / Seth Thomas / Plymouth Hollow, Connecticut / Warranted Good".
DIAL INFORMATION	Original zinc dial 6 3/4" x 6 1/2" with white painted background and black roman numerals. Seth Thomas minute (S) and hour (T) hands. Escapement visible through dial. Dial glass appears to be original and is 6" x 5 3/4", held in place with 3 wood strips. Chapter ring is 5 1/4".
MISC. FEATURES	Reverse painting of winter scene with sleigh. Tablet is 5 7/8" x 2 3/4" and is held in place with 3 wood strips. Reverse painting appears to be an early replacement, and is very well done. Gilt wood columns are 10 3/8" long.
ACQUIRED FROM	Antique auction at "Klienfelter's Auction House" in Lebanon, PA..
CONDITION WHEN ACQUIRED	Not running, veneer missing several areas around cornice. Columns were re-gilded by a previous owner.
RESTORATION	December 1991 - Cleaned and oiled movement. March 1995 - Re-bushed movement, replaced strike side spring, cleaned and oiled movement. July 2000 - Replaced missing veneer on sides of cornice and stained to match original finish on the rest of the case.
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. Seth Thomas started using brass movements in approximately 1850. The "Column" clock was discontinued in 1890. The purchase price in 1879 was $3.50.
REFERENCES	1. "Seth Thomas Clocks and Movements - A guide to Identification and Prices" by Tran Duy Ly 1985. Page 95. 2. "Clock Identification and Price Guide - Book 2" by Roy Erhardt. Pages 27 & 53. 3. "Seth Thomas Clocks and Movements - A Guide to Identification and Prices" by Tran Duy Ly 1996. Clock on page 265, figure 944, Movement on page 265, figure 947.
NOTES	Took a NAWCC sponsored Veneer Patching course in July 2000, this was the first clock that I did veneer patching on. The course was taught by a very nice couple from Houston, TX., and was held at the educational building in Old City Park in Dallas, TX. It was a very good course, and the instructors did an excellent job teaching patching techniques and how to blend oils to match the existing color of the case.