Seth Thomas 10 Inch Drop Octagon wall clock. A smaller schoolhouse clock in a red oak case. 222120.
This "Drop Octagon Ten Inch" was made by the Seth Thomas Clock Company of Thomaston, Connecticut. These are commonly called "School House" clocks because they were often used in school rooms across this country. The Seth Thomas version of this clock is the model by which all others are judged.
This is a nice clean example. The case is red oak and retains its original finish. Over the years, the shellac finish has darkened, and the brass has tarnished. Compared to a bright and shiny example, this case has a subdued presence. It is a great-looking clock.
The spring wound movement is brass construction. It is a time-only design and features a die-stamped front plate with the Maker's trademark, name, and the number 8 ¼. This model will run for eight days on a full wind. The brass-covered pendulum bob can be viewed through the opening in the painted design on the lower glass in the front of the case.
The dial bezel and the dial ring are brass. The bezel is fitted with glass and opens to access the painted dial. This dial measures 10 inches in diameter. It features the Maker's name, "Seth Thomas," Roman-style hour numerals, a closed minute ring, and the statement "MANUFACTURED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
The Maker's set-up label is pasted inside the case.
This clock measures approximately measures 21.5 inches long. It was made circa 1900.
It is inventory number 222120.
Seth Thomas was born in Wolcott, Connecticut, in 1785. He was apprenticed as a carpenter and joiner and worked building houses and barns. He started in the clock business in 1807, working for clockmaker Eli Terry. Thomas formed a clock-making partnership in Plymouth, Connecticut, with Eli Terry and Silas Hoadley as Terry, Thomas & Hoadley. In 1810, he bought Terry’s clock business, making tall clocks with wooden movements. He chose to sell his partnership in 1812, moving in 1813 to Plymouth Hollow, Connecticut, where he set up a factory to make metal-movement clocks. In 1817, he added shelf and mantel clocks. By the mid-1840s, He successfully transitioned to brass movements and expanded his operations by building a brass rolling mill and a cotton factory. His clock business expanded until it became one of the “BIG Seven” in Connecticut and competed at every price point, from kitchen clocks to precision regulators. He made the clock that is used in Fireman’s Hall. He died in 1859, at which point the company was taken over by his son, Aaron, who added many styles and improvements after his father’s death. The company went out of business in the 1980s.
