Seth Thomas "Regulator No. 7 long version." An antique wall clock. 223326.
The No. 7 wall timepiece is a very difficult model to find. It was originally offered in two case sizes, a short and a long version. The movement varied depending on which version you purchased. The cases were constructed in either walnut, cherry, or oak. The Number 7 model was offered in the 1896 catalog.
This extended version is constructed in cherry and is considered by many to be the most desirable combination. The extra length exhibits better case proportions than the shorter version. This fine example measures approximately 48 inches long and is approximately 3 inches longer than the shorter version. It has been my experience that the long version is more difficult to find. The cherrywood exhibits a closed grain and an excellent warm tone. It is much more appealing than the other two options offered in the catalog. The finish appears to be original and is in excellent condition. The case form is decorated with interesting shapes and numerous carvings.
The dial is zinc and measures 12 inches in diameter. It remains in very good original condition. This dial features large Roman-style hour numerals positioned inside a closed minute track. A subsidiary seconds registrar and the Maker's trademark are positioned in their traditional locations.
The 72-beat movement is brass and of good quality. The plates are in the shape of a trapezoid and are polished. Four posts with blued screws secure the frames. Cut steel pinions support the brass gearing. The escapement is a "Graham Deadbeat." It is weight-powered and is designed to run eight days on a full wind. The movement features "Maintaining Power so that it keeps time as you wind it."
The pendulum is constructed with a shaped wooden rod and a zinc bob. The rod is painted black, and the heavy zinc bob is covered in brass. The brass bob and brass cylindrical weight retain their original lacquer finish. A pendulum swing scale is mounted to the backboard of the case. These three elements can be seen through the glass in the lower door.
This clock measures approximately 48 inches long. It is 18.25 inches wide and 7.75 inches deep.
This clock features the Seth Thomas date code stenciled on the backboard. It reads, "8881A." The code translates to mean that this clock was made in January of 1888. Interestingly, this suggests it was made eight years before the catalog inclusion.
For reference, see Tran Ly's book, Seth Thomas Clocks and Movements, page 285. This clock measures approximately 48 inches long.
Inventory number 223326.
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.
