Seth Thomas 10 Inch Drop Octagon wall clock. A school clock. 215031.
This “Drop Octagon Ten Inch” was made by the Seth Thomas Clock Company of Thomaston, Connecticut. These clocks are commonly called “School House” clocks because they are often used in school rooms across this country. In my opinion, 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 oak and retains a lighter finish. The color is quite pleasing. The time-only movement features a die-stamped front plate with the Maker’s trademark. This movement is coil spring powered, fitted with a Geneva Stop winding mechanism, and is designed to run for eight days once fully wound. It is fitted with a Geneva Stop winding mechanism. The pendulum bob is covered in brass and can be viewed through the opening in the painted design on the glass door in the front of the case. The dial measures 10 inches in diameter and is painted on tin. It features large Arabic-style hour numerals and the Maker’s name printed in large block lettering.
This oak-cased clock was made circa 1910. The case measures approximately 21.5 inches long.
Inventory number 215031.
Clocks like this can serve a household well. They look good in numerous settings like kitchens and bathrooms. Often they become part of the family.
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. Seth chose to sell his shares in the 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. In 1853, He incorporated the business but continued to be the majority shareholder. This clock business expanded until it became one of the "BIG Seven" in Connecticut. Their product line had offerings that competed at every price point, from kitchen clocks to precision regulators. Seth Thomas died in 1859. The community of Plymouth Hollow so revered him that they changed the name on July 6, 1875, to Thomaston in his honor. After his death, his son, Aaron, took over the company's leadership. Aaron is credited with increasing the business by adding a number of new case styles and improving production methods. The company went out of business in the 1980s.
