Seth Thomas Chime Clock No. 5 in an adamantine veneered case, with Sonora Chimes in four bells. CCC-59.
The Seth Thomas Clock Company in Thomaston, Connecticut, made this adamantine veneered shelf clock.
Seth Thomas' Sonora Chime clocks are known for having two separate brass movements. The front works are Seth Thomas' Number 89. It is a deadbeat, time-and-strike/half-hour strike design, striking the hour a bell. It is powered by two coiled steel springs and designed to run for eight days once fully wound. The second set of works is mounted behind the primary movement. It is also powered by a coiled steel spring with an eight-day duration of power. This set of works is the quarter chiming mechanism, movement #900, known as the Four-bell Sonora chime setup. This movement is actuated by a lever connected to the main works. Once tripped, the second set of works will strike the quarters hours on a set of four bells. The tune is Westminster and is a progressive sequence that requires four blows on the first quarter hour, eight on the half-hour, twelve on the three-quarter hour, and sixteen on the hour and the hour strike. The bells are described as producing pure tones and rich melodies. Their sound is incredible and often surprises people who hear them for the first time.
This simple case form is veneered in adamantine. The term "Adamantine" is the name given to the cellulose-based veneer material. It simulates the look of marble. Yet, it is much lighter and, therefore, easier to handle. Seth Thomas offered a variety of colors. This version features an attractive Rosewood coloring and graining. The grain pattern exhibited in this selection is vibrant.
The dial bezel is brass and fitted with a convex piece of glass with a beveled edge. This bezel closes tight via a pressure fit. The 5-inch silvered dial features painted Arabic numerals and minute dots. The speed adjustment is located below the center arbor and is adjusted with a key. The black hands are spade-shaped and contrast nicely against the silver-colored dial.
A lever is mounted on the side of the case. One would move this to select the clock striking options. It has two positions, on or off. When set in the off position, a metal bar only prevents the clock from striking the quarter hours.
The model number 5 sold for $25 in 1911.
This clock was made circa 1914. It measures an impressive 14 inches tall.
Please keep in mind that this clock has been professionally serviced and is in excellent working order. The movement has been completely disassembled. The parts have been cleaned in an ultra-sonic cleaner with a clock cleaning solution. The works are then rebuilt, inspecting for wear. All worn holes are rebushed. The pivots are repolished. The works are then lubricated and tested.
Inventory number 223174.
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.
