Seth Thomas Pillar & Scroll Shelf Clock. Plymouth, Connecticut. NN-39.
Seth Thomas made this Pillar & Scroll shelf clock in Plymouth, Connecticut. It is an exceptional example and features a pasted label that reads, "CLOCKS / MADE AND SOLD BY / SETH THOMAS, PLYMOUTH, CONN. / WARRANTED IF WELL USED."
The clock case is made of mahogany and exhibits an older refinish. The original wood, including the feet, scrollwork, horns, and returns, is in excellent shape, as are the movement, weights, and the maker's label. The reverse-painted glass is also original and features an unusual scene. Unlike most Connecticut wooden shelf clocks, which show pastoral scenes, this one shows a couple in fancy dress, with the woman in the man's arms. The colors are vibrant, and the rectangular window border for the pendulum is a rare design. The wooden dial is gilt-decorated, and the four corners feature raised, lacy gesso designs. The maker's label inside the case is in very good condition. The wooden movement is weight-driven and runs for thirty hours, striking the hour on a cast-iron bell.
This clock was made circa 1825 and stands approximately 30.5 inches tall.
This is a well-preserved, attractive example.
Inventory number NN-39.
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.
