A Seth Thomas, “Regulator No. 10.” Number 40. Dated March 22, 1881. YY-38.
This very impressive wall clock is called the “Regulator No. 10” by the Seth Thomas Clock Company. This remarkable example hangs a full 72 inches long. Today, it is considered by many collectors to be Seth Thomas’ most desirable wall model.
This example is constructed in walnut wood and features richly-grained burl walnut veneers applied on all of the panels incorporated in this case’s design. The top of the cabinet is surmounted with a decorative pediment. This masculine form closely resembles the outside walls of a frontier fortification used in the 1700’s and early 1800’s. Below this is a box that protects the movement and dial. The front panel is a door that incorporates a circular aperture centered in this location. This circular aperture is framed with a turned molding or bezel. This opening is fitted with glass secured by a nickel trim ring. It is through this glass that one views the dial. Large oval windows are incorporated into the sides of the case. Through these, one can view the clock’s mechanism. The long, narrow section below the dial protects the weight and pendulum. The transition is nicely defined by the additional use of the interesting molding format found at the top of the case. Much of this long section is fitted with large glass panels. The two located on the sides of this case allow additional light to access the interior. The glass panel in the case’s front is fitted into a large door frame. This opens to allow one access to the clock’s pendulum and weight. The viewer will also see the fantastic burled walnut panel mounted inside the case and make up the backboard. The framing for this door is decoratively formatted. Fully turned columns are mounted to the sides of the case. These help tie together the case design. The lower section of the case is trimmed with a similar molding that surmounts the top of the case. It is constructed in such a manner as to add a dimension of depth to the case design.
This heavy brass-made dial measures 14 inches in diameter. It has been silvered and is trimmed with a nickel ring. The original silvering is in excellent condition. The engraved time ring displays the hours in a Roman numeral format. The Maker’s name, “SETH THOMAS CLOCK CO.,” is also engraved in this location. The three steel hands are finished in gilt and are mounted to the center arbor. This clock features a sweep second hand. Both the sweep second hand and the minute hand are counterweighted.
This Model No. 10 movement is among the finest that Seth Thomas produced. The large brass plates are in the shape of a trapezoid. The plates have been nickeled and polished to a high luster. The latter movements are usually finished differently. The plates are supported by four robust brass posts. These are attached to the plates with large screws that are have been blued. The back plate is die-stamped with the Maker’s trademark. The date of “March 22, 1881” is also included, as well as the “No. 44.” The steel pinions are finely cut. The escapement is a Graham deadbeat format, and the pallets are jeweled. This clock is also fitted with maintaining power. The verge is fitted with a beat adjustment. The movement is mounted to an iron bracket secured to the backboard. It is powered by a nickeled cylindrical weight hanging from a decorative pulley. This clock is designed to run for eight days on a full wind.
The pendulum is suspended from the iron bracket mounted to the back of the case. The wooden rod supports a decorative metal canister. The fine finished point at the bottom of the rod moves in front of a decorative beat scale mounted to the back of the case. The engraved scale is brass and has also been finished in nickel.
This fine clock was made on March 22, 1881, and the cabinet is a full 72 inches in length. It is an impressive piece.
Inventory number YY-38.
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.
