Seth Thomas Regulator No. 18. Wall regulator. Wall clock. 215078.
This is the grand-daddy of the school clock form, a shape all American clock collectors recognize. This large oak-cased wall clock measures approximately 54 inches long, 20.25 inches wide, and 5.5 inches deep. Big regulators like this one are visually pleasing. The gentle motion of the pendulum is a sight to see.
This example retains an older, if not an original, finish that enhances the warm golden oak coloring. The painted zinc dial measures 14 inches in diameter. It is in excellent original condition, which is remarkable for a Seth Thomas clock. The dial features a time track that displays the hours with Roman numeral figures, a subsidiary seconds dial located above the center arbor, the Maker’s name printed in block lettering, and the statement, “MANUFACTURED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.” This dial is in excellent original condition. The movement is brass and is of fantastic quality. The weight-powered movement is designed to run for eight days on a full wind. It incorporates a “Graham Deadbeat escapement” and “maintaining power.” The front plate is die-stamped with the clockmaker’s trademark. This movement is secured to the case by an iron bracket that is screwed to the backboard. The pendulum also hangs from this location. It is constructed with a wooden rod and a large brass-covered bob. It is designed to compensate for temperature changes. The weight is also brass and matches the finish found on the bob. This clock was made in June of 1906. We know this because the case is stamped with the Seth Thomas code on the back.
Inventory number 215040.
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.
