Seth Thomas, America’s oldest clock maker, started operations in 1813. Their Nautical clocks first appeared in the 1860’s and were the official US Navy Ships’ clock for almost 100 years.
The stand, a $75.00 value, is included!
Presented is a extremely rare, antique eight day, time only, US Navy Deck Clock No. 1 clock with a 6″ black face that was made by Seth Thomas. It is engraved with the Naval Observatory cartouche directly below the winding arbor and the NO number,1341. A similar example is pictured on page 781 of Tran Duy Ly’s, Seth Thomas Clocks & Movements, Third Edition, Volume 2. Based on the NO number and Duy Ly’s reference we believe this clock may have been made as early as 1902.
It has a 6 inch, flat black dial with silver screened Arabic numerals and Arial fonts. The spade hands are painted white with the points painted with old radium coating. The circular dots below the numbers have radium for night use, but that has since become inactive. Radium is radioactive material and its use was suspended. The face is in near perfect condition. The forged brass case is polished and lacquered for display.
We believe it has an early version of the Ships Lever, 7 Jewel, 8 Day movement from which it evolved. The mechanism is housed in a very heavy, forged bronze deep case with screw on bezel which has a maximum diameter of 7 3/4″ at the rear, and is 4″ deep. It is keeping exceptional time right in step with the National Bureau of Standards time and the equal of a chronometer. The period style tabletop stand is included at no additional charge.
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