Presented is a very large
and very early Seth Thomas clock that was made by the Ashton Valve Company, New York. and bears its logo under
the hands arbor. It is housed in the rare and most desirable, Rose, pink, forged bronze case. This is the type design that
saw service in the wardroom and on the bridge of steam ships shortly after the turn of the 20th Century.
In the early days of Chelsea and Seth Thomas, they
made movements of large size clocks to be installed by the buyer in cases of their own manufacture. It was a natural
collaboration between ship builders and gauge manufacturers since they had the necessary resources as part of their normal
business. In this instance, the L 10 double wind movement which was first introduced in 1901, is housed in a forged
brass case made by Ashton. This 8 1/2 inch dial, Model 63 Marine clock with a Seth Thomas movement cost $57.50 in 1896.
This is the first clock of
this size and type that we have found in two years. These magnificent giant size antique clocks are becoming
scarce. They have a majestic and classic vintage appearance that makes it a perfect addition for your wall
or collection.
Bottom view
Hinged
case has a button lock
Seth Thomas, Thomaston, Conn. imprint
Scuffing
of case
The large 8 1/2″ dial has, acid etched, Arabic numerals with
complimentary blued steel spade hands. It has a medium size second counter above the center arbor. There
is a Fast/Slow adjustment lever below the 12 o’clock position. The heavy forged, desirable, Rose bronze, case was made
by Ashton. At the bottom of the dial, it is marked Seth Thomas, 1160. It has a 10″ hinged bezel, and measures 10 3/4
inches in diameter at the base, and is 4″ deep. The double wind, time only, eleven jeweled precision all
brass movement was rated by Seth Thomas for its accuracy as a chronometer. The clock, with an all brass dial is otherwise
original and in extra fine condition. It is running and keeping precise time right in step with a quartz time piece. Complete
with winding key.
DIMENSIONS: Diameter of Dial 8 1/2″ Full Diameter;10 3/4″ Weight 10 lbs 14 oz
CONDITION: The clock is in good sound running condition and is keeping
accurate time. The face has some superficial tarnish, which because of the silvering, we have not tried to clean. The case
is good and sturdy, but the bezel has some minor scratches. There is one area on the side of the case that has some scuffing
which we have pictured. Otherwise, this is a great clock. It has been recently polished.
Noted clock authority and author Andrew Demeter, has stated
that “Sales number of the giants were surprisingly low…………and the low demand…was a major factor in their
early elimination from the product line. In his research, he was only able to locate 497 giant size clocks out of the
100,000 clocks that were sold between the years 1897 through 1914 by the Chelsea Clock Company. Consequently, large
size is a good indicator of scarcity, and also of value and appreciation potential.
This clock is for the
most serious of collectors and is the first of this size we have ever had by Ashton. It should appeal to the
most discriminating buyer.
THE ASHTON VALVE COMPANY: started operations
in Boston around the time of the Civil War making steam valves, gauges and fittings for the emerging railroad and steamship
industries. Records show it was located at 271 Franklin Street, Boston, and had offices in New York, Chicago and London.
In 1893, the company received a gold medal at the Chicago World’s Fair. Their early catalogs
dating back to 1890 are available on the internet.
Join Our Mailing List
By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: Land and Sea Collection. You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact
