Seth Thomas 12 Inch Drop Octagon wall clock. Mahogany case. Time & Strike. 225087.
This Drop Octagon Twelve-Inch clock was made by the Seth Thomas Clock Company in Thomaston, Connecticut. These clocks are often called School House clocks since they were widely used in classrooms across the country. Other companies made similar models, but I believe the Seth Thomas version sets the standard for all others.
This clock is a special example made of mahogany and still has its original historic finish. Mahogany versions like this are rare, as most school clocks today are made of oak. Because this one is mahogany, it was likely made for a home or office.
This spring-wound clock also has a full strike train, which was an extra feature that cost more. Very few School clocks were ordered with this option. The movement is made of brass and is stamped by the maker on the front plate. It runs for eight days on full wind and is known for its reliability. The clock strikes every hour on a wire gong inside the case, and you can see the brass-faced pendulum bob through the glass door at the front.
The dial bezel is made of brass and supports glass to protect the dial. The dial itself is painted on tin and has large Roman-style hour numbers. The manufacturer's name, “SETH THOMAS,” appears on the dial, and below the minute ring, it says, “ MADE IN U. S. A.”
The Maker’s label, “DIRECTIONS / FOR / Setting Up This Clock,” is pasted on the backboard inside the clock. The condition is good.
This clock measures approximately 23.5 inches long. This is an outstanding example. The Seth Thomas date code on the back shows it was made in May 1910, making it 116 years old.
Inventory number 225087.
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.
