The Seth Thomas Clock Company. The "Hotel" mantel clock. 225165.
The "Hotel" mantel clock by Seth Thomas was offered in their 1900 catalog. It is now a challenging model to find, with few seen for sale.
The Hotel's oak case is 18 inches tall, 14 inches wide, and just under 7 inches deep, and retains a light finish that promotes the wood's lovely golden color. (This model was also offered in cases of walnut or mahogany.) The case is adorned with several moldings. The base molding rests flat on the table surface. The top moldings form a pediment. The sides of the case are decorated with inset carved panels. Depicted here is a stylized decoration of oak leaves, staffs, finials, and a bust of a woman. The front of the clock features linear columns on both sides and carved quarter fans that frame the circular dial opening. A brass trim ring, framing the dial, is attached to the interior of the door. It also secures the glass in the circular opening. This lockable door provides access to the painted dial.
This painted dial measures approximately 8 inches in diameter. A closed minute ring structures the Roman-style hour numerals. A subsidiary seconds dial is positioned below the hour XII. The Maker's trademark appears above the hour VI. The hands stand out for their distinctive, uncommon shape.
The spring-driven, eight-day time-and-strike movement is constructed in brass. It is a testament to Seth Thomas's commitment to quality. This example runs for eight days on a full wind. It strikes each hour on a wire gong mounted inside the case. The wire gong, advertised as a "Cathedral Bell," produces a deep, resonating tone that adds to the clock's allure. The pendulum is mounted from the cast-iron mounting bracket, which is attached to the backboard.
This clock was made circa 1900.
Inventory number 225165.
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.
