Seth Thomas Regulator No. 7. The long version. This is the "Best" example I have seen. An antique wall clock. 223326.
The No. 7 wall timepiece is hard to find. It was offered in two case sizes: short and extended. The movement varied depending on the version. Cases were made of walnut, cherry, or oak. The Number 7 model appeared in the 1896 catalog.
This extended version is made of cherry and is considered by many the most desirable combination. The extra length shows better case proportions than the shorter version. This example measures about 48 inches long, roughly 3 inches longer than the shorter one. In my experience, the extended version is harder to find. The cherrywood has a closed grain and a warm tone. It is more appealing than the other two catalog options. The finish appears original and is in excellent condition. The case features exciting shapes and numerous carvings.
The dial is zinc and measures 12 inches in diameter. It remains in excellent original condition. This dial features large Roman-style hour numerals positioned inside a closed minute track. A subsidiary seconds register and the Maker's trademark are placed in their traditional locations.
The 72-beat movement is brass and of good quality. The trapezoid-shaped plates are highly finished. Four posts with blued screws secure the frames. Cut steel pinions support the brass gearing. The escapement is a Graham Deadbeat. It is weight-powered and runs for eight days once fully wound. The movement features Maintaining Power, which keeps time while you wind it.
The pendulum is constructed with a shaped wooden rod and a zinc bob. The rod is painted black, and the heavy zinc bob is covered in brass. The brass bob and brass cylindrical weight retain their original lacquer finish. A pendulum swing scale is mounted to the backboard of the case. These three elements can be seen through the lower door.
This clock measures about 48 inches long, 18.25 inches wide, and 7.75 inches deep.
This clock features the Seth Thomas date code stenciled on the backboard: "8881A." The code indicates that this clock was made in January 1888.
For reference, see Tran Ly's book, Seth Thomas Clocks and Movements, page 285. This clock measures approximately 48 inches long.
Inventory number 223326.
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.
