Paul Hogroian of Duplication Services at the Library of Congress sent me this 1942 photo that he scanned. It shows Mr. H. Ormand, jeweler in San Leandro, California, and his Westclox, Seth Thomas and Telechron clocks. Some of my favorite vintage clocks are here!

Mr. Ormand is holding a Westclox “Tide” windup alarm clock in a tan case. Westclox made this model from 1939 to 1941. Five Baby Ben style 5 alarm clocks and one Big Ben style 5 alarm clock are in this picture. Two “Shelby” style 1 are here, some “Bingo” style 2, and two partial views of the “Hustler”, not often seen (on the top, partially visible shelf).

1942 photo of Mr. H. Ormand, jeweler in San Leandro, California, holding a tan Westclox “Tide” windup alarm clock.

Clocks in the Picture

Partially visible top shelf

Westclox Hustler style 1, Bingo style 2, Shelby style 1 brown, Bingo style 2, Bingo style 2, Hustler style 1, Bingo style 2, Bingo style 2.

Top shelf

I like the look of short clock, tall clock, etc. on this shelf. Note there are four identical ivory Baby Ben alarm (perhaps it was a best seller)!

Westclox Baby Ben style 5 ivory plain, Telechron “Attendant” brown 7H85 electric alarm clock, Baby Ben style 5 ivory plain, Telechron “Attendant” ivory 7H85, Baby Ben style 5 gun metal luminous, Telechron  “Attendant” brown 7H85, Baby Ben style 5 ivory plain, Big Ben style 5 Loud Alarm gun metal plain, Baby Ben style 5 ivory plain, Westclox Shelby style 1 ivory.

Second shelf

(Clock half shown) Seth Thomas “Vesta” electric time-only clock, Telechron “Fort” 5H61 electric time-only, Telechron “Resolute” 3H85, Telechron “Satellite” 5H59 time only clock with mirror in the center, Telechron “Melbourne” 3H83, Telechron “Embassy” 4F67, Thomas Deft-2.

Third shelf

(Clock half shown) Telechron “Supervisor” 7H107, Telechron “Secretary” 7H91, Telechron “New Telalarm” 7H93, Westclox “Andover”, Telechron “Secretary” 7H91, Telechron “Semester” CH7111, clock I can’t identify.

Wall

Seth Thomas “Spray” electric clock, Telechron “Kitchenguide” CH203.

Shelf below wall clocks

Telechron “Supervisor” 7H107, (clock partly shown) Telechron “Secretary” 7H91, Telechron “Cordial” 7H91, Telechron “Supervisor” 7H107, (clock partly shown) Telechron “Supervisor” 7H107.

Bottom shelf

Left – possibly an Ingraham electric mantel clock, Right –  Seth Thomas “Medbury – 2E” electric Westminster chime clock.

Thanks to Paul Hogroian for sending me this picture. It is from the FSA collection (Library of Congress), negative number LC-USW3- 001804-D.

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Here is a pretty Seth Thomas Adamantine mantel clock dated April 1902 on the bottom of the case (and “No. 633”). It has two celluloid half-columns on each side of the case. The Adamantine finish was mahogany color when new, but some of it has faded to orange.

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Repair job 6558. I did a partial overhaul including disassembling the movement, cleaning it and replacing both mainsprings (the time mainspring was broken, and the strike mainspring was a replacement that was too strong). Both new mainsprings are R & M 3/4 by .0165 by 120 inches. I also polished one pivot, installed one bushing, tightened the strike click rivet and straightened the bent arbor of strike gear no. 2.

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This cute little Seth Thomas octagon top shelf clock is only 9 1/4 inches tall and 7 inches wide. The case has mahogany veneer, and the small movement is one-day time only. There is a mirror in the door.

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Repair job 6325. I polished the pivots, installed 6 bushings and replaced the click rivet. The mainwheel teeth have bad wear (about 60% worn away). I installed a new, thin mainspring to reduce future wear. The new mainspring is 5/16 inches wide, 0.0125 inch thick, and 45.3 inches long, part no. PM CS-510 from the P.M. Company. The original mainspring is 0.0187 inch thick. The thin new spring provides plenty of power, and will run the clock for about 48 hours on one winding (the clock is meant to be wound daily).

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Here’s a Seth Thomas electric striking clock in a modern style mahogany case. The dial is “skeletonized” so that the wood shows through most of the brass dial. This clock’s case is 8 7/16 inches tall and 14 1/16 inches wide. The minute hand is 2 1/2 inches long.

The motor has the date code 47-10 (October 1947) and the label inside the back door has the date code 47-11 (November 1947).

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The movement has a Sangamo self-starting synchronous motor. The motor drives a reduction gear train which drives the hands, and winds up the strike mainspring. The strike mainspring has a bridle end which slips in the barrel, so the spring winds only the proper amount. This is necessary because the motor is always winding the mainspring. The end should slip when the mainspring is wound 6 to 7 turns.

This movement is very reliable, and will run for years. When it finally stops, there may be severe wear to the pivots or gear teeth. This one stopped because one of the motor wires came off.

Repair job 6256. I tightened the hand-set tension in the center wheel, polished the pivots, and installed 11 bushings. I replaced the motor, and added a terminal strip to reduce stress on the motor wires.

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Here is a beautiful Seth Thomas Adamantine mahogany mantel clock. It is a cute little clock with one celluloid half-pillar on each side of the front. It is in excellent original condition. It strikes the hours on a heavy coil gong, and strikes a single note each half hour on the brass bell. It is an 8-day clock and has the popular and reliable 89C movement.

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Repair job 6432. I replaced the click rivets (they were loose). I polished the pivots and installed 18 bushings. The original mainsprings are nice and thin, yet provide plenty of power to operate the movement.

Mainspring Dimensions (these are the original mainsprings):

Time: 3/4 inch wide by 0.0162 inch thick

Strike: 3/4 inch wide by 0.0165 inch thick

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I repaired this Seth Thomas electric steeple clock earlier this year. It strikes the hour and half-hour on one rod.

The model number on the back of the case is E503-000. The clock is 14 5/16 inches tall and 9 1/16 inches wide. The dial’s minute track is 5 inches outside diameter, and the minute hand is 2 1/2 inches long.

The movement is model A300-013 with date code 4712 (December 1947).

In this clock, the motor runs the hands and winds up the mainspring that drives the striking. The motor continuously winds the mainspring. The mainspring can “slip” in its barrel so it won’t be damaged by being wound too far. The picture below shows the mainspring when it is out of its barrel.

Gear T4 had been re-pivoted off-center. I found a used gear with a pivot almost worn off, and inserted a new pivot into the arbor.

Repair job 6259. I polished the pivots, re-pivoted one pivot and installed one bushing in the motor. The motor’s rotor was wobbly and wouldn’t start running reliably, so I  installed another rotor. Time gear T4 had been re-pivoted off-center, so I installed another gear.

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I recently repaired a Seth Thomas Legacy 2 E electric clock with Westminster chime. This is an older example of the “Legacy” (made in 1953) in a beautiful walnut case with nice figure to it. The dial is made of engraved and silvered brass. The case is 14 3/8 inches tall with handle and 12 1/2 inches tall without handle. It is 10 3/4 inches wide, and the dial’s minute track is 5 3/4 inches outside diameter. The minute hand is 2 7/8 inches long.

The label inside the back door has the date code 5310 (October 1953). The movement’s date code is 52-12 (December 1952).

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Repair job 6385. Movement No. B1752, date code 5212 (December 1952). I disassembled and cleaned the movement. The fan flies (governors for chime and strike) were loose on their arbors, I tightened them to a light tension. Time gear T4 had flat tooth tips, and the pivot had been turned down to 1 millimeter diameter. I replaced this gear with a good used one. I installed 25 bushings.

The motor had wear in the bearings. A replacement motor is available, and I installed one in the clock. It ran but made too much noise because its pinion isn’t shaped correctly. (The motor is quiet running by itself, but noisy in the clock).

I took the original motor apart and cleaned it. Then I bushed both bearings. I lubricated, reassembled the motor, and put it in the clock, and it ran very quietly!

Cleaning and Bushing the M4 motor:

1. Drive shaft from rotor (don’t remove gear, it is on too hard). Don’t lose the small steel washer between the rotor and the bearing.
2. Mark the bearings so they can be put back on the correct side of the motor
3. With large punch, drive out the bearings. Push on the rotor side of the motor to drive them out.
4. Clean the rotor, washer and the bearings.
5. File holes in bushings to center them
6. Mount each bearing in the lathe, hand hold the #3 KWM reamer, and turn the lathe by hand to ream the bearing for the bushing. Insert each bushing from the outside end of the bearing.
7. Lightly fit the bearings in the motor and insert the arbor to test alignment and hole size – broach if necessary. (For a recent job I used KWM American system bushings #33535 (bore 1.5 mm diameter 2.7 mm, height 3.5 mm) and they fitted without needing broaching.
8. Final clean the parts.
9. Insert the bearings into the motor. Periodically check their alignment as they are being driven it.
10. Use a syringe to insert Molykote 44 Light by Dow Corning or other grease into the motor.
11. Add grease to the recess inside the hub of the rotor. If there is a recess in the front bearing, fill it with grease.
12. Add a bit of oil to each bearing – I use Castrol Syntec 5W-30. (This may not be necessary).
13. Insert the arbor.
14. Install the washer.
15. Drive the rotor onto the arbor.

If the bearings are good, do the following:

1. Drive the arbor out of the rotor (don’t drive it out of the pinion – it is on too tight);
2. Don’t lose the small washer between the rotor and the front bearing;
3. Clean the rotor, arbor with pinion and washer in the cleaning machine;
4. Wipe the oil and grease from the motor bearings, clean with contact cleaner and pegwood.
5. Use a syringe to insert Molykote 44 Light by Dow Corning or other grease into the motor.
6. Add grease to the recess inside the hub of the rotor. If there is a recess in the front bearing, fill it with grease.
7. Add a bit of oil to each bearing – I use Castrol Syntec 5W-30. (this may not be necessary)
8. Insert the arbor.
9. Install the washer.
10. Drive the rotor onto the arbor.

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Here’s a “banjo” clock made by Seth Thomas in 1949. This one runs on electricity with a synchronous motor. The motor speed is reduced to drive the hands, and the motor also winds up a mainspring that powers the hour and half-hour striking.

I put “banjo” in quotes, as Simon Willard invented and patented the original clock of this style, and called it a “Patent Timepiece” because it was time-only (no striking or chiming). Much later, this style became commonly called “banjo.”

The photo below doesn’t show the finial on the top of the case.

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The movement has the date code 4905 (May 1949). The motor is type M4 by General Time Corporation, which was introduced in 1948. The entire clock was made in USA. Seth Thomas started using German movements in 1956.

Repair job 6457. I polished the pivots and installed 11 bushings. The motor bearings had little wear. I lubricated the motor bearings with Molykote 44 Light by Dow Corning. I installed new movement mounting grommets. Strike mainspring adjusted to wind 7 to 8 turns before slipping.

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Seth Thomas Clock Company made many Westminster Chime clocks in the 20th century. Here is a beauty in a tambour case called the “Wickford”, made around 1930. The dial is engraved and silvered brass with applied numerals. The motor is the Sangamo self-starting synchronous motor, a very reliable motor made through the late-1940s.

The case is 20 13/16 inches wide and 10 inches tall. The dial’s minute track is 5 1/2 inches diameter, and the minute hand is 2 13/16 inches from center to tip.

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The motor runs the hands, and winds the strike and chime mainsprings. Slip-clutch (brace) ends on the 2 mainsprings prevent over-winding. The movement is nicely nickel plated.

Repair job 6441. A previous repairer made file marks on the front plate when installing bushings. I polished the pivots and installed 21 bushings. I adjusted the chime mainspring to slip after 7 1/2 turns of winding, and the strike mainspring to slip at 7 turns. I installed new cloth-covered electric cord and a new plug at the end that plugs into the clock.

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I recently repaired this Seth Thomas electric steeple clock that was made in 1950. The date code on the bottom of the case is 5010 (November 1950). The date code on the back of the movement is 5004 (April 1950). This clock is 15 1/4 inches tall and 9 1/8 inches wide. This clock is similar to another one I worked on, but the case top is more pointed, making it taller (see Seth Thomas Electric Steeple Clock with Hour and Half-Hour Striking, 1947). This clock strikes the hour and half-hour, and has a movement like the 1947 clock.

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Repair job 6384. I polished the pivots, installed 16 bushings, and replaced the mainspring.

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Here’s a beautiful Seth Thomas Adamantine mantel clock I repaired. The case is black, with green, yellow and orange marbleized top and trim. The movement is the popular and long-lasting No. 89C (which appears to be the same as the movement marked 89 which is seen often). It strikes the hour on a heavy coil gong, and the half-hour on a bell. This example has a polished, nickel-plated bell. The bell may not be original, as almost all the others I’ve seen have an unpolished, brass bell. This movement uses an “American type” semi-deadbeat escapement.

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Repair job 6409. I repivoted the rear time second wheel pivot (see the 2 pictures below).

I polished the pivots and installed 15 bushings. I replaced the time click rivet, and the time mainspring arbor hook. This movement has the original mainsprings:

Time Mainspring: 3/4 inch wide by 0.0160 inch thick

Strike Mainspring: 3/4 inch wide by 0.0168 inch thick.

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Here’s a most beautiful Seth Thomas Adamantine mantel clock I repaired. My customer polished the case, and I repaired the movement, gently cleaned and lacquered the case ornaments, and cleaned the dial.

The case background color is tan, with deep red lines and swirls, and some orange swirls too. The dial is embossed brass. The date code on the bottom of the case is 5981 C (March 1895).

The clock strikes the hour and half-hour on a heavy coil gong (often called Cathedral gong). The movement is the 8-day “hip” movement (called that because of its shape). It has an American type “strip” recoil escapement in the back.

The case is 17 inches wide and 11 1/2 inches tall.

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Repair job 6437. I made new rivets for the clicks, secured the regulator pinion to its arbor, polished the pivots, and installed 14 bushings. The mainsprings are original, and are as follows:

Time Mainspring: 11/16 inch wide by 0.0195 inch thick

Strike Mainspring: 11/16 inch wide by 0.0187 inch thick

These mainsprings seem thick, but had not caused much wear to the mainwheel teeth. If the springs needed replacing, thinner new ones should be used.

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Here’s a Seth Thomas 1948 electric mantel clock with Westminster chimes that I repaired. The mahogany case is 9 1/8 inches tall and 19 15/16 inches wide. The minute hand is 2 1/2 inches long.

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Repair job 6382. I polished the pivots and installed 25 bushings. I installed a replacement time 5th gear, as it had bad tooth wear and a loose hub.

After repair, the motor was moderately noisy. I found a better used motor which was much quieter. After repair, the chime mainspring wound 6 1/2 to 7 turns until the brace slipped, and the strike mainspring wound about 7 1/4 turn to slipping.

The label on the back door has the date code 48-2 (February 1948) and the movement has the date code 48-1 (January 1948).

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Here’s an Adamantine Mantel clock (made by Seth Thomas) that I’d never seen before! I would describe the case finish as “tortoise shell”. Below are photos of the front of the clock, a closeup of the case, and a photo of the rear showing the movement:

Adamantine is a veneered celluloid finish made by Seth Thomas Clock Company with various colors formed in the celluloid veneer. Common colors are black, mahogany and green; other colors such as white and various marbleized colors were also made.

(I taught my customer how to polish this case,  and he did the polishing and I repaired the movement.)

This clock doesn’t have a date code on the bottom of the case, but I estimate it was made ca. 1910. It is 11 7/16 inches tall, 12 15/16 inches wide at the feet and 12 3/4 inches wide at the top. The minute hand is 2 1/8 inches long, and the dial is celluloid-covered paper.

Repair job 6621. I polished the pivots, installed 14 bushings, and replaced the click rivets to make the winding reliable.

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This Seth Thomas Westminster chime mantel clock has a No. 124 movement. The cover on the back of the clock says “KENBURY-1W MODEL No. E- 705-003”.

The case is mahogany with a lighter wood inlay band across the bottom. The 1951 Seth Thomas catalog shows this clock. Height 8 3/8 inches, width 15 3/8 inches, minute hand length 2 3/8 inches.

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The No. 124 movement in this clock has the date code 5011 (November 1950) and the bottom of the case has the date code 5102 (February 1951).

Repair job 6682. This clock needed a lot of work. When I received it, the time and chime mainsprings had been swapped. The two spacers for the mainspring barrel plate were missing. several screws were missing. The teeth on the time mainwheel were damaged. I polished the pivots and installed 34 bushings! The sleeve that supports the chime shutoff lever was missing.

The No. 124 movement is an excellent runner, but will need overhauling when it stops working after years of use.

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I repaired this Seth Thomas electric striking mantel clock in a modern-style mahogany case. The movement had a lot of wear, and a pivot of one gear was completely worn off!

This clock uses the Sangamo synchronous motor. The date code on the movement is 46-12 (December 1946).

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Repair job 6580. I replaced gear T5, as one pivot was completely worn away, and its other pivot was 50% worn. I polished the other  pivots and installed 17 bushings.

The motor turns the hands and winds a mainspring that runs the striking. The mainspring has a brace end so it will slip and not overwind. I reduced the brace tension so it wouldn’t wind as far, to reduce future wear. As received, the mainspring wound up 9.5 turns before slipping. I reduced the tension so it would wind 6 to 7 turns.

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Here is a nice, original example of a Seth Thomas “Round Band” shelf clock. Seth Thomas made this model for many years, and the 1863 catalog shows it. The date code 4881 C (March 1884) is on the back of the case. The mahogany veneer case is 16 5/16 inches tall and 10 9/16 inches wide. The minute hand is 2 3/4 inches long. The painted dial is original with small paint loss, and the reverse painted lower tablet with picture of a bird is excellent. The pendulum suspension rod is not original, but I believe everything else is. One of my local customers was lucky to find this clock at a consignment shop. I love seeing clocks in this condition, that have not been messed with, and it is always satisfying to have a date code.

I put the escapement “in beat” to make the clock tick evenly, and now it runs well. Maybe my customer will have me overhaul it someday, but he can enjoy it for now.

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Repair job 6828. The movement has a strip semi-deadbeat escapement.

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Here’s a beautiful Seth Thomas electric mantel clock I repaired about a year ago. It is a Legacy – 2E with Westminster chime. It has a mahogany case that is 14 1/2 inches tall and 10 3/4 inches wide. The minute hand is 2 7/8 inches long and the dial’s minute track is 5 3/4 inches outside diameter.

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Repair job 6452. This clock has a M4 General Time motor. The motor winds up the mainsprings that run the chime and striking. I replaced 2 gears that were worn out (T4 and T5), polished the pivots, installed 21 bushings and installed a new power cord.

The date code on the label is 5103 (March 1951). The date code on the movement is 5013 (the 13th lunar month of 1950?). The presentation plaque on the from of the clock says Xmas 1951.

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Here is Seth Thomas “Style 1 30 Hour Half Column Shelf Clock” that I repaired. There were three styles of this clock, and they are illustrated on my ClockHistory.com website. The style 1 was made from ca. 1850 to ca. 1860. I give more history of these clocks on the following web page: https://clockhistory.com/sethThomas/products/30HourBrassWeight/index.html

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This clock is 24 15/16 inches tall and 15 1/8 inches wide. The minute hand is 3.5inches long from center to tip.

Notice the flower and leaf design in each corner. This style of flower and leaf appears on many Seth Thomas dials in the 1850s.

Repair job 6684. I polished the pivots and installed 9 bushings.

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I repaired this Seth Thomas Poise-1 (model SS7-Q) electric alarm clock because of its sentimental value to the owner. I was particularly interested in this clock because I have the earlier version (Poise E 861-000) that my parents received as a wedding gift in 1954. The case is the same, the older version has the alarm dial on the back, the newer version has an alarm set hand on the face. The older version has a power outage indicator in the dial, the newer version doesn’t.

The case is mahogany with brass trim, the while metal face has Roman numerals and fancy hands. The clock is 5 1/4 inches tall and 5 5/16 inches wide.

The clock has the General Time M4 motor, a self-starting synchronous motor with open rotor. A rotary alarm hammer with three discs hits the large internal bell.

The clock’s owner stamped the date DEC 15, 1977 on the bottom. The 1974 Seth Thomas catalog shows this clock on page 13.

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Repair job 6867. I replaced the motor and cord, and cleaned and lubricated the gears and motor.

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