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.
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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