Happy Independence Day! We’ll be closed July 3rd -5 th for the holiday weekend and apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. This month we’re featuring a clock as our Recent Acquisition. It is a regulator by the Seth Thomas Company—but as it’s been modified to be battery-powered, it’s perfect for someone who wants the look of an antique without the bother of winding it. Regulators were invented in the mid-18th century as part of the search for more accurate timekeeping. They are the most accurate of the pendulum clocks, but most omitted the calendar feature to attain that precision. Regulators took off in popularity particularly in Vienna after the revolution of 1848 when the middle class had more money to spend on luxuries. The Seth Thomas Company began making regulators in 1860, one year after his death, when his son Aaron expanded new clocks to the company’s line. They were popular when railroad companies began to install Standard Clocks, so their Regulator No. 3, with a 14” dial, was often found in railroad stations across the country. The smaller Regulator No. 2, with a 12” dial, was manufactured from the early 1860’s until 1950 with very few changes, making it the longest produced model in clock manufacturing history! As you can see in the photo below, this clock is typical of the Seth Thomas clock with smooth, sleek lines and richly colored wood.

Seth Thomas Regulator Clock

For those who don’t know, Bob is a Clock Guy (with capital letters!), so there are always other clocks in the store: ornate ones, plain ones, large ones, small ones. He’s also happy to share his knowledge about clocks, so feel free to ask him if you have clock questions. We even repair clock cases.

Lynne & Bob McCann