American Clock and Watch Museum

The Seth Thomas Clock Company was organized as a joint stock corporation on May 3, 1853 to succeed the earlier clockmaking operation of the founder. Seth Thomas (1785-1859) had been manufacturing clocks at the site since 1814.

After Thomas's death in 1859, his son Aaron became President and began to add new clocks to a conservative line. About 1862, the firm purchased the patent rights of Wait T. Huntington and Harvey Platts of Ithaca, New York and added a perpetual calendar clock to their line. They also added a line of “Grandfather” clocks in the 1880’s

The Seth Thomas Clock Company was very prosperous into the 20th century and was considered the "Tiffany’s" of Connecticut clock manufacture, even by their competitors. Between 1865 and 1879 they operated a subsidiary firm known as Seth Thomas' Sons & Company that manufactured a higher-grade 15-day mantel clock movement and during that period were major supporters of a New York sales outlet known as the American Clock Company. After 1872 they also became a major manufacturer of tower and street clocks. Between 1884 and 1915 they were manufacturers of jeweled pocket watches.

On January 1, 1931, the firm became a subsidiary of General Time Instruments Corporation and soon passed from family control. The firm's decline was gradual over the next 50 years and culminated in the firm's removal from Connecticut to Norcross, Georgia in 1982. The firm went bankrupt in October 2001, but the Colibri group of Providence, RI purchased the trademark and the Seth Thomas name is again appearing on clocks.

WHO WAS THE “F. HOTCHKISS” WHOSE NAME IS STAMPED
ON THE BACK PLATE OF SOME SETH THOMAS CLOCKS?

That man was Frank H. Hotchkiss who was superintendent of the Seth Thomas Clock Company at the time your clock was made. We presume that Frank Hotchkiss designed the movement. The 1901 movement catalog in the AC&WM collection was the personal copy of Frank H. Hotchkiss and he signed the inside cover and dated it Sep. 21, 1901.

Franklin H. Hotchkiss, son of Henry Skilton Hotchkiss and his wife Hannah A. (--------) Hotchkiss, was born in October, 1847 at Plymouth, CT (the part which was incorporated as Thomaston in honor of Seth Thomas in 1875). Henry S. Hotchkiss, son of William and Lucy (Atwood) Hotchkiss, was born Oct. 3, 1811 at Watertown, CT. He moved from Watertown, CT to Plymouth, CT in the 1840’s where he became a clockmaker and clock case maker for Seth Thomas. Henry was a widower by 1870 and he and his 22 year old son Frank were living at Plymouth and working in the Seth Thomas Clock Company shop.

Frank H. Hotchkiss was married Nov. 30, 1870 to Hannah Abigail Todd, daughter of Almon E. and Lydia J. Todd. Hannah was born in Dec., 1848 at Litchfield, CT. They were living at Thomaston, CT in 1880 and had a young daughter and Frank’s 68 year old father living in the home. Frank and his father were still working in the clock shop. Henry S. Hotchkiss died June 2, 1883 at Thomaston, CT at the age of 71.

By June of 1900 when the census was taken, Frank H. Hotchkiss was superintendent of the Seth Thomas Clock Company. He and his wife had two children, a daughter Eva F. Hotchkiss (b. Jan., 1880) and a son Harold DeW. Hotchkiss (b. April, 1886). The last record I have of Frank is that he was on the Thomas school committee in 1908. Frank H. Hotchkiss was dead by June of 1910 and his widow and son were living at Thomaston. His son Harold D. Hotchkiss, age 23, was working as a toolmaker at the Seth Thomas shop in 1910. I did not locate Harold or his mother in the 1920 census, but by 1930 Harold was married and living with a wife and three sons at 32 Whitman Street, West Hartford, CT. At that time he was assistant superintendent of an electric switch factory. Harold DeW. Hotchkiss died May 7, 1951 at Hartford, CT at the age of 65.

Frank H. Hotchkiss built a very fine Victorian Queen Anne style home built on the road leading from the movement and tower clock shops to the main Seth Thomas factory. That home still stands.

WHO WAS “R. KAISER” WHOSE NAME IS OFTEN STAMPED
ON THE BACK OF ROUND PLATE SETH THOMAS CLOCK COMPANY
AND SETH THOMAS SONS & COMPANY MOVEMENTS ?

Raymond Kaiser was an emigrant from Germany who began working for the Seth Thomas Clock Company prior to 1870. Kaiser was born about 1842 in Baden. It appears he was a mechanic for the company and designed the round plate movement about 1870, patterning it after imported French movements. Although it was not quite the quality of French-made movements, it was superior to most Connecticut manufactured movements of the time. Kaiser and a wife and two children were living at Plymouth (the part which officially became Thomaston in 1875) when the 1870 census was taken. He was still living working at the Seth Thomas factory in 1880 and living at Thomaston with a wife and two children. He died July 26, 1889, age 47 and was buried with his wife Fredalena (Herbst) Kaiser (1850-1924) and two children who died young in Hillside Cemetery, Thomaston.

Raymond’s son, Emil R. Kaiser, (b. Feb., 1870 at Plymouth) was married about 1892 to Carrie E. Saul (1872-1952). He and his wife were living in the home of his father-in-law, Herman Saul, at Thomaston in 1900. Emil Kaiser was a foreman at the Seth Thomas watch factory at that time. By 1910 he and his wife and two children were living on Center Street, Thomaston, and he was Superintendent of the Seth Thomas Clock Company. He was still Superintendent in 1920 when he and his wife and an unmarried daughter were living on High Street, Thomaston. They were still living on High Street in 1930 at which time Emil was called “General Superintendent” of the clock company. He died June 8, 1957 at Torrington, CT, age 87 and was buried with his wife in Hillside Cemetery, Thomaston.

DATA ON SETH THOMAS CLOCK COMPANY’S
“CHRONOMETER LEVER” CLOCKS

The first “Chronometer Lever” models were offered in the Seth Thomas Clock Company’s catalog for 1900-1901 which was issued on Sep. 1, 1900. At that time three models were offered – #5003, #5004 and #5006. The first two had snap close bezels and wound through the porcelain dial, but the #5006 case had a screw bezel, considered dust proof, and wound from the side.

We call attention to this Fine Lever Clock, specially designed for Locomotives, Steamers, or other situations where accurate time-keeps is required, and a pendulum cannot be used.

The Movements are made in the best manner, with Steel Pinions and Chronometer Balance, Jeweled, and are fitted up with finely tempered Hair Springs.

They have a very simple and perfect regulator, which provides for the most accurate adjustment.

#5003 – 5½ inch diameter at front, 6½ inches at back with a 3½ inch dial. It retailed for $29.75. #5004 – 6½ inch diameter at front, 7½ inches at back with a 4½ inch dial. It retailed for $30.80. #5006 – 6¾ inch diameter at front, 8½ inches at back with a 4½ inch dial. It retailed for $36.60.

These prices were hefty considering a Seth Thomas oak parlor (kitchen) clock retailed for $3.50 or $3.75 and even the popular weight-driven “Regular No. 2” sold for only $18.00 at that time.

Curiously, the 1901 movement catalog of this firm does not list the movements for these clocks, but they were included in the May 1, 1907 movement catalog. The movements used in this model were #20, 20A, 20B, 20C and 21. The model #20 was originally used for the 5003 and 5004 cases and the #20A was originally used for the 5006 case. These did not have watch escapements. However, By the May 1, 1907 catalog the #20 and #20A movements had been discontinued and replaced by the movement #20B for the 5003 and 5004 cases and the movement #20C for the 5006 case. There was also a movement #21 movement which was an 8-day and used in a 5005 case, but this model must have been short lived as it was not shown in catalog and had been discontinued by 1907.

These “Chronometer Lever” in #2003, 2004 and #2006 cases ere offered from 1900 until at least 1910. They were not shown in the 1913 catalog of the firm, but there were no catalogs issued for 1911-1912, so they may have been offered until 1912. The 1909-1910 catalog shows that these models had increased in prices to $40.50, $42.00 and $50.00 by that time. So, these were offered 10 or 12 years at most. There are no production records surviving for the firm, so we do not know how many were manufactured. However, with a cost of $30 to $50 it is likely production was in the hundreds and not the thousands.

In 1902 the firm introduced a model they called “Fine Lever No. 1”. Instead of a brass case, it had a wood case 16 ¾ inches in diameter in either oak or mahogany. The painted steel dial was 12 inches in diameter. It had a double wind, cut steel pinion, jeweled, chronometer balance escapement movement. It originally retailed for $35.00. In 1904 this model was renamed model No. 5020 and selling for $38.00. By 1909 this model had increased to $54.50. This model was last offered in 1914 at which time it retailed for $50.00.

In 1904 the firm introduced two new 8-day chronometer levers in polished brass cases, silvered metal dials, with the same double spring movement as found in the “Fine Lever No. 1” (which was renamed model #5020 in 1904). They were called models #5009 and #5010. Their cases came in two sizes:

#5009 – 7¼ inches at case front, 7 ¾ inches at back with a 6 inch dial. It sold for $45.00.

#5010 – 11 inches at case front, 10 ½ inches at back with a 8 inch dial. It sold for $54.00.

By 1909 eight models with cast brass cases were offered with the double spring movement were offered. That year’s trade catalog noted they had 11 jewel movements with compensating balances, Breguet hairsprings and cut steel pinions. They had etched metal dials that were silvered with the name “Seth Thomas” in script below the winding arbors. These models were:

#4008 – 6½ inch diameter at front, 6¾ inches at back with a 5 inch dial. It sold for $45.00

#4009 – 7½ inch diameter at front, 7¾ inches at back with a 6 inch dial. It sold for $50.00

#4010 – 10¼ inch diamenter at front, 10¼ inches at back with an 8 inch dial. It sold for $60.00

#4012 – 14½ inch diameter at front, 14 inches at back with a 12 inch dial. It sold for $80.00

#5009 – 7½ inch diameter at front, 7¾ inches at back with a 6 inch dial. It sold for $61.50

#5010 – 10¼ inch diameter at front, 10½ inches at back with an 8 inch dial. It sold for $73.50

#5011 – 12 inch diameter at front, 12 inches at back with a 10 inch dial. It sold for $85.00

#5012 – 14½ inch diameter at front, 14 inches at back with 12 inch dial. It sold for $100.00