Antique American Clocks July 2021
201. $250
Seth Thomas “Chime Clock”, ca. 1914. The case matches Chime Clock No. 64, but it is a four-bell
chime, rather than the expected five bells. Seth Thomas made four-bell, five-bell, and eight-bell chimes interchangeable, so
a four-bell in this case may have been an option. The difference is only in the sound of the hour strike, which in a four-bell
is a simultaneous strike on all four bells, rather than an hour strike on a fifth bell. The chimes sound every bit a good in
both. The 14.5-inch mahogany case has lighter marquetery in front and a convex silvered dial behind a convex beveled glass. Here the case could use some rejuvenation (oil or wax) as it is very dry; the silvered dial shows some oxidation but no major defects. The clock is running and chiming on cue and counting the hours. The only significant negative I see is wear at the right side
of the dial where it is opened; it looks like a dog was trying to get in. A bit of stain or a stain pen might be sufficient
to make it disappear. Four-bell chimes from Seth Thomas typically sell between $250 and $400; AAC sold a four-bell last January
for $275.
