Chelsea Clock Co. "Commander" Marine Clock
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
circa 1920's
This Chelsea Clock Co. "Commander" marine clock is source-dated to circa the 1920s and features a 10-inch dial. The clock is housed in a polished brass case set upon a stepped wooden base measuring 17 by 18 by 7 inches.
Fontaine's Auction Gallery reports that it contains an eight-day, time-only spring-driven brass movement with direct train escapement, bearing serial number 178720 and signed on both the dial and movement. The dial displays black Roman numerals, open spade hands, a regulation index below 12 o'clock, and the inscription "CHELSEA CLOCK CO. BOSTON, U.S.A.".
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Technical characteristics
- Type
- Marine clock
- Maker
- Chelsea Clock Co.
- Model
- Commander
- Dimensions
- 17 x 18 x 7 inches
- Serial Number
- 178720
- Condition Note
- Dial re-silvered
- Place recorded
- United States
- Maker / attribution
- Chelsea Clock Co.
- Movement Description
- Brass 8-day time-only spring-driven movement with direct train escapement
Design
- Visible features
- • Silvered dial with black Roman hour numerals and outer closed minute track • Open spade-form hour and minute hands centered around the arbor • Small circular regulation scale located beneath the 12 o'clock numeral • Signed 'CHELSEA CLOCK CO. BOSTON, U.S.A.' above the 6 o'clock numeral • Single winding arbor aperture located above the 6 o'clock mark • Heavy polished brass bezel and plinth set into a contoured wooden base
- Dial Configuration
- The clock features a silvered dial with black Roman hour numerals encircled by an outer closed minute track, with open spade-form hour and minute hands centered around the arbor. A small circular regulation scale is located beneath the 12 o'clock numeral, and a single winding arbor aperture is situated above the 6 o'clock mark. The dial is signed "CHELSEA CLOCK CO. BOSTON, U.S.A." above the 6 o'clock numeral. The auction condition report notes that the "dial has been re-silvered."
- Case and Presentation
- This timepiece is catalogued as a Chelsea Clock Co. "Commander" marine clock with a 10-inch dial, mounted in a brass case with a wooden base. The overall assembly measures 17 by 18 by 7 inches. Visual observation records a heavy polished brass bezel and plinth set into a contoured wooden base. The cataloguer notes that the exterior brass case has been "nicely polished." The stepped wooden mounting provides a display plinth beneath the circular drum case.
- Reported Movement and Provenance
- The internal mechanism is not visible in the photograph. Fontaine's Auction Gallery describes the clock as housing a "brass 8-day time-only spring-driven movement with direct train escapement," signed on the movement and dial. The movement is reported to carry serial number "178720" and is source-dated to circa the 1920s. Functional testing reported by the auctioneer was limited to a 15-minute test, and the clock is listed with provenance from a private collection in Roxbury, Connecticut.
Identification
- Serial number
- 178720
- Source note
- Facts transcribed from the linked source listing or collection record. Attribution and specifications are source-reported and have not been independently authenticated.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: Movement is housed within the case and not visible in the photograph
- Research required: Source condition report notes the dial has been re-silvered