# Pub Clock - New Arrival



## hotmog (Feb 4, 2006)

Given my passion for vintage breweriana, I suppose my new acquisition was almost inevitable. My kitchen has, over the years, increasingly assumed the trappings of a Victorian pub, but it always lacked a suitable clock. I've always rather fancied a proper pub clock - not one of those modern quartz reproductions, but something vintage with a bit of good honest history and wabi to its name; something that, if it could speak, would have many a tale to tell concerning the lives and fortunes of the several generations of people whom, over the past century and more, would have recognised in its face an old, familiar, acquaintance.

Then this came up on the 'bay at a reasonable starting price, and it seemed just what I had been looking for. Here's a link to the original listing: Dial Clock 8-Day With Walthams Beer On Draught On Dial.

Well, I won it and it arrived this morning. Here are a couple of pics of it in its new setting:



















From a little Googling based on the seller's description, I was able to establish that its 8-day movement was produced by the Seth Thomas Clock Co, Connecticut, USA. The company was a ubiquitous manufacturer of good quality clock movements from 1853 right up almost until the present day. The design of the trademark logo stamped on the movement backplate dates it to the 1880s.

This is consistent with the brewery advertisement painted on the face: "Waltham's Beer On Draught". Originally known as Rhodes' Brewery, situated in Stockwell Road, Lambeth, it was acquired by Edward Waltham trading as Waltham Brothers Ltd in 1851. The brewery was acquired by The Lion Brewery Co. Ltd in 1908 with 4 public houses. I am curious about the black mark on the case just above the "VI". I don't think it's spilled paint; I think it's a deliberate feature of the advertising, intended to suggest a tongue licking the lips in appreciation of the product.

I have to say I'm very pleased with my purchase, and it's been keeping perfect time so far.


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## JWL940 (Jun 11, 2010)

Hotmog

I'm no expert but I'd say you got a good deal there, it looks the dog's dodahs. I always like to see other's success on ebay and to see there are still some bargains to be had. Well done.

John


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## clockworks (Apr 11, 2010)

A very good buy at that price. I'm guessing that it was cased over here - the style is very English. Is it a standard American movement with stamped plates, screwed directly to the backboard?


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## hotmog (Feb 4, 2006)

clockworks said:


> A very good buy at that price. I'm guessing that it was cased over here - the style is very English. Is it a standard American movement with stamped plates, screwed directly to the backboard?


Yes, that was my assumption too. To expose the movement, there are 3 screws securing the dial to the case that need to be removed and the face lifted off, but in order to do that the hands also would have to be removed, which I have not done. However, it does have a standard US "ST"-stamped movement screwed to the backboard, as can be seen from the second photo in the link above to the original eBay listing.

The brass bezel holding the glass appears to be a relatively modern replacement for the original, the hinge having had to be cut down slightly to size, and is not screwed down in exactly the same position as the original mounting location holes.


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## clockworks (Apr 11, 2010)

Don't know why I didn't look at the other pics on the eBay listing.

Not seen a movement like that before, fitted with stopwork. Despite the replacement bezel and the rubbed dial, that was a bargain. If it'd been English, it would have fetched an awful lot more. Strange really, because English dials are a lot more commonplace - got 2 sitting under my bed! I really like old American clocks - they just run and run, while the superficially more competent English clocks need regular servicing.


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## JoT (Aug 12, 2003)

If I didn't know any better I would say the black mark around 6 is from generations of pub drinkers pushing the minute hand back five minutes once the time showed 10.30pm :lol:


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## andyclient (Aug 1, 2009)

JoT said:


> If I didn't know any better I would say the black mark around 6 is from generations of pub drinkers pushing the minute hand back five minutes once the time showed 10.30pm :lol:


I'm liking that theory :thumbup:


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## rdwiow (Aug 15, 2008)

Very interesting, the seller is about 10 miles away from me, on the Isle of Wight, I wonder if it came from any pub on the Island?

A nice find!


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## hotmog (Feb 4, 2006)

rdwiow said:


> Very interesting, the seller is about 10 miles away from me, on the Isle of Wight, I wonder if it came from any pub on the Island?
> 
> A nice find!


It's quite possible, although the seller claims to know nothing of its history so I wonder how they acquired it? Originally, of course, it would have come from one of Waltham's four tied public houses in the Stockwell/Lambeth area of London (might do a bit of research to see if I can identify them). Maybe the pub was damaged or destroyed in the blitz, and clock was then removed to pastures new. Who knows? All very interesting speculation, though.


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## hotmog (Feb 4, 2006)

Well, it was only a matter of time.... 

My clock had been very reliable and keeping good time, up until one Monday morning a couple of weeks ago when I wound it as usual. Then I happened to notice a few minutes later that it had stopped. I tried swinging the pendulum again, and it would tick for a minute or so, then the ticking sound would gradually become weaker and weaker, and it would stop again.

I thought it probably just needed a clean and re-lubricating so took it into my local jewellers, who also do clock repairs. This afternoon they called to inform me that the clock repairer had examined it, but unfortunately could do nothing with it as some of the components were too badly worn.

No problem, I thought. When I first got the clock I had tried to find out some background about the movement (a Seth Thomas 8-day dating from around the 1880s), and there seemed to be quite a few available on eBay (albeit mainly from US sellers) of similar design to mine. However when I looked today, I couldn't see any. I did come across one supplier of replacement clock movements, but the only one that seemed to be about the right size had two key winding spindles. Mine has only one, which is positioned about 1.25" below the hand spindle and offset to the right of it by about 1".

Here are a couple of pics:



















Does anyone know where I could either get this movement restored, source an original replacement in good condition, or alternatively identify a modern 8-day movement that would be compatible. 

Many thanks.


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