Posted 9 years ago
WilliamR
(2 items)
I'm not quite sure what type of clock this is. I was unable to find an image exactly like it on the web. It says the Plymouth Clock Thomaston Conn. The movement Number is 3659.
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This clock was an electric version of the Westminster Chime Plymouth with used a mechanical Seth Thomas 124 movement. This clock essentially has the same case for the most part, same footprint of the 124 mechanical movement, same Dial as the 124 but without the winding holes in the dial. This also has the chime/silent shaft around 4 o'clock. The clock uses the same 4 chime rods as the 124 Plymouth Spring movement. Plymouth was the Seth Thomas answer to the Great Depression. They did a few things to cut costs to offer slightly less expensive clocks vs. their Seth Thomas main line. Some "tricks" included silk screening false inlaid veneer patterns where Seth Thomas used inlays. Great until you refinished the clock typically, then the facets were removed. This particular clock pictured has been refinished as the entire front of the clock had a burled appearance which was paper-thin. Once sanded and refinished it was gone and this one is missing it.
Another cost reducer was in the chimes. Plymouth clocks often elected to use a 4 chime rod set-up where the Seth Thomas equivalent used 5. that's a slight cost reduction and they added-up to make the Plymouth more attractive to budget conscious buyers. This is a general rule, not absolute. I have a Plymouth Tambour model with 5 chime rods vs. the 4 found in most Plymouths. I have never found my Plymouth Tambour in any catalog or internet posting.
Most Plymouth clocks used either the Seth-Thomas 89 or the later movement developed in the late 1930's. The Plymouth 89's and 4000 series movements were offered in two variations: One offered hour and half-hour striking, the other offered a "bim-bam" quarter-hour strike which counted on the hour. You can tell the difference easily as the Seth Thomas 89 had the Fast-Slow adjustment just below the center of the dial, whereas the 4000 series had it at the 12 o'clock position. The 89 and 4000s are by far the most common Plymouth clocks offered and they made massive quantities. The 4000 series movements (I believe, but not absolutely) were used exclusively by Plymouth. Again, I'm not sure. The 89 was used in both Seth Thomas and Plymouth models and started to disappear by the late 1930's.
I hope this was helpful!
If you plan on using this clock for the long-term be sure to have it cleaned and lubricated every 5-6 years as even though the clock is electric, unlike many it still has the majority of wheels, pivots and bushings as a mechanical clock. Accordingly these parts attract dirt and metal fragments from wear and environment and the oil becomes more of an abrasive "slurry" accelerating wear at the pivot/bushing contact points. These electric models often had enough power to keep things moving while doing harm to the bushings, so this is one that usually would finally quit at a point that damage had occurred. Avoid a costly re-bush by keeping it clean and lubricated.