This is a Self Winding Reg. No. 3 circa 1887. The clock has a rotary mov't and is 71" tall with a 12" dial. These clocks were the cutting edge of technology of their day and were very expensive. If any other members have early electric clocks it would be nice to see them shown here for more knowledge of a sector of clock collecting that is finding it's day of popularity.

William Mittelstadt

Veiw of the top of the clock

William Mittelstadt

Veiw of the bottom of the clock

William Mittelstadt

Beautiful clock Bill. Could you expand on the name of the company and what it ment to the mechanics of the clock?

Tom Seymour
NAWCC# 41293
IHC Executive V.P.

Tpom, the Self Winding Clock Company was started in 1886. they used dry cell batteries to wind the clock and were an innovation for the day. They were very expensive for the day. Tran Duy Ly has a very comprehensive section on self Winding clock in his Vol. # 2 book of American books. Any serious collector should over time build a library of his books when it comes to what a collector need to persue building a collection. there simpily is no comparison. The early cases for Self Winding were built mainly by Seth Thomas and Howard. They are indeed high grade clocks that have been largely over looked by collectors because they didn't know how to fix them. Times have changed and many astut collectors are buying them up now as they are seriously undervalued when you look at what has happened to high end regulators. If there ever was an area of investment oppertunity, these clocks are it.

William Mittelstadt

Thanks for the info Bill. The cases are certainly top of the line. They sound like a good thing to keep an eye out for.

Tom Seymour
NAWCC# 41293
IHC Executive V.P.

Bill, what kind of clock is the other one in the picture (not the self winding electric)??
Regards,
Jack Goldstein

Years ago, an older gentleman got us into batterywind clocks. We were ridiculed by most collectors. Not anymore. I have collected these clocks a long time. When SWCC began making these rotary motors to wind their clocks, electric motors in America were very new and very primitive. I have a SWCC #9 Regulator, cherry, w/two vial mercury pendulum. It's not hanging and would not make a good picture. But I'll see if I can post a few images of these clocks later on.

Jack the clock next to the Self Winder is a Seth Thomas Regulator No. 18 in walnut with a large nickle demasceened pendulum. The electric clocks are more tricky to work on but Tran's volume 2 has a larger section on the mov'ts that helps alot. I have quite a few self winders (maybe around 75) with at least a dozen that beat seconds. I have 5 no. 9 regulators and 2 9a regulators.

William Mittelstadt
IHC Member 166

A gentleman named F.L. Gregory invented this movement. He lived in Chicago, but soon moved to St. Louis. He opened the Sempire Clock Company. This is a gallery model clock. The case is 30 x 32 inches. The movement throws an arm up, and the clock runs off the weight of the arm coming down. This is similar to Trinity, Imperial, and American Self-Winding Clock Company Chicao clocks. Sorry the image isn't better. I'll be happy to post more if you wish.

My #9 has the same number in the case, on the three pole motor, and on the movement. Just curious if your SWCC still had those numbers. I just finished up a SWCC #4 wall regulator for my son. I got the case, then found the Type A movement. The movement is a low 3 digit serial number. The motor has no number, and was probably a replacement, not original to the movement. The case also has a low 3 digit serial number inside. The numbers do not match.

Steve, I have some where the numbers on the case, mov't and motor all match but they are scarce as over the years the company replaced mov'ts and motors and didn't change the tags and it was a common practice. I have a few model 7 and 8's where everything matches

William Mittelstadt
IHC Member 166

As promised, here's another early electromagnetic clock. This one shows up under the names Eveready, and Keyless Clock Company. To date, I have only located three or four of these. One was Keyless, three were Eveready. The case is a very ornate oak case. Mine was very black, and crinkled original finish. I hand polished the case, using 4/0 steel wool, and waterless hand cleaner. After a mere 18 hours, I had removed most of the grime, leaving the original finish. I left some checkering, and some blackened finish, so others would know this finish was original. The dial was redone by the Smallwoods. About 80% of the original dial was intact, but badly flaking. It does run, but I usually don't run it.

The crown piece comes off easily.

The Eveready has a battery access door, that has a lock on it. The door also has a keyed lock on it. My clock has a rectangular hole inside the base. I assume originally, there was a cover there.

Here's the logo on the Eveready. Pretty stylistic for it's time.

Very interesting clock, Steve. Years ago I had a "keyless" clock in a simular case. Mine was in cherrywood. I sold it to Larry Funk in chicago. oldtimer22@aol.com is his e-mail address if you want more info on his clock.

William Mittelstadt
IHC Member 166