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Featured on our web site and in our monthly web catalogues are new and out-of-print books, documents, post cards, photographs, maps and charts, engravings, lithographs, uniforms and insignia, tools, lamps, lens apparatus, equipment and apparatus and much more relating to these heroic services.

  

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Items Just Received


Books by Tom Tag



SS Portland

Portland Gale

Pendleton Fort Mercer 1952 Chatham





Lighthouse Blog

Climate Change


 

 

 

Clocks & Barometers

    

2nd Edition Just Out:

23290f. Demeter, Andrew and David. CHELSEA CLOCK COMPANY: The First Hundred Years. 2nd edition. 2014. For over a hundred years the Chelsea Clock Company has manufactured a distinguished line of high quality clocks. Regarded as one of America ’s highest quality products, Chelsea Clocks have been presented to heads of state throughout the world. Photographs taken in the White House throughout this century show Chelsea Clocks in settings of distinction. Collectors have long prized them for their quality, beauty, unique design and historic significance. Now in this updated and lengthened second edition, the history of the Chelsea Clock Company has been written and it reads like a contemporary enterprise including mysteries, disasters, near failure and a fascinating collection of characters. Historical photographs, vintage advertisements, as well as illustrations and photographs from old catalogues are included. This updated and expanded second edition also includes: Ten more vintage models added to the Identification Guide to help collectors in identifying seldom seen designs, with color photographs from the finest collections in America, an Alphabetical Index on every movement model developed by the company by date and designated purpose, individual indices that list every clock made for the U.S. Lighthouse Establishment & Service, U.S. Life-Saving Service, and U.S. Revenue Cutter Service by serial number, type, and date of issuance, a new Boston Clock Co. Index of this subsidiary’s manufacture of clocks from 1909 to 1931. With eighty-five more pages of material to assist the collector in identifying factory issued models and their origins, this work will surely be a “must have” for collectors and professionals alike. Andrew and David Demeter have created a remarkable volume complete with lists of serial numbers to aid you in authenticating your piece, and photographs of Chelsea Clock Company’s current staff. In Chelsea Clock Company: The First Hundred Years, the Demeters have once again provided a valuable and sought after resource for collectors and those who appreciate American craftsmanship at its finest. Only 1000 of this second edition have been printed and they will be in great demand! (M). $175. (no discounts apply) 

16222-II. Demeter, Andrew. Chelsea Clocks: A Technical Manual, Part II. 2018. Revised March 2021. Demeter Publications, Ltd., 90p. Soft wraps, spiral bound. Cover Photo: Leonard Taube, retired master watchmaker for Chelsea Clock Company. Published to provide additional technical information beyond that contained in Part I (no longer in print) and Demeter’s initial work Chelsea Clock Company, The First 100 Years. Reference includes color and b/w photos and parts lists, images of blueprints,  and much more. Sublects covered include: The History Of Factory Keys & How To Identify Counterfeits (illustrated with color photographs of genuine and counterfeit keys); The Manufacturing Process Of Factory Keys; Main Spring Blueprints & Specifications; Chelsea Regulators (Their history and years of manufacture.  And not previously published, a factory photo of a Chelsea Grandfather (Model 2S) clock.); Sales Ledger Index Of All Regulators #3 And #5. (lists the Serial Number, Model, Date of Sale, Customer, Description of Wood and any sales ledger comments); Factory Screw Chart (Five (5) pages of screw sizes by Part #, Movement Model, Description, Material, Size and Style); Factory Formula For Making Silver Nitrate Compound; Factory Instructions On Silvering Dials And Reflectors; Factory Instructions On Polishing, Coloring & Lacquering Cases; Three (3) More Pages Of Factory Mainspring Specifications Dated 1922, 1942 & Circa 1948; Factory Movement Model Index – Updated (11 pages from the Personal Handbooks of Supt. John Malloy and Co-owner Walter Mutz. Listed alphabetically by Number & Letter with description of the end user both commercial and industrial); Considerations Before A Purchase (Issues to check or question that are inherent to certain model types); Factory Checklist For The Model 4l Ships Bell Movement (trouble-shooting factory procedure for twenty four (24) points of inspection of a new or re-assembled Ships Bell Movement); Factory Hands (Seventeen (17) factory pages of Hands By Size, Style and Part Number). Limited quantity available. (M). $95.95. 

 

16222. Demeter, Andrew. Chelsea Clocks: A Technical Manual. Demeter Publications, Ltd., November, 2016. 203p. Soft wraps. Cover Photo: Leonard Taube, retired master watchmaker for Chelsea Clock Company. Reference includes photos and parts lists for sixteen of the most popular Marine & Ships Bell movements made by Chelsea Clock Co. and several with schematics. Includes Models E (Chelsea’s earliest marine movement), 12E, 12EI, 13E, 14E, 16E, 17E, F, K, 17K, L, 4L, M, 4M, V1 and V2. Eight pages listing Interchangeable Parts alphabetically and separately by part number for Models E, 12E, 17E, F, K (Boston) 17K and 18K.Includes a brief history of Chelsea escapements and an Escapement Comparison Table that identifies the type of escapement used in each clock with numerous blueprints of individual escapement parts.  Identifies the parts by their Chelsea factory number as well as the Waltham factory number. Parts diagrams for regulators that are found missing on clocks as well as the USN Mark I Deck clock (chrome) hinge and back plates. Chelsea Collectors and Waltham watchmakers who are seeking or selling Chelsea clock parts will now be able to cite the part by name and factory number for the most common Chelsea models on the market. Limited quantity available. (M). $89.95. (w) (Check on availability)

 

 

5414. (clock face) U. S. Light-House Establishment / Service. c.1880's - 1939. Original 4 1/2" clock faces manufactured by Chelsea Clock Company , removed from clocks for servicing and never replaced. Chelsea Clock Face $695. 

Others available priced $425 - $725. Please inquire

5414d. (clock face) U. S. Light-House Service Radio Room Clock Face. c.1900 - 1939. $725.

 

1414. Whitney, Marvin E. Military Timepieces. American Watchmakers Inst, Harrison, Ohio. 1992. 667p. Cloth covered boards. DJ. Years of precise research by accredited professional watch/chronometer-maker and instructor for the United States Navy, carefully and clearly presented. Book is made up of 32 chapters, containing hundreds of photographs, illustrations and diagrams. Probably the most complete compilation on military timepieces to date. The author presents a detailed survey of American and European deck watches, marine clocks, chronometers, elapsed time clocks, aircraft clocks, etc., used by the military onboard ships and aircraft. The products of Hamilton, Elgin, Chelsea marine boat and deck clocks, Seth Thomas marine clocks, CDIA clock, Waltham, Breitling, Le Coultre and many other companies are included. Also includes message center clocks; meteorological instrument clocks; master navigational (GCT) watches; navigational stopwatches, zig-zag and course clocks, and more. Specialist timepieces for use in tanks and by divers, as well as stopwatches, ship’s chronometers, pocket and precision watches, and wristwatches are all discussed. Included are assembly and parts lists, and a great deal more. This massive tome has 667pp. including Appendix, Bibliography, Footnotes, Glossary, and comprehensive Index. (M). $225.

 

  

JH-73. (yacht clock) Boston Clock Company Front Wind Model C Yacht, Boat and Auto clock c.1890 made by Chelsea Clock under the Boston Clock brand name. Boston Clock Company, (in business 1884-1894), continued the traditions of the Harvard Clock Company after a name change in 1884. The movement plates are plated in nickel. Face of clock measures 2 5/8” in brass case with brass screw-off bezel. Back of case has brass bracket to attach to a swivel mount, or clock could have been fitted into dashboard. Face and hands are clean and untouched. Clock runs well and includes #3 winding key. (VG+). $1595. 

  

   

2756. Salem Ship’s Bell 8-Day Maritime Clock. Pat. October 25, 1921. Model 115-A. Beautiful Salem ship’s bell striking clock. Heavy nickel plated cast brass case with heavy curved glass screw off bezel covers a beautiful dial with slight patina. Dial measures 4 inches track to track, bezel measures 5 1/2 inches, and case with bezel attached is almost 3 inches deep. Clock does run and strike, but starts hard and stops now and then – needs servicing but is priced right for this charming early piece. (VG-). $295.

 

 

 

Procedure to order items:

1. I suggest that you call us or email to check on availability of any item that you would like other than recent books. As items go quite quickly, please call and leave a message to reserve items that you would like. I will return your call, hold the items and await your letter or credit card information. We will also weigh the items and advise postage. 

2. You may then call or email credit card information, or forward a check in the mail.

Most items are mailed US Priority Mail or UPS. Additional information on our "Ordering Page". 

Massachusetts residents must add 6.25% sales tax.

 

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    Kenrick A. Claflin & Son Nautical Antiques
    1227 Pleasant Street, Worcester, MA 01602 

    Phone (508) 792-6627

 

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This site is continually updated. This page last updated May 28, 2021 .

All text and illustrations on web site Ó James W. Claflin . 05/28/2021 All rights reserved. Use prohibited without written permission.