rmarkowitz1_cee4a1
NAWCC Member
- Nov 26, 2009
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There was a recurring character on Saturday Night Live played by ensemble member Garett Morris. He was a fictional shortstop for the NY Mets named Chico Escuela. His tag line was, "basah ball has been berry berry good to me". Well, Chelseas have been berry berry good to me in terms of retail sales. Folks like a nice clean one.
Well, I've cleared the decks of work related matter and there's nothing on TV, so I thought I would share 2 recently acquired Chelseas. I will enjoy them for a while then try to move them along. Nothing breath taking, but a bit different that the typically brass cased.
The first is a full sized banjo. Nice condition with a balance wheel ships bell movement. Based upon the movement serial #, made between 1945-1949. Not weight driven. Sounds great. 2 nice hand painted glasses, the lower is the Constitution vs. Guerriere.
The other is a model I have not seen before:
The case is mahogany with a wonderfully hand carved base. I wonder if the person who made it was a musical instrument maker as the feet look very much to me like the scroll on a violin. There is a die stamp on the underside of the base:
Not related to the serial #.
Has an 8 inch diameter silvered "special dial" as they were called in the catalogs:
Dial has the name of a Pittsburgh jeweler. Too lazy to get up and look to see who it is.
It has an 8 day lever house strike (yes, would prefer ship's) that strikes the hour and 1/2 hour on a very nice sounding gong. Based upon the serial # on the movement, this clock was produced between 1905 - 1909, making this one of the earlier Chelseas I have owned.
I checked the Demeter x 2 book, "Chelsea Clock Company: The First 100 Years" and found a nearly identical clock on page 203. The clock they show differs by only a single detail on the front of the base which is not present on my clock. The model in the book is called the "Mahogany Pedestal". It was available with 5 1/2, 6 1/2 and 8 inch dials which could be plain, special or special grand. Offered as ship's bell or house strike. It is reported that this model was offered only in the 1911 catalog. Well, the serial # of the movement in my clock dates to 1905-1909. Yes, I have read sometimes movements sat around for a while before being installed in a clock. Either way, seems like a less common Chelsea model not offered for long?
Since I have posted 2 clocks, I will post 2 superfluous things with a nautical theme.
I have posted and discussed sailor's woolwork or "woolies" previously. Here's a rather large one of a known British ship, HMT Euphrates:
Quite large. The Euphrates was an iron hulled ship launched in 1866. This was the 4th and last British ship by that name. Also one of 4 or 5 Euphrates class ships built around the same time. Actually found quite a lot about the ship including engravings and photos.
Detail is wonderful. Love how they depicted the choppy sea. By the way, that's called a telescope view. Note the 14 flags around it. That American flag made it for me.
One last thing. This is a plague carved by a sail replete with all sorts of symbols:
I'm afraid of exceeding the picture limit, so just showing the patriotic one. In order, top to bottom, the symbols are Masonic, patriotic, religious (an intertwined cross and anchor superimposed on a heart = faith, hope and love) and thistles (carver was of Scottish descent? a Scottish Rite Mason?).
Besides the object itself, what I found exciting about finding this piece is that it is pictured in a very nice book about nautical folk art by Henderson and Carlisle, "Jack Tar: A Sailor's Life, 1750-1910", page 256.
RM
Well, I've cleared the decks of work related matter and there's nothing on TV, so I thought I would share 2 recently acquired Chelseas. I will enjoy them for a while then try to move them along. Nothing breath taking, but a bit different that the typically brass cased.
The first is a full sized banjo. Nice condition with a balance wheel ships bell movement. Based upon the movement serial #, made between 1945-1949. Not weight driven. Sounds great. 2 nice hand painted glasses, the lower is the Constitution vs. Guerriere.
The other is a model I have not seen before:
The case is mahogany with a wonderfully hand carved base. I wonder if the person who made it was a musical instrument maker as the feet look very much to me like the scroll on a violin. There is a die stamp on the underside of the base:
Not related to the serial #.
Has an 8 inch diameter silvered "special dial" as they were called in the catalogs:
Dial has the name of a Pittsburgh jeweler. Too lazy to get up and look to see who it is.
It has an 8 day lever house strike (yes, would prefer ship's) that strikes the hour and 1/2 hour on a very nice sounding gong. Based upon the serial # on the movement, this clock was produced between 1905 - 1909, making this one of the earlier Chelseas I have owned.
I checked the Demeter x 2 book, "Chelsea Clock Company: The First 100 Years" and found a nearly identical clock on page 203. The clock they show differs by only a single detail on the front of the base which is not present on my clock. The model in the book is called the "Mahogany Pedestal". It was available with 5 1/2, 6 1/2 and 8 inch dials which could be plain, special or special grand. Offered as ship's bell or house strike. It is reported that this model was offered only in the 1911 catalog. Well, the serial # of the movement in my clock dates to 1905-1909. Yes, I have read sometimes movements sat around for a while before being installed in a clock. Either way, seems like a less common Chelsea model not offered for long?
Since I have posted 2 clocks, I will post 2 superfluous things with a nautical theme.
I have posted and discussed sailor's woolwork or "woolies" previously. Here's a rather large one of a known British ship, HMT Euphrates:
Quite large. The Euphrates was an iron hulled ship launched in 1866. This was the 4th and last British ship by that name. Also one of 4 or 5 Euphrates class ships built around the same time. Actually found quite a lot about the ship including engravings and photos.
Detail is wonderful. Love how they depicted the choppy sea. By the way, that's called a telescope view. Note the 14 flags around it. That American flag made it for me.
One last thing. This is a plague carved by a sail replete with all sorts of symbols:
I'm afraid of exceeding the picture limit, so just showing the patriotic one. In order, top to bottom, the symbols are Masonic, patriotic, religious (an intertwined cross and anchor superimposed on a heart = faith, hope and love) and thistles (carver was of Scottish descent? a Scottish Rite Mason?).
Besides the object itself, what I found exciting about finding this piece is that it is pictured in a very nice book about nautical folk art by Henderson and Carlisle, "Jack Tar: A Sailor's Life, 1750-1910", page 256.
RM
