Base for 1940 Chelsea Mark I Deck Clock - U.S. Navy

[Eric Warmstein]

I need some help. I recently purchased a 1940 U.S. Navy Mark I Deck clock by Chelsea Clock. It has an 8" diameter and has a 3" width. Like many examples of these clocks, it was sold without a backplate. I was hoping that some member might know where I can find or purchase a wooden base for this clock. Its a wonderful example of the clock (nickel plated with a black face and green hands) and I was hoping to display it as a mantel clock. However, I need a wooden base to accomplish that objective.

 

[soaringjoy]

Eric, welcome to the Board.
I'm quite sure, some of the knowing members will drop in on this.
In the meantime, a message board search on, say, "navy", "ship's clock",
or "Chelsea Mark I" may get you some results.
Some pictures would be fine, too.

 

[Eric Warmstein]

Thanks for your encouragement! I hope I get some solutions from previous threads or a response from my posting. Here are a few pictures of my clock .

 

[bajaddict]

Thanks for your encouragement! I hope I get some solutions from previous threads or a response from my posting. Here are a few pictures of my clock .

Eric, my wife gave me a Mark 1 for x-mas that came with the oak mount below. The hole for the clock to mount into is 8-3/8" in diameter.

It's yours for the cost of shipping

 

[Bruce Barnes]

Baja,if Eric doesn't take it I can use it for a restored Barometer..............
Bruce

 

[bajaddict]

Baja,if Eric doesn't take it I can use it for a restored Barometer..............
Bruce

Either way is fine with me..... so please let me know, Eric. It is just taking up room in my jam-packed shed & I will never use it. My Mark 1 is mounted on our kitchen "bulkhead"..... and I have no space for mantle clocks anymore

It is heavy oak - shipping would not be cheap, but my wife would find the cheapest way possible and pack it well. It is in good condition.

ETA: there is nothing on the wood that indicates that it was made by Chelsea...... just so you know.

 

[Eric Warmstein]

Baja -

Thanks for your kind offer. Unfortunately, I cannot use your base as my clock is missing its backplate, so I can't mount it and still have the back of the clock accessible for winding. What I'm looking for is a base that the clock can sit in/on. So, Bruce, its all yours.

 

[bajaddict]

Baja -

Thanks for your kind offer. Unfortunately, I cannot use your base as my clock is missing its backplate, so I can't mount it and still have the back of the clock accessible for winding. What I'm looking for is a base that the clock can sit in/on. So, Bruce, its all yours.

Eric, no problem..... sorry that it won't work for your use & I wish you success in your quest for a proper base

Bruce - if you would like to please pm your mailing address we'll figure out the shipping cost and get it on it's way.

 

[Rogerstar1]

I may have one. If so you're welcome to it. I'll check tomorrow and supply measurements. It's mahogany as I recall. If I forget...drop me an email reminder. RogerDurban@aol.com

 

[soaringjoy]

Eric, your clock surely deserves a nice looking base or podest.
Thanks for sharing and good luck with your quest.

 

[Bruce Barnes]

Bajaddict,I sent you a PM and thanks..................
Bruce

 

[Bruce Barnes]

this is the restored barometer that i will mount to the base.It belonged to Buddy Hackett and was a gift to him on his birthday from Joey Bishop.............
Bruce

 

[bajaddict]

this is the restored barometer that i will mount to the base.It belonged to Buddy Hackett and was a gift to him on his birthday from Joey Bishop.............
Bruce

Bruce - that is a NICE looking barometer That will look good in the base...... I am glad that it found a great use.

 

[KT_NorCal]

Hi Everyone,
This thread is about a year old so not sure if anyone is still active, but I have an additional question about a Chelsea Navy Deck Clock (1941). It is a heavy sucker to I assume it is either nickel or chrome covered brass/copper, but I'm slightly unsure if it 100% original (I'm leaning towards 'it is' but figured I would check around the web and see if anyone could validate it). There is a number in felt tip marker on the inside of the case so I'm just slightly suspicious... either that or it was serviced at some point in the past.

So long-story-short is my uncle just recently passed away and my mom wanted me to have a few thing of my grandfathers from WWII that my uncle had in a big box... this Chelsea clock from 1941 was in there (also, very randomly a Hamilton Beach No.33 milkshake maker from 1942). She apparently has a "Ship's Spyglass" from 1942 that beloged to him as well that she has from when my grandmother passed away years ago. My grandfather was the first doctor hired by Kaiser to be the on site MD for the Kaiser Richmond/Oakland shipyards. He helped organize and run the medical service in the shipyards though the war, so he was in a position to collect these sorts of things I'm guessing.

Anyway, why I ask is that I have not seen another one like this one in all my web searches (blue face) and the cover seems to be plastic that has yellowed or hazed over time... I'm a little suprised that it was not glass so it makes me think it is non-original. I'll attach pictures... the movment is marked Chelsea so I'm guessing it is real, but again unsure if the original.

So Questions:
1. How would I confirm it is legit and would I be able to find out what kind of a ship it was taken from based on a serial number?
2. Does anyone have a watch/clock repair shop that they trust that can work on these sorts of clocks (it seems to be non functional at the moment, but am hesitant to mess with it)?
3. Any other bits of knowledge that folks might have would be welcome... Bit of a WWII and watch nut so the combination of the two in this clock makes it pretty cool IMO...

Anyway, thanks ahead of time for any/all that can help!

 

[bajaddict]

My Mark 1 came with a big non-Chelsea mantel base. I wanted her to mount on my kitchen bulkhead and so I sold the base to a member. Maybe you can get some idears? Although this one was much too massive in my opinion.

Please forgive my dullard's sh*te-eatin'g grin in the photos, I was chock full o' the x-mas spirit!

 

[harold bain]

Hi, KT, welcome to the message board. You could contact Chelsea directly and for a fee, they will tell you when it was made, and who bought it. They would also restore it for you for a rather large fee.

 

[KT_NorCal]

I did some more digging and apparently it has matching serial numbers (case and movement #303516) which would indicate (according to a link that somone else put up) that it is a period correct movement in it. Still slightly unsure about the plastic vs. glass face cover and the fact that the face is blue... which I haven't seen before. Also noticed on the back movement cover what appears to be "AF 883" stamped or etched in very small font. not sure what that could be reference to.

This one does have it's "hinged" baseplate (see picture), but does not apparently have the "shock mount" that the base plate would have been mounted to. Alhtough I haven't found any pictures of the metal versions with shock mounts like the bakelite versions, so not sure if it actually ever had one or not... Anyway, another data point to find out. The movement looks almost exactly the same as the one above except that some parts are either nickel plated brass or some other metal... most of the movement is apparently brass like that shown above.

Thanks!

 

[KT_NorCal]

Didn't even think to check if they were still in business.... will run them down and see what I can find.

Thx!

 

[Rogerstar1]

My Chelsea mahogany base finally turned up! I had been exchanging emails with a gentleman that needed one. If that man still wants one, I can mail you this one. Contact me (again) at this email address and confirm you are the individual I promised it to. I knew I had not discarded the thing and that it would , in time, turn up.... i am at RogerDurban@aol.com

 

[Rogerstar1]

A photograph of my Chelsea Clock base should be attached, assuming I did this correctly....