Seth Thomas Cottage alarm clock

[1940century]

Hello everyone,
Just picked up a Seth Thomas cottage alarm clock, I have no idea how the alarm is set or activated, the clock and hour strike works great? Any info would be helpful.

1940century

 

[Richard T.]

There are different alarm configurations but the alarm setting disc is more or less the same on all that I have seen. There are between the plates alarms as well. A photo might help.

Below is a photo of a "standard" alarm disc. You turn the disc until the time you want the alarm to go off is under the hour hand. They are not very accurate and most go until they run down.

Best,

Richard T.

 

[1940century]

Thanks Richard.
I got it to work, it is not something one would like to wake up too?
Mike k

 

[Steven Thornberry]

Thanks Richard.
I got it to work, it is not something one would like to wake up too?
Mike k

I wouldn't set it too close to the bed. They can raise a powerful racket.

 

[shutterbug]

I've always assumed that since they're usually found in 'kitchen' clocks, they were used as a cooking timer. You'd surely hear it go off, even in a noisy child filled house

 

[antiekeradio]

interesting theory!

most clocks that were specifically sold as kitchen clocks were time only...

 

[ticktock19852004]

Hello!

When I first started collecting I bought every kitchen clock in sight. With or without the alarm. Now, I only buy kitchen clocks with the alarms in them. I suspect the alarm would have been for cooking. However, an older gentleman told me when he was a child they kept their kitchen clock in the sitting room on top of the mantel. His dad would set the alarm before they went to bed. It would wake them in time to start the day's work on the farm. He said the alarm needed to be loud enough to wake everyone in the house from a dead sleep. I suppose it could have been used for either.

Thanks!

Neal