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How to Identify a Seth Thomas 48N Crystal Regulator Clock

Seth Thomas began making clocks in 1810 and specialized in clocks with wooden movements, including tall clocks, shelf clocks and mantel clocks. Most of the clocks featured a scene that was painted on the lower third of the case underneath the clock face. Brass movements replaced the wooden movements in the mid-1800s, and Thomas’s sons introduced new styles following his death in 1859. There are a few ways to correctly identify a Seth Thomas 48N crystal regulator (pendulum) clock, which is usually a mantel-sized clock in a glass case.

Instructions

- 1
  Look for four-sided clocks with beveled glass around the clock that allows users to watch the clock movement. The pendulum consists of crystal tubes connected at the bottom, often by a brass plate. The dial was frequently made out of porcelain in Seth Thomas crystal regulator clocks and featured brass detailing on the case.
- 2
  Look for “Seth Thomas” markings on the clock dial and on the back plate to correctly identify the crystal regulator clock as a Seth Thomas item.
- 3
  Turn the clock around to view the back plate. There should be a “48N” marked on the back plate to signify that it is a 48N crystal regulator clock. This is the most reliable identification factor for a Seth Thomas 48N crystal regulator clock.
- 4
  View pictures of a Seth Thomas 48N crystal regulator clock online at websites such as FatherTime.com and LiveAuctioneers.com to understand specifications of how the clock appears. (See Resources)
- 5
  Find reference materials with detailed information and photographs about Seth Thomas clocks, such as the “Illustrated Catalogue of Seth Thomas: Clocks, Regulators, and Time Pieces; Manufactured and Sold by the Seth Thomas Clock Company, Plymouth Hollow, Conn.” These books can be found online, ordered through local bookstores or borrowed from the local library.

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