Object Description
This ship’s clock, now mounted on a wooden board, was made by the Chelsea Clock company, for the U.S. Maritime Commission. Chelsea Clocks are still making ships clocks today, and their history can be found on their website: http://www.chelseaclock.com/p/our-history/ This clock was used on the tanker Modoc Point (later named Theodoxus), built in May 1945 by The Kaiser Company, Swan Island Yard, Portland, Oregon.
The clock has an eight day movement, striking the ship’s bells sequence on the half hours. That is, it strikes once at half past 12, twice at 1 o’clock, thrice at half past one, and so on up to 8 bells at 4 o’clock, 8 o’clock and 12 o’clock. Each watch was four hours long.
The 5¼ inch black dial is signed Chelsea Ship’s Bell and U.S. Maritime Commission, Serial no., which is blank. It has luminous arabic numerals, and luminised hands.
The black painted bulkhead case has a hinged screw-down bezel.
Dimensions, including the backboard:
Height: 10″
Width: 9″
Depth: 4½”