Can someone point me in the right direction?

[fyrffytr1]

I got this clock when I was stationed on the USS Enterprise, CVAN-65 in 1972-73 on her last Vietnam tour. The case is Bakelite and, as you can see(or maybe not, trust me, it is), the movement was made by the Chelsea Clock Company. What looks like rust on the rim in the second picture is cork remnants from the seal. I contacted the company and the only information they can give me is the movement was shipped between 1940 and 1944. For an additional $35.00 they can tell me the exact shipping date but, they can't tell me where the clock went. They also have no records of the military serial number stamped on the front. They did tell me that the movement is not original to the case. I know it was on the big E but isit possible that it was on the WWII Enterprise and later used on the newer incarnation where I got it?
I have briefly looked on the internet but don't really know where to look or how to even begin.
I apologize for the poor pictures and will take more in need be.

 

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[DCMatt]

Is yours a 6 inch type A or an 8.5 inch type B?

There are several on eBay now. Two I saw were listed as WWII and have serial numbers lower than yours. There is also a 1953 Navy repair manual for $20 on eBay - which tells us they used these clocks well after WWII AND they were good enough to be repaired (not replaced) for long term use.

Brief research (VERY brief) says they used these clocks on all kinds of vessels. It could have been removed from a mothballed ship for use on the newer ship or was simply old stock in the warehouse.

DCMatt

DCMatt

 

[tamrock]

WWII era ships clock and pretty collectible.. Finding out what ship it served may be an impossible task. More then likely it was removed to update to a newer more accurate clock as keeping accurate time was very important on a ship. I would think the Navy would just replace all the time pieces on a boat with new and certified clocks in dry dock rather then have them cleaned and timed. From the little I researched they described the case you call bakelite as phenolic resin (maybe that is bakelite) and was used in place of metal demands needed during those times. Cool piece of history it is.

 

[fyrffytr1]

Is yours a 6 inch type A or an 8.5 inch type B?

There are several on eBay now. Two I saw were listed as WWII and have serial numbers lower than yours. There is also a 1953 Navy repair manual for $20 on eBay - which tells us they used these clocks well after WWII AND they were good enough to be repaired (not replaced) for long term use.

Brief research (VERY brief) says they used these clocks on all kinds of vessels. It could have been removed from a mothballed ship for use on the newer ship or was simply old stock in the warehouse.

DCMatt

DCMatt

I have the 6" one. Here are a couple more pictures. The back of the case is also marked Chelsea Clock Company

 

[fyrffytr1]

WWII era ships clock and pretty collectible.. Finding out what ship it served may be an impossible task. More then likely it was removed to update to a newer more accurate clock as keeping accurate time was very important on a ship. I would think the Navy would just replace all the time pieces on a boat with new and certified clocks in dry dock rather then have them cleaned and timed. From the little I researched they described the case you call bakelite as phenolic resin (maybe that is bakelite) and was used in place of metal demands needed during those times. Cool piece of history it is.

Phenolic resin is the basis of bakelite. The people at Chelsea were the ones that said it was Bakelite. As far as keeping time, this piece is very accurate. It has a 30 day movement and does not loose a minute during that span. I had not wound it for about 30 years before last week and it started running and keeps perfect time.

 

[fyrffytr1]

I checked out the clocks on E-bay and saw one like mine that had an earlier serial number as well as an earlier movement. It was still identified as 1940-1944 as was mine. I guess it would be worth the $35.00 to get the exact shipping date. One thing I do know is mine was on the Enterprise so I need to write a note to put with it for future provenance.