USS Wando US Navy Tugboat deck clock

[River Rat]

When I first started collecting military clocks and watches. I used to look at nautical antique shops that had websites they would have large early antique US Navy deck clocks with the ships name on them. I could not afford them I could just look and wish. I am cheap and have not bought anything expensive in a long time. I was doing a search for antique Navy clock on the net and this one popped up. It was made around 1917 made by the Ashton Valve co they used their own cases and used a Chelsea movement. It big at 10-inch diameter with 8-inch dial with locking case with key that's different. When in the US Navy it was time to transfer to another command you talk to a detailer, I ask for tug duty and get a dam ammo ship a floating bomb instead. I might have not got tugboat duty, but I got a clock from one. She served from WW1 to WW2. Saw it was recommissioned at Mare Island a base I know well. Just spent my collecting budget for this year.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Wando_(AT-17)
History of it






Seller's photos should get it next week.

[Wario406]

That’s really awesome. Nice catch.

[rockmastermike]

Thanks for sharing, that is an awesome piece of history

[HapaHapa]

That's really neat

[amckiwi]

Love it

[gonzomantis]

Beautiful clock. It looks like it was never used.

[River Rat]

This was most likely an engine room clock Ashton Valve Co. made gauges the size of this clock. The gauge was most likely hooked up to the boiler in the engine room. So, the clock might be side by side with the gauge so when the watch section needs to log in the time and pressor of the boiler. My clockmaker has a vintage pressor gauge the size of my clock hooked up to his air compressor in his garage. Kind of a fancy set up for a tugboat. On my last ship the boiler was painted like a Budweiser can.

[River Rat]

Here is how it might have looked in a engine room from the book Chelsea first 100 years. Being a Tugboat maybe not as fancy. The USS Wando was named after an Indian tribe from the east coast.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wando_people

[River Rat]

Here is a cool link with another US Navy engine room clock with the ships name on it. Should get the clock tomorrow.
https://chelseaclockmuseum.com/us.html

[River Rat]

Well, got it today.





Put the clock in my bedroom this is the quietist Chelsea movement I ever heard or can't hear. You know how some clocks tick so loud you don't want it where you sleep because it will keep you up this one sort of silent.

[Captdave]

Cool clock! Some of those things I’ve had in staterooms are obnoxiously loud.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[River Rat]

Here it is compared to the normal later deck clocks there are a few WW2 and cold war deck clocks that are the same size, but most were the smaller size. The size and being a very large red brass case just has the wow factor when you see it on the wall.

[River Rat]

Here is the USS Wando after becoming a civilian winning a tugboat race in 1952 cool history.

[River Rat]

Just got the certificate of origin from Chelsea. Wanted to make sure the movement started out with this clock. The movement was bought by Ashton Valve co on July 26, 1915, from Chelsea clock co, the keel of the USS Wando was laid on June 15,1915 glad even the time frame matches. The movement an 8-day marine mechanical E movement. So, guess this is my oldest ships clock from the collection since being from 1915. My granddad joined the Navy in 1914 he beat the clock by a year.