Description

 

WWII Era CHELSEA Radio Room
Chrome Ships Deck Clock A vintage WW II era Chelsea Radio Room Clock.

7 1/4-in. diameter chrome-plated brass case with screw-down bezel.  Silvered Arabic numeral dial with a twenty-four-hour GMT hand (the clock probably had a second hour hand to indicate another timezone).   Two red three-minute Radio Silence sector triangles indicate radio silence for possible distress signals.

The Radio Act of 1912, initiated after the sinking of the Titanic, mandated that all seagoing vessels must continuously monitor distress frequencies. A further result was the development of the radio-room clock. This design features two 3-minute periods (marked in red) which are designated silent periods-times when only distress signals may be transmitted.

A sweep center hand with eight-day time-only movement.  The CHELSEA Radio Room clock is in very good pre-owned condition as shown; running and keeping time.  The serial number of  297,889 dates the clock to about 1940-41.  Later clocks produced during the war were made of Bakelite to conserve brass for critical war production.   The Bakelite cased examples are not as sought after by collectors.

A replacement key shown is included.  This is an overall nice example of A WWII era message center clock by Chelsea