An Old School Clock for my Old Schoolhouse Home

I think most of you know I live in an old, two room schoolhouse. It was built in 1931 and was used as a school until the mid seventies. It was then used as for community meetings for 4-H and other activities. In the early nineties it went up for auction and a couple bought it and made it into a home. We bought it from them in 2015. We appreciate the hard work the previous owners did to make an empty school into a home. We do wish they would have preserved more of the original items and features of the schoolhouse. And while I don't decorate with a theme (my theme is eclectic), I do have this one small area at the end of my kitchen that has all of the schoolhouse vibes happening.

I was just able to make this spot more schollhousey (I'm sure that should be a word) with the addition of this incredible, vintage, oak clock that I found at a thrift store. We chose to hang the clock above this kitchen door that leads to the mudroom and laundry room because it is a great place to see it and because that is where school clocks are typically hung, above a doorway. 

Yes, finds like this are why I continue to thrift. I rarely look at the clock/electronic area at the thrift store, but just happened to because I need a new cheap clock in my workshop. This was up on a shelf and looked like a wood box. When I saw this beautiful antique wood I knew the clock needed further investigation. 

When I spied the $7.99 pricetag, I decided I didn't care if the clock worked or not, it was a keeper. In the picture above of the side you can see a little hole. I think this was a corded, electric clock that someone updated into a battery operated clock. A fresh battery and it keeps time like a charm. It has this stamp on it above the 6. I cannot find this particular stamp online so if anyone has any info on it, I would love it.

There are antique clocks I can find online that are almost identical, except they are stamped with the name Seth Thomas. There was a company called Smith Electric company that made school clocks, but I don't know what the J in the stamp is for. There are also antique clocks made by Smith Enfield. I think I should have been an archeologist or a historian as I love researching the vintage and antique items I find.

I gave the gorgeous oak case on my new to me clock a refresh with Wise Owl Furniture Salve (GET it HERE).

Other school related aspects of this little corner include the chalkboard that is from the school. The little chairs, and old wood chalk box and red chalk box fit the theme. The roundback spindle chair was used in the kindergarten classroom in the Catholic school where I first taught. They were no longer used and shoved in storage and one of the nuns told me I could have it. The exposed brick is now the chimney for our woodstove. it was the chimney for the original coal boiler that was in the basement. This new addition to our schoolhouse home makes my heart happy. Keep on thrifting on, friends!