England. These folks here that are responsible for this are doing a marvelous job, Ristau said. Also, its not just Americans who collect, its worldwide. Omega stopped using radium around 1963. It is in working order and chimes on the hour and half hour. and again 1243 is this an antique its gold but looks brand new but also an antique at the same time does anyone know what kind of pocket watch this is or if its gold or a replica of something or what it might be worth?? So you find clocks where parts have been switched, so thats one challenge, determining originality. It has a removable bottom decorative piece as well as a top rounded top flat piece of wood with a verticle wooden slat on the back extending to become a peg-like extension to fit and secure the decorative piece into the top of the clock. Stahlberg knows that no other noteworthy clock company has ever succeeded west of the Hudson, let alone smalltown Illinois, but he dives into the challenge, establishing his first factory. Thank you, i have a pocket watch that says (inscribed inside) g. falconer ,,,rona & london or kona & london i dont know its in old english and says kona or hona it has 1243 all inscribed on the inside where when u open it u can see the gears, looks like an a8 and a crown with a 18 on the middle inside cover (that covers the gears) and also a 1243 and what looks like an 8 or an infinite symbol (sideways 8)then again on the part that clasps over everything on the inside an A3 or A8? I think it is a clock made by Sessions. I have an antique mantle clock given to my Aunt & Uncle for a wedding gift (approximately 1949) FROM my great grandparents. They are just gorgeous watches and very well made. Radium dials are watch, clock and other instrument dials painted with luminous paint containing radium-226 to produce radioluminescence. 1980 By the early 1950s, Westclox employed thousands of LaSalle-Peru residents. In 2006 I started collecting vintage advertisements. These paints were used on the dials of clocks and watches to make them glow-in-the-dark. JavaScript is disabled. var today = new Date() From 1917 to 1926, the United States Radium Corporation used radium to produce wristwatches and clocks. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. I recently added the Big Ben Style 1 and Baby Ben Style 1 Dial and Back types. Among the rarities on display is a Westclox-made National Emergency Alarm Repeater. Can anyone tell me about this? When many of these early Big Ben advertisements were still running, Gaston Le Roys life took a sudden and dramatic turn. The first Big Bens and Baby Bens in 1910 were wind ups.. I have a Westclox Big Ben 1910 style 1a and have not been able to find out the present value/worth. A radium dial clock from the 1930s. Westclox Scotland produced its first clock on 21 September 1948; a spring wound alarm with a 4-inch (10cm) dial. Marie and Pierre Curie isolate radium - HISTORY Before OSHA was set up, 14,000 people died on the job every year; today, it is just over 4,500. I have looked high and low in my attempts to find out how any of these resproduction style 1A were produced. It is 3 diameter with Westclox on the back and PAT.APLOFOR. Thanks so much The sound is very good when I compare it with the Howard Miller and the Jauke I just purchases, its loud and resonates very well. Up until this point in time (pun intended), quality time pieces had been considered a rich mans game. [Left: The first national Big Ben advertisement appears in the. Were finally at a point, where were ready to do more than just sit here, said Ruth Spayer, curator for the museum. How To Turn Off The Loud And Persistent Big Ben Alarm Clock Baby Ben and other Westclox clocks and watches have been assigned styles. Buy Now. In 1914, Dr. Sabin Arnold von Sochocky and Dr. George S. Willis founded the Radium Luminous Material Corporation. Westclox Wrought Iron Look Wall Clock 12" 32021A. Gary Biolchini added more style series in his book I Have a small brass alarm clock,which is 1-3/4 Hieght Length & Width. 5 17 15 is May 17, 1915 . On the Style 9, they went back to actual minute markings. German: WECKER (alarm); UHR (clock). Mae Keane, Whose Job Brought Radium to Her Lips, Dies at 107 Thanks for any info you may be able to supply The NAWCC has an online forum with a lot of different categories. "[4], According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, "radioactive antiques [including watches] are usually not a health risk as long as they are intact and in good condition. So yes. Importantly, the health risks tied to these old clocks is generally believed to be quite minimal, so long as one avoids long-term exposure or directly ingesting the paint as the Ghost Girls had. I have a collection of clocks, and amongst my collection are Westminster chime wall clocks, I have two Keinzle and two Junghans. But it had always just been a matter of time (pun less intended) before industrial mass production made a wide-scale phenomenon like the Big Ben possible. Donohue, like many of her young peers in the radium industry, eventually realized that her amusing glow had been a warning of severe exposure to a radioactive substance. Its hard to fathom in retrospect, but in the early 20th century, it was generally believed that small amounts of radium were perfectly harmless to humans, and thus, the substances natural, long-lasting glow actually made it something of an attractive novelty of the time periodnot just on clock dials, but in the worlds of quack medicine, fashion, cosmetics, and even a proto version of energy water, called Radithor.. I just had it repaired & it works & looks great. Radium paint itself was eventually phased out and has not been used in watches since 1968. knowledge about vintage and antique Westclox clocks and watches. Sometimes extensive casework can be more time consuming than getting the movement running. credit: Northern Illinois University], According to a 1909 article in Commercial America, In clocks, as in all other lines of goods, there are two classes of consumersthe millions and the millionaires. Thanks very mutch, I just acquired a sir w.h. Western Clock MFG Co. (Westclox), est. 1888 - Made-in-Chicago Museum I love the Hamiltons in particular, probably some of the best watches made in America. Its got a round brass dial and a painting in the door, really neat. Westclox Big Ben and Baby Ben Identification Guide ClockHistory.com, Keeping Time in Peru Chicago Tribune, October 18, 1998, Remembering the Great War and The Clock That Caused a Near Riot WestcloxMuseum.com, For That Healthy Glow, Drink Radiation Popular Science, August 17, 2004, The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of Americas Shining Women, by Kate Moore, 2o17, The Forgotten Story Of The Radium Girls, Whose Deaths Saved Thousands Of Workers Lives, by Kate Moore, Buzzfeed.com, One-Day and Alarm Clocks Commercial America, Vol VI, 1909, A Rude Awakening: The History of Alarm Clocks ThroughoutHistory.com. Thank you. The movement was then used with minor changes in Loud Alarm models until 1956. Big Ben style, and there are other styles with names instead of numbers. [citation needed] The use of radium to provide luminescence for hands and indices on watches soon followed. Here you can see production dates, original retail prices and other We would like to redo the entrances and lobby areas and show the history of the building right on site but have not found much anywhere. Company in 1888 and installing another talented German, Ernst Roth, as the general manager. WECKER (CCW arrow) knob sets alarm time. Vintage Clocks and Radium Risks - Ken's Clock Clinic All the rods in my clocks are verticle that is from top to bottom of the case, four on each side at the back of the movement. Dreyfuss revised his changes at the end of the decade, designing the Style 5 and 5a Big Bens in 1938including the featured Loud Alarm dials from our museum collection. We have photos of all the employees between 1927-1945 at the Peterborough Ontario Location but not much else. Westclox Clock Construction and Quality. Westclox Big Ben Style 1a Alarm Clock - Clock History This classic clock is known for its loud and distinct bell-like . Big Ben Style Series. If you do not expect to work hard and carefully, you are in the wrong place., Big Ben is a handsome, well built, refined and bright looking fellow with a clean-cut open face and a deep cheerful voice,, A well-dressed, steady and punctual chap, up to the minute and always on the job., Big Ben always comes to you straight from home, LaSalle, Illinois,, But he only comes upon receipt of signed price agreement. Jessie, good observation. Technically speaking, though, Westclox did still produce clocks during the gap years that followed. On April 20, 1902, Marie and Pierre Curie successfully isolate radioactive radium salts from the mineral pitchblende in their laboratory in Paris. It is something that we should know before everyone starts throwing away every luminous dial clock they own. [citation needed] This rate probably only represents the dose rate from gamma emission, as the alpha emission will be stopped by the lacquer, or crystal, or case; hence, the dose rate following ingestion or inhalation of the dust could be much higher. The only thing I found is the word Germny engraved on the back. A clock without hands might seem indifferent to the passage of time, but these old Big Ben and Baby Ben dials have some serious stories to tell. It would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your input. Contact the Webmaster for perceived copyright infringement (DMCA Registration Number 1010287). A pair of teenage boys broke into the abandoned factory and set a fire that quickly spread and enveloped much of the central complex. It is made by The Sessions Clock movement, appears to be brass, a bucking horse with cowboy riderjudgeing from the clothes design of the cowboy it is quite old. Stoddard: I was pretty much on my own until college. Accueil; Services; Ralisations; Annie Moussin; Mdias; 514-569-8476 My clothes, hanging in a dark closet, gave off a phosphorescent glare. When I was eight we moved to a new house and my mom and I were looking in the attic and found an old octagon wall clock made by Waterbury, probably dated about 1880. (All images in this article courtesy Bill Stoddard, www.clockhistory.com), I found this article very complimentary to the Westclox company and an intriguing piece to read. This end has been achieved by what is known as the Western Processa process in which the component parts of a clock are cast, or, so to speak, cemented together with an alloy, instead of staked, and in which all hand labor is replaced by automatic machinery., [Automatic machinery certainly sped up the manufacturing process, by plenty of human skill and attention was still required to make the Big Ben. Stoddard: Pay attention to quality. The Windys said their union confirms an old Westclox employee rumor about the long-lasting nature of a relationship struck up near a certain fountain. Westclox travel alarm clock made in China - Antique And Vintage Clocks Unbelievable true story of the 'radium girls' - NZ Herald when did westclox stop using radium - Flycloud.vn Geiger counters could pick up readings from pants returned from a dry cleaner and from clothes stored away in a cedar chest. When did Westclox go out of business? - Ufoscience.org This 1964 Westclox Christmas ad describes their features. Frank Baker. Within in another ten years, the workforce had tripled again, powered by employee George Kerns 1908 invention of the first Big Benthe sleek, iconic model that basically set the template for the 20th century wind-up alarm clock. Lynda Hinshaw, At this moment I am research a clock by Falconer& co HongKong. His bigger job was to design a system so the power companies could regulate their generator so the clock could keep time. In 1919 the company was incorporated as Western Clock Company, Ltd. When did westclox stop using radium? The NAWCC is dedicated to providing association services, promoting interest in and encouraging the collecting of clocks and watches including disseminating knowledge of the same. The new features, according to a synopsis from the Cooper Hewitt Design Museum, included: shifting from serif to sans-serif typefaces and from slightly ornate to more streamlined minute and second hands, all of which eased legibility; setting the clock face closer to the glass, reducing shadows; and creating a slightly smaller form overall.. Radium Girls - Wikipedia The radium isotope (226Ra) used has a half-life of about 1,600years,[6] so radium dials remain essentially just as radioactive as when originally painted 50 or 100 years ago, whether or not they remain luminous. 1888. Westcloxs Manual for Employees read, We expect you to work hard, and the pay is accordingly large . Westclox made an excellent, almost exact, reproduction of the style 1a Big Ben in 1970. That batch was in production non-continuously from 1939 to 1946, housed in gunmetal cases with nickel trim. Next to the original Westcloxes I have an interesting collection of European copies by a.o. There are variations in the lettering on the dial and back. Is Radium Lume Really That Dangerous? - WahaWatches I was looking at it and said, aha! Westclox Radium Dial Clock. dated:1990 ,decorated :hong cong.made in japan.cocacola tradmark. [Workers assembling Big Ben alarm clocks at the Westclox plant, 1910s. It was passed on to my sister and for years it was on their mantle along time until it stopped. Your email address will not be published. In a way theyre preventing clocks from being thrown away so I cant totally condemn it, but it still seems like a funny thing to do. The women also left a legacy to science that has been termed invaluable.. During the early 1900's, the effects of radiation exposure were not well understood, and radium was frequently . I was pained to learn how the girls had suffered while working here and sacrificed their lives to give the name of the company which it has today. There are many Westclox alarm clock models named Big Ben. AD x Stoddard: I was pretty much on my own until college. $25.99. Stoddard: The prices for larger wall clocks, three feet tall and up, have increased dramatically, while prices on some of the more common clocks have remained the same for the past 20 years. It had beneath that four long tubes and they were the chimes for the door bell. In-Depth Luminous Dials, What Makes Them Glow, And How To - HODINKEE So, does Westclox really belong in the Made In Chicago Museum? Radium was discovered by Marie and Pierre Curie in 1898[1] and was soon combined with paint to make luminescent paint, which was applied to clocks, airplane instruments, and the like, to be able to read them in the dark.[2]. document.write(year) Can someone get back to me as to what it is and possibe age of it. Eventually, safer options were discovered, and the use of radium was discontinued in the 1960s. Can you confirm? The Timeless Appeal of the Westclock Big and Baby Bens Radium was discovered in 1898 by Marie Curie and Pierre Curie. Now I know that theres probably 14 basic shapes, but a lot more variations than that depending on how far you want to take things. 1968 Who made westclox? I spent many an evening here, watching him bowl.. 1919 - 1920 on a small proportion of clocks, "Westclox" in Roman text, Wide lettering at bottom: 1923, "Westclox" in Roman text, Narrow lettering at bottom:1924 to 1927, "Westclox" in Roman text, Projection on the "x": 1928 - 1935, Luminous, "Westclox" in italics: ca. Just remember, old luminous clocks are full of radium! How can people be exposed to Radium? I know it was purchased in 1937 because it belonged to my elderly friends who were married in 1938. Radium - The First Rolex Luminous Material. I had developed some sort of fascination for Big Ben and Baby Ben clocks. 1919 -1922, Luminous, Westclox in Roman text: 1923 - 1927, Luminous, projection on the "x": 1928 - 1935. Based in Flora, Indiana, Bill can be reached via his website, clockhistory.com, which is a member of our Hall of Fame. In clocks, as in all other lines of goods, there are two classes of consumersthe millions and the millionaires. var year = today.getFullYear() By 1930, all dial painters stopped pointing their brushes by mouth. But for years the majority were wind ups, they were so popular. Immediately after, substances like promethium and tritium were used as a luminous material, and they're still being used today. Luminous Processes employees interviewed by a journalist in 1978 stated they had been left ignorant of radium's dangers. Going back further in time, here is a pretty hypnotizing silent film released by Westclox in the early 1920s to promote the Big Ben and other products. They arent hurting it permanently, its just kind of weird. Many thanks. The Radium Girls were female factory workers who contracted radiation poisoning from painting watch dials with self-luminous paint. [9] The element was phased out of use by industry acting under its own volition as superior and safer luminous materials entered the marketplace. Did Westclox use radium? The company made luminescent paint. This past weekend, thanks to the Westclox Museum, its doors were opened and former workers were welcomed back for Homecoming Day. They can be identified by having the modern type of flat head screws Westclox - An Identification and Price Guide, The Westclox Big Ben and Baby Ben Identification Guide, Clock Repair and Hermle Chime, Mantel and Wall Clocks for Sale at Bill's Clockworks. . By the 1970s, radium was no . While promoting Westclox products in Europe, the breakout of World War I and the laws of mandatory military service in his native France forced Le Roy to get his affairs in order and head for the front in 1914. Benton County Museums: Westclox Radium Dial Clock - Blogger Quite a few who try to get every basic model, but fewer who get into the rarer models and do research. I thought, oh boy, I just need four more and Ill have them all! I took it all apart and asked my dad to help me put it back together, but he cut his finger on the spring. Dates Stamped on Big Ben and Baby Ben Clock Movements Dates were stamped on a movement plate of most Big Ben and Baby Ben alarm clocks made up until mid-1970's. Numbers are used for the month, day and year; or just the month and year (e.g. All the aforementioned to ask you if you know how many of the 1970 style 1As were made. By Dave Margulius It started early in the 20th century, around 1910, when some companies began to use radium on watch dials and hands to create a "glow in the dark" effect. Thank to several professionals who Ive met on Ebay, I have become quite skilled with my restorations plus making dials and alarm function indicators. [Left: The first national Big Ben advertisement appears in the Saturday Evening Post in 1910: Big Ben is a thin, beautiful and punctual sleepmeter with a silent motor that will not annoy you on your lie-awake nights and a deep musical voice that will call you on your sleepiest mornings. Right and Below: A style 1A Big Ben from our museum collection, circa 1920s.]. The massive success of the Big Ben design wasnt just about function and style. . [6] Decaying radium also produces the gas radon, recognized as the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States[6] and the United Kingdom. Selling for $2.50 in the years before World War I (or about $60 in modern money), the 5-inch diameter Big Ben and its half-pint cousin the Baby Ben combined to move over 900,000 units in just 1913 alone, and the Western Clock MFG Companynot yet officially known as Westcloxwas producing more than twice that many clocks annually in total. They can be identified by having the modern type of flat head screws with shoulders instead of round head screws, and by having a 1910 patent date on the back even though the case is style 1a. It was discovered by Marie and Pierre Curie in 1898. Matthiessen, 1904 Western Clock MFG Co. catalog cover, and the original Peru factory in 1905]. How do you set the time on a old fashioned alarm clock?