This particular clock is made in China while other similar Westclox alarm clocks at the time were made in Taiwan. Which is interesting because many of the electrics are scarcer but people just arent into collecting electric clocks. Westclox Big Bens and Baby Bens are full of the stuff. With George Kerns new alarm clock, specifically, Le Roy decided it would be wise to craft a new brand name, and to leave the Western name off of the clock face entirely, since the company was overly associated with cheap goods at the time. [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. 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. [Workers assembling Big Ben alarm clocks at the Westclox plant, 1910s. The Crystal blocks a significant amount of The radiation. Good old fashioned branding played a major role, as well. $25.99. Any guidance or help is appreciated. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Eventually, scientists and medical professionals realized that these workers' illnesses . By the 1970s, radium was no . 1888. $38.00. With a half-life of only 3.8 days, radon "seeds" (Rn gas contained in thin walled gold tubing, crimped and cut into units up to 1cm in length) could be left permanently implanted in the body. How do you set the time on a old fashioned alarm clock? When Westclox changed over to the style 8 Big Ben and Baby Ben in 1964, they used 4 divisions per 5 minutes, I believe to make the alarm easier to set. Before OSHA was set up, 14,000 people died on the job every year; today, it is just over 4,500. The women also left a legacy to science that has been termed invaluable.. [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.]. Not everyone involved with the manufacturing of Westclox products was employed directly by Westclox, however. Despite Westcloxs deep German roots, the Illinois factory was a huge contributor to the U.S. military again during World War II, supplying upwards of a billion small parts for use in various defense products. The alpha particles emitted by the radium, which is taken up in bone, will kill off surrounding bone tissue, resulting in a condition loosely referred to as radium jaw. Can you help Their Scottish factory was a full manufacturing plant, at which all their clocks were assembled from start to finish with only the basic raw materials being brought in by outside suppliers. 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. 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. Another thing people do is make fake advertising clocks. Phone: 717-684-8261. Without a crystal poses a serious Health risk because the Radium paint flakes off and can become airborne. It also says that the patent was re-issued March 31, 1868. Some people just want one or two that they remember from childhood in good condition, so thats just the thing for them. How did I get interested in clocks? Radium dials held near the face have been shown to produce radiation doses in excess of 10Sv / hour. I would like to know the value of a #4 black, #321(in original cardboard Christmas box), mint condition, Baby Ben alarm clock is. The whole clock seems to be origional and was maintained by my grandfather who was a watch/clock repairman. Medical researchers extended the use of radium to cure impotence in men and women by creating fertility drugs with the element to "stimulate" reproduction. National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors Inc (A 501c3 non-profit corporation). The use of Radium changed over several years but it was not until late 1960ies when the last were made. Radium was also used until the early 1970s in "glow-in-the-dark" paints, e.g., for dials on clocks, and in other industrial applications such as instrument calibration. In the production of ordinary clocks adapted to the needs and means of the millions, America produces results of remarkable excellence. They asked me to give some programs myself at some of the chapter meetings so I became a little bit better at being a public speaker, and its been great meeting people. By Dave Margulius i use a 1980s I believe westclox pocket ben sweep 2nd hand, I actually had a westclox bullseye from the early 1990s when I was in elementary school. Thanks, Teri. Advertisement: Illustrates crackle green Tiny Tim, crackle blue Big Ben and crackle pink Baby Ben clocks. Kind regards, Ben van Vliet. American manufacturers were quick to see that the millionaires are a negligible quantity as consumers, and that, not chronometersnot marvels of intricacy and originalitywere needed, but timepieces within the reach and want of all. I recently added the Big Ben Style 1 and Baby Ben Style 1 Dial and Back types. Did westclox stop using radioactive paint by the 1960s? Dave, Your question about a Big Ben containing radium, and in fact about which clocks actually do contain radium, is a good one. That was the first antique clock I owned myself. The drinking fountain worked.. The center is in the shape of the world map. Stoddard: The National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors (NAWCC) is headquartered in Pennsylvania but has chapters throughout the country. Posted on 1 second ago; June 24, 2022 . Ive been trying to compare lots of different clocks to find out what original parts go together. I first saw the clock in 1957. When did Junghans stop manufacturing Westminster Chimes, and when did Keinzle stop manufacturing Westminster chimes. I love the Hamiltons in particular, probably some of the best watches made in America. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance that watches with radium dials should not be taken apart[5] without proper training, technique, and facilities. During the early 1900's, the effects of radiation exposure were not well understood, and radium was frequently . The alarm mechanism was also improved as part of Kerns new patents, with an intermittent ringing that kind of acted as an archaic form of snooze alarm. Am I missing something here? The Ghost Girls might have been the envy of the other girls in town, but no one yet realized just how much danger they were being subjected to. 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. At this moment I study horology at West Dean College in the UK. Westclox closed its Peru factory 35 years ago. 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? Among the rarities on display is a Westclox-made National Emergency Alarm Repeater. The use of radium was discontinued since the 1960s. Above all else, though, the rise and fall of Westcloxand the deeper history of these Big Ben clocks, in particularis simply far too intriguing to dismiss just because of a long-distance commute. That batch was in production non-continuously from 1939 to 1946, housed in gunmetal cases with nickel trim. Your email address will not be published. . Is radium still used on watches? Accueil; Services; Ralisations; Annie Moussin; Mdias; 514-569-8476 Westclox Classic Alarm Clock Full Size 47602. When many of these early Big Ben advertisements were still running, Gaston Le Roys life took a sudden and dramatic turn. During World War II they had some fantastic ads that you can see on my website like, Victory Wont Wait for the Nation Thats Late, and Guard Your Big Ben where they show a bulldog and a soldier with a gun guarding a Big Ben because during the war they stopped making clocks for the consumer market and totally switched over to military work. This eye is horizontally elliptical in general shape, about 4 3/4 long and 1 3/4 tall with a circle in the middle making it look like a single eye. US radium dial painting factory. A key point to bear in mind is this: the dial is still highly radioactive. Style Information: Plain dial: 1918 - 1935 Black luminous dial: 1921 - 1935 There are variations in the lettering on the dial and back. The NAWCC has an online forum with a lot of different categories. Once I was winding it and one of the main springs broke, so I decided to take it all apart and fix the main spring. From 1942 to 1945, Westclox ceased all production intended for domestic civilian sale and dedicated its production resources to the war effort. The trademark "Westclox" which had appeared on their Big Ben alarm clocks as early as 1910 was officially registered in January 1916. Some years ago I intended to do a write-up on my collection and started researching on the internet and found the Westclox history site with a wealth of info. They did some limited production (less than 200) in 1908, when they were still perfecting the design, then quite a few in 1909, but it really wasnt nationally advertised until September of 1910. Ref comment #10 from Frank Baker. Apr 14, 2011 501 1 18. I have been purchasing these clocks as and when I got an opportunity. The Canadian Clock Museum (http://www.canclockmuseum.ca/) may have some information. I have purchased 1) Style 1 Baby and Big Ben with the Gold Leaf dial (seller stated raised letters); and, 2) a Style 1 Baby Ben with Baby Ben De Luxe on the dial. Seeking the Big 3 goals of convenience, cleanliness, and cheap production, Dreyfuss rolled out his new-look Big Ben in 1931. The dial painters soon became known as the ghost girls because by the time they finished their shifts, they themselves would glow in the dark. i have a large ansonia wall clock 32 1/2 x 32. its a Gold coloring and the bottom is well worn like it was slid into something regularily. That summer at an antique store I came across one that wasnt even in the book, and I thought that was exciting. Thanks, Paula. Credit: pinimg. hi, I have a cocacola square clock. WECKER (CW arrow)/UHR (CCW arrow) knob with ring: CW winds alarm; CCW winds clock. This past weekend, thanks to the Westclox Museum, its doors were opened and former workers were welcomed back for Homecoming Day. My dad was one of the top bowlers here, Ristau said. It still works. This 1964 Westclox Christmas ad describes their features. Nowadays, Super-LumiNova, which is entirely non-radioactive and non-toxic, is the most used lume in watchmaking. any info would be appreciated. Can someone get back to me as to what it is and possibe age of it. Its basically all forward momentum from here. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. Initially hired as a low level clerk, Le Roy worked his way up the company ladder in the early 1900s as an on-the-road sales rep, soliciting business from Chicago to New York to parts unknown. While the painting technique of the Ghost Girls was replaced with supposedly safer methods like silk screening, traces of radium were still used by many companies to get that desired glow effect throughout the 1940s and even as late as the 60s. Even today, with the considerable help of a thing called Interstate 80, its still about a two-hour journey from LaSalle Street to LaSalle County. 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. At the end of one hand is a star and the other hand is the moon. When I walked along the street, Iwas aglow from the radium powder., [Mrs. Charlotte Purcell, like Catherine Donohue, was one of 15 former workers at the Radium Dial Company who contracted cancer and sought justice in the late 1930s]. Here you can see production dates, original retail prices and other knowledge about vintage and antique Westclox clocks and watches. Westclox began as the United Clock Company of Peru, Illinois in 1885. We pay his railroad fare on all orders for a dozen or more, we brand him with your name in lots of 24.. Westclox - An Identification and Price Guide, and I added even more in 2012. That way I got myself another Baby Ben, bringing my collection to three by age 12. Your response or advice would be much appreciated. I'll start with a 19j Bunn, Looking for Somebody with Some Bandwidth to do a Repair. Both the Big and Baby Bens were housed in a newly refined bell-back clock case. Sometimes extensive casework can be more time consuming than getting the movement running. It led to life-saving regulations and, ultimately, to the establishment of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which now operates nationally in the United States to protect workers. Luckily for Charles, however, he is living in the same small town as Frederick William Matthiessena fellow German, but one with a hell of a lot more money and business experience. For example, Big Ben Style 1 and Style 1a are the leg model, and Style 2 is the first base model. They worked in unvented rooms, they wore smocks that they laundered at home. The style 8 Big and Baby Bens were introduced in 1964. The Forgotten Story Of The Radium Girls, Whose Deaths Saved Thousands Of Workers Lives, by Kate Moore, A Rude Awakening: The History of Alarm Clocks , Western Clock MFG Co. (Westclox), est. I just had it repaired & it works & looks great. Collectors Weekly: When did you discover that there were other clock collectors? The factory contained a bowling alley, and Ristau said his father was an excellent bowler. There are many Westclox alarm clock models named Big Ben. The movement was then used with minor changes in Loud Alarm models until 1956. Buy Now. I have a collection of clocks, and amongst my collection are Westminster chime wall clocks, I have two Keinzle and two Junghans. The thing I remember most is working with the people, Ristau said. It is a wind up. [7], Ingestion of radium has been linked to anemia, cataracts, broken teeth, and reduced bone growth.[8]. Through it all, Peru remained the companys home base, as over 3,000 employees now enjoyed the rapidly expanding space of the factory and its attached campus, with gardens, tennis courts, a bowling alley, and other things worthy of a Matthiessen estate. $26.95. I am pleased that I came across your article. I spent many an evening here, watching him bowl.. theres the problem, there were two gears that were in backwards. Sometimes getting parts is tough, too, although it turns out Westclox made lots and lots of spare parts. Westclox Wrought Iron Look Wall Clock 12" 32021A. Westclox set up a factory in England in the 1940s and also in Scotland. After several changes of ownership, it became . The incidents occurred at three different factories in United States: one in Orange, New Jersey, beginning around 1917; one in Ottawa, Illinois, beginning in the early 1920s; and a third facility in Waterbury, Connecticut, also in the 1920s. Thanks very mutch, I just acquired a sir w.h. . . On April 20, 1902, Marie and Pierre Curie successfully isolate radioactive radium salts from the mineral pitchblende in their laboratory in Paris. 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. Many thanks. Richard Ristau Jr., former plant manager, said hes happy to see the space being used for the museum. 226RA has a half life of about 1600 years and the glow of the paint used on dials and hands decreases because of the damage the alpha particles emitted by the Radium do to the ZnS . How can people be exposed to Radium? The front is in Roman Numerals with a dome shaped raised glass. Although old radium dials generally no longer produce light, this is due to the breakdown of the crystal structure of the luminous zinc sulfide rather than the radioactive decay of the radium. I would like to find out about this clock. Charles Stahlberg headed a group from Waterbury, Connecticut, who came to Peru in 1884 to build clocks based on a new idea by Stahlberg. the clock face is 16, ca 1900. the clock belonged to pheobe appersons family at their ranch in sunol california. On 3rd January 2099, Terry Shields asked if anyone had information regarding his clock signed G .Falconer, Hong Kong. Stoddard: Ive been there several times. One of the objects on display in the Benton County Historical Society's Corvallis Museum is this Westclox Radium Dial Clock. Site of the Old Westclox factory 211-201 Hunter Street, Peterborough Ontario. After the discovery of radioactivity in 1896 by French physicist and Nobel Prize winner, Antoine Henri Becquerel, many other scientists began to search for uses of radioactivity. Luminous Processes employees interviewed by a journalist in 1978 stated they had been left ignorant of radium's dangers. I believed it was manufacturing tag. It had beneath that four long tubes and they were the chimes for the door bell. So, rather than having the classic oversized bell or double-bell on top of the unit (to smash with your palm at 6am), the ringing mechanism was housed inside the back of the case, and a big winding key occupied the summit. Question: Are both 1) and 2) marriages of Style 2 mechanisms put in a Style 1A Big Ben and Style 1 Baby Ben. Inhaled or ingested particles may deposit a high local dose with a risk of radiation-caused lung or gastrointestinal cancer. Ironically, the war that had cost them Gaston Le Roy had also stifled much of the companys European competition, opening up an even bigger share of the world marketplace in the 1920s. 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. var today = new Date() I bought a 1970s Westclox pocket watch with a Hotwheels face that says authorized seller on it. It is encased in hard polymer Plastic and the ends have rivets . Origin of the eye, forklore or legends surrounding????? 1978. Gary Biolchini added more style series in his book Eventually, scientists and medical professionals realized that these workers' illnesses were being caused by internal contamination from the radium they ingested. I met somebody then who told me about the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors and then I joined that and in their bi-monthly magazine I found a man looking for early Westclox information, he is now one of the foremost Westclox researchers. Westclox Big Ben Style 1a Alarm Clock Date Summary: 1918 - 1935 (and a reproduction was made in 1970) Characteristics: Ring on top, two legs in front, no screws through the front of the bezel. 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 is too large (wide). I tried selling some of my surplus electric Big Bens on eBay and they just didnt go, you could get only about $0.99 for them. Radium was even used in medical applications during the 20th century. 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. Don Spayer, volunteer and former Westclox employee, said the bulk of the museums collection was built through donations. var year = today.getFullYear() First, if your clock is for display only, I think it is harmless if the paint on the hands is not disturbed. I have a similar clock. This Christmas (1930) ad illustrates 61-F Dura Case, style 2 crackle finish Big Ben and Baby Ben, Auto Clock, Pocket Ben and Country Club pocket watches. The Westclox building remained there in all its glory well into the 21st century, as plans were tossed around for some sort of repurposing of the huge, historic facility. We pay his railroad fare on all orders for a dozen or more, we brand him with your name in lots of 24., unconsciously characterized the manunaffected, direct, devoted to his cause., Radiums luminosity was part of its allure,, The dial painters soon became known as the ghost girls because by the time they finished their shifts, they themselves would glow in the dark. Leg model with ring on top, dustproof case. styles to organize them When Did They Stop Using Radium On Clock Hands? So I brought it home and left it hanging and would wind it up every once in a while. From 1917 to 1926, the United States Radium Corporation used radium to produce wristwatches and clocks. It is a Medbury-4W #4910. They were sold in a very attractive hexagonal box which has pictures of antique items on the sides (tricycle, telephone, carriage, etc.) When radium was discovered in the early 1900s, people were fascinated by its mysterious glow and it was added to many everyday products, including paints. On the Style 9, they went back to actual minute markings. Its got a round brass dial and a painting in the door, really neat. Then, on New Years Eve, as 2011 became 2012, the unthinkable happened. Frank Baker. Thanks. knowledge about vintage and antique Westclox clocks and watches. Your email (will not be published) (required), The Timeless Appeal of the Westclock Big and BabyBens, The National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors, Not Your Grandmas Cuckoo: Decapitating, Rat-Eating Clocks of the Black Forest, The Care and Repair of 19th-Century American Clocks. Dont know if someone ingraved date on when took down or if the original. 0 Comments; Uncategorized newark advertiser obituaries 2021 . I worked here for 28 years. Radium paint can be ingested by inhaling flaking paint particles.