Based in Flora, Indiana, Bill can be reached via his website, clockhistory.com, which is a member of our Hall of Fame. Just remember, old luminous clocks are full of radium! I have a collection of clocks, and amongst my collection are Westminster chime wall clocks, I have two Keinzle and two Junghans. My clothes, hanging in a dark closet, gave off a phosphorescent glare. Westclox Big Ben Luminous Hands | NAWCC Forums I believed it was manufacturing tag. When Did They Stop Using Radium On Clock Hands? I would like to find the value of it. Similarly, Thank you for your input. Art and Mary Ann Windy [pictured] have been married for 49 years, met as Westclox employees and were present for the open house. Accueil; Services; Ralisations; Annie Moussin; Mdias; 514-569-8476 [Workers assembling Big Ben alarm clocks at the Westclox plant, 1910s. Marie and Pierre Curie isolate radium - HISTORY 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. 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. Health effects of Radium radiation exposure | Mass.gov Thats another story. Medical researchers extended the use of radium to cure impotence in men and women by creating fertility drugs with the element to "stimulate" reproduction. . They were, incredibly enough, instructed to ingest a radioactive poison all day, every day, and never properly warned of any potential hazards. Was this done so the alarm could be more easily set on the quarter or half hour? I spent many an evening here, watching him bowl.. . They had one in Brazil for a while and I think also in Hong Kong. This fall, the museum will be open more frequently and for more events. then 4 symbols a crown an 18 and to unkown symbols in a square patern but on its side square pattern. 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. So yes. I have never seen this mentioned anywhere. [citation needed] After about 20minutes this delivers the equivalent of one whole day's worth of normal background radiation. It had beneath that four long tubes and they were the chimes for the door bell. The drinking fountain worked.. 1919 -1922, Luminous, Westclox in Roman text: 1923 - 1927, Luminous, projection on the "x": 1928 - 1935. Immediately after, substances like promethium and tritium were used as a luminous material, and they're still being used today. 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. 400-day clocks are also known as anniversary clocks, they would run 400 days on one winding. They were officially Americas preferred wake-up call provider. Geiger counters could pick up readings from pants returned from a dry cleaner and from clothes stored away in a cedar chest. But the chances that you have a radium clock are slim, unless it is very old. In-Depth Luminous Dials, What Makes Them Glow, And How To - HODINKEE We pay his railroad fare on all orders for a dozen or more, we brand him with your name in lots of 24.. There are also some specialty chapters, like an alarm clock chapter and a 400-day clock chapter, one that specializes in wristwatches and one on early American pocket watches. Any information would be very helpful. Charles Stahlberg had an idea for making a better, but less expensive alarm clock. Radium paint can be ingested by inhaling flaking paint particles. 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. I have a mantel clock,its floral in color,made by Ansonia Cock Co.USA.New York. Over time, she contracted terrible cancerous tumors, lost most of her teeth, and suffered countless other health problems. I recently added the Big Ben Style 1 and Baby Ben Style 1 Dial and Back types. Stopping this practice drastically reduced the amount of radium ingested and therefore, the incidence of malignancy. When did Westclox close? The disease, radium-induced osteonecrosis, was recognized as an occupational disease in 1925 after a group of radium painters, known as the Radium Girls, from the United States Radium Corporation sued. 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. 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. They typically have a round brass base with a glass dome over them; they were made in Germany from the 1890s up through the 1970s, and a lot of people collect them. Before OSHA was set up, 14,000 people died on the job every year; today, it is just over 4,500. [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. My dad was one of the top bowlers here, Ristau said. WECKER (CCW arrow) knob sets alarm time. 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. What replaced radium in watches? - TimesMojo In the early 1920s, when the company introduced a new series of Big Ben and Baby Ben clocks with luminous dials, the work of painting on this special, glow-in-the-dark element was outsourced to the Radium Dial Companyan independent business located just up the road in the neighboring town of Ottawa, IL. The clock is several houndred pounds, and keeps great time. Same as the nickel version but in a gold-plated case. 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. 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. It is encased in hard polymer Plastic and the ends have rivets . When did Junghans stop manufacturing Westminster Chimes, and when did Keinzle stop manufacturing Westminster chimes. What You Want To Know About Watch Luminant - aBlogtoWatch Thanks for any info you may be able to supply From that point on I really liked those. By the 1970s, radium was no . But he only comes upon receipt of signed price agreement. In the production of ordinary clocks adapted to the needs and means of the millions, America produces results of remarkable excellence. Radium Girls - Wikipedia Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The trademark "Westclox" which had appeared on their Big Ben alarm clocks as early as 1910 was officially registered in January 1916. Im trying to determine if it is a legit or reproduction that someone made. Well, the company certainly maintained some major salesrooms here, and many of their employees came from the city and its suburbs. I have an antique mantle clock given to my Aunt & Uncle for a wedding gift (approximately 1949) FROM my great grandparents. Westclox Radium Dial Clock. The end of the Great War began what was, in many respects, a halcyon time for Westclox, now arguably the best-known timekeeping brand in the world. Big Ben Style Series. Buy Now. Facts About Radium | Live Science The other thing is reproductions. It looks like you mount it to the wall. They are just gorgeous watches and very well made. The disease, radium-induced osteonecrosis, was recognized as an occupational disease in 1925 after a group of radium painters, known as the Radium Girls, from the United States Radium Corporation sued. 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. I have a quite a few pieces of both of them I have even one big Ben pocket watch which is still working after , I do not know how many years. Dont know if someone ingraved date on when took down or if the original. 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 dial - Wikipedia Entertainment & Pop Culture; Geography & Travel; Health & Medicine; Lifestyles & Social Issues; Literature; Philosophy & Religion; Politics, Law & Government I was looking at it and said, aha! All I really want to know is about the raised horizontal single eye type decoration on this top removable piece. Back then, radium wasn't considered to be dangerous in small doses. Technically speaking, though, Westclox did still produce clocks during the gap years that followed. Ive been trying to compare lots of different clocks to find out what original parts go together. Theres a clock that came down the family, my great great granddad bought it used in about 1885, it was actually sold new in about 1839, one of the first of the weight-driven brass clocks. 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. My moms father had a small collection of antique clocks and when I was a little boy he showed me how to wind them and regulate them. 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. Could you suggest how I could go about finding out this information. In the United States there does not seem to have ever been prohibitory legislation passed banning the use of radium in clocks and watches. The Canadian Clock Museum (http://www.canclockmuseum.ca/) may have some information. If someone has restored it in the past, make sure the correct dial was put on it and the movements, which have probably been repaired a lot, have been done nicely. When many of these early Big Ben advertisements were still running, Gaston Le Roys life took a sudden and dramatic turn. Matthiessen [pictured below], who owns the powerful Illinois Zinc Company and most other things in Peru / LaSalle, decides to swoop in and save Stahlbergs little clock business, incorporating it as the Western Clock Mfg. Who makes Westclox? - Wise-Answers Before we get to that, though, we have to start with the issue of geography as it concerns the business in question. Contact the Webmaster for perceived copyright infringement (DMCA Registration Number 1010287). hamilton radiation | NAWCC Forums Sep 23, 2011 He invited us in to look around, so we got to go up and down the big freight elevator and he found some old music boxes that were never used that he gave to us (Westclox made one or two little clocks with a music box in them). Eventually, safer options were discovered, and the use of radium was discontinued in the 1960s. That was the first antique clock I owned myself. There are also some other makers clocks Ive gotten into, like the Seth Thomas 30 hour ogee, which is a weight-driven shelf clock. Frank Baker. First, if your clock is for display only, I think it is harmless if the paint on the hands is not disturbed. 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. It has ingraved on it 2-20-31. when did westclox stop using radium - Flycloud.vn It also says that the patent was re-issued March 31, 1868. It would be very interesting if you could provide me with some pictures of the 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. Beginning in the 1910s, the girls instructed to put radium in their mouths didn't bat an eyelash. Because it was one degree removed from the radium business itself, Westclox seems to have largely dodged the controversy and lawsuits altogether. Thanks. The internet is fantastic, you can find out anything about just any kind of clock, exchange pictures easily, correspond with people and work together on research. Westclox also made about 5000 gold-plated reproductions. It has a cracked front lens that I would like to replace. In fact, one of their designs for the military, the terrifying sounding "WarAlarm," spurred a small shopping riot in Chicago in 1944 when a small batch of the clocks was made available for commercial purchase at a downtown store. I know that it is electric and it requires a dime deposit to set the alarm on it. When I got out of college I started going to the watch and clock conventions and met a man who was giving a program about the history of Big Bens and Baby Bens. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Credit: pinimg. By 1930, all dial painters stopped pointing their brushes by mouth. 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. It is something that we should know before everyone starts throwing away every luminous dial clock they own. [7] A 2018 study by researchers from the University of Northampton found that a collection of 30 vintage military watches with radium dials kept in an small, unventilated room produced a radon concentration 134 times greater than the UK's recommended "safe" level. 1888. On April 20, 1902, Marie and Pierre Curie successfully isolate radioactive radium salts from the mineral pitchblende in their laboratory in Paris. So you find clocks where parts have been switched, so thats one challenge, determining originality. Theyre just scattered in different places all over the country, little collections of hands, springs, screws, and things like that. A few years later my grandma gave me one that worked, and my aunt gave me another one. The Evolution Behind Rolex Luminous Material | Bob's Watches Westclox made an excellent, almost exact, reproduction of the style 1a Big Ben in 1970. 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. 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. The center is in the shape of the world map. Ristau said he remembered when the Westclox factory was the heart of the city, and recalled enjoying his time with Westclox. 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. The first style 1a cases had double-hexagon legs, but after about a year they were changed to standard single hex form. Any guidance or help is appreciated. 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. [3] The Radiolite series, made in various sizes and models, became a signature of the Connecticut-based company. 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. Jessie, good observation. So, does Westclox really belong in the Made In Chicago Museum? In 1918 the Big Ben case was improved to make it dustproof, as described in patent #1,300,278 issued to Kern on April 15, 1919. As radium luminosity came under attack in the 1930s, Westcloxs other updates to the Big Ben design were far more practical and uncontroversial. I cannot date it. When did they stop using radium for watches? Westclox began as the United Clock Company of Peru, Illinois in 1885. Soon, he was running the Western Clock Co. advertising department, and proving his worth with some clever marketing strategies. Many folks might not realize that early vintage clock dials were painted with radioluminescent paint, which is a mixture of fluorescent salts (these produce the glow) and radium-226, which is a dangerous and highly radioactive element. The NAWCC has an online forum with a lot of different categories. When did they stop using radium on clocks? It emits alpha, beta, and gamma radiation. I know very little about clocks in general. Advertisement: Illustrates crackle green Tiny Tim, crackle blue Big Ben and crackle pink Baby Ben clocks. I would like to find out about this clock. Is this a product that the company would have made or something someone created? when did westclox stop using radium old restaurants in lawrence, ma . I would like to know the value of a #4 black, #321(in original cardboard Christmas box), mint condition, Baby Ben alarm clock is. Im always interested in the history and the variations of clocks and how they fit in the scheme of things, what came before and what came after. I am a retired mechanical engineer, the quality has floored me, hats off to this company. From 1942 to 1945, Westclox ceased all production intended for domestic civilian sale and dedicated its production resources to the war effort. 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. She was 18. Can you help Westclox began as the United Clock Company in Peru, Illinois in 1885. Matthiessen, 1904 Western Clock MFG Co. catalog cover, and the original Peru factory in 1905]. Its basically all forward momentum from here. T. tkarter Registered User. I think we threw it away. I just had it repaired & it works & looks great. into groups of similar models. About 1931 they made the first electric Big Ben, and they were plug ins. While studying the types of Big Ben style 1 and 1A in WestcloxHistory.com, I noticed the reproduction style 1A, and have acquired about 5 of them. Question: Are both 1) and 2) marriages of Style 2 mechanisms put in a Style 1A Big Ben and Style 1 Baby Ben. 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. When did westclox stop using radium? [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.]. I Have a small brass alarm clock,which is 1-3/4 Hieght Length & Width. Your cooperation would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much Theyre making some really nice reproductions of it in China and if you dont know what youre looking for you could be fooled easily. But for years the majority were wind ups, they were so popular. Style 1a has four holes in the back to access the movement cap screws; Style 1 has the legs and pendant riveted to the case, on style 1a they screw on. According to Periodic. These styles constitute the Westclox - An Identification and Price Guide, and I added even more in 2012. The whole clock seems to be origional and was maintained by my grandfather who was a watch/clock repairman. I also like some of the older American weight-driven clocks. Even if the Western Clock Co. wasnt born in Chicago or headquartered here, the immediate aftershocks of the companys cultural and industrial impact certainly reached our shores in a hurry, no interstate required. A lot of American clocks have veneer over the base wood so if thats starting to peel it can be really expensive to get fixed. Not to mention theres the Big Bens so that doubles it right there. 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. Can you confirm? Behind the light, theyd been left in the dark. 2023 by Andrew Clayman. Here you can see production dates, original retail prices and other knowledge about vintage and antique Westclox clocks and watches. I worked here for 28 years. 514 Poplar Street It was passed on to my sister and for years it was on their mantle along time until it stopped. Junghans, Kienzle,Mauthe,Kaiser, Peter, (all from Germany) Veglia (Italy), CNIS ( France), Ingersoll (UK) as well as some Hong Kong made items. Richard Tjarks introduced 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. Here you can see production dates, original retail prices and other 0 Comments; Uncategorized newark advertiser obituaries 2021 . they played a deep rich tone. It sits on a small brass stand with Westclox on it. At this moment I study horology at West Dean College in the UK. The massive success of the Big Ben design wasnt just about function and style. From 1917 to 1926, the United States Radium Corporation used radium to produce wristwatches and clocks. when did westclox stop using radium. Your email address will not be published. Debbie Blake, I have a small Westclox wind up clock dating around 1937. Was just trying to find out any information on this clock or if you may have ever come across one like it 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. July 17th, 2008. (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. The Crystal blocks a significant amount of The radiation. Your response or advice would be much appreciated. Thank you. Also, its not just Americans who collect, its worldwide. How can people be exposed to Radium? 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. When did Westclox stop using radium? WHAT IS A Moonbeam clock? - Thecrucibleonscreen.com Westclox style series. German: WECKER (alarm); UHR (clock). This 1964 Westclox Christmas ad describes their features. In its place, he ironically dubbed the little bedside clock Big Ben (apparently not copyrighted by the British Parliament), and introduced it to the public in early ads as a gendered he instead of an it., Big Ben is a handsome, well built, refined and bright looking fellow with a clean-cut open face and a deep cheerful voice, one ad read. Style 5 dial design]. Radium dials are watch, clock and other instrument dials painted with luminous paint containing radium-226 to produce radioluminescence. Westclox made an excellent, almost exact, reproduction of the style 1a Big Ben in 1970. Hi I need the face plate for a black face big ben with the alarm dial on its face do you have any you could sell me alonf with the radio dials, it was probably outsourced meaning westclox sold some watches to hot wheels, I had a westclox electric dialite like that. In 1919 the company was incorporated as Western Clock Company, Ltd. During the early 1900's, the effects of radiation exposure were not well understood, and radium was frequently . Radium - The First Rolex Luminous Material. Radium Baby Ben by Westclox ( Still Glows) : r/clocks - reddit Westclox Big Ben Style 1a Alarm Clock - Clock History Radium is an almost pure white alkaline radioactive earth metal, and is found in nature in uranium ores. Then my friend and I went around the neighborhood asking people if they had anything they wanted to give away, like old clocks and cameras and tape recorders. The front is in Roman Numerals with a dome shaped raised glass. This past weekend, thanks to the Westclox Museum, its doors were opened and former workers were welcomed back for Homecoming Day. I recently wrote an article on Hong Kong Watch and Clockmakers for the Antiquarian Horology Society Journal. A radium dial clock from the 1930s. When I walked along the street, Iwas aglow from the radium powder., The radium girls case was one of the first in which an employer was made responsible for the health of the companys employees. 1980 By the early 1950s, Westclox employed thousands of LaSalle-Peru residents. Can someone get back to me as to what it is and possibe age of it.
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