Stoddard: Ive been there several times. About 1920 the luminous dial using radium paint was introduced. The only thing I found is the word Germny engraved on the back. People will still look for a good wind up but the quality declined in the later years just because the companies tried so hard to keep the prices low. Junghans, Kienzle,Mauthe,Kaiser, Peter, (all from Germany) Veglia (Italy), CNIS ( France), Ingersoll (UK) as well as some Hong Kong made items. The pioneering spirit is there, but the business skills soon appear lacking. In the 1970s, radium was phased out of wristwatches and clockdials. The precise, delicate skill of painting clock dials with radium powder promised a much higher salary than most factory jobs available to women at the time (upwards of $18 a week), and the company soon employed as many as 200 female workers in its Ottawa plant. Accueil; Services; Ralisations; Annie Moussin; Mdias; 514-569-8476 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. However, there`s no easy way for you to tell; there were no labeling requirements then as we have now. [9] The element was phased out of use by industry acting under its own volition as superior and safer luminous materials entered the marketplace. 1980 By the early 1950s, Westclox employed thousands of LaSalle-Peru residents. i have a large ansonia wall clock 32 1/2 x 32. I have a sessions mantle clock duet#1. 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. Instead, it would be better to take the box outside and remove the lid there, which would allow any built-up gas to rapidly dissipate." The watches tested were produced from the 1920s through the '60s, and are a mix of British, Swiss, and American origin. I have a Seth Thomas Mantle clock that my older sisters husbands Aunt had on her mantle for years. Was westclox ever manufactured in germany and if so when? Various lettering on the dial and various patent dates (later, numbers) on the Like style 1a non-luminous with dealer name on dial. Required fields are marked *. In 1931 it merged with Seth Thomas Clock Co. and both became divisions of General Time Corp. dated:1990 ,decorated :hong cong.made in japan.cocacola tradmark. 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 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. But he only comes upon receipt of signed price agreement. I hope to document Style 5 Baby Bens this winter. Radium dials held near the face have been shown to produce radiation doses in excess of 10Sv / hour. The women also left a legacy to science that has been termed invaluable., 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., three women fainted, several clerks were trampled, and four showcase windows were shattered before police untangled a jam of 2,500 women and a few stout-hearted men who converged on the store., For That Healthy Glow, Drink Radiation . Columbia, PA 17512 Westclox Big Ben and Baby Ben Identification Guide , Remembering the Great War and The Clock That Caused a Near Riot . Site of the Old Westclox factory 211-201 Hunter Street, Peterborough Ontario. 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. 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. 1888. I'll start with a 19j Bunn, Looking for Somebody with Some Bandwidth to do a Repair. How do you date a Westclox Baby Ben? WECKER (CW arrow)/UHR (CCW arrow) knob with ring: CW winds alarm; CCW winds clock. 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. This dustproofing is accomplished by fittings around the set knobs and winding keys and on the regulator. Sep 23, 2011 When Did They Stop Using Radium On Clock Hands? into groups of similar models. Westclox began as the United Clock Company of Peru, Illinois in 1885. . So I swapped them, and its worked perfectly ever since. She was 107 when she died on March 1 in Middlebury, Conn . In this interview Bill Stoddard talks about collecting antique Westclox Big Ben and Baby Ben alarm clocks, and discusses clock collecting in general. Patton, had joined Charles Stahlbergs original start-up back in 1886 at the age of just 13, and he was still on board in 1936, 50 years later. 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? Clocks produced in the early 1900's are particularly concerning in this regard. Henry Warren invented a little synchronous motor that could go inside a clock. I also need it repaired so that it will be functional and need to find someone that will do that for me. Ive been trying to compare lots of different clocks to find out what original parts go together. bailey oceans tide clock dated 1880, with a Fusee movement. In terms of my own collection, Im still trying to find some of the really early Big Bens. Among the rarities on display is a Westclox-made National Emergency Alarm Repeater. I am trying to determine the age. Well, the company certainly maintained some major salesrooms here, and many of their employees came from the city and its suburbs. I have looked high and low in my attempts to find out how any of these resproduction style 1A were produced. 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. Also Telechron, which was a big maker of electric clocks. I never realized, even working here, they made so many different models.. 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. His bigger job was to design a system so the power companies could regulate their generator so the clock could keep time. 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. Something about them has always been ingrained in me. Radium paint itself was eventually phased out and has not been used in watches since 1968. Charles Stahlberg had an idea for making a better, but less expensive alarm clock. The policy of the company is one of highly specialized production. the knobs have foreign words ie wecker & UHR.would like to know about his clock Thats another story. It was passed on to my sister and for years it was on their mantle along time until it stopped. Charles Crow Penn Valley, Ca, I have run across and old clock that I would like to know something about. It is too large (wide). Recently Ive seen people taking an old Baby Ben thats worth a few bucks or so and gluing rhinestones around the bezel on the clock. 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. There are also some other makers clocks Ive gotten into, like the Seth Thomas 30 hour ogee, which is a weight-driven shelf clock. 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. when did westclox stop using radiumcapricorn and virgo flirting. Art and Mary Ann Windy [pictured] have been married for 49 years, met as Westclox employees and were present for the open house. lds missionary clothing stores; June 24, 2022 . Westcloxs Manual for Employees read, We expect you to work hard, and the pay is accordingly large . They were sold in a very attractive hexagonal box which has pictures of antique items on the sides (tricycle, telephone, carriage, etc.) They worked for the United States Radium Corporation painting the numbers and hands on watch. Thank you for your input. 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, read another. Is this a product that the company would have made or something someone created? Next year, well have been married for 49 years, Mary Ann said. 0 Comments; Uncategorized newark advertiser obituaries 2021 . From 1942 to 1945, Westclox ceased all production intended for domestic civilian sale and dedicated its production resources to the war effort. Radiums luminosity was part of its allure, Moore writes. Radium is an almost pure white alkaline radioactive earth metal, and is found in nature in uranium ores. Thanks. It is a wind up. I had developed some sort of fascination for Big Ben and Baby Ben clocks. In all my research I can not confirm that The Style 1 models every had 1) and 2) above. Apr 14, 2011 501 1 18. Eventually we became best friends and started researching together. As the dark cloud of fear and suspicion grew over the small town of Ottawa into the 30s, the Radium Dial Company itself refused to take any responsibility, claiming innocence and ignorance. So yes. Stoddard: Its really hard to say. 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. Would you please direct me to someone that can do this for me? In 1914, Dr. Sabin Arnold von Sochocky and Dr. George S. Willis founded the Radium Luminous Material Corporation. 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. "[5] However, radium is highly radioactive, emitting alpha, beta, and gamma radiation the effects of which are particularly deleterious if inhaled or ingested since there is no shielding within the body. Stoddard: Pay attention to quality. . Stahlbergs company goes bankrupt not once, but twice, within its first several years. That batch was in production non-continuously from 1939 to 1946, housed in gunmetal cases with nickel trim. Thanks, Paula. All the aforementioned to ask you if you know how many of the 1970 style 1As were made. So I brought it home and left it hanging and would wind it up every once in a while. 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. Radium was discovered in 1898 by Marie Curie and Pierre Curie. Created with WordPress. 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. . We pay his railroad fare on all orders for a dozen or more, we brand him with your name in lots of 24.. I know that it is electric and it requires a dime deposit to set the alarm on it. 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. when did westclox stop using radium. At the end of one hand is a star and the other hand is the moon. I tend to be a nitty gritty detail kind of guy. Can someone get back to me as to what it is and possibe age of it. The whole clock seems to be origional and was maintained by my grandfather who was a watch/clock repairman. The use of radium was discontinued since the 1960s. Inhaled or ingested particles may deposit a high local dose with a risk of radiation-caused lung or gastrointestinal cancer. 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. Just remember, old luminous clocks are full of radium! Theyll take an old Big Ben from 1930 and make a new dial that says Indian Motorcycle or Victola, and put it on eBay. Eventually, scientists and medical professionals realized that these workers' illnesses were being caused by internal contamination from the radium they ingested. "[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. Quite a few who try to get every basic model, but fewer who get into the rarer models and do research. They have meetings every two months, and educational programs, so thats a really great way to meet collectors and get all kinds of advice. I have a collection of alarm clocks, but slowly selling many. 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. That was the first antique clock I owned myself. It is something that we should know before everyone starts throwing away every luminous dial clock they own. The aim of the Western Clock MFG Co. in entering the manufacture of alarms was to apply to nickel clocks, features which were previously found only in high-priced timepieces, and prohibited in low-priced lever clocks by the high cost of production involved. That summer at an antique store I came across one that wasnt even in the book, and I thought that was exciting. . It is battery operated and takes a D battery. It sits on a small brass stand with Westclox on it. $25.99. Westclox did make a couple of documented advertising clocks, but very few. In a few short years, thanks to Dr. Douglas's efforts, the amount of radium available in the US more than quintupled. Baby Ben and other Westclox clocks and watches have been assigned styles. Its basically all forward momentum from here. Can you confirm? He corresponded with Westclox General Manager Ernst Roth over the weeks that followed, but after a final letter that September, he went silent. These efforts, combined with an ahead-of-its-time factory welfare department and employee benefits packages, led to a lot of workers spending their whole lives with Westclox. Eventually, safer options were discovered, and the use of radium was discontinued in the 1960s. They are just gorgeous watches and very well made. German: WECKER (alarm); UHR (clock). can anybody tell me about this piece? 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. Could you suggest how I could go about finding out this information. [Workers assembling Big Ben alarm clocks at the Westclox plant, 1910s. Handle on top: down alarm off; up alarm on. I thought, oh boy, I just need four more and Ill have them all! Im trying to determine if it is a legit or reproduction that someone made. I like to find the ones before that and study their history. UHR (CW arrow) knob sets clock time. My husband has a Big Ben clock that he inherited, it was took down from a mill and given to his grandma. It is in good condition and has the original pendulum and key. The movement was mounted to the inner case back. 514 Poplar Street Westclox Big Bens and Baby Bens are full of the stuff. If you want to identify an item, try posting it in our Show & Tell gallery. Dozens of radium dial painters around the country developed similar symptoms, although the effects could take years to manifest, making it more difficult to pinpoint the phenomenon from its first cases in the early 1920s. The front is in Roman Numerals with a dome shaped raised glass. As my first name is Ben, I started to collect these alarmclocks since about 1970. I know Bill Stoddards name from other publications on Westclox. 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. By Dave Margulius Credit: pinimg. In the production of ordinary clocks adapted to the needs and means of the millions, America produces results of remarkable excellence. It might be the only one in the country, Spayer said. I would like to find the value of it. National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors Inc (A 501c3 non-profit corporation). Westclox set up a factory in England in the 1940s and also in Scotland. 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. By the 1970s, radium was no . These paints were used on the dials of clocks and watches to make them glow-in-the-dark. Within two decades she had lost all her teeth. Stoddard: I was pretty much on my own until college. 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. Sometimes getting parts is tough, too, although it turns out Westclox made lots and lots of spare parts. Technically speaking, though, Westclox did still produce clocks during the gap years that followed. Westclox 0.9" LED Plasma Screen Alarm Clock with USB Charging Port 71014X. It is 3 diameter with Westclox on the back and PAT.APLOFOR. But for years the majority were wind ups, they were so popular. Theyre just scattered in different places all over the country, little collections of hands, springs, screws, and things like that. var today = new Date() It has a patent June 18-1882 and says Dakota on the back,can you tell me more? Buy Now. How do you set the time on a old fashioned alarm clock? This fall, the museum will be open more frequently and for more events. With alarm clocks, they were so common that when people repaired them they did whatever they could to get them going. My Grandmother had a Westclox in her house. Sometimes Ive seen them for 300 to 600 dollars. About the only. A lot of the American Shelf clocks from the 1820s up to 1900 have reverse paintings in the door, on the backside of the glass. 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. I was looking at it and said, aha! The style 8 Big and Baby Bens were introduced in 1964. Frank Baker. Advertisement: Illustrates crackle green Tiny Tim, crackle blue Big Ben and crackle pink Baby Ben clocks. They make alarm and one-day lever clocks only, and with practically two different articles, known as the 4-inch and 2-inch movements, they have an output of in their factory at LaSalle, Ill., of nearly two million clocks a year. For my 14th birthday I got a book called The Treasury of American Clocks and there was a picture showing the seven types of Baby Bens. They had one in Brazil for a while and I think also in Hong Kong. 400-day clocks are also known as anniversary clocks, they would run 400 days on one winding. I have a similar clock. The phosphor deterioration means you can't see a glow anymore, but . I have been collecting, repairing, and restoring mostly Westclox Big Bens for several years. In the production of ordinary clocks adapted to the needs and means of the millions, America produces results of remarkable excellence.