At the end of one hand is a star and the other hand is the moon. (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. These paints were used on the dials of clocks and watches to make them glow-in-the-dark. I was told it was an antique at that time. 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. As seen below, the company made something of a symbolic gesture out of honoring the last Big Ben to roll off the assembly line on July 31, 1942, the day when all production shifted to government contracts for the duration of the war. when did westclox stop using radium; when did westclox stop using radium. I recently added the Big Ben Style 1 and Baby Ben Style 1 Dial and Back types. Theres a clock called a Crystal Regulator which is about a foot tall with a brass case and glass on all four sides. I know the site informs readers the amount of Big Bens produced in any one year, but does NOT for the reproduction model produced in 1970. Big Ben Style Series. I have a Westclox Big Ben 1910 style 1a and have not been able to find out the present value/worth. the knobs have foreign words ie wecker & UHR.would like to know about his clock I Have a small brass alarm clock,which is 1-3/4 Hieght Length & Width. Radium paint itself was eventually phased out and has not been used in watches since 1968. Style 1 has three screws through the bezel visible from the front, style 1a doesnt (compare figures 3 and 7); Style 1 has two screws holding the bell back, style 1a has three. 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. The company later changed its name to the United States Radium Corporation. Westclox Big Bens and Baby Bens are full of the stuff. Jessie, good observation. Radium is highly radioactive. Westclox also made about 5000 gold-plated reproductions. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Company in 1888 and installing another talented German, Ernst Roth, as the general manager. $26.95. Yet Mrs. Keane was a survivor who later conquered colon and breast cancer. 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. into groups of similar models. But hes taken some that are really rusty and had the backs replaced beautifully and reproduced some dials, and hes actually had some selling for several hundred dollars, so thats a totally different thing. Stoddard: Ive been there several times. I know Bill Stoddards name from other publications on Westclox. The standard operating procedure of their daily work involved literally placing radium flecked paint brushes between their lips to create a finer point before application. The clock is several houndred pounds, and keeps great time. 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. "Westclox" in italics, double hexagon legs: 1918, "Westclox" in italics, regular legs: 1918 -1922, "Westclox" in italics, very narrow lettering at bottom: "MADE BY WESTERN CLOCK CO., LA SALLE, ILL., U.S.A.", ca. Marie and Pierre Curie isolate radium - HISTORY Westclox made an excellent, almost exact, reproduction of the style 1a Big Ben in 1970. The story begins with a Connecticut clockmaker named Charles Stahlberg getting a patent for a new alarm clock design in 1885. There are many Westclox alarm clock models named Big Ben. They were, incredibly enough, instructed to ingest a radioactive poison all day, every day, and never properly warned of any potential hazards. I know that it is electric and it requires a dime deposit to set the alarm on it. when did westclox stop using radium. Most are in nickel finish cases, but some were made in gold plated cases. The greater surprise, though, is that they didnt abandon the use of radium in the years that followed. 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. 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. In this interview Bill Stoddard talks about collecting antique Westclox Big Ben and Baby Ben alarm clocks, and discusses clock collecting in general. It is in the manufacture of alarm and one-day clocks that these results are the most noticeable, because in this field the quality of the product had always been subordinated to the market value, and the general feeling was one of let good enough alone., [Automatic machinery certainly sped up the manufacturing process, by plenty of human skill and attention was still required to make the Big Ben. Buy Now. 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. The only thing I found is the word Germny engraved on the back. It is encased in hard polymer Plastic and the ends have rivets . The other thing is reproductions. When many of these early Big Ben advertisements were still running, Gaston Le Roys life took a sudden and dramatic turn. Stoddard: The first Big Bens and Baby Bens went on the market in 1910 and they were wind ups. Vintage Clocks and Radium Risks - Ken's Clock Clinic The factory contained a bowling alley, and Ristau said his father was an excellent bowler. Eventually, scientists and medical professionals realized that these workers' illnesses . I hung it on my wall and we tried to get it fixed but the repairman couldnt fix it. On 3rd January 2099, Terry Shields asked if anyone had information regarding his clock signed G .Falconer, Hong Kong. About 1920 the luminous dial using radium paint was introduced. Westclox Big Ben Style 1a Alarm Clock - Clock History [citation needed] After about 20minutes this delivers the equivalent of one whole day's worth of normal background radiation. Radium Baby Ben by Westclox ( Still Glows) : r/clocks - reddit The style 1a can be distinguished from style 1 in several ways: The movement was changed for style 1a so that the mounting nuts were on the back. [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. Condition is important, but clocks can be restored. Don Spayer, volunteer and former Westclox employee, said the bulk of the museums collection was built through donations. . But he only comes upon receipt of signed price agreement. i have a large ansonia wall clock 32 1/2 x 32. Can anyone tell me the meaning or significance of this eye? 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. When I was 11 or 12, I started mowing lawns for money and paid another man to repair it for me, but when it came back it would run for a while and then stop, pretty erratic. Thanks, I have come across a mantle clock that has been in my husbands family for as long as he can remember He estimates his bother purchased the clock around 1950. Radium - The First Rolex Luminous Material. 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. Your cooperation would be greatly appreciated. They were told that eliminating lip-pointing had ended earlier problems. 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. George Kern died on July 27, 1918 from a ruptured appendix, but his basic clock design lived on for years. Thank you. 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. According to Chemistry Explained, radium is extracted today from uranium ores in much the same way that Marie and Pierre Curie did in the late 1890s and early 1900s. Would you please direct me to someone that can do this for me? 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. Any suggestions of where to get a replacement preferably in Canada? Credit: pinimg. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. Do you have an archival dept who could give us an idea of our Western Clock which we recently acquired? Health effects of Radium radiation exposure | Mass.gov 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. 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. 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. It would be very interesting if you could provide me with some pictures of the clock. 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. Similarly, When Did Glow In The Dark Watches Stop Using Radium? When the Radium Dial Company moved to Ottawa in the 20s to better serve its number one client, Westclox, they were welcomed with enthusiasm, particularly by the young, working class women in the town. 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. In 1919 the company was incorporated as Western Clock Company, Ltd. I try to get all the pictures I can and keep them all chronologically and study the history. 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. I wonder if the younger generations are as interested in the older things as we are, although there are some younger collectors out there learning how to do clock repair. 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. Western Clock MFG Co. (Westclox), est. 1888 - Made-in-Chicago Museum Westcloxs Manual for Employees read, We expect you to work hard, and the pay is accordingly large . The use of radium was discontinued since the 1960s. She was 107 when she died on March 1 in Middlebury, Conn . 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.. In 1898, the Curies discovered the existence of. 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. 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. Are Watches With Radium Dials Safe? New Study Offers Warning Their use in prostate brachytherapy dates from 1926. 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. German: WECKER (alarm); UHR (clock). I think the clock was electric but could have been a wind up or maybe even a pendulum. The clock can still give considerable amounts of radiation about 2-3 inches from the Crystal measured with a Geiger counter. Theyre just scattered in different places all over the country, little collections of hands, springs, screws, and things like that. That way I got myself another Baby Ben, bringing my collection to three by age 12. I am trying to determine the age. It sits on a small brass stand with Westclox on it. Thanks, Paula. Its got a round brass dial and a painting in the door, really neat. Stopping this practice drastically reduced the amount of radium ingested and therefore, the incidence of malignancy. As the 1960s began, over 50 million Big Ben clocks had been produced in total, and additional Westclox plants were now in operation everywhere from Athens, Georgia, and Ontario, Canada, to Scotland and Australia. 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. Inhaled or ingested particles may deposit a high local dose with a risk of radiation-caused lung or gastrointestinal cancer. Like many East Coasters, he decides to pursue his fortune out West, but unlike many of his peers, he skips the bustling Second City in favor of a promising river & railroad region downstate; where the towns of Peru, LaSalle and Ottawa intersect. I have been purchasing these clocks as and when I got an opportunity. [3] The Radiolite series, made in various sizes and models, became a signature of the Connecticut-based company. Radium - Element information, properties and uses | Periodic Table Eventually, scientists and medical professionals realized that these workers' illnesses were being caused by internal contamination from the radium they ingested. Westclox - An Identification and Price Guide, and I added even more in 2012. Radium dial - Wikipedia Quite a few who try to get every basic model, but fewer who get into the rarer models and do research. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The new company tripled in size by the turn of the century, employing 232 people at its growing Peru plant (145 men, 73 women, 14 children) and producing 500,000 clocks annually. Hot Times in "Radium Hospital": The History of Radium Therapy at MSK dated:1990 ,decorated :hong cong.made in japan.cocacola tradmark. But for years the majority were wind ups, they were so popular. I would like to find the value of it. Read more about "Radium Girls" here. Only reason I can think of and it looks pretty odd not to have minutes on a clock face. CAN SOMEONE TELL ME HOW TO RELEASE THE CLICK ON A WESTCLOX MANS WRISTWATCH MODEL A-201? Radium was even used in medical applications during the 20th century. 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. This was a wonderful article to read. Was this done so the alarm could be more easily set on the quarter or half hour? From 1942 to 1945, Westclox ceased all production intended for domestic civilian sale and dedicated its production resources to the war effort. Westclox Radium Dial Clock. I was given an Elias Ingraham Clock many years ago and would like to know a bit more about it and its value. 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. It is battery operated and takes a D battery. It is in good condition and has the original pendulum and key. 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. Thanks. Welcome to the Westclox Clock and Watch History Database. 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. I would like to find out about this clock. In the production of ordinary clocks adapted to the needs and means of the millions, America produces results of remarkable excellence. According to Periodic. Your response or advice would be much appreciated. I first saw the clock in 1957. Is a Glow-in-the-dark Clock Any Cause for Alarm? 5 17 15 is May 17, 1915 . Which is interesting because many of the electrics are scarcer but people just arent into collecting electric clocks. [Former Westclox workers Art and Mary Ann Windy (standing), 2015], This is amazing, Art said. Also, its not just Americans who collect, its worldwide. As my first name is Ben, I started to collect these alarmclocks since about 1970. Their factory in LaSalle, Illinois closed down in about 1980 when they moved all their production down south, but the building is still there. Radiums luminosity was part of its allure, Moore writes. In 1913, with help from the US government, Dr. Douglas formed the National Radium Institute, to mine radium from uranium ores recently discovered in Colorado. I always wondered why the dial of my Baby Ben clock, which I have had from late 60s, was marked off in 48ths of an hour instead of minutes. 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. Benton County Museums: Westclox Radium Dial Clock - Blogger Westclox began as the United Clock Company of Peru, Illinois in 1885. When was Westclox Big Ben made? - WhoIsWh
