About the only. 1980 By the early 1950s, Westclox employed thousands of LaSalle-Peru residents. WECKER (CW arrow)/UHR (CCW arrow) knob with ring: CW winds alarm; CCW winds clock. In terms of my own collection, Im still trying to find some of the really early Big Bens. How can people be exposed to Radium? In 1919 the company was incorporated as Western Clock Company, Ltd. Before we get to that, though, we have to start with the issue of geography as it concerns the business in question. 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. You do not want to open them up, lest you breath radioactive dust from old paint or spread it around. 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. i have a large ansonia wall clock 32 1/2 x 32. 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.. The front is in Roman Numerals with a dome shaped raised glass. Was westclox ever manufactured in germany and if so when? [9] Prior to that date, "the federal government had a limited role, if any, in ensuring the safe use of radium," according to the NRC. 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. Leg model with ring on top, dustproof case. These folks here that are responsible for this are doing a marvelous job, Ristau said. This has probably been discussed before but my search turned up nothingdo the luminous hands on a Big Ben alarm clock contain painted radium? . Could you suggest how I could go about finding out this information. The magical glow, as was widely understood by everyone involved, was created by radiuma radioactive element discovered by Marie Curie in 1898. 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. the clock face is 16, ca 1900. the clock belonged to pheobe appersons family at their ranch in sunol california. hi, I have a cocacola square clock. 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. Quite a few who try to get every basic model, but fewer who get into the rarer models and do research. 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. Thanks, Paula. Could you please try to help me find out what kind of clock this is. I will be watching for more articles from Bill Stoddard 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. 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. 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. Do you have an archival dept who could give us an idea of our Western Clock which we recently acquired? I have a Westclox Big Ben 1910 style 1a and have not been able to find out the present value/worth. dated:1990 ,decorated :hong cong.made in japan.cocacola tradmark. Style 10 is the last numbered I have an Pine State Ice Cream Milk clock that I would like to find out how much it may be worth. Westclox Model 66 Movement Series Welcome to the Westclox Clock and Watch History Database. In this interview Bill Stoddard talks about collecting antique Westclox Big Ben and Baby Ben alarm clocks, and discusses clock collecting in general. Westclox also made about 5000 gold-plated reproductions. The other thing is reproductions. 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. As my first name is Ben, I started to collect these alarmclocks since about 1970. Clock Repair and Hermle Chime, Mantel and Wall Clocks for Sale at Bill's Clockworks. 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 NAWCC is dedicated to providing association services, promoting interest in and encouraging the collecting of clocks and watches including disseminating knowledge of the same. This particular clock is made in China while other similar Westclox alarm clocks at the time were made in Taiwan. 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. Ive been trying to compare lots of different clocks to find out what original parts go together. A Westclox Museum has been opened within the original facility, showing off rare collections from the millions of timepieces once manufactured there. It has a cracked front lens that I would like to replace. [Workers assembling Big Ben alarm clocks at the Westclox plant, 1910s. 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 . That way I got myself another Baby Ben, bringing my collection to three by age 12. I have a Westclox Magnet Key Part number 031723 I think was used to open a door as it has an arrow on 1 end. when did westclox stop using radium; when did westclox stop using radium. Various lettering on the dial and various patent dates (later, numbers) on the Like style 1a non-luminous with dealer name on dial. Can anyone direct me on how to find this clock? But he only comes upon receipt of signed price agreement. Radium paint can be ingested by inhaling flaking paint particles. Required fields are marked *. Matthiessen, 1904 Western Clock MFG Co. catalog cover, and the original Peru factory in 1905]. They were sold in a very attractive hexagonal box which has pictures of antique items on the sides (tricycle, telephone, carriage, etc.) Instrument dials painted with radium-based paint, United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, "WWII Military Watches 'Potentially Pose Serious Cancer Risk,', "Health Effects of Radium Radiation Exposure,", "How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Radium Dials,", "Lume 101: Watch Luminescence Explained,", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Radium_dial&oldid=1123475907, Articles with unsourced statements from May 2022, Articles with unsourced statements from February 2022, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Jane Brickman, "Radium Girls: Women and Industrial Health Reform, 19101935,", This page was last edited on 23 November 2022, at 23:30. Sep 6, 2008. potz said: Afaik Radium was used right up to the 1950's. Some sources even say it was used up to 1968 in watches and 1978 in clocks. From that time on, Baby Bens first and then Big Bens were available with either the plain or luminous dial. I like to find the ones before that and study their history. Penetrating gamma radiation produced by some dials also represents a significant health risk. Inhaled or ingested particles may deposit a high local dose with a risk of radiation-caused lung or gastrointestinal cancer. When did clocks stop using radium? when did westclox stop using radium old restaurants in lawrence, ma . Thanks, Teri. I am looking to get an approxmiate value of this clock. That summer at an antique store I came across one that wasnt even in the book, and I thought that was exciting. 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. I am sure I can give Mr. Shields further information about his clock. Stoddard: My grandma gave me an old Baby Ben alarm clock that didnt work when I was seven. At the top was a clock covered with a glass door. I have a similar clock. Westclox made an excellent, almost exact, reproduction of the style 1a Big Ben in 1970. Not everyone involved with the manufacturing of Westclox products was employed directly by Westclox, however. 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. Based in Flora, Indiana, Bill can be reached via his website, clockhistory.com, which is a member of our Hall of Fame. 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]. They have meetings every two months, and educational programs, so thats a really great way to meet collectors and get all kinds of advice. 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. it has a picture of a huck finn type boy,carying 2 bottles of coke& a fishing pole,with his dog. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. When did they stop using radium for watches? Welcome to the Westclox Clock and Watch History Database. . Stoddard: Pay attention to quality. 0 Comments; Uncategorized newark advertiser obituaries 2021 . The only marking I can find are the letters ST in old english style inside of a diamond thats inside of a circle, on the clock works. On March 31, 1980, the Peru-LaSalle plant was officially closed, narrowly missing its 100-year anniversary. [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. Up until this point in time (pun intended), quality time pieces had been considered a rich mans game. Has the mechanics of the clock been changed/upgraded or could there be another issue at play? In the United States there does not seem to have ever been prohibitory legislation passed banning the use of radium in clocks and watches. Am I missing something here? I love the Hamiltons in particular, probably some of the best watches made in America. Thank you In the comprehensive Big Ben & Baby Ben Identification Guide, organized by researchers Richard Tjarks and Bill Stoddard, they credit the original brilliant marketing of these little wonders almost entirely to one mana 28 year-old French immigrant named Gaston Le Roy. var today = new Date() 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. They had one in Brazil for a while and I think also in Hong Kong. Within two decades she had lost all her teeth. It has a patent June 18-1882 and says Dakota on the back,can you tell me more? Westclox Classic Alarm Clock Full Size 47602. But this is not how the story of Westclox began. Well, the company certainly maintained some major salesrooms here, and many of their employees came from the city and its suburbs. Before OSHA was set up, 14,000 people died on the job every year; today, it is just over 4,500. the knobs have foreign words ie wecker & UHR.would like to know about his clock Is Westclox a good brand? 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. when did westclox stop using radium. 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. 400-day clocks are also known as anniversary clocks, they would run 400 days on one winding. 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? For example, Big Ben Style 1 and Style 1a are the leg model, and Style 2 is the first base model. 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. It is something that we should know before everyone starts throwing away every luminous dial clock they own. Their use in prostate brachytherapy dates from 1926. It was only with the passage of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 that the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) was given oversight of the use of radium. Both the Big and Baby Bens were housed in a newly refined bell-back clock case. The first Big Bens and Baby Bens in 1910 were wind ups.. 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 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. 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. When I went home and washed my hands in a dark bathroom, they would appear luminous and ghostly, an original Ghost Girl named Catherine Donohue (nee Wolfe) later testified. Finally, with Catherine Donohue serving as a key witness from her death bed in 1938, a groundbreaking Supreme Court case finally delivered some long awaited justice to the victims. I also like some of the older American weight-driven clocks. The greater surprise, though, is that they didnt abandon the use of radium in the years that followed. When did Westclox close? . Collectors Weekly: When did you discover that there were other clock collectors? One of the objects on display in the Benton County Historical Society's Corvallis Museum is this Westclox Radium Dial Clock. All the aforementioned to ask you if you know how many of the 1970 style 1As were made. These styles constitute the Were finally at a point, where were ready to do more than just sit here, said Ruth Spayer, curator for the museum. They arent hurting it permanently, its just kind of weird. Westclox set up a factory in England in the 1940s and also in Scotland. Radium dials usually lose their ability to glow in the dark in a period ranging anywhere from a few years to several decades, but all will cease to glow at some point. Also Telechron, which was a big maker of electric clocks. It is stamped on the back of the casing DRP&GM. Westclox Clock Construction and Quality. Eventually we became best friends and started researching together. Your email address will not be published. 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. On April 20, 1902, Marie and Pierre Curie successfully isolate radioactive radium salts from the mineral pitchblende in their laboratory in Paris. On 3rd January 2099, Terry Shields asked if anyone had information regarding his clock signed G .Falconer, Hong Kong. I have an antique mantle clock given to my Aunt & Uncle for a wedding gift (approximately 1949) FROM my great grandparents. It is battery operated and takes a D battery. In some respects, the early rise of the Western Clock MFG Co. is even more impressive considering the company didnt have all the resources of an established, major metropolis to draw from. 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. Yet Mrs. Keane was a survivor who later conquered colon and breast cancer. Radium was discovered in 1898 by Marie Curie and Pierre Curie. Some people just want one or two that they remember from childhood in good condition, so thats just the thing for them. Over time, she contracted terrible cancerous tumors, lost most of her teeth, and suffered countless other health problems. All I really want to know is about the raised horizontal single eye type decoration on this top removable piece. Radium paint itself was eventually phased out and has not been used in watches since 1968. Even so, our case-less dials are certainly best left behind glass and out of reach, a sad reminder of a terrible and preventable episode in industrial history, the effects of which continued to plague the town of Ottawa for many years afterward. 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. 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. You must log in or register to reply here. 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. [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. I never realized, even working here, they made so many different models.. they played a deep rich tone. First, if your clock is for display only, I think it is harmless if the paint on the hands is not disturbed. That was the first antique clock I owned myself. However, there`s no easy way for you to tell; there were no labeling requirements then as we have now. These paints were used on the dials of clocks and watches to make them glow-in-the-dark. Old Rose (pink) crackle finish Baby Ben with luminous dial: 1929 1930. 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. Baby Ben and other Westclox clocks and watches have been assigned styles. 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. Clocks produced in the early 1900's are particularly concerning in this regard. 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. I cannot date it. The whole clock seems to be origional and was maintained by my grandfather who was a watch/clock repairman. Its basically all forward momentum from here. This will broaden my view in the clock. In 1931 it merged with Seth Thomas Clock Co. and both became divisions of General Time Corp. I have been searching for one like as the clock went with the house after my Grandmother passed away. I have a collection of clocks, and amongst my collection are Westminster chime wall clocks, I have two Keinzle and two Junghans. I have looked high and low in my attempts to find out how any of these resproduction style 1A were produced. Theres a clock called a Crystal Regulator which is about a foot tall with a brass case and glass on all four sides. Thanks very mutch, I just acquired a sir w.h. Radium is an almost pure white alkaline radioactive earth metal, and is found in nature in uranium ores. Gordon Goodrum bailey oceans tide clock dated 1880, with a Fusee movement. I had developed some sort of fascination for Big Ben and Baby Ben 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. Columbia, PA 17512 Westclox set up a factory in England in the 1940s and also in Scotland. In the production of ordinary clocks adapted to the needs and means of the millions, America produces results of remarkable excellence. 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. Radium dials are watch, clock and other instrument dials painted with luminous paint containing radium-226 to produce radioluminescence. [5] Indeed, the body treats radium as it does calcium, storing it in bone where it may cause bone degeneration and cancer.[5]. Among the rarities on display is a Westclox-made National Emergency Alarm Repeater. During the early 1900's, the effects of radiation exposure were not well understood, and radium was frequently . I spent many an evening here, watching him bowl.. I cant find out anything about him or any other clocks by him. 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. When did Junghans stop manufacturing Westminster Chimes, and when did Keinzle stop manufacturing Westminster chimes. I think the clock was electric but could have been a wind up or maybe even a pendulum. Not to mention theres the Big Bens so that doubles it right there. 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 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. Stoddard: The main thing is the originality of the dial and if its a wooden shelf clock, having the original painting in the door would be really important. 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. 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. 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. Would you please direct me to someone that can do this for me? One time a friend and I were down there behind the factory and we got talking to a man who was leasing the back half of the factory to make machinery for bakeries. 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. All Rights Reserved. My love is for the style 1 peg leg Big and Baby Bens; mostly Baby Bens. 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. var year = today.getFullYear() 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. 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. lds missionary clothing stores; June 24, 2022 . I was about 3ft high and recessed into the wall. 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. 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. Charles Stahlberg had an idea for making a better, but less expensive alarm clock. It was put away for years and last year it was given to me as I have small collection of United novelty clocks. When did Bulova stop using radium? See the top of this page for a current list of 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. According to Periodic. A pair of teenage boys broke into the abandoned factory and set a fire that quickly spread and enveloped much of the central complex. We are looking for any Westclox photographs, memorabilia etc between 1927- 1980s of the factory. A 'radium cow' or sample of radium would continually yield a supply of the nuclide. It is and Elias Ingraham Brass Clock with a patent stamp of September 30, 1862. 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. Westclox made an excellent, almost exact, reproduction of the style 1a Big Ben in 1970. At one time they employed about 3500 people, making about 35, 000 clocks and watches per day. Annie Moussin designer intrieur. Richard Tjarks introduced Helen. 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. WECKER (CCW arrow) knob sets alarm time. They were, incredibly enough, instructed to ingest a radioactive poison all day, every day, and never properly warned of any potential hazards. into groups of similar models. 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. "[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. . 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. It is in good condition and has the original pendulum and key. 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. Their factory in LaSalle, Illinois closed down in about 1980 when they moved all their production down south, but the building is still there. its about 2 inches long maybe 1/2 in thick with holes on either end to be worn on a key chain perhaps? Which is interesting because many of the electrics are scarcer but people just arent into collecting electric clocks.