A 'radium cow' or sample of radium would continually yield a supply of the nuclide. Without a crystal poses a serious Health risk because the Radium paint flakes off and can become airborne. I have a similar clock. Matthiessen, 1904 Western Clock MFG Co. catalog cover, and the original Peru factory in 1905]. Gary Biolchini added more style series in his book This Christmas (1930) ad illustrates 61-F Dura Case, style 2 crackle finish Big Ben and Baby Ben, Auto Clock, Pocket Ben and Country Club pocket watches. The other thing is reproductions. This fall, the museum will be open more frequently and for more events. The movement is a windup almost identical to the original. Here you can see production dates, original retail prices and other Thanks so much 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. Safety They have meetings every two months, and educational programs, so thats a really great way to meet collectors and get all kinds of advice. Richard Ristau Jr., former plant manager, said hes happy to see the space being used for the museum. One of the objects on display in the Benton County Historical Society's Corvallis Museum is this Westclox Radium Dial Clock. Ruth Spayer at the Westclox Museum tracked down a newspaper story from the Daily Post-Tribune on March 21, 1944, describing a scene in which 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.. As various larger corporate interests got involved in the years ahead, however, and as increasing competition from electronic clockmakers slowed the Big Bens dominance, the inevitable slow down began. Big Ben style 1a continued in production until its discontinuation in 1935. Chronic exposure to high levels of radium can result in an increased incidence of bone, liver, or breast cancer. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance that watches with radium dials should not be taken apart[5] without proper training, technique, and facilities. I'll start with a 19j Bunn, Looking for Somebody with Some Bandwidth to do a Repair. 1919 -1922, Luminous, Westclox in Roman text: 1923 - 1927, Luminous, projection on the "x": 1928 - 1935. 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. Created with WordPress. Underneath the #12 on the face it says: G. Falconer & Co. LTD. Hong Kong. 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 made the most of the perk, wearing their good dresses to the plant so theyd shine in the dance halls at night, and even painting radium onto their teeth for a smile that would knock their suitors dead.. "[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. I am trying to determine the age. I had developed some sort of fascination for Big Ben and Baby Ben clocks. I am sure I can give Mr. Shields further information about his clock. . These folks here that are responsible for this are doing a marvelous job, Ristau said. The clock is several houndred pounds, and keeps great time. 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 It was discovered by Marie and Pierre Curie in 1898. 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. Thank to several professionals who Ive met on Ebay, I have become quite skilled with my restorations plus making dials and alarm function indicators. For example, Big Ben Style 1 and Style 1a are the leg model, and Style 2 is the first base model. Dates Stamped on Big Ben and Baby Ben Clock Movements Dates were stamped on a movement plate of most Big Ben and Baby Ben alarm clocks made up until mid-1970's. Numbers are used for the month, day and year; or just the month and year (e.g. By Dave Margulius I have a collection of alarm clocks, but slowly selling many. 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. Despite Westcloxs deep German roots, the Illinois factory was a huge contributor to the U.S. military again during World War II, supplying upwards of a billion small parts for use in various defense products. The use of radium was discontinued since the 1960s. In 2006 I started collecting vintage advertisements. Radium dials held near the face have been shown to produce radiation doses in excess of 10Sv / hour. From 1942 to 1945, Westclox ceased all production intended for domestic civilian sale and dedicated its production resources to the war effort. 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. Thank you for your input. There is a small dial inside of the clock face that has roman numerals like another clock face. 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. . The magical glow, as was widely understood by everyone involved, was created by radiuma radioactive element discovered by Marie Curie in 1898. Only reason I can think of and it looks pretty odd not to have minutes on a clock face. Among the rarities on display is a Westclox-made National Emergency Alarm Repeater. . The lume used on vintage Rolex watches was radium-based, and radium remained the standard for nearly all Rolex lume until 1963, when growing health concerns forced a shift away from it. They arent hurting it permanently, its just kind of weird. 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. 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. I think the clock was electric but could have been a wind up or maybe even a pendulum. [Former Westclox workers Art and Mary Ann Windy (standing), 2015], This is amazing, Art said. Westclox closed its Peru factory 35 years ago. . As my first name is Ben, I started to collect these alarmclocks since about 1970. 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. Westclox History Database Main Menu Radioactivity in Antiques | US EPA In a way theyre preventing clocks from being thrown away so I cant totally condemn it, but it still seems like a funny thing to do. For me its kind of an inexpensive hobby because as a boy I could find them for about a dollar a piece, sometimes in good condition. 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. 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. Which is interesting because many of the electrics are scarcer but people just arent into collecting electric clocks. 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. Did westclox stop using radioactive paint by the 1960s? 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. It was put away for years and last year it was given to me as I have small collection of United novelty clocks. Has the mechanics of the clock been changed/upgraded or could there be another issue at play? Westclox Big Bens and Baby Bens are full of the stuff. 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. His bigger job was to design a system so the power companies could regulate their generator so the clock could keep time. If you do not expect to work hard and carefully, you are in the wrong place., Big Ben is a handsome, well built, refined and bright looking fellow with a clean-cut open face and a deep cheerful voice,, A well-dressed, steady and punctual chap, up to the minute and always on the job., Big Ben always comes to you straight from home, LaSalle, Illinois,, But he only comes upon receipt of signed price agreement. I spent many an evening here, watching him bowl.. radium - Encyclopedia Britannica | Britannica It also says that the patent was re-issued March 31, 1868. Was westclox ever manufactured in germany and if so when? 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. They were told that eliminating lip-pointing had ended earlier problems. During the early 1900's, the effects of radiation exposure were not well understood, and radium was frequently . Big Ben Style Series. See the top of this page for a current list of knowledge about vintage and antique Westclox clocks and watches. 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. 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. 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. It is 3 diameter with Westclox on the back and PAT.APLOFOR. What You Want To Know About Watch Luminant - aBlogtoWatch This end has been achieved by what is known as the Western Processa process in which the component parts of a clock are cast, or, so to speak, cemented together with an alloy, instead of staked, and in which all hand labor is replaced by automatic machinery., [Automatic machinery certainly sped up the manufacturing process, by plenty of human skill and attention was still required to make the Big Ben. "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. Stoddard: The first Big Bens and Baby Bens went on the market in 1910 and they were wind ups. 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. When did they stop using radium on clocks? 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. If you want to identify an item, try posting it in our Show & Tell gallery. 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. 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. Thanks. 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. 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. Junghans, Kienzle,Mauthe,Kaiser, Peter, (all from Germany) Veglia (Italy), CNIS ( France), Ingersoll (UK) as well as some Hong Kong made items. That batch was in production non-continuously from 1939 to 1946, housed in gunmetal cases with nickel trim. National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors Inc (A 501c3 non-profit corporation). Ref comment #10 from Frank Baker. Soon, he was running the Western Clock Co. advertising department, and proving his worth with some clever marketing strategies. when did westclox stop using radium - Simssuccessgroup.com 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. 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. I hope to document Style 5 Baby Bens this winter. We pay his railroad fare on all orders for a dozen or more, we brand him with your name in lots of 24., unconsciously characterized the manunaffected, direct, devoted to his cause., Radiums luminosity was part of its allure,, The dial painters soon became known as the ghost girls because by the time they finished their shifts, they themselves would glow in the dark. Next year, well have been married for 49 years, Mary Ann said. The thing I remember most is working with the people, Ristau said. Big Ben style, and there are other styles with names instead of numbers. Frank Baker. 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. The greater surprise, though, is that they didnt abandon the use of radium in the years that followed. In the production of ordinary clocks adapted to the needs and means of the millions, America produces results of remarkable excellence. 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. it has a picture of a huck finn type boy,carying 2 bottles of coke& a fishing pole,with his dog. Westclox 0.9" LED Plasma Screen Alarm Clock with USB Charging Port 71014X. At the end of one hand is a star and the other hand is the moon. the clock face is 16, ca 1900. the clock belonged to pheobe appersons family at their ranch in sunol california. 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. Company in 1888 and installing another talented German, Ernst Roth, as the general manager. AD x Stoddard: I was pretty much on my own until college. Condition is important, but clocks can be restored. Inhaled or ingested particles may deposit a high local dose with a risk of radiation-caused lung or gastrointestinal cancer. and again 1243 is this an antique its gold but looks brand new but also an antique at the same time does anyone know what kind of pocket watch this is or if its gold or a replica of something or what it might be worth?? 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. The phosphor deterioration means you can't see a glow anymore, but . Its basically all forward momentum from here. How can people be exposed to Radium? 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. I never realized, even working here, they made so many different models.. WECKER (CW arrow)/UHR (CCW arrow) knob with ring: CW winds alarm; CCW winds clock. Never underestimate the value of an alarm clock when yours broke two years ago and nobody has manufactured a new one since. [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. 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. Any suggestions of where to get a replacement preferably in Canada? styles to organize them Ive been trying to compare lots of different clocks to find out what original parts go together. It would be very interesting if you could provide me with some pictures of the clock. 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. All the aforementioned to ask you if you know how many of the 1970 style 1As were made. $38.00. The policy of the company is one of highly specialized production. This past weekend, thanks to the Westclox Museum, its doors were opened and former workers were welcomed back for Homecoming Day. then 4 symbols a crown an 18 and to unkown symbols in a square patern but on its side square pattern. Eventually, scientists and medical professionals realized that these workers' illnesses . 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. 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. 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. They were, incredibly enough, instructed to ingest a radioactive poison all day, every day, and never properly warned of any potential hazards. (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 clock is shielded From the glass crystal. Next to the original Westcloxes I have an interesting collection of European copies by a.o. 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 standard operating procedure of their daily work involved literally placing radium flecked paint brushes between their lips to create a finer point before application. [7], Ingestion of radium has been linked to anemia, cataracts, broken teeth, and reduced bone growth.[8]. [Left: The first national Big Ben advertisement appears in the. A few years later my grandma gave me one that worked, and my aunt gave me another one. I cannot date it. 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. Radiums luminosity was part of its allure, Moore writes. 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. Was this done so the alarm could be more easily set on the quarter or half hour? Thank you Westclox Model 66 Movement Series Welcome to the Westclox Clock and Watch History Database. It is encased in hard polymer Plastic and the ends have rivets . When did they stop using radium for watches? In the 1970s, radium was phased out of wristwatches and clockdials. Westclox style series. Is this a product that the company would have made or something someone created? when did westclox stop using radium; when did westclox stop using radium. Immediately after, substances like promethium and tritium were used as a luminous material, and they're still being used today. Your cooperation would be greatly appreciated. This 1964 Westclox Christmas ad describes their features. 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. About the only. [left to right: F.W. 1980 By the early 1950s, Westclox employed thousands of LaSalle-Peru residents. That way I got myself another Baby Ben, bringing my collection to three by age 12. In 1931 it merged with Seth Thomas Clock Co. and both became divisions of General Time Corp. Unfortunately, they also hint at a tragic chapter in American industrial history, when the appeal of a luminous new kind of paint wound up putting hundreds of workersmostly young womenat great personal risk. JavaScript is disabled. Radium dial - Wikipedia This particular clock is made in China while other similar Westclox alarm clocks at the time were made in Taiwan. 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. 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. . 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. Radium paint can be ingested by inhaling flaking paint particles. They had one in Brazil for a while and I think also in Hong Kong. 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. Before we get to that, though, we have to start with the issue of geography as it concerns the business in question. any info would be appreciated. The Crystal blocks a significant amount of The radiation. I think we threw it away. hamilton radiation | NAWCC Forums The dial painters soon became known as the ghost girls because by the time they finished their shifts, they themselves would glow in the dark. Columbia, PA 17512 It is a Medbury-4W #4910. When Did They Stop Using Radium On Clock Hands? 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. How do you set a manual alarm clock? - AnswersAll Similarly, It emits alpha, beta, and gamma radiation. Stoddard: Some of the old American pocket watches are just beautiful so I have several in my collection. It is something that we should know before everyone starts throwing away every luminous dial clock they own. The center is in the shape of the world map. Also, its not just Americans who collect, its worldwide. Theyre just scattered in different places all over the country, little collections of hands, springs, screws, and things like that. theres the problem, there were two gears that were in backwards. Most importantly, they were forbidden to point the tip with their lips, and they avoided to ingest or inhale the luminous paint. Back then, radium wasn't considered to be dangerous in small doses. I first saw the clock in 1957. First, if your clock is for display only, I think it is harmless if the paint on the hands is not disturbed. As radium luminosity came under attack in the 1930s, Westcloxs other updates to the Big Ben design were far more practical and uncontroversial. Jessie, good observation. 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. Do you have an archival dept who could give us an idea of our Western Clock which we recently acquired? Any guidance or help is appreciated. Westclox Scotland produced its first clock on 21 September 1948; a spring wound alarm with a 4-inch (10cm) dial. Can you confirm? I have a small westclox alarm clock. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. It is too large (wide). Clock Repair and Hermle Chime, Mantel and Wall Clocks for Sale at Bill's Clockworks. 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. When did clocks stop using radium? $26.95. 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 . Beginning in the 1910s, the girls instructed to put radium in their mouths didn't bat an eyelash. Charles Crow Penn Valley, Ca, I have run across and old clock that I would like to know something about. When did Junghans stop manufacturing Westminster Chimes, and when did Keinzle stop manufacturing Westminster chimes. 1919 - 1920 on a small proportion of clocks, "Westclox" in Roman text, Wide lettering at bottom: 1923, "Westclox" in Roman text, Narrow lettering at bottom:1924 to 1927, "Westclox" in Roman text, Projection on the "x": 1928 - 1935, Luminous, "Westclox" in italics: ca. into groups of similar models. LandmarkHunter.com | Westclox clock factory, La Salle, IL When he made his first clock and plugged it into the wall it worked fine except it wasnt accurate, it was off by plus or minus a half hour a day, because the 60 cycles were not regulated at that time, so it could vary quite a bit. when did westclox stop using radium old restaurants in lawrence, ma . Accueil; Services; Ralisations; Annie Moussin; Mdias; 514-569-8476 He corresponded with Westclox General Manager Ernst Roth over the weeks that followed, but after a final letter that September, he went silent. The work involved using luminous radium paint to make the numbers on clocks, watches and aeronautic dials glow in the dark. Before OSHA was set up, 14,000 people died on the job every year; today, it is just over 4,500. Buy Now. On the Style 9, they went back to actual minute markings. 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. 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. Westclox Wrought Iron Look Wall Clock 12" 32021A. The only thing I found is the word Germny engraved on the back. Your email address will not be published. 1970s Many of these workers developed bone cancer . A Westclox Museum has been opened within the original facility, showing off rare collections from the millions of timepieces once manufactured there. var year = today.getFullYear() How did I get interested in clocks? 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.
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