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. 514 Poplar Street My Grandmother had a Westclox in her house. 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. Sometimes getting parts is tough, too, although it turns out Westclox made lots and lots of spare parts. 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. We are looking for any Westclox photographs, memorabilia etc between 1927- 1980s of the factory. There are many Westclox alarm clock models named Big Ben. The style 8 Big and Baby Bens were introduced in 1964. I would also like photo and more details of his clock, since I intend to write a follow-up article. 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. knowledge about vintage and antique Westclox clocks and watches. Ristau said he remembered when the Westclox factory was the heart of the city, and recalled enjoying his time with Westclox. Back then, radium wasn't considered to be dangerous in small doses. 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. Western Clock MFG Co. (Westclox), est. 1888 - Made-in-Chicago Museum I know it was purchased in 1937 because it belonged to my elderly friends who were married in 1938. Are Watches With Radium Dials Safe? New Study Offers Warning The Westclox building remained there in all its glory well into the 21st century, as plans were tossed around for some sort of repurposing of the huge, historic facility. While studying the types of Big Ben style 1 and 1A in WestcloxHistory.com, I noticed the reproduction style 1A, and have acquired about 5 of them. I have never seen this mentioned anywhere. Health effects of Radium radiation exposure | Mass.gov it has a picture of a huck finn type boy,carying 2 bottles of coke& a fishing pole,with his dog. 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 . I think it is a clock made by Sessions. I would like to know the value of a #4 black, #321(in original cardboard Christmas box), mint condition, Baby Ben alarm clock is. 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. Safety Stoddard: Ive been there several times. Charles Crow Penn Valley, Ca, I have run across and old clock that I would like to know something about. Theyll take an old Big Ben from 1930 and make a new dial that says Indian Motorcycle or Victola, and put it on eBay. I bought a 1970s Westclox pocket watch with a Hotwheels face that says authorized seller on it. Handle on top: down alarm off; up alarm on. 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. After several changes of ownership, it became . We thought it was 1890 or older. Kind regards, Ben van Vliet. There are also some specialty chapters, like an alarm clock chapter and a 400-day clock chapter, one that specializes in wristwatches and one on early American pocket watches. We pay his railroad fare on all orders for a dozen or more, we brand him with your name in lots of 24.. 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. When many of these early Big Ben advertisements were still running, Gaston Le Roys life took a sudden and dramatic turn. This 1964 Westclox Christmas ad describes their features. Because it was one degree removed from the radium business itself, Westclox seems to have largely dodged the controversy and lawsuits altogether. About the only. dated:1990 ,decorated :hong cong.made in japan.cocacola tradmark. I will be watching for more articles from Bill Stoddard I had developed some sort of fascination for Big Ben and Baby Ben clocks. Ref comment #10 from Frank Baker. These folks here that are responsible for this are doing a marvelous job, Ristau said. 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. My love is for the style 1 peg leg Big and Baby Bens; mostly Baby Bens. Eventually we became best friends and started researching together. . 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. When did Junghans stop manufacturing Westminster Chimes, and when did Keinzle stop manufacturing Westminster chimes. The style 7 Big Ben and Baby Ben (1956 to 1964, the first Bens with concentric alarm hand) has minute markings. This past weekend, thanks to the Westclox Museum, its doors were opened and former workers were welcomed back for Homecoming Day. My clothes, hanging in a dark closet, gave off a phosphorescent glare. They were sold in a very attractive hexagonal box which has pictures of antique items on the sides (tricycle, telephone, carriage, etc.) Your cooperation would be greatly appreciated. Museum Artifacts: Luminous Big Ben & Baby Ben Clock Dials (1940s) and Style 1A Big Ben Alarm Clock (1920s), Made By: Western Clock MFG Company, aka Westclox, 350 5th St., Peru, Illinois [LaSalle]. Westclox set up a factory in England in the 1940s and also in Scotland. How do you date a Westclox Baby Ben? When did Westclox stop using radium? Up until this point in time (pun intended), quality time pieces had been considered a rich mans game. I have a quite a few pieces of both of them I have even one big Ben pocket watch which is still working after , I do not know how many years. Ive recently acquired a New Haven decorative wall clock. 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. England. I was about 3ft high and recessed into the wall. 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. 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. This eye is horizontally elliptical in general shape, about 4 3/4 long and 1 3/4 tall with a circle in the middle making it look like a single eye. Dont know if someone ingraved date on when took down or if the original. . The women also left a legacy to science that has been termed invaluable.. So I swapped them, and its worked perfectly ever since. Westclox Classic Alarm Clock Full Size 47602. Theres a clock called a Crystal Regulator which is about a foot tall with a brass case and glass on all four sides. Were finally at a point, where were ready to do more than just sit here, said Ruth Spayer, curator for the museum. Art and Mary Ann Windy [pictured] have been married for 49 years, met as Westclox employees and were present for the open house. Stahlbergs company goes bankrupt not once, but twice, within its first several years. [citation needed] The use of radium to provide luminescence for hands and indices on watches soon followed. 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. I am looking to get an approxmiate value of this clock. I spent many an evening here, watching him bowl.. 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. 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. People did some bad things over the years just to get them running. The drinking fountain worked.. They arent hurting it permanently, its just kind of weird. Here you can see production dates, original retail prices and other Henry Warren invented a little synchronous motor that could go inside a clock. when did westclox stop using radium; when did westclox stop using radium. But the chances that you have a radium clock are slim, unless it is very old. Mae Keane, Whose Job Brought Radium to Her Lips, Dies at 107 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. At the start of the decade, the company brought in a skilled new industrial designer named Henry Dreyfuss; a true modernist. Westcloxs Manual for Employees read, We expect you to work hard, and the pay is accordingly large . On 3rd January 2099, Terry Shields asked if anyone had information regarding his clock signed G .Falconer, Hong Kong. Radium dials were typically painted by young women, who used to 'point' their brushes by licking and shaping the bristles prior to painting the fine lines and numbers on the dials. The front is in Roman Numerals with a dome shaped raised glass. Which is interesting because many of the electrics are scarcer but people just arent into collecting electric clocks. Style 5 dial design]. See the top of this page for a current list of 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. That batch was in production non-continuously from 1939 to 1946, housed in gunmetal cases with nickel trim. In clocks, as in all other lines of goods, there are two classes of consumersthe millions and the millionaires. I am sure I can give Mr. Shields further information about his clock. Has the mechanics of the clock been changed/upgraded or could there be another issue at play? The factory contained a bowling alley, and Ristau said his father was an excellent bowler. I have a sessions mantle clock duet#1. Stoddard: Some of the old American pocket watches are just beautiful so I have several in my collection. I have a Westclox Big Ben 1910 style 1a and have not been able to find out the present value/worth. Located at 41.3275 N, 89.1290 W on the map, the companys former plant is admittedly on the absolute fringes of what would typically be designated Chicagoland turf. Sep 23, 2011 The next month, Roth got a cablegram from London; his friend and valued co-worker Le Roy had died for his country. Those simple words, Roth later wrote in the November 1914 issue of the company newsletter, Tick Talk, unconsciously characterized the manunaffected, direct, devoted to his cause., [Images from a 1922 issue of the Westclox company newsletter, the very cleverly titled Tick Talk]. Can anyone direct me on how to find this clock? The story begins with a Connecticut clockmaker named Charles Stahlberg getting a patent for a new alarm clock design in 1885. It sits on a small brass stand with Westclox on it. Westclox closed its Peru factory 35 years ago. UHR (CW arrow) knob sets clock time. Buy Now. What is Radium Used For? - WorldAtlas I'll start with a 19j Bunn, Looking for Somebody with Some Bandwidth to do a Repair. 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. 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. 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. By Dave Margulius Westclox Radium Dial Clock. [Westclox advertisements from WWII period, ft. Thank you At one time they employed about 3500 people, making about 35, 000 clocks and watches per day. 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. The first Big Bens and Baby Bens in 1910 were wind ups.. Did westclox stop using radioactive paint by the 1960s? 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. Is Radium Lume Really That Dangerous? - WahaWatches Their use in prostate brachytherapy dates from 1926. Medical researchers extended the use of radium to cure impotence in men and women by creating fertility drugs with the element to "stimulate" reproduction. Most are in nickel finish cases, but some were made in gold plated cases. Westclox made an excellent, almost exact, reproduction of the style 1a Big Ben in 1970. Also, its not just Americans who collect, its worldwide. [Left: The first national Big Ben advertisement appears in the Saturday Evening Post in 1910: Big Ben is a thin, beautiful and punctual sleepmeter with a silent motor that will not annoy you on your lie-awake nights and a deep musical voice that will call you on your sleepiest mornings. Right and Below: A style 1A Big Ben from our museum collection, circa 1920s.]. Your email address will not be published. From 1917 to 1926, the United States Radium Corporation used radium to produce wristwatches and clocks. The Evolution Behind Rolex Luminous Material | Bob's Watches Westclox began as the United Clock Company of Peru, Illinois in 1885. . Baby Ben and other Westclox clocks and watches have been assigned styles. 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. In 2006 I started collecting vintage advertisements. I never realized, even working here, they made so many different models.. [9] The element was phased out of use by industry acting under its own volition as superior and safer luminous materials entered the marketplace. When Did Glow In The Dark Watches Stop Using Radium? 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. What replaced radium in watches? - TimesMojo Hundreds of thousands of clocks were produced a year, until closing its doors in 1980. I know that it is electric and it requires a dime deposit to set the alarm on it. How did I get interested in clocks? Big Ben style 1a continued in production until its discontinuation in 1935. Westclox Big Ben Style 1a Alarm Clock - Clock History Hot Times in "Radium Hospital": The History of Radium Therapy at MSK It is made by The Sessions Clock movement, appears to be brass, a bucking horse with cowboy riderjudgeing from the clothes design of the cowboy it is quite old. 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. The center is in the shape of the world map. Radium paint itself was eventually phased out and has not been used in watches since 1968. 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. I have a collection of alarm clocks, but slowly selling many. 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. Its got a round brass dial and a painting in the door, really neat. 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. Radium paint can be ingested by inhaling flaking paint particles. Behind the light, theyd been left in the dark. 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. Before we get to that, though, we have to start with the issue of geography as it concerns the business in question. Many thanks. In this interview Bill Stoddard talks about collecting antique Westclox Big Ben and Baby Ben alarm clocks, and discusses clock collecting in general. 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. When did they stop using radium on clocks? For example, Big Ben Style 1 and Style 1a are the leg model, and Style 2 is the first base model. How do you set a manual alarm clock? - AnswersAll How do you set the time on a old fashioned alarm clock? Underneath the #12 on the face it says: G. Falconer & Co. LTD. Hong Kong. I read (but cant remember where) that about 40,000 were made. In the production of ordinary clocks adapted to the needs and means of the millions, America produces results of remarkable excellence. Posted on 1 second ago; June 24, 2022 . 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. 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. 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. Penetrating gamma radiation produced by some dials also represents a significant health risk. Technically speaking, though, Westclox did still produce clocks during the gap years that followed. 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. Site of the Old Westclox factory 211-201 Hunter Street, Peterborough Ontario. Radium - a key element in early cancer treatment - RSC Education 7&a half X 6..desk clock. 1919 -1922, Luminous, Westclox in Roman text: 1923 - 1927, Luminous, projection on the "x": 1928 - 1935. Big Ben Style Series. The movement was then used with minor changes in Loud Alarm models until 1956. The massive success of the Big Ben design wasnt just about function and style. For at least four generations, the Western Clock Manufacturing Company, aka Westclox, was the lifeblood and largest employer in the small town of Peru, Illinois (with a mailing address in its twin city of LaSalle). Also Telechron, which was a big maker of electric clocks. 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. If you look at a Baby Ben in the 1959 Sears catalog, they sold for about nine dollars and if you go to a Wal Mart today you can still buy a Baby Ben for about nine dollars, but the quality isnt the same. Radium dials held near the face have been shown to produce radiation doses in excess of 10Sv / hour. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Helen. "[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. 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 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. 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. 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. they played a deep rich tone. They worked in unvented rooms, they wore smocks that they laundered at home. With alarm clocks, they were so common that when people repaired them they did whatever they could to get them going. 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 patent June 18-1882 and says Dakota on the back,can you tell me more? You just cant imagine the size of this factory its just gigantic. His ideas were patented on as US patent #326,602. By 1930, all dial painters stopped pointing their brushes by mouth. 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. I took it back and the repairman told me it was like a large Timex watch and just not worth being fixed. All Rights Reserved. thanks for your time, was doing research.. Appears from search engine a conversation about D batteries but cant find it in the text.. Can anyone inform me of the different size of D? Thats another story. Radium was even used in medical applications during the 20th century. First, if your clock is for display only, I think it is harmless if the paint on the hands is not disturbed. I cant find out anything about him or any other clocks by him. thank you, My Husband and I just purchased an antique mantle/shelf clock at an estate sale. A key point to bear in mind is this: the dial is still highly radioactive. It had beneath that four long tubes and they were the chimes for the door bell. It is in working order and chimes on the hour and half hour. $25.99. My dad was one of the top bowlers here, Ristau said. Any help would be appreciated. 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. Can you confirm? 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. I Have a small brass alarm clock,which is 1-3/4 Hieght Length & Width. This classic clock is known for its loud and distinct bell-like . It also says that the patent was re-issued March 31, 1868. That was the first antique clock I owned myself. I recently added the Big Ben Style 1 and Baby Ben Style 1 Dial and Back types. 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. Thanks, Teri. Theres a clock that came down the family, my great great granddad bought it used in about 1885, it was actually sold new in about 1839, one of the first of the weight-driven brass clocks. Do you have an archival dept who could give us an idea of our Western Clock which we recently acquired? The Ingersoll Watch division of the Waterbury Clock Company, a nationally-known maker of low-cost pocket and wristwatches, was a leading popularizer of the use of radium for watch hands and indices through the introduction of their "Radiolite" watches in 1916. lds missionary clothing stores; June 24, 2022 . They had one in Brazil for a while and I think also in Hong Kong.