I had developed some sort of fascination for Big Ben and Baby Ben clocks. They were, incredibly enough, instructed to ingest a radioactive poison all day, every day, and never properly warned of any potential hazards. I took it back and the repairman told me it was like a large Timex watch and just not worth being fixed. The Crystal blocks a significant amount of The radiation. I have never seen this mentioned anywhere. But it had always just been a matter of time (pun less intended) before industrial mass production made a wide-scale phenomenon like the Big Ben possible. The internet is fantastic, you can find out anything about just any kind of clock, exchange pictures easily, correspond with people and work together on research. Chronic exposure to high levels of radium can result in an increased incidence of bone, liver, or breast cancer. It is in good condition and has the original pendulum and key. I never realized, even working here, they made so many different models.. they played a deep rich tone. Your email address will not be published. Were finally at a point, where were ready to do more than just sit here, said Ruth Spayer, curator for the museum. One employee, R.D. A Westclox Museum has been opened within the original facility, showing off rare collections from the millions of timepieces once manufactured there. Fortunately, in the years since, theres been a noble effort to retain surviving parts of the building and some of the important local history that the empty factory once represented. Who makes Westclox? - Wise-Answers How old is my Westclox? - Rampfesthudson.com 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. 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. I have looked high and low in my attempts to find out how any of these resproduction style 1A were produced. . Was this done so the alarm could be more easily set on the quarter or half hour? when did westclox stop using radium; when did westclox stop using radium. How do you set a manual alarm clock? - AnswersAll 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. I try to get all the pictures I can and keep them all chronologically and study the history. When Did They Stop Using Radium On Clock Hands? Thank you for your input. My dad was one of the top bowlers here, Ristau said. It is a wind up. (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. I have a collection of alarm clocks, but slowly selling many. when did westclox stop using radium - Dev.decourbaine.com 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? Clocks produced in the early 1900's are particularly concerning in this regard. 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. 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. The Forgotten Story Of The Radium Girls, Whose Deaths Saved Thousands Of Workers Lives, by Kate Moore, A Rude Awakening: The History of Alarm Clocks , Western Clock MFG Co. (Westclox), est. Theyll take an old Big Ben from 1930 and make a new dial that says Indian Motorcycle or Victola, and put it on eBay. It was discovered by Marie and Pierre Curie in 1898. 400-day clocks are also known as anniversary clocks, they would run 400 days on one winding. dated:1990 ,decorated :hong cong.made in japan.cocacola tradmark. That was the first antique clock I owned myself. In its place, he ironically dubbed the little bedside clock Big Ben (apparently not copyrighted by the British Parliament), and introduced it to the public in early ads as a gendered he instead of an it., Big Ben is a handsome, well built, refined and bright looking fellow with a clean-cut open face and a deep cheerful voice, one ad read. There are variations in the lettering on the dial and back. So yes. Frank Baker. Early in the 20th century there was a medical practice that revolved around a new treatment involving the radioactive material called radium. I have a sessions mantle clock duet#1. Luminous Processes employees interviewed by a journalist in 1978 stated they had been left ignorant of radium's dangers. All the aforementioned to ask you if you know how many of the 1970 style 1As were made. 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. Their factory in LaSalle, Illinois closed down in about 1980 when they moved all their production down south, but the building is still there. At the end of one hand is a star and the other hand is the moon. 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. i have a large ansonia wall clock 32 1/2 x 32. the knobs have foreign words ie wecker & UHR.would like to know about his clock Westclox set up a factory in England in the 1940s and also in Scotland. 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. Eventually, safer options were discovered, and the use of radium was discontinued in the 1960s. 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 . Contact the Webmaster for perceived copyright infringement (DMCA Registration Number 1010287). We are very proud to be living in this building and would love to know more about this specific site. Apr 14, 2011 501 1 18. It still works. 1919 -1922, Luminous, Westclox in Roman text: 1923 - 1927, Luminous, projection on the "x": 1928 - 1935. [Workers assembling Big Ben alarm clocks at the Westclox plant, 1910s. By 1930, all dial painters stopped pointing their brushes by mouth. 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. So I brought it home and left it hanging and would wind it up every once in a while. It sits on a small brass stand with Westclox on it. Something about them has always been ingrained in me. 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. when did westclox stop using radium - Fashionexclusiveuae.com It also says that the patent was re-issued March 31, 1868. What replaced radium in watches? - TimesMojo We are looking for any Westclox photographs, memorabilia etc between 1927- 1980s of the factory. Safety Westclox 0.9" LED Plasma Screen Alarm Clock with USB Charging Port 71014X. Required fields are marked *. Dave, Your question about a Big Ben containing radium, and in fact about which clocks actually do contain radium, is a good one. Marie and Pierre Curie isolate radium - HISTORY I was told it was an antique at that time. Are Watches With Radium Dials Safe? New Study Offers Warning Good old fashioned branding played a major role, as well. The clock is several houndred pounds, and keeps great time. George Kern died on July 27, 1918 from a ruptured appendix, but his basic clock design lived on for years. 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. Westclox - An Identification and Price Guide, and I added even more in 2012. . It would be very interesting if you could provide me with some pictures of the clock. Westclox began as the United Clock Company of Peru, Illinois in 1885. For example, Big Ben Style 1 and Style 1a are the leg model, and Style 2 is the first base model. This classic clock is known for its loud and distinct bell-like . I was given an Elias Ingraham Clock many years ago and would like to know a bit more about it and its value. when did westclox stop using radium old restaurants in lawrence, ma . Can anyone direct me on how to find this clock? That batch was in production non-continuously from 1939 to 1946, housed in gunmetal cases with nickel trim. It is stamped on the back of the casing DRP&GM. 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. Theyre just scattered in different places all over the country, little collections of hands, springs, screws, and things like that. 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 recently wrote an article on Hong Kong Watch and Clockmakers for the Antiquarian Horology Society Journal. The movement was then used with minor changes in Loud Alarm models until 1956. Radium paint itself was eventually phased out and has not been used in watches since 1968. 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. He corresponded with Westclox General Manager Ernst Roth over the weeks that followed, but after a final letter that September, he went silent. Westclox Radium Dial Clock. I cant find out anything about him or any other clocks by him. [citation needed] After about 20minutes this delivers the equivalent of one whole day's worth of normal background radiation. I would also like photo and more details of his clock, since I intend to write a follow-up article. Could you please try to help me find out what kind of clock this is. You must log in or register to reply here. When did Westclox close? These folks here that are responsible for this are doing a marvelous job, Ristau said. 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 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 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. 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. About 1931 they made the first electric Big Ben, and they were plug ins. 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. The first style 1a cases had double-hexagon legs, but after about a year they were changed to standard single hex form. Well, the company certainly maintained some major salesrooms here, and many of their employees came from the city and its suburbs. I have an antique mantle clock given to my Aunt & Uncle for a wedding gift (approximately 1949) FROM my great grandparents. WHAT IS A Moonbeam clock? - Thecrucibleonscreen.com Westclox Big Ben and Baby Ben Identification Guide , Remembering the Great War and The Clock That Caused a Near Riot . I have a similar clock. The movement is a windup almost identical to the original. Before we get to that, though, we have to start with the issue of geography as it concerns the business in question. its about 2 inches long maybe 1/2 in thick with holes on either end to be worn on a key chain perhaps? 0 Comments; Uncategorized newark advertiser obituaries 2021 . Did Westclox use radium? Jessie, good observation. Radium Baby Ben by Westclox ( Still Glows) : r/clocks - reddit US radium dial painting factory. when did westclox stop using radium. Its got a round brass dial and a painting in the door, really neat. [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. Within two decades she had lost all her teeth. We pay his railroad fare on all orders for a dozen or more, we brand him with your name in lots of 24.. Am I missing something here? 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. LandmarkHunter.com | Westclox clock factory, La Salle, IL As the dark cloud of fear and suspicion grew over the small town of Ottawa into the 30s, the Radium Dial Company itself refused to take any responsibility, claiming innocence and ignorance. I was looking at it and said, aha! Among the rarities on display is a Westclox-made National Emergency Alarm Repeater. Charles Crow Penn Valley, Ca, I have run across and old clock that I would like to know something about. I would like to find out about this clock. Is this a product that the company would have made or something someone created? 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. Stoddard: The first Big Bens and Baby Bens went on the market in 1910 and they were wind ups. 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. They managed to extract 1 mg of radium from ten tonnes of the uranium ore pitchblende (uranium oxide, U 3 O 8), a considerable feat, given the chemically methods of separation available to them.They identified that it was a new element because its atomic spectrum revealed new lines. 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. I have a Westclox Big Ben 1910 style 1a and have not been able to find out the present value/worth. My father (Richard Ristau Sr.) worked here for 48.. When did Westclox stop using radium? [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. The policy of the company is one of highly specialized production. 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. It looks like you mount it to the wall. 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. lds missionary clothing stores; June 24, 2022 . In her 2017 book, The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of Americas Shining Women, author Kate Moore notes that many of the new girls at the Radium Dial factory started out painting the famous Westclox Big Ben clocks before moving on to the smaller and more challenging Baby Ben, and finally the Pocket Ben and Scotty pocket watches, all produced at the Westclox Works. American manufacturers were quick to see that the millionaires are a negligible quantity as consumers, and that, not chronometersnot marvels of intricacy and originalitywere needed, but timepieces within the reach and want of all. All I really want to know is about the raised horizontal single eye type decoration on this top removable piece.