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. Next to the original Westcloxes I have an interesting collection of European copies by a.o. Collectors Weekly: When did you discover that there were other clock collectors? It was passed on to my sister and for years it was on their mantle along time until it stopped. 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. Ive been trying to compare lots of different clocks to find out what original parts go together. 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. 400-day clocks are also known as anniversary clocks, they would run 400 days on one winding. Am I missing something here? In 1919 the company was incorporated as Western Clock Company, Ltd. Also, its not just Americans who collect, its worldwide. I was told it was an antique at that time. Early in the 20th century there was a medical practice that revolved around a new treatment involving the radioactive material called radium. It also says that the patent was re-issued March 31, 1868. Do you have an archival dept who could give us an idea of our Western Clock which we recently acquired? Westclox Model 66 Movement Series Welcome to the Westclox Clock and Watch History Database. At one time they employed about 3500 people, making about 35, 000 clocks and watches per day. [7], Ingestion of radium has been linked to anemia, cataracts, broken teeth, and reduced bone growth.[8]. Yet Mrs. Keane was a survivor who later conquered colon and breast cancer. Their factory in LaSalle, Illinois closed down in about 1980 when they moved all their production down south, but the building is still there. 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. Style 1 has three screws through the bezel visible from the front, style 1a doesnt (compare figures 3 and 7); Style 1 has two screws holding the bell back, style 1a has three. I try to get all the pictures I can and keep them all chronologically and study the history. 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. Next year, well have been married for 49 years, Mary Ann said. [Left: The first national Big Ben advertisement appears in the. If you want to identify an item, try posting it in our Show & Tell gallery. 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). 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. England. Thanks so much 7&a half X 6..desk clock. I took it all apart and asked my dad to help me put it back together, but he cut his finger on the spring. It was a gift from him to her the year before they were married. I'll start with a 19j Bunn, Looking for Somebody with Some Bandwidth to do a Repair. So I swapped them, and its worked perfectly ever since. A radium dial clock from the 1930s. 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. It is too large (wide). I spent many an evening here, watching him bowl.. Store - The WestClox Source There is a small dial inside of the clock face that has roman numerals like another clock face. Westclox made an excellent, almost exact, reproduction of the style 1a Big Ben in 1970. 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 would like to find the value of it. It sits on a small brass stand with Westclox on it. Question: Are both 1) and 2) marriages of Style 2 mechanisms put in a Style 1A Big Ben and Style 1 Baby Ben. 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. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Chronic exposure to high levels of radium can result in an increased incidence of bone, liver, or breast cancer. Created with WordPress. 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. We pay his railroad fare on all orders for a dozen or more, we brand him with your name in lots of 24.. 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. On April 20, 1902, Marie and Pierre Curie successfully isolate radioactive radium salts from the mineral pitchblende in their laboratory in Paris. Seeking the Big 3 goals of convenience, cleanliness, and cheap production, Dreyfuss rolled out his new-look Big Ben in 1931. It is stamped on the back of the casing DRP&GM. These clocks were produced in the thousands and many can be bought on eBay for under $10. JavaScript is disabled. Accueil; Services; Ralisations; Annie Moussin; Mdias; 514-569-8476 This fall, the museum will be open more frequently and for more events. 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. Can anyone direct me on how to find this clock? This will broaden my view in the clock. I am a retired mechanical engineer, the quality has floored me, hats off to this company. Westclox also made about 5000 gold-plated reproductions. However, there`s no easy way for you to tell; there were no labeling requirements then as we have now. The Evolution Behind Rolex Luminous Material | Bob's Watches I cannot date it. the knobs have foreign words ie wecker & UHR.would like to know about his clock Can you help The alarm mechanism was also improved as part of Kerns new patents, with an intermittent ringing that kind of acted as an archaic form of snooze alarm. 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. 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 love the Hamiltons in particular, probably some of the best watches made in America. Just as pilots in World War II had radium on the dials in their cockpits for all-condition visibility, many people who purchased Big Ben alarm clocks during the same periodincluding the very style in our museum collection (made from 1939-1946)went to bed each night sleeping next to a tiny box of radioactivity. 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. Purchased from a man who claimed to have salvaged them from the backroom of an unnamed Chicago watch repair shop, each round and weathered face represents the lasting work of an international manufacturing giant at the peak of its powers. Thank you for your input. 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. Within two decades she had lost all her teeth. Eventually, scientists and medical professionals realized that these workers' illnesses . "[4], According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, "radioactive antiques [including watches] are usually not a health risk as long as they are intact and in good condition. Eventually we became best friends and started researching together. 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. It emits alpha, beta, and gamma radiation. Hundreds of thousands of clocks were produced a year, until closing its doors in 1980. 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. Old Rose (pink) crackle finish Baby Ben with luminous dial: 1929 1930. The only problem is a standard size D battery does not fit. My love is for the style 1 peg leg Big and Baby Bens; mostly Baby Bens. Site of the Old Westclox factory 211-201 Hunter Street, Peterborough Ontario. . 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. Gordon Goodrum 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. 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. [Workers assembling Big Ben alarm clocks at the Westclox plant, 1910s. 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. Big Ben style, and there are other styles with names instead of numbers. 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. Big Ben Style Series. Westclox 0.9" LED Plasma Screen Alarm Clock with USB Charging Port 71014X. You just cant imagine the size of this factory its just gigantic. Westclox Wrought Iron Look Wall Clock 12" 32021A. 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. [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. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Radium: a medical treatment in the early 20th - College of Physicians They were, incredibly enough, instructed to ingest a radioactive poison all day, every day, and never properly warned of any potential hazards. At the start of the decade, the company brought in a skilled new industrial designer named Henry Dreyfuss; a true modernist. I recently added the Big Ben Style 1 and Baby Ben Style 1 Dial and Back types. Stahlbergs company goes bankrupt not once, but twice, within its first several years. I know Bill Stoddards name from other publications on Westclox. 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. This was a wonderful article to read. My Grandmother had a Westclox in her house. Your email address will not be published. Radium Baby Ben by Westclox ( Still Glows) : r/clocks - reddit dated:1990 ,decorated :hong cong.made in japan.cocacola tradmark. If you do not expect to work hard and carefully, you are in the wrong place. credit: Northern Illinois University]. The first Big Bens and Baby Bens in 1910 were wind ups.. 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. Former employees showed up to view a collection of watches, clocks, tools, photographs of the old factory, a short black and white film of the factory in action and remember working for Westclox. See the top of this page for a current list of That way I got myself another Baby Ben, bringing my collection to three by age 12. Thank you. Henry Warren invented a little synchronous motor that could go inside a clock. Did westclox stop using radioactive paint by the 1960s? When was Westclox Big Ben made? - WhoIsWh A Westclox Museum has been opened within the original facility, showing off rare collections from the millions of timepieces once manufactured there. I tend to be a nitty gritty detail kind of guy. I was given an Elias Ingraham Clock many years ago and would like to know a bit more about it and its value. A pair of teenage boys broke into the abandoned factory and set a fire that quickly spread and enveloped much of the central complex. . 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. The factory contained a bowling alley, and Ristau said his father was an excellent bowler. At this moment I study horology at West Dean College in the UK. I was told it was long ago before even my aged family was servicing watches. They worked for the United States Radium Corporation painting the numbers and hands on watch. when did westclox stop using radium - Fashionexclusiveuae.com Gary Biolchini added more style series in his book Westclox began as the United Clock Company in Peru, Illinois in 1885. They call it Shabby Chic and sell it on eBay for 60 to 80 dollars. 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. 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. Dont know if someone ingraved date on when took down or if the original. A clock without hands might seem indifferent to the passage of time, but these old Big Ben and Baby Ben dials have some serious stories to tell. In clocks, as in all other lines of goods, there are two classes of consumersthe millions and the millionaires. I have been collecting, repairing, and restoring mostly Westclox Big Bens for several years. The other thing is reproductions. Contact the Webmaster for perceived copyright infringement (DMCA Registration Number 1010287). Westclox began as the United Clock Company of Peru, Illinois in 1885. From 1942 to 1945, Westclox ceased all production intended for domestic civilian sale and dedicated its production resources to the war effort. I bought a 1970s Westclox pocket watch with a Hotwheels face that says authorized seller on it. 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]. var year = today.getFullYear() Hot Times in "Radium Hospital": The History of Radium Therapy at MSK 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. It is something that we should know before everyone starts throwing away every luminous dial clock they own. 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. 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. who can refurbush big ben still runs good perfect time purchased in 1950 cataloge #885(885). This has probably been discussed before but my search turned up nothingdo the luminous hands on a Big Ben alarm clock contain painted radium? Buy Now. Jessie, good observation. Its hard to fathom in retrospect, but in the early 20th century, it was generally believed that small amounts of radium were perfectly harmless to humans, and thus, the substances natural, long-lasting glow actually made it something of an attractive novelty of the time periodnot just on clock dials, but in the worlds of quack medicine, fashion, cosmetics, and even a proto version of energy water, called Radithor.. I am pleased that I came across your article. So, does Westclox really belong in the Made In Chicago Museum? How do you set a manual alarm clock? - AnswersAll This practice resulted in the ingestion of radium, which caused serious jaw-bone degeneration and malignancy and other dental diseases. . There are some blemishes on the wood on the right side. When did they stop using radium for watches? I thought, oh boy, I just need four more and Ill have them all! when did westclox stop using radium. 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. When did westclox stop using radium? 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. 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. . I am reading, studying, and learning more about the Westclox. 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. Buy Now. In the production of ordinary clocks adapted to the needs and means of the millions, America produces results of remarkable excellence. Westcloxs Manual for Employees read, We expect you to work hard, and the pay is accordingly large . Was westclox ever manufactured in germany and if so when? Only reason I can think of and it looks pretty odd not to have minutes on a clock face. radium - Encyclopedia Britannica | Britannica Technically speaking, though, Westclox did still produce clocks during the gap years that followed. . My clothes, hanging in a dark closet, gave off a phosphorescent glare. Was this done so the alarm could be more easily set on the quarter or half hour? The precise, delicate skill of painting clock dials with radium powder promised a much higher salary than most factory jobs available to women at the time (upwards of $18 a week), and the company soon employed as many as 200 female workers in its Ottawa plant. Among the rarities on display is a Westclox-made National Emergency Alarm Repeater. Stoddard: Pay attention to quality. When did Bulova stop using radium? 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. Ref comment #10 from Frank Baker. Westclox History Database Main Menu July 17th, 2008. As my first name is Ben, I started to collect these alarmclocks since about 1970. it has a picture of a huck finn type boy,carying 2 bottles of coke& a fishing pole,with his dog. Inhaled or ingested particles may deposit a high local dose with a risk of radiation-caused lung or gastrointestinal cancer. Radium - Element information, properties and uses | Periodic Table 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. Vintage Clocks and Radium Risks - Ken's Clock Clinic Similarly, [3] The Radiolite series, made in various sizes and models, became a signature of the Connecticut-based company. As radium luminosity came under attack in the 1930s, Westcloxs other updates to the Big Ben design were far more practical and uncontroversial. 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. One employee, R.D. The Canadian Clock Museum (http://www.canclockmuseum.ca/) may have some information. [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.

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