when did westclox stop using radium

Is this a product that the company would have made or something someone created? Penetrating gamma radiation produced by some dials also represents a significant health risk. 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. 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. [left to right: F.W. At the end of one hand is a star and the other hand is the moon. Ive recently acquired a New Haven decorative wall clock. 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. Then, on New Years Eve, as 2011 became 2012, the unthinkable happened. I have been searching for one like as the clock went with the house after my Grandmother passed away. JavaScript is disabled. when did westclox stop using radium; when did westclox stop using radium. Just remember, old luminous clocks are full of radium! Columbia, PA 17512 I never realized, even working here, they made so many different models.. Up until this point in time (pun intended), quality time pieces had been considered a rich mans game. 7&a half X 6..desk clock. The NAWCC is dedicated to providing association services, promoting interest in and encouraging the collecting of clocks and watches including disseminating knowledge of the same. This particular clock is made in China while other similar Westclox alarm clocks at the time were made in Taiwan. My dad was one of the top bowlers here, Ristau said. When did westclox stop using radium? I love the Hamiltons in particular, probably some of the best watches made in America. "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. England. 1968 Who made westclox? In all my research I can not confirm that The Style 1 models every had 1) and 2) above. In 1919 the company was incorporated as Western Clock Company, Ltd. Seeking the Big 3 goals of convenience, cleanliness, and cheap production, Dreyfuss rolled out his new-look Big Ben in 1931. the knobs have foreign words ie wecker & UHR.would like to know about his clock 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. [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. Theyre making some really nice reproductions of it in China and if you dont know what youre looking for you could be fooled easily. 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. Can you help Thanks, Teri. The radium isotope (226Ra) used has a half-life of about 1,600years,[6] so radium dials remain essentially just as radioactive as when originally painted 50 or 100 years ago, whether or not they remain luminous. 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. . "[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. Thanks, Paula. 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. 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., When I went home and washed my hands in a dark bathroom, they would appear luminous and ghostly,, My clothes, hanging in a dark closet, gave off a phosphorescent glare. 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 had one in Brazil for a while and I think also in Hong Kong. The factory contained a bowling alley, and Ristau said his father was an excellent bowler. 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. Dave, Your question about a Big Ben containing radium, and in fact about which clocks actually do contain radium, is a good one. Patton, had joined Charles Stahlbergs original start-up back in 1886 at the age of just 13, and he was still on board in 1936, 50 years later. It is in good condition and has the original pendulum and key. They had one in Brazil for a while and I think also in Hong Kong. Jessie, good observation. Westclox set up a factory in England in the 1940s and also in Scotland. Westclox Model 66 Movement Series Welcome to the Westclox Clock and Watch History Database. Any information would be very helpful. 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. When did the use of radium stop? Before we get to that, though, we have to start with the issue of geography as it concerns the business in question. When did they stop using radium for watches? 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. My Grandmother had a Westclox in her house. Style 5 dial design]. Handle on top: down alarm off; up alarm on. 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. On April 20, 1902, Marie and Pierre Curie successfully isolate radioactive radium salts from the mineral pitchblende in their laboratory in Paris. When I was 11 or 12, I started mowing lawns for money and paid another man to repair it for me, but when it came back it would run for a while and then stop, pretty erratic. WECKER (CCW arrow) knob sets alarm time. It was put away for years and last year it was given to me as I have small collection of United novelty clocks. Early in the 20th century there was a medical practice that revolved around a new treatment involving the radioactive material called radium. While most of our Big Ben dials are black with luminous numbers, there were also white dials with black numerals in production at the same time. During the early 1900's, the effects of radiation exposure were not well understood, and radium was frequently . I read (but cant remember where) that about 40,000 were made. The greater surprise, though, is that they didnt abandon the use of radium in the years that followed. Production was back in full force and at an all-time high by 1956, with 3,000 employees on staff. On 3rd January 2099, Terry Shields asked if anyone had information regarding his clock signed G .Falconer, Hong Kong. I recently added the Big Ben Style 1 and Baby Ben Style 1 Dial and Back types. I have an antique mantle clock given to my Aunt & Uncle for a wedding gift (approximately 1949) FROM my great grandparents. This 1964 Westclox Christmas ad describes their features. When did Westclox stop using radium? There are also some other makers clocks Ive gotten into, like the Seth Thomas 30 hour ogee, which is a weight-driven shelf clock. Ristau said he remembered when the Westclox factory was the heart of the city, and recalled enjoying his time with Westclox. In clocks, as in all other lines of goods, there are two classes of consumersthe millions and the millionaires. 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. It emits alpha, beta, and gamma radiation. 1970s Many of these workers developed bone cancer . This will broaden my view in the clock. Radium was even used in medical applications during the 20th century. This past weekend, thanks to the Westclox Museum, its doors were opened and former workers were welcomed back for Homecoming Day. They call it Shabby Chic and sell it on eBay for 60 to 80 dollars. who can refurbush big ben still runs good perfect time purchased in 1950 cataloge #885(885). Westclox style series. I worked here for 28 years. She was 107 when she died on March 1 in Middlebury, Conn . All I really want to know is about the raised horizontal single eye type decoration on this top removable piece. Buy Now. Quite a few who try to get every basic model, but fewer who get into the rarer models and do research. A Big Ben typical of those made from late 1910 to mid-1915. Theres a clock called a Crystal Regulator which is about a foot tall with a brass case and glass on all four sides. Thanks for any info you may be able to supply It is in working order and chimes on the hour and half hour. Westclox also made about 5000 gold-plated reproductions. Here you can see production dates, original retail prices and other Immediately after, substances like promethium and tritium were used as a luminous material, and they're still being used today. The phosphor deterioration means you can't see a glow anymore, but . Their Scottish factory was a full manufacturing plant, at which all their clocks were assembled from start to finish with only the basic raw materials being brought in by outside suppliers. 1978. It is and Elias Ingraham Brass Clock with a patent stamp of September 30, 1862. 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. When Did They Stop Using Radium On Clock Hands? T. tkarter Registered User. Was this done so the alarm could be more easily set on the quarter or half hour? 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. 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. Medical researchers extended the use of radium to cure impotence in men and women by creating fertility drugs with the element to "stimulate" reproduction. 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. Eventually we became best friends and started researching together. It is encased in hard polymer Plastic and the ends have rivets . Never underestimate the value of an alarm clock when yours broke two years ago and nobody has manufactured a new one since. I tried selling some of my surplus electric Big Bens on eBay and they just didnt go, you could get only about $0.99 for them. If you do not expect to work hard and carefully, you are in the wrong place. credit: Northern Illinois University]. That summer at an antique store I came across one that wasnt even in the book, and I thought that was exciting. 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. Stoddard: Pay attention to quality. 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. its about 2 inches long maybe 1/2 in thick with holes on either end to be worn on a key chain perhaps? Site of the Old Westclox factory 211-201 Hunter Street, Peterborough Ontario. 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?? Thanks very mutch, I just acquired a sir w.h. 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. Richard Ristau Jr., former plant manager, said hes happy to see the space being used for the museum. Dont know if someone ingraved date on when took down or if the original. Accueil; Services; Ralisations; Annie Moussin; Mdias; 514-569-8476 It was a gift from him to her the year before they were married. Dreyfuss revised his changes at the end of the decade, designing the Style 5 and 5a Big Bens in 1938including the featured Loud Alarm dials from our museum collection. It has a removable bottom decorative piece as well as a top rounded top flat piece of wood with a verticle wooden slat on the back extending to become a peg-like extension to fit and secure the decorative piece into the top of the clock. 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 . It started early in the 20th century, around 1910, when some companies began to use radium on watch dials and hands to create a "glow in the dark" effect. 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. 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. While promoting Westclox products in Europe, the breakout of World War I and the laws of mandatory military service in his native France forced Le Roy to get his affairs in order and head for the front in 1914. 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. It also says that the patent was re-issued March 31, 1868. First, if your clock is for display only, I think it is harmless if the paint on the hands is not disturbed. The movement is a windup almost identical to the original. Which is interesting because many of the electrics are scarcer but people just arent into collecting electric clocks. The whole clock seems to be origional and was maintained by my grandfather who was a watch/clock repairman. I know that it is electric and it requires a dime deposit to set the alarm on it. [Former Westclox workers Art and Mary Ann Windy (standing), 2015], This is amazing, Art said. He also recalled playing in the factory. Any suggestions of where to get a replacement preferably in Canada? Stoddard: Ive been there several times. I am a retired mechanical engineer, the quality has floored me, hats off to this company. This practice resulted in the ingestion of radium, which caused serious jaw-bone degeneration and malignancy and other dental diseases. Its got a round brass dial and a painting in the door, really neat. AD x Stoddard: I was pretty much on my own until college. About 1931 they made the first electric Big Ben, and they were plug ins. Well, the company certainly maintained some major salesrooms here, and many of their employees came from the city and its suburbs. 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. It is 3 diameter with Westclox on the back and PAT.APLOFOR. 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. These clocks were produced in the thousands and many can be bought on eBay for under $10. Can anyone tell me about this? $38.00. It is a Medbury-4W #4910. It is battery operated and takes a D battery. . 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. 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. [9] The element was phased out of use by industry acting under its own volition as superior and safer luminous materials entered the marketplace. The Westclox Big Ben Alarm Clock Vintage is an iconic timepiece that has been around since the early 1900s. Westclox - An Identification and Price Guide, and I added even more in 2012. How can people be exposed to Radium? can anybody tell me about this piece? 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 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. The style 7 Big Ben and Baby Ben (1956 to 1964, the first Bens with concentric alarm hand) has minute markings. As radium luminosity came under attack in the 1930s, Westcloxs other updates to the Big Ben design were far more practical and uncontroversial. They arent hurting it permanently, its just kind of weird. I'll start with a 19j Bunn, Looking for Somebody with Some Bandwidth to do a Repair. Westcloxs Manual for Employees read, We expect you to work hard, and the pay is accordingly large . Richard Tjarks introduced Buy Now. Through a friend I purchased an apparently antique key wind up long wooden and glass cased clock. Your email (will not be published) (required), The Timeless Appeal of the Westclock Big and BabyBens, The National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors, Not Your Grandmas Cuckoo: Decapitating, Rat-Eating Clocks of the Black Forest, The Care and Repair of 19th-Century American 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. I took it all apart and asked my dad to help me put it back together, but he cut his finger on the spring. 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. Old Rose (pink) crackle finish Baby Ben with luminous dial: 1929 1930. I recently wrote an article on Hong Kong Watch and Clockmakers for the Antiquarian Horology Society Journal. 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. I took it back and the repairman told me it was like a large Timex watch and just not worth being fixed. Nowadays, Super-LumiNova, which is entirely non-radioactive and non-toxic, is the most used lume in watchmaking. Westclox made an excellent, almost exact, reproduction of the style 1a Big Ben in 1970. Before OSHA was set up, 14,000 people died on the job every year; today, it is just over 4,500. I am reading, studying, and learning more about the Westclox. I recently added the Big Ben Style 1 and Baby Ben Style 1 Dial and Back types. 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. 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. They worked for the United States Radium Corporation painting the numbers and hands on watch. Your response or advice would be much appreciated. Radium is highly radioactive. In the early 1920s, when the company introduced a new series of Big Ben and Baby Ben clocks with luminous dials, the work of painting on this special, glow-in-the-dark element was outsourced to the Radium Dial Companyan independent business located just up the road in the neighboring town of Ottawa, IL. 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. Style Information: Plain dial: 1918 - 1935 Black luminous dial: 1921 - 1935 There are variations in the lettering on the dial and back. They make alarm and one-day lever clocks only, and with practically two different articles, known as the 4-inch and 2-inch movements, they have an output of in their factory at LaSalle, Ill., of nearly two million clocks a year. 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. Various lettering on the dial and various patent dates (later, numbers) on the Like style 1a non-luminous with dealer name on dial. I have a sessions mantle clock duet#1. 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. The trademark "Westclox" which had appeared on their Big Ben alarm clocks as early as 1910 was officially registered in January 1916. For the town of Peruwhich had tied much of its identity to Westclox for the better part of a centurythe damage went beyond financial. I thought, oh boy, I just need four more and Ill have them all! Inhaled or ingested particles may deposit a high local dose with a risk of radiation-caused lung or gastrointestinal cancer. Over time, she contracted terrible cancerous tumors, lost most of her teeth, and suffered countless other health problems. I cant find out anything about him or any other clocks by him. It looks like you mount it to the wall. It was discovered by Marie and Pierre Curie in 1898. In a few short years, thanks to Dr. Douglas's efforts, the amount of radium available in the US more than quintupled. Stoddard: Its really hard to say. So you find clocks where parts have been switched, so thats one challenge, determining originality. In the United States there does not seem to have ever been prohibitory legislation passed banning the use of radium in clocks and watches. Were finally at a point, where were ready to do more than just sit here, said Ruth Spayer, curator for the museum. 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. At the start of the decade, the company brought in a skilled new industrial designer named Henry Dreyfuss; a true modernist. Stoddard: The first Big Bens and Baby Bens went on the market in 1910 and they were wind ups. [Workers assembling Big Ben alarm clocks at the Westclox plant, 1910s. I was told it was long ago before even my aged family was servicing watches. 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. Within two decades she had lost all her teeth. Phone: 717-684-8261. 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. 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. They were, incredibly enough, instructed to ingest a radioactive poison all day, every day, and never properly warned of any potential hazards. Behind the light, theyd been left in the dark. From that point on I really liked those. 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. I know very little about clocks in general. He corresponded with Westclox General Manager Ernst Roth over the weeks that followed, but after a final letter that September, he went silent. Thanks. The thing I remember most is working with the people, Ristau said. Do you have an archival dept who could give us an idea of our Western Clock which we recently acquired? Chronic exposure to high levels of radium can result in an increased incidence of bone, liver, or breast cancer. Radium paint itself was eventually phased out and has not been used in watches since 1968. 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. . The Crystal blocks a significant amount of The radiation. I would like to find the value of it. The use of Radium changed over several years but it was not until late 1960ies when the last were made. It has a patent June 18-1882 and says Dakota on the back,can you tell me more? I am trying to determine the age. 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. lds missionary clothing stores; June 24, 2022 . A key point to bear in mind is this: the dial is still highly radioactive. Not to mention theres the Big Bens so that doubles it right there. 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. 2023 by Andrew Clayman. Charles Stahlberg had an idea for making a better, but less expensive alarm clock. We have photos of all the employees between 1927-1945 at the Peterborough Ontario Location but not much else. 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. Your cooperation would be greatly appreciated. Junghans, Kienzle,Mauthe,Kaiser, Peter, (all from Germany) Veglia (Italy), CNIS ( France), Ingersoll (UK) as well as some Hong Kong made items. Can someone get back to me as to what it is and possibe age of it. I also like some of the older American weight-driven clocks. 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. var today = new Date() Gary Biolchini added more style series in his book 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. Lynda Hinshaw, At this moment I am research a clock by Falconer& co HongKong. Now I know that theres probably 14 basic shapes, but a lot more variations than that depending on how far you want to take things. Sometimes Ive seen them for 300 to 600 dollars. For example, Big Ben Style 1 and Style 1a are the leg model, and Style 2 is the first base model. I was given an Elias Ingraham Clock many years ago and would like to know a bit more about it and its value. Theres a seller on eBay now whos doing some really outstanding restorations of Big Bens. I cannot date it. These folks here that are responsible for this are doing a marvelous job, Ristau said. US radium dial painting factory. Can anyone tell me the meaning or significance of this eye?

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