when did westclox stop using radium

Stoddard: Its really hard to say. Marie and Pierre Curie isolate radium - HISTORY Something about them has always been ingrained in me. Do you have an archival dept who could give us an idea of our Western Clock which we recently acquired? 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. 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. US radium dial painting factory. His ideas were patented on as US patent #326,602. 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. Created with WordPress. The only problem is a standard size D battery does not fit. 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. Then my friend and I went around the neighborhood asking people if they had anything they wanted to give away, like old clocks and cameras and tape recorders. There is a small dial inside of the clock face that has roman numerals like another clock face. 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? Columbia, PA 17512 Based in Flora, Indiana, Bill can be reached via his website, clockhistory.com, which is a member of our Hall of Fame. The style 8 Big and Baby Bens were introduced in 1964. As radium luminosity came under attack in the 1930s, Westcloxs other updates to the Big Ben design were far more practical and uncontroversial. Production was back in full force and at an all-time high by 1956, with 3,000 employees on staff. Phone: 717-684-8261. 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. 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. 1968 Who made westclox? When did Junghans stop manufacturing Westminster Chimes, and when did Keinzle stop manufacturing Westminster chimes. Same as the nickel version but in a gold-plated case. They were sold in a very attractive hexagonal box which has pictures of antique items on the sides (tricycle, telephone, carriage, etc.) Buy Now. But the chances that you have a radium clock are slim, unless it is very old. Westclox Radium Dial Clock. The clock can still give considerable amounts of radiation about 2-3 inches from the Crystal measured with a Geiger counter. Only reason I can think of and it looks pretty odd not to have minutes on a clock face. 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. 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. 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. 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. Theres a clock called a Crystal Regulator which is about a foot tall with a brass case and glass on all four sides. The movement was then used with minor changes in Loud Alarm models until 1956. [Former Westclox workers Art and Mary Ann Windy (standing), 2015], This is amazing, Art said. WECKER (CW arrow)/UHR (CCW arrow) knob with ring: CW winds alarm; CCW winds clock. 514 Poplar Street Theres a seller on eBay now whos doing some really outstanding restorations of Big Bens. Westclox - An Identification and Price Guide, and I added even more in 2012. Here you can see production dates, original retail prices and other knowledge about vintage and antique Westclox clocks and watches. Westclox set up a factory in England in the 1940s and also in Scotland. i have a large ansonia wall clock 32 1/2 x 32. 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. The Ghost Girls might have been the envy of the other girls in town, but no one yet realized just how much danger they were being subjected to. During the early 1900's, the effects of radiation exposure were not well understood, and radium was frequently . when did westclox stop using radium - Fashionexclusiveuae.com National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors Inc (A 501c3 non-profit corporation). Required fields are marked *. Even today, with the considerable help of a thing called Interstate 80, its still about a two-hour journey from LaSalle Street to LaSalle County. Which is interesting because many of the electrics are scarcer but people just arent into collecting electric clocks. 1978. The clock is shielded From the glass crystal. 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. 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. 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. 400-day clocks are also known as anniversary clocks, they would run 400 days on one winding. Big Ben style, and there are other styles with names instead of numbers. 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.. A lot of the American Shelf clocks from the 1820s up to 1900 have reverse paintings in the door, on the backside of the glass. Westclox Big Bens and Baby Bens are full of the stuff. Handle on top: down alarm off; up alarm on. Is Westclox a good brand? From 1917 to 1926, the United States Radium Corporation used radium to produce wristwatches and clocks. Unbelievable true story of the 'radium girls' - NZ Herald Health effects of Radium radiation exposure | Mass.gov [Workers assembling Big Ben alarm clocks at the Westclox plant, 1910s. 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. In 1914, Dr. Sabin Arnold von Sochocky and Dr. George S. Willis founded the Radium Luminous Material Corporation. My love is for the style 1 peg leg Big and Baby Bens; mostly Baby Bens. In the 1970s, radium was phased out of wristwatches and clockdials. Never underestimate the value of an alarm clock when yours broke two years ago and nobody has manufactured a new one since. In the production of ordinary clocks adapted to the needs and means of the millions, America produces results of remarkable excellence. any info would be appreciated. I have been collecting, repairing, and restoring mostly Westclox Big Bens for several years. I also need it repaired so that it will be functional and need to find someone that will do that for me. They have meetings every two months, and educational programs, so thats a really great way to meet collectors and get all kinds of advice. Can someone get back to me as to what it is and possibe age of it. when did westclox stop using radium. theres the problem, there were two gears that were in backwards. The Radium Girls were female factory workers who contracted radiation poisoning from painting watch dials with self-luminous paint. 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?? Is Radium Lume Really That Dangerous? - WahaWatches It was discovered by Marie and Pierre Curie in 1898. When many of these early Big Ben advertisements were still running, Gaston Le Roys life took a sudden and dramatic turn. 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. I was about 3ft high and recessed into the wall. However, there`s no easy way for you to tell; there were no labeling requirements then as we have now. Thank you for your input. Contact the Webmaster for perceived copyright infringement (DMCA Registration Number 1010287). Westclox did make a couple of documented advertising clocks, but very few. 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. Thank to several professionals who Ive met on Ebay, I have become quite skilled with my restorations plus making dials and alarm function indicators. One time a friend and I were down there behind the factory and we got talking to a man who was leasing the back half of the factory to make machinery for bakeries. I have been purchasing these clocks as and when I got an opportunity. 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. 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. They worked in unvented rooms, they wore smocks that they laundered at home. The only thing I found is the word Germny engraved on the back. I live in Scotland but my clock was made in USA. 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. I spent many an evening here, watching him bowl.. They are just gorgeous watches and very well made. 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. Is a Glow-in-the-dark Clock Any Cause for Alarm? 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. "[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. Credit: pinimg. At the top was a clock covered with a glass door. 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. 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. I think it is a clock made by Sessions. When did they stop using radium on clocks? After several changes of ownership, it became . 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. Style Information: Plain dial: 1918 - 1935 Black luminous dial: 1921 - 1935 There are variations in the lettering on the dial and back. I hope to document Style 5 Baby Bens this winter. Radium dials are watch, clock and other instrument dials painted with luminous paint containing radium-226 to produce radioluminescence. On the Style 9, they went back to actual minute markings. 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. [left to right: F.W. The whole clock seems to be origional and was maintained by my grandfather who was a watch/clock repairman. 1919 -1922, Luminous, Westclox in Roman text: 1923 - 1927, Luminous, projection on the "x": 1928 - 1935. 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. I would like to know the value of a #4 black, #321(in original cardboard Christmas box), mint condition, Baby Ben alarm clock is. If you do not expect to work hard and carefully, you are in the wrong place. credit: Northern Illinois University]. Westclox Scotland produced its first clock on 21 September 1948; a spring wound alarm with a 4-inch (10cm) dial. The pioneering spirit is there, but the business skills soon appear lacking. . It is encased in hard polymer Plastic and the ends have rivets . Westcloxs Manual for Employees read, We expect you to work hard, and the pay is accordingly large . So, does Westclox really belong in the Made In Chicago Museum? One of the objects on display in the Benton County Historical Society's Corvallis Museum is this Westclox Radium Dial Clock. I believed it was manufacturing tag. At the end of one hand is a star and the other hand is the moon. I'll start with a 19j Bunn, Looking for Somebody with Some Bandwidth to do a Repair. We pay his railroad fare on all orders for a dozen or more, we brand him with your name in lots of 24.. 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. Ive been trying to compare lots of different clocks to find out what original parts go together. Radium - The First Rolex Luminous Material. July 17th, 2008. . 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. [9] The element was phased out of use by industry acting under its own volition as superior and safer luminous materials entered the marketplace. 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). That batch was in production non-continuously from 1939 to 1946, housed in gunmetal cases with nickel trim. 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. Thanks, Teri. Over time, she contracted terrible cancerous tumors, lost most of her teeth, and suffered countless other health problems. From that point on I really liked those. 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. 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. Radium was discovered by Marie and Pierre Curie in 1898[1] and was soon combined with paint to make luminescent paint, which was applied to clocks, airplane instruments, and the like, to be able to read them in the dark.[2]. Beginning in the 1910s, the girls instructed to put radium in their mouths didn't bat an eyelash. At the start of the decade, the company brought in a skilled new industrial designer named Henry Dreyfuss; a true modernist. Clock Repair and Hermle Chime, Mantel and Wall Clocks for Sale at Bill's Clockworks. They had one in Brazil for a while and I think also in Hong Kong. then 4 symbols a crown an 18 and to unkown symbols in a square patern but on its side square pattern. 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. Lynda Hinshaw, At this moment I am research a clock by Falconer& co HongKong. WECKER (CCW arrow) knob sets alarm time. There are variations in the lettering on the dial and back. It is 3 diameter with Westclox on the back and PAT.APLOFOR. 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. 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. He corresponded with Westclox General Manager Ernst Roth over the weeks that followed, but after a final letter that September, he went silent. A key point to bear in mind is this: the dial is still highly radioactive. Omega stopped using radium around 1963. when did westclox stop using radiumcapricorn and virgo flirting. The alpha particles emitted by the radium, which is taken up in bone, will kill off surrounding bone tissue, resulting in a condition loosely referred to as radium jaw. 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. It might be the only one in the country, Spayer said. Im trying to determine if it is a legit or reproduction that someone made. When did westclox stop using radium? Theyre making some really nice reproductions of it in China and if you dont know what youre looking for you could be fooled easily. Hot Times in "Radium Hospital": The History of Radium Therapy at MSK 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. This was a wonderful article to read. Stoddard: Some of the old American pocket watches are just beautiful so I have several in my collection. [citation needed] After about 20minutes this delivers the equivalent of one whole day's worth of normal background radiation. When did westclox start making clocks? . Stopping this practice drastically reduced the amount of radium ingested and therefore, the incidence of malignancy. I worked here for 28 years. You do not want to open them up, lest you breath radioactive dust from old paint or spread it around. This 1964 Westclox Christmas ad describes their features. Gordon Goodrum The company later changed its name to the United States Radium Corporation. 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. Are Watches With Radium Dials Safe? New Study Offers Warning About 1931 they made the first electric Big Ben, and they were plug ins. When did they stop using radium for watches? I also like some of the older American weight-driven clocks. Inhaled or ingested particles may deposit a high local dose with a risk of radiation-caused lung or gastrointestinal cancer. I cannot date it. 0 Comments; Uncategorized newark advertiser obituaries 2021 . Thats another story. Then, on New Years Eve, as 2011 became 2012, the unthinkable happened. They can be identified by having the modern type of flat head screws with shoulders instead of round head screws, and by having a 1910 patent date on the back even though the case is style 1a. It can be found with some other clocks in a case in the second floor hallway. Copyright 1980 By the early 1950s, Westclox employed thousands of LaSalle-Peru residents. I am a retired mechanical engineer, the quality has floored me, hats off to this company. 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. 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. If you want to identify an item, try posting it in our Show & Tell gallery. 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. I recently wrote an article on Hong Kong Watch and Clockmakers for the Antiquarian Horology Society Journal. It was put away for years and last year it was given to me as I have small collection of United novelty clocks. Charles Stahlberg headed a group from Waterbury, Connecticut, who came to Peru in 1884 to build clocks based on a new idea by Stahlberg. thank you, My Husband and I just purchased an antique mantle/shelf clock at an estate sale. Thanks. $38.00. I never realized, even working here, they made so many different models.. 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. Can anyone tell me the meaning or significance of this eye? 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. 226RA has a half life of about 1600 years and the glow of the paint used on dials and hands decreases because of the damage the alpha particles emitted by the Radium do to the ZnS . 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.