[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. 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. I have a collection of clocks, and amongst my collection are Westminster chime wall clocks, I have two Keinzle and two Junghans. As the 1960s began, over 50 million Big Ben clocks had been produced in total, and additional Westclox plants were now in operation everywhere from Athens, Georgia, and Ontario, Canada, to Scotland and Australia. In fact, one of their designs for the military, the terrifying sounding "WarAlarm," spurred a small shopping riot in Chicago in 1944 when a small batch of the clocks was made available for commercial purchase at a downtown store. After the discovery of radioactivity in 1896 by French physicist and Nobel Prize winner, Antoine Henri Becquerel, many other scientists began to search for uses of radioactivity. Quite a few who try to get every basic model, but fewer who get into the rarer models and do research. If you do not expect to work hard and carefully, you are in the wrong place. credit: Northern Illinois University]. 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. Thank you for your input. . Stahlbergs company goes bankrupt not once, but twice, within its first several years. Richard Ristau Jr., former plant manager, said hes happy to see the space being used for the museum. Kind regards, Ben van Vliet. Am I missing something here? knowledge about vintage and antique Westclox clocks and watches. The company later changed its name to the United States Radium Corporation. Sep 23, 2011 England. By the 1970s, radium was no . Style 5 dial design]. when did westclox stop using radium - Fashionexclusiveuae.com I think we threw it away. Is this a product that the company would have made or something someone created? 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. 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. 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]. I was told it was an antique at that time. With a half-life of only 3.8 days, radon "seeds" (Rn gas contained in thin walled gold tubing, crimped and cut into units up to 1cm in length) could be left permanently implanted in the body. Company in 1888 and installing another talented German, Ernst Roth, as the general manager. Radium Baby Ben by Westclox ( Still Glows) : r/clocks - reddit 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. What replaced radium in watches? - TimesMojo 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. They were sold in a very attractive hexagonal box which has pictures of antique items on the sides (tricycle, telephone, carriage, etc.) $25.99. They had one in Brazil for a while and I think also in Hong Kong. They worked in unvented rooms, they wore smocks that they laundered at home. We have photos of all the employees between 1927-1945 at the Peterborough Ontario Location but not much else. For my 14th birthday I got a book called The Treasury of American Clocks and there was a picture showing the seven types of Baby Bens. Condition is important, but clocks can be restored. its a Gold coloring and the bottom is well worn like it was slid into something regularily. There is a small dial inside of the clock face that has roman numerals like another clock face. 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. Is Radium Lume Really That Dangerous? - WahaWatches As my first name is Ben, I started to collect these alarmclocks since about 1970. Radium Girls - Wikipedia . In a few short years, thanks to Dr. Douglas's efforts, the amount of radium available in the US more than quintupled. 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. Art and Mary Ann Windy [pictured] have been married for 49 years, met as Westclox employees and were present for the open house. My dad was one of the top bowlers here, Ristau said. 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. It is in good condition and has the original pendulum and key. Some people just want one or two that they remember from childhood in good condition, so thats just the thing for them. When was Westclox Big Ben made? - WhoIsWh It was a gift from him to her the year before they were married. Production was back in full force and at an all-time high by 1956, with 3,000 employees on staff. You must log in or register to reply here. 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. Similarly, 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. Stoddard: The first Big Bens and Baby Bens went on the market in 1910 and they were wind ups. 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. About the only. Among the rarities on display is a Westclox-made National Emergency Alarm Repeater. A Big Ben typical of those made from late 1910 to mid-1915. There are many Westclox alarm clock models named Big Ben. Is radium still used on watches? . By the 1960s production went offshore to achieve economies of scale . It is in working order and chimes on the hour and half hour. Sometimes getting parts is tough, too, although it turns out Westclox made lots and lots of spare parts. Question: Are both 1) and 2) marriages of Style 2 mechanisms put in a Style 1A Big Ben and Style 1 Baby Ben. I am pleased that I came across your article. 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. Theyre making some really nice reproductions of it in China and if you dont know what youre looking for you could be fooled easily. Westclox also made about 5000 gold-plated reproductions. 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. They were, incredibly enough, instructed to ingest a radioactive poison all day, every day, and never properly warned of any potential hazards. From that time on, Baby Bens first and then Big Bens were available with either the plain or luminous dial. [Workers assembling Big Ben alarm clocks at the Westclox plant, 1910s. Has the mechanics of the clock been changed/upgraded or could there be another issue at play? Buy Now. I just had it repaired & it works & looks great. Your cooperation would be greatly appreciated. The other thing is reproductions. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. when did westclox stop using radium; when did westclox stop using radium. During the early 1900's, the effects of radiation exposure were not well understood, and radium was frequently . 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). From that point on I really liked those. Theres a clock called a Crystal Regulator which is about a foot tall with a brass case and glass on all four sides. I have looked high and low in my attempts to find out how any of these resproduction style 1A were produced. Luminous Processes employees interviewed by a journalist in 1978 stated they had been left ignorant of radium's dangers. radium - Encyclopedia Britannica | Britannica Can anyone tell me the meaning or significance of this eye? When did Westclox close? 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. Credit: pinimg. When I went home and washed my hands in a dark bathroom, they would appear luminous and ghostly, an original Ghost Girl named Catherine Donohue (nee Wolfe) later testified. Thank you. Its got a round brass dial and a painting in the door, really neat. These styles constitute the The only problem is a standard size D battery does not fit. 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. Western Clock MFG Co. (Westclox), est. 1888 - Made-in-Chicago Museum That summer at an antique store I came across one that wasnt even in the book, and I thought that was exciting. I recently wrote an article on Hong Kong Watch and Clockmakers for the Antiquarian Horology Society Journal. 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. Any help would be appreciated. Beginning in the 1910s, the girls instructed to put radium in their mouths didn't bat an eyelash. These paints were used on the dials of clocks and watches to make them glow-in-the-dark. 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. 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. The policy of the company is one of highly specialized production. 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. His ideas were patented on as US patent #326,602. Radium dial - Wikipedia The factory contained a bowling alley, and Ristau said his father was an excellent bowler. We are very proud to be living in this building and would love to know more about this specific site. Westclox Model 66 Movement Series Welcome to the Westclox Clock and Watch History Database. Safety But the chances that you have a radium clock are slim, unless it is very old. A 2015 article by Ben Hohenstatt in the Illinois Valleys News Tribune included interviews with a few former Westclox workers who returned to see the museum and remember old times. What is Radium Used For? - WorldAtlas when did westclox stop using radiumcapricorn and virgo flirting. Lynda Hinshaw, At this moment I am research a clock by Falconer& co HongKong. The style 8 Big and Baby Bens were introduced in 1964. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance that watches with radium dials should not be taken apart[5] without proper training, technique, and facilities. I will be watching for more articles from Bill Stoddard From 1917 to 1926, the United States Radium Corporation used radium to produce wristwatches and clocks. I have an Pine State Ice Cream Milk clock that I would like to find out how much it may be worth. The movement was then used with minor changes in Loud Alarm models until 1956. The women also left a legacy to science that has been termed invaluable.. var year = today.getFullYear() I am sure I can give Mr. Shields further information about his clock. I also like some of the older American weight-driven clocks. I would like to find out about this clock. 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. . 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. Not to mention theres the Big Bens so that doubles it right there. 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. Radium: a medical treatment in the early 20th - College of Physicians I Have a small brass alarm clock,which is 1-3/4 Hieght Length & Width. In all my research I can not confirm that The Style 1 models every had 1) and 2) above. Gordon Goodrum 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. 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. The magical glow, as was widely understood by everyone involved, was created by radiuma radioactive element discovered by Marie Curie in 1898. Never underestimate the value of an alarm clock when yours broke two years ago and nobody has manufactured a new one since. Mae Keane, Whose Job Brought Radium to Her Lips, Dies at 107 Which is interesting because many of the electrics are scarcer but people just arent into collecting electric clocks. Importantly, the health risks tied to these old clocks is generally believed to be quite minimal, so long as one avoids long-term exposure or directly ingesting the paint as the Ghost Girls had. The trademark "Westclox" which had appeared on their Big Ben alarm clocks as early as 1910 was officially registered in January 1916. Selling for $2.50 in the years before World War I (or about $60 in modern money), the 5-inch diameter Big Ben and its half-pint cousin the Baby Ben combined to move over 900,000 units in just 1913 alone, and the Western Clock MFG Companynot yet officially known as Westcloxwas producing more than twice that many clocks annually in total. Welcome to the Westclox Clock and Watch History Database. Their factory in LaSalle, Illinois closed down in about 1980 when they moved all their production down south, but the building is still there. How do you date a Westclox Baby Ben? Westclox set up a factory in England in the 1940s and also in Scotland. They arent hurting it permanently, its just kind of weird. People did some bad things over the years just to get them running. See the top of this page for a current list of While the painting technique of the Ghost Girls was replaced with supposedly safer methods like silk screening, traces of radium were still used by many companies to get that desired glow effect throughout the 1940s and even as late as the 60s. 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. It still works. Through it all, Peru remained the companys home base, as over 3,000 employees now enjoyed the rapidly expanding space of the factory and its attached campus, with gardens, tennis courts, a bowling alley, and other things worthy of a Matthiessen estate. I have an antique mantle clock given to my Aunt & Uncle for a wedding gift (approximately 1949) FROM my great grandparents. In 2006 I started collecting vintage advertisements. When many of these early Big Ben advertisements were still running, Gaston Le Roys life took a sudden and dramatic turn. 1970s Many of these workers developed bone cancer . Jessie, good observation. Big Ben style, and there are other styles with names instead of numbers. Here you can see production dates, original retail prices and other Dave, Your question about a Big Ben containing radium, and in fact about which clocks actually do contain radium, is a good one. . 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. Through a friend I purchased an apparently antique key wind up long wooden and glass cased clock. Westclox Big Ben Alarm Clock Vintage. Nowadays, Super-LumiNova, which is entirely non-radioactive and non-toxic, is the most used lume in watchmaking. But he only comes upon receipt of signed price agreement. Stoddard: The National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors (NAWCC) is headquartered in Pennsylvania but has chapters throughout the country. 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.