r/Radium

I dont know the age of this alarm clock is it radium?

It's been a while since I updated the collection, as for radon yes it's well within safe numbers. Still can't believe it was only going to be 16 clocks in total I would collect.

New one came in the mail today! Big ben futurua, made 1973-78, from what I can find only the big ben version is radium. Which further backs westclox stopping radium use in 1975, seeing the baby ben version was made in 1976-81.

Manufacturer: US Time Corp/Ingersoll

Made in: Waterbury Connecticut/Little Rock Arkansas

Geiger Counter: GQ Gmc-300s

40 Hour Spring

1940's-1950's

I have been looking around for something like this for a good while now. May consider putting this on the bug sell swap thread, but I found it for less than 9 bucks, it seems to be a decently rare piece as I only saw 2 other ones and both were bought long ago, and the piece is from the 30's allegedly

To find something like this is actually decently rare, at least in my area and the shops I've been hitting. In my experience with about 9 antique shops over 2 years this is the only one I have seen. The dangers if radium are widely known now, which is another reason I'm surprised someone would just be willing to sell it off for so cheap.

Baby Ben Style 8 Repeater from 1971-1975. I confirmed it was radium but before I could grab a picture of the reading my Geiger counter died. Gotta find that new battery that’s around here some where.

Sat in the cockpit of this wild old bomber plane today. Radium city on these gauges, wish I had my Geiger with me…

Westclox Spur style 1, Baby Ben style 7, Small Concord clock with case, very odd Church themed clock, flap gauge, and a compass. Have quite a few more I might share soon as well. Sorry if this is too many photos:

Happy to finally find a square Westclox, and a different style Baby Ben….even though a chunk of paint broke off one of the hands. The church clock is very odd. Didn’t expect it to glow, let alone actually be radium. The alarm actually rings the church bell at the top too. Just need to get it working 100% again.

The flap gauge is a very low reader, but it is radium. Said to be ww2. Usually military gauges are really hot, so it’s nice to find a mild one. The compass is also very mild as far as compasses go….although it may not be military. If anyone knows anything about it, or any other item I’d love to know more.

I handled this compass carefully, wearing gloves. Radium paint is applied to the lid. 😀

Got a few good deals this past week, the westclox spur is extremely clean. The trainer link from what I can find is a turn and bank indicator for ww2 flight training simulators. Then finally the telechron, when your boyfriend says he likes the numbers you get it :3

Mail day! Got this JAN-CW-IB22 radar spark gap tube. Seems to be pretty spicy.. into the military cabinet it goes!

Couple of Westclox to add to the collection. Both actually work!

Found my first Radium clock this past Saturday. Initially found it with my black light in the antique store while looking for urainum glass, but it wasn’t until I got a closer look at it and checked it with Geiger counter (on a hunch given how the paint looked with the black light) that I realized what I’d found. Clock is in really good condition and isn’t leaking radium dust (it’s been throughly looked at under black light) but will be monitored for deterioration. Currently it’s homed in my display case amongst my urainum glass collection.

Best me and my boyfriend can tell is that this Seth Thomas clock was possibly made in either May 1925 or May 1935.

I got this clock today and it's got radium lume, but especially looking at the movement, it looks relatively recent. So how old do you think it is?

UPDATE: this thing is in fact radioactive lol

I don't know if this is A lot but if is definitely a little startling and a smidge frightening lol I am gonna keep it in the garage away from organic life. The case itself seems to be intact so all the radium appears to be contained in the compass itself.