December 3, 2008
Early alarm clocks (starting in Europe in the late 1400's) had gears that drove a hammer to hit a bell until the mechanism was turned off. Most were wall-mounted, to enable weights to pull the hammer mechanism. The first bedside alarm clocks were produced by the Seth Thomas Company in the 1870's. And General Electric made the world safe for oversleepers in 1956 with the introduction of the snooze alarm.
Also popular with collectors are Westclox's Baby Ben and Big Ben brand wind-up clocks, which first went on the market in 1910. Note however that the electric Big Bens that went on the market in the 1930s are not as popular. Collectors seem to prefer wind-up to electric alarm clocks.
How did I get interested in clocks? Something about them has always been ingrained in me. My mom’s father h… [more]
I got started collecting pocket watches partly because I hated wearing wristwatches; I used to carry my wrist… [more]
This virtual museum, created by the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors, lets you stroll through tim… [more]
Bill Stoddard's clock history site offers a trove of great reference information on clock and watch makers includin… [more]
Check out this sampling of nautical and maritime items held by the U.K.'s National Maritime Museum and Royal Observ… [more]
In addition to a detailed timeline and history of the Ansonia Clock Company, this site boasts a database of photos … [more]
Philip Haselton's guide to watchmen's time recording equipment. Includes 19th century German portables, 20th centur… [more]
Got a site to suggest? Let us know.
Are we missing one? Tell us.
