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Posted 11 months ago
pw-collector
(475 items)
This is a Detex Guardsman Time Clock.
Detex is the authority for watchman clocks and guard tour verification.
The Guardsman, unlike most watch clocks provides an uninterrupted record of a watchman's activities for up to 120 hours.
These were sold & serviced through H. G. Scovern & Co. at 319 Eleventh St. San Francisco, CA. They are still in business today at the same address as noted on the inside of the back leather cover. Only the telephone numbers have changed. I have the key that opens the back of the clock & the key to wind it. The keyway on the front of the front of the clock would be one that coincided with the time station they were clocking in at the scheduled time.
The metal tag on the front that covers the keyway is marked:
TRADE MARK DETEX GUARDSMAN REG.
The dial is marked:
DETEX
CORPORATION
MADE IN U.S.A.
NEW YORK CHICAGO
BOSTON ATLANTA
TRADE MARK REG.
GUARDSMAN
MARCA REG.
The outside of the back cover is marked:
Sales - Service - Supplies
H.G. SCOVERN & COMPANY
319 - 11th St.
San Francisco, Calif. 94103 552-3062
G36772
1020 (on keyway)
Inside back cover marked:
(On right side)
DEXTER CORPORATION
(yellow & black sticker)
IMPORTANT
MOVEMENT SHOULD BE CLEANED & OILED
WRITE JAN 1977 FOR LOAN CLOCK
(On Left side)
FM (in recessed triangle)
72 (below)
(center metal tag marked):
Underwriters Laboratories Inc.
LISTED
TIME DETECTOR
NO. 811801
(below metal tag)
ALCOA
G36772
MADE IN U.S.A.
Inside of clock is marked:
(yellow & black sticker)
H.G.SCOVERN & Co.
TIME SYSTEMS
REPAIRS
SAN FRANCISCO
(white & red sticker below winding post)
WIND THIS CLOCK
FRIDAY
(Top right above lever)
TAPE CUTTER
(Bottom right on raised area)
PRESS HERE TO
RELEASE TAPE CLAMP (below arrow pointing up)
(arrow pointing left towards green & white tape) SET TAPE
The tape green area has holes allowing it to be fed by the center wheel.
The white area is marked with the hour and 1/4 hour between hour numbers.
This clock case is 6-1/2 inches across, 2.84 inches thick. The clock is 5-7/8 inches across, and the clock & case weighs 5.03 pounds.
Thanks for looking,
Dave
ClocksThink of antique clocks and a stately grandfather, German cuckoo, or Art De…
very cool , i love this very unique:)
Nice. An American clock maker still in business. When was the company founded?
Very cool Dave. I hit one of these many times back in my navy days. Brings back memories. Jimbo
Bruce, the San Francisco company was a supplier & repair company for these clocks and I think they began this in 1971.
The Detex Corp. was the maker of the clock (I had to correct the post because I had Dextra instead of Detex). According to a web search, Detex Corporation had it's origin in a predecessor company established in the 1870's by A.A. Newman to manufacture and sell stationary watch clocks. In 1923 the Newman Clock Co. consolidated with Watchman's Clock & Supply Co., Eco Clock Co and the Watch Clock Division of Hardinge Bros., Inc. and adopted the name Newman Watchclock Corp. A few months later the name was changed to Detex Watchclock Corp.
Detex remained principally a manufacture and distributer of Watchman's Clock Systems until 1963. In 1964 the name was changed to Detex Corporation. Watchclock was removed because of their broadening of security interest. 1999 was an important milestone in the company's development with the introduction of the ADVANTEX line of architectural hardware products.
They are still in business manufacturing access control alarms, annunciator panels & optically controlled turnstiles, Life Safety & Security Door Hardware.
Dave
Thanks BELLIN68, Bruce99, trunkman & jimborasco for the appreciation.
Dave
AR8Jason,
I used to have 20+ of these and 20 years ago I decided I only needed (1) and picked out the one I thought was the best one and sold the others.
Dave
Thanks AR8Jason & toolate2 for the appreciation.
Dave
Thanks kerry10456 for the appreciation.
Dave
Thanks for the great information Dave! That's a very interesting company history. It kind of reminds me of the O. B. McClintock Co. that George (nwclocks) relayed. The only surviving American Clock company that I'm aware of which is still pretty much in it's original organization is the Chelsea company. As you know, they cater to those of financial means...evidently a very select and stable market, eh?
Thanks officialfuel, mikielikesigns2 & geo26e for the appreciation,
Dave
i used one when i was on the RMS Queen Mary during her lay up in dry dock in the 1950s when on fire watch
Thanks ralph & miKKochristmas11 for the appreciation,
Dave