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Style 1 Big Ben
Big Ben was first sold in 1909, and first advertised in the Sept. 24, 1910 Saturday
Evening Post.
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Style 1 Baby Ben
Baby Ben was first made in 1910, and first advertised in the Sept. 25, 1915 Saturday
Evening Post.
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Style 1a Big Ben
In 1918, the Big Ben case was modified to make it dustproof. The changes visible from
the front are: the legs screw on and have a hexagonal portion for turning them, and there are no assembly
screws through the bezel. This ad comes from the January 26, 1924 Saturday Evening Post.
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Style 2
The first Big Ben and Baby Ben to have a base instead of legs was introduced in 1927.
This introductory ad is from the October 1, 1927 Saturday Evening Post.
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Style 2 Crackle
This ad in the Oct. 1928 Pictorial Review is one of the first showing the style 2
Big Ben and Baby Ben alarm clocks in crackle finish cases. The crackle finish consists of a base coat of gold
paint, topped with pink, green or blue finish that developed cracks as it dried, exposing the gold. The little
clock on the left is Tiny Tim, a time only clock.
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Style 3 Big Ben
Big Ben Chime Alarm was introduced in 1931 in a case designed by Henry Dreyfuss. This introductory
ad is from Collier's for October 10, 1931. Baby Ben style 3 was introduced in 1932.
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Style 4
Style 4, a redesign of the style 3 case, was first used in 1934 for Big Ben Chime
Alarm and Baby Ben. In 1935, style 4 Big Ben Loud Alarm replaced style 1a Big Ben. This ad is from the October
10, 1936 Saturday Evening Post.
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Style 5 Electric
In this Sept. 9, 1939 Saturday Evening Post ad, Big Ben style 4 introduces Big Ben
Electric Chime Alarm, the first Ben in the style 5 case. Henry Dreyfuss designed this case.
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Style 5
This Saturday Evening Post ad from November 4, 1939 announces the style 5 Bens: Baby
Ben, Big Ben Chime Alarm, Big Ben Loud Alarm, and Big Ben Electric Chime Alarm (which was also announced in
the previous ad). Note how similar this case design is to the Honeywell "round" thermostat, also designed
by Henry Dreyfuss.
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S6-D Big Ben Electric
The S6-D Big Ben electric in a brown Bakelite case was introduced in 1948, as shown in this
Saturday Evening Post ad.
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Style 6
The style 6 Big Ben and Baby Ben alarm clocks made their debut in the Aug. 27, 1949
Saturday Evening Post.
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Style 7
The style 7 Big Ben and Baby Ben alarm clocks were introduced
to the public in this Saturday Evening Post ad from Sept. 22, 1956.
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Baby Ben Sequin
Baby Ben Sequin (style 7 case) was announced in the Sept. 20, 1958 Saturday Evening Post,
honoring the 69,000,000 “Bens” of the previous 50 years. It was made in two colors - pink and
turquoise.
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Style 8
The style 8 Big and Baby Bens were introduced in 1964. This 1964 Westclox Christmas ad describes
their features.
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Big Ben Style 1a Reproduction
A reproduction of the Big Ben style 1a leg model was made in 1969 - 1970. The majority are
in nickel plated cases, but a small number have gold plated cases.
Its retail price was $40 and it came in a hexagon box decorated with black and white cuts
of items reminiscent of the early 1900s.
Image courtesy of Jeffrey R. Wood.
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Fashion Brite Style 8
The "Fashion Brite" style 8 Big Ben and Baby Ben alarm clocks
were introduced in 1970. All four colors are shown in this Nov. 11, 1970 advertisement.
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Big Ben Solid State
Big Ben Solid State is introduced in this 1974 ad. Also shown in the back row (left to right)
are Big Ben, Big Ben Sweep, and Big Ben Futura.
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