The History of Westclox Drowse (Snooze) Electric Alarm Clocks

The first Westclox Drowse (snooze) electric alarms could be set for five (5) or ten (10) minutes snooze time. The image below shows the first Westclox snooze alarm, “Drowse electric”, introduced in 1959. Notice the rocker switch that selects the snooze time.

Westclox Drowse Electric The first Drowse (snooze) alarm clock by Westclox

No. 800, non-luminous dial, Cloud Gray case. Catalogs: 1960, $5.95

No. 800-L, luminous dial , Doeskin, Pinefrost Green or Pink case. Catalogs: 1960, $6.95

Listed in June 1959 price list

By 1963, Westclox had several models of Drowse (snooze) alarms, all having separate push buttons for 5 or 10 minutes.

Drowse	Dialite Drowse
No. 20101, non-luminous white dial, Buckskin Beige case. Catalogs: 1963 - 64, $5.98; 1964 - 65, $5.98 - now called Sandalwood case; 1965 - 66, $5.98; 1969 - 70, $5.98	No. 20106, Antique White case, Dialite dial Catalogs: 1963 - 64, $7.98; 1964 - 65, $7.98; 1965 - 66, now called Drowse Dialite, $7.98; 1969 - 70, $7.98
No. 20102, luminous black dial, Antique White case. Catalogs: 1963 - 64, $6.98; 1964 - 65, $6.98; 1965 - 66, $6.98; 1969 - 70, $6.98

Dunbar Drowse	Dunbar (Dunmar) Drowse
No. 20122, luminous dial, Jonquil Yellow case. Catalogs: 1963 - 64, $6.98; 1964 - 65, $6.98	No. 20128, luminous dial, Wood Finish case. Catalogs: 1963 - 64, $7.98; 1964 - 65, $7.98; 1965 - 66, $7.98; 1969 - 70, $7.98, now named Dunmar Drowse; 1970 - 71, $7.98
No. 20124, luminous dial, Green case. Catalogs: 1963 - 64, $6.98; 1964 - 65, $6.98

Dunbar Drowse Dialite	Dialite Drowsewood
No. 20134, Robin's Egg Blue case, Dialite dial Catalogs: 1963 - 64, $7.98; 1964 - 65, $7.98; 1965 - 66, $7.98	No. 21038, Walnut case, Dialite dial Catalogs: 1963 - 64, $12.95; 1964 - 65, $12.98; 1965 - 66, $12.98, now called Drowsewood Dialight
No. 20136,Green case, Dialite dial Catalogs: 1963 - 64, $7.98; 1964 - 65, $7.98; 1965 - 66, $7.98

By 1969, Westclox had introduced a single button snooze alarm "Minikin Drowse" that provided 7 minutes extra sleep, and the "Magic Touch Drowse Dialite" which had a 10 minute snooze feature. Some of the 5/10 minute snooze models were still being made.

Drowse II	Drowse II Dialite
5/10 minute snooze
No. 20227, Antique white case, plain dial Catalogs: 1969 - 70, $6.98; 1970 - 71, $6.98; 1971 - 72, $7.98; 1973 - 74, $8.25; 1974 - 75, $8.98; 1975 - 76; 1977 - 78; 1978 - 79; 1979 - 80	No. 20228, Antique white case, Dialite dial Catalogs: 1969 - 70, $8.98; 1970 - 71, $8.98; 1971 - 72, $8.98; 1973 - 74, $9.25; 1974 - 75, $9.98; 1975 - 76; 1976 - 77; 1976 - 77; 1977 - 78; 1978 - 79; 1979 - 80
No. 20224, Antique white case, luminous dial Catalogs: 1969 - 70, $7.98; 1970 - 71, $7.98

Minikin Drowse	Magic Touch Drowse Dialite
7 minute snooze	10 minute snooze
No. 20259, Antique White case, plain dial Catalogs: 1969 - 70, $4.98; 1970 - 71, $4.98; 1971 - 72, $4.98; 1973 - 74, $5.19; 1974 - 75, $5.39; 1975 - 76; 1976 - 77; 1977 - 78; 1978 - 79	No. 20178, Antique White case, Dialite dial Catalogs: 1969 - 70, $7.98; 1970 - 71, $7.98; 1971 - 72, $8.98; 1973 - 74, $9.25; 1974 - 75, $9.49; 1975 - 76; 1976 - 77; 1977 - 78; 1978 - 79; 1979 - 80
No. 20261, Woodtone case, plain dial Catalogs: 1969 - 70, $4.98; 1970 - 71, $4.98; 1971 - 72, $4.98	No. 202180, Antique Gold case, Dialite dial Catalogs: 1969 - 70, $7.98; 1970 - 71, $7.98
No. 20263,Wedgewood Blue case, plain dial Catalogs: 1969 - 70, $4.98; 1970 - 71, $4.98

In the 1970 - 71 catalog, the “Minikin Drowse Dialite” model is new.

Minikin Drowse Dialite

No. 20284, White case, Dialite dial Catalogs: 1970 - 71, $5.98; 1971 - 72, $5.98; 1973 - 74, $6.19; 1974 - 75, $6.39; 1975 - 76; 1976 - 77; 1977 - 78; 1978 - 79

No. 20286, Woodtone case, Dialite dial Catalogs: 1970 - 71, $5.98; 1971 - 72, $5.98

No. 20288, Avocado case, Dialite dial Catalogs: 1970 - 71, $5.98; 1971 - 72, $5.98

In the 1971 - 72 catalog, Bold II Drowse and Bold II Drowse Dialite are new. In this catalog, just two models of the 5/10 minute snooze mode, Drowse II and Drowse II Dialite, are still listed.

Bold II Drowse	Bold II Drowse Dialite
No. 20317, White case, plain dial Catalogs: 1971 - 72, $4.98; 1973 - 74, $5.19; 1974 - 75, $5.39; 1975 - 76; 1976 - 77; 1977 - 78; 1978 - 79	No. 20318, White case, Dialite dial Catalogs: 1971 - 72, $5.98; 1973 - 74, $6.19; 1974 - 75, $6.39; 1975 - 76; 1976 - 77; 1977 - 78; 1978 - 79
No. 20319, Antique Gold case, plain dial Catalogs: 1971 - 72, $4.98	No. 20320, Antique Gold case, Dialite dial Catalogs: 1971 - 72, $5.98
No. 20321, Woodtone case, plain dial Catalogs: 1971 - 72, $4.98	No. 20322, Woodtone case, Dialite dial Catalogs: 1971 - 72, $5.98

In the 1973 - 74 catalog, the following models are new: Tide II Drowse, Tide II Drowse Dialite, Cube Drowse, and Cube Drowse Dialite

Tide II Drowse	Tide II Drowse Dialite
No. 22001, White case, Red dial Catalogs: 1973 - 74, $5.98; 1974 - 75, $6.29; 1975 - 76	No. 2200, White case, Red Dialite dial Catalogs: 1973 - 74, $6.98; 1974 - 75, $7.29
No. 22003, White case, Blue dial Catalogs: 1973 - 74, $5.98; 1974 - 75, $6.29; 1975 - 76	No. 22002, White case, Blue Dialite dial Catalogs: 1973 - 74, $6.98; 1974 - 75, $7.29
No. 22005, White case, yellow dial Catalogs: 1973 - 74, $5.98; 1974 - 75, $6.29; 1975 - 76	No. 22004, White case, Yellow Dialite dial Catalogs: 1973 - 74, $6.98; 1974 - 75, $7.29

Cube Drowse	Cube Drowse Dialite
No. 20351, Red case Catalogs: 1973 - 74, $6.98	No. 20354, Red case, Dialite dial Catalogs: 1973 - 74, $7.98; 1974 - 75, $8.98; 1975 - 76; 1976 - 77; 1977 - 78; 1978 - 79; 1979 - 80
No. 20353, White case Catalogs: 1973 - 74, $6.98	No. 20356, White case, Dialite dial Catalogs: 1973 - 74, $7.98; 1974 - 75, $8.98; 1975 - 76; 1976 - 77; 1977 - 78; 1978 - 79; 1979 - 80
No. 20355, Blue case Catalogs: 1973 - 74, $6.98	No. 20358, Blue case, Dialite dial Catalogs: 1973 - 74, $7.98; 1974 - 75, $8.98; 1975 - 76; 1976 - 77

In the 1974 - 75 catalog, Wainscot Luminous Drowse is new.

Wainscot Luminous Drowse

No. 22038, White/Woodgrain case, luminous dial Catalogs: 1974 - 75, $9.98; 1975 - 76; 1976 - 77; 1977 - 78

No. 22040, Brown/Woodgrain case, luminous dial Catalogs: 1974 - 75, $9.98; 1975 - 76; 1976 - 77; 1977 - 78

In the 1975 - 76 catalog, Drowse II Dialite with flowers on dial, and Denim-ite Drowse Dialite are new.

Drowse II Dialite (flower dial)	Denim-ite Drowse Dialite
No. 22806. Antique White, Dialite dial Catalogs: 1975 - 76; 1976 - 77; 1977 - 78; 1978 - 79; 1979 - 80	No. 22078. Blue Denim, Dialite dial Catalogs: 1975 - 76; 1976 - 77; 1977 - 78
	No. 22080. Red Denim, Dialite dial Catalogs: 1975 - 76; 1976 - 77

In the 1976 - 77 catalog, Drowse II with orange luminous dial and Cube Drowse in Woodgrain case are new.

Drowse II, Orange Dial	Cube Drowse, Woodgrain Case
No. 22116. Antique White, Orange luminous dial Catalogs: 1976 - 77; 1977 - 78	No. 22105. Woodgrain finish Catalogs: 1976 - 77; 1977 - 78

In the 1977 - 78 catalog Dash Drowse is new.

Dash Drowse Dialite

No. 22128, Black case, White trim, Dialite dial Catalogs: 1977 - 78; 1978 - 79; 1979 - 80; 1982

No. 22130, Tan case, Brown trim, Dialite dial Catalogs: 1977 - 78; 1978 - 79; 1979 - 80; 1982

No. 22136, Woodgrain case, White trim, Dialite dial Catalogs: 1978 - 79; 1979 - 80; 1982

In the 1978 - 79 catalog, Wainscot Drowse Dialite is new.

Wainscot Drowse Dialite

No. 22144, White with Woodgrain finish, Dialite dial Catalogs: 1978 - 79; 1979 - 80

In the 1979-80 catalog, the 5/10 minute models Drowse II (No. 20227) and Drowse II Dialite (No. 20228 & 22806) are still shown. New models introduced were the Minikin II Drowse (22135), Minikin II Drowse Dialite (22140), Tel-Star Drowse (22145) and Tel-Star Drowse Dialite (22148). Magic Touch Drowse Dialite (20178) is also still listed.

In the 1982 catalog, the 5/10 minute models are no longer shown, just single button models. One model specifies a 7 minute snooze time (Minikin II Drowse), the rest don't have the snooze time stated. Drowse models listed are Dash Drowse Dialite (No. 22128, 22130, 22136), Minikin II Drowse (22135), Minikin II Drowse Dialite (22198), Aspen Drowse Dialite (22180, 22182), Dunmar Drowse Dialite (22194, 22196), and Tel-Star Drowse Dialite (22202).

The Drowse models continued to be made, and the 1998 catalog shows Bold II Drowse Dialite (No. 22192, 22212), and Dunmar Drowse (22194). Some other snooze models didn't use the “Drowse” name: Tel-Star snooze (22002, 22330, 22004, 22008, 220060) and Super Electric alarm with snooze (22470, 22471).

In the 2000 catalog, the “Drowse” name had been replaced by the term “snooze” on the Dunmar and Bold II models.

General Electric-Telechron Snooze Alarms

General Electric-Telechron made the first snooze alarm in 1956. It was the model 7H241, and called “Snooz-Alarm”. A photo is shown on Pappy's Telechron Clock Page.

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