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 Drowse alarm, "Drowse Electric", introduced in 1959. Notice
the rocker switch that selects the snooze time. By 1969 the single button snooze alarm was in production, and some 5/10 minute models were still being made. By 1982, just single button models were being made.
Drowse Electric, The first Drowse (snooze) alarm clock by Westclox
Westclox Drowse Electric
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
No. 20101, non-luminous white dial,
Buckskin Beige case.
Catalogs: 1963 - 64, $12.95; 1964
- 65, $12.98; 1965 - 66, $12.98, now called Drowsewood Dialight
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.
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.
In the 1976 - 77 catalog, Drowse II with orange luminous
dial and Cube Drowse in Woodgrain case are new.
Drowse II, Orange Dial
No. 22116. Antique White, Orange
luminous dial
Catalogs: 1976 - 77; 1977 - 78
Cube Drowse, Woodgrain Case
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
Drowse Models in Later Catalogs
1979-80 Catalog
The 5/10 minute models
Drowse II (No. 20227) and Drowse II Dialite (No. 20228 & 22806)
are still shown in the 1979-80 catalog. 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.
1982 catalog
The 5/10 minute models
are no longer shown in the 1982 catalog, 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).
1998 Catalog
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).
2000 catalog
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.
