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Hammond Model 341 Illuminated Wall Clock |
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| This 20 inch diameter model
341 Hammond clock was just the thing for a railroad station or large
store in the late 1930's.
The black shell was accented by the chrome fins on each side and the face was lit from behind, when required, controlled by the toggle switch at the bottom. The bulb configuration is a series string of five 15 watt, 34 volt bulbs with an additional dropping resistor to further reduce the voltage. The bulbs are very much under-stressed in this application and these clocks are generally found with all of the original bulbs intact, after 60 years. Versions of this clock with a chrome plated body exist, but it is not clear whether they were originally made this way. These clocks have also been seen painted in various bright, but unoriginal colors, being sold at extreme prices by upscale purveyors of "20th Century Design" objects. The company name was changed from the Hammond Clock Co. to the Hammond Instrument Co. in 1937, in recognition of their rapidly growing electronic organ business. The later name is shown on the paper label on the back. The last patent shown there was issued in 1936. From the practical sense, though, it must not have been very popular as the movement was not self starting, and this minor detail meant a trip up the ladder to restart the clock after even the briefest power interruption. |
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| This clock appeared in an episode of "The Twilight Zone" (Mr. Bevis), in an office scene. The case is clearly not black, but it may have been repainted at some time in its life, and it is missing the seconds hand. |
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