The LUX Clock Company

The Lux Clock Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut was founded in 1914 by Paul Lux (1868-1947), his wife Caroline, and their two sons, Fred and Herman. It is thought that at that time The Lux Clock Mfg. Company produced only clock movements. In the years that followed, as the business grew, the company moved to larger buildings, only to have nearly everything destroyed by fire. The company was rebuilt with the help of family and friends, and in the 1920s a larger plant was built at 95 Johnson Street, Waterbury, Connecticut, which was expanded in 1931 and in 1936. During this period, the Lux Clock Mfg. Company produced 3,000 clocks per day. The Lux Clock Mfg. Company produced clocks until 1941, at which time they made war related products. Clock production resumed after the war. In 1954, a plant was established in Lebanon, Tennessee, a plant in Oakville, Ontario, Canada opened in the late 1950’s. In June of 1961 The Robertshaw-Fulton Controls Company bought out the Lux clock Mfg. Company and produced clocks and timers with the Robertshaw Controls Company, Lux Time Division name. In 1986, Robertshaw Controls Company was sold to the Siebe group, of London, England. Kitchen timers that carry the LUX name are being produced to this day, although not by the original Lux Clock Company.

Clocks that were produced by the Lux Clock Mfg. Company have become very collectable, although they were produced in mass quantities and were very inexpensive. They have become popular with novelty clock collectors. Some of the clocks, which originally sold for $2.00 to $3.00, now sell for $2,000-$3,000 in mint condition ? not bad for a novelty clock. Collectors beware: Reproductions exist of some of the more expensive Lux Pendulettes so use caution before making a purchase. The Pendulettes have been popular for many years, while the alarm and mantle clocks were of little interest or value to collectors. However, in the past few years these have become very collectable, with prices reflecting their popularity. Lux produced a broad variety of clocks, such as Pendulettes, animated, alarm, mantle, wall, boudoir, desk, lamp clocks, full size cuckoos, art clocks, bank clocks, travel clocks, automobile clocks, kitchen clocks and stove timers. Lux also produced fit up movements that other companies put into their own cases, which is one reason why you will find hundreds of different styles of clocks with Lux movements.

Many of the pendulette and shelf clocks had faces made by the Syracuse Ornamental Company Inc. These were made of a mixture of fine sawdust and resin (known as Syrocowood) that was poured into a mold, dried and then removed from the mold. The Lux Clock Mfg. Company then hand painted these cases in various colors. After World War 2, The Lux Clock Mfg. Company started producing many of their clocks with plastic cases. In the 1930s Lux Clock Mfg. Company also made clocks for the August C. Keebler Company of Chicago, Illinois (The Keebler Company did not produce their own clocks). The Lux Clock Clock Mfg. Company also sold the same clocks with their name on them. Westclox also made clocks for the Keebler Company that were similar to the Lux Pendulettes. The Westclox clocks all wind at the nine o'clock position. In the late 50s Westclox also produced their own pendulettes,which were similar to the Lux pendulettes.

The Lux Clock Mfg. Company also had a sales division in New York, the DeLuxe Clock and Mfg. Company Inc., 1107 Broadway New York, New York. You will find many of the art clocks with the DE LUXE sticker on the back of the case.