The moment you publish a book is when the anxiety starts. Did you leave something out? Any mistakes? Where opinions and educated guesses labeled as such?

I consider myself lucky because in the seven years since my Lawson clock book was published, not many previously unknown clocks have appeared.

But “not many” isn’t none, so here’s an update.

Lawson #75 and #75-x (Los Angeles, 1933-34). We tend to think of people living through the Great Depression focused on the future, and who can blame them? In the midst of all the hardships there were trains and planes setting new speed records, there were breakthroughs in medicine, Pluto was discovered and lots more. But…there was also a fascination with ancient civilizations and my bet is that the very rare Lawson #75 is modeled on a Meso-American pyramid.

Lawson model #75 (courtesy Budd Goldman)

But wait, there’s more. It turns out there were two 75s; a regular clock and a taller “75-x” model with a compartment for cigarettes.

Lawson #75 and #75-x (courtesy Frank Novak)

You can just make out the X. Lawson Clocks Limited dates this clock as 1933-34, after which Lawson Clocks LTD became Lawson Time, Inc. (courtesy Frank Novak)

May I offer you a cigarette? (courtesy Frank Novak)

Lawson #110 (Los Angeles, 1933-34). This one looks very early and it is. We can tell because the tag says Lawson Clocks Limited, not Lawson Time. The case was almost certainly made by Adler in Chicago who made cabinets for radios and some early Pennwood clocks. Not a clock for Art Deco collectors, but still interesting.  It’s the only one I’ve ever seen.

Lawson #110 (courtesy Frank Novak)

Next, two new members of the Lawson royal family. The Empress (Los Angeles, 1930s), Lawson’s only pre war plastic clock was advertised as available in a variety of of colors yet no one had ever seen an Empress in any color but brown. Recently, a white Empress turned up, and was lovingly restored by Bob Goldman. And unlike my brown Empress, Bob’s white one had it’s original tag so now we know the Empress was model #99.

Lawson #99 Empress (courtesy Bob Goldman)

Now, a white Empress is an amazing find, but how about a model that has never appeared in any color? The Empress was part of the royal family and just as I was writing this post, a Lawson #175 Emperor (Los Angeles, 1930s) was discovered. Although missing it’s original pen holder and pen humidor, whatever that was, the Emperor is as rare as it gets. Well, except for the Prince, which has yet to be found. This Emperor will need a new pen holder and a proper set of Lawson wheels but that’s easy.

Lawson #175 Emperor (courtesy Frank Novak)

Lawson #205 “Barrister” variation (Los Angeles, 1930s). This isn’t as earth shattering as the two above, but I always wanted a Barrister. This one was in poor condition but was subsequently restored by master refinisher Tim Kilboy.  What makes this a variation is that the feet are different from the other example I’ve seen and if you look very closely, the curvature of the edges of the case is different too.

Lawson #205 (author’s collection)

Lawson #205 (courtesy Neil Kuns)

Lawson #350 (Alhambra, CA, 1948 or later).  Some time after the book was published I saw a picture of one of these in one of those Becken catalog pages people sell on eBay. Since it’s an unusual combination of parts from models #217 & #309, and it shares model numbert 350 with the pre-war Lawson “Manhattan” model, I had my doubts that this clock was produced but here it is.

Here, from a page in Parker Pen’s 1938 catalog, is the KLOCKLAW, a pen and pencil set including a Lawson Zephyr. Price in 1938? $90. Adjusted for inflation, a KLOCKLAW today would cost you $2138.17.

Somewhat more modest, in 1948 Lawson Time offered a variation on the Arlington #97 (Los Angeles, 1930s, Pasadena (1940 or 1946-47), Alhambra, CA, 1948 and later) with an extra long base and two Sheaffer pens. $125 in 1948? That would be $1737.45 in 2026.

I should point out that ads I’ve looked at show that around the time Henry Fenenbock acquired the company (1948) the prices of some models went down.  Below, an ad for Christmas 1949.  Mind you, even at this discounted price, this clock would set you back $266.72 in today’s dollars.

Finally, an honorable mention. In one of the very first ads for a cyclometer clock, from 1932, Kauffman’s department store in Pittsburgh advertised a Pennwood clock with black wheels. Since it was just a drawing, I figured this was the artist’s creative license but it turns out at least one Pennwood clock with black wheels exists–and it still works! Many thanks to clock expert Russ Windle for this one.

Very early Pennwood clock, c.1932 (courtesy Russ Windle)