With a history that included three different owners and a world war it’s not surprising that some Lawson Time clock names and numbers got jumbled. Here, then, is more trivia for the Lawson obsessed.  A summary so far, including a bit more information than I knew when Moderne Time was printed.

Lawson 67, (both Los Angeles, 1930s.) Pretty rare in either form but at least one #67 has turned up without the vertical center strip decoration.

Lawson #67 (eBay)

Lawson #67 (author’s collection)

Lawson 99 (both Los Angeles, 1930s–but mirrored clocks may have also been made post-war.) Two obscure clocks here. I’ve had a Lawson Empress for years but mine has no markings so I didn’t know the model number until the white one turned up recently. The Empress was model #99 and that number sounded familiar. Sure enough, one of Lawson’s mirrored clocks was also model #99.

By the way, I think I’ve seen mirrored Lawsons that were made at Lawson’s Alhambra location, thus post-war. My suspicion is that Lawson made the backplates and someone else made the cases which, underneath the glass, are pretty crude. So it might have been a simple task to make a second batch of mirrored clocks if all that was required was the back plates.

Lawson #99, Empress (author’s collection)

Lawson #99 (eBay)

Lawson 215, (both Alhambra, CA, c.1948 or later.) This is an odd one. The Lawson #215 “Sierra” was one of Lawson Time’s most popular clocks, made at all three Lawson locations from the 1930s to the 1970s. (The Sierras made in the 1930s had slightly different cases). Yet somehow, number 215 found its way onto this very different variant.

Lawson #215 “Sierra”. (courtesy Neil Kuns)

Lawson #215 (eBay)

Lawson 312, (Los Angeles, 1930s & Alhambra, CA, c.1948 or later.) How about three Lawson clocks with the same model number?  First, an exceedingly rare 1930s streamlined #312.  Next, a very unusual #312 with a squared off case and “sled” feet. Finally, the most common type of #312, the Newport.

Side note; the L.A. #312, the first of the three shown here, is a recent discovery, complete with its original base and pen holder. The only photo available when the book was published was a clock without the base and with a repair label covering where it was manufactured so this is a great new find.  Also, note how much darker the “bronze” finish was on the earliest Lawson clocks.

Lawson #312, 1930s. (courtesy Frank Novak)

Lawson #312, 1948 or later. (courtesy Budd Goldman)

Lawson #312 “Newport” 1948 or later (author’s collection)

Lawson 313 (both Albambra, CA, c.1948 and later.) Here again, two clocks with the same number, one reasonably common, the other very scarce. The clock with the curves is the “Vogue” and these do turn up reasonably often. The squared off 313, even without the 24-hr time display, is the only one I’ve ever seen.

Lawson #313 “Vogue” (courtesy Dana Slawson)

Lawson #313 (author’s collection)

Lawson 350, (Los Angeles, 1930s & Alhambra, CA, c. 1946 and later.)  Another triple play.

In the 1930s, the Lawson #350 was the “Manhattan”, an impressive mantle clock:

Lawson #350, “Manhattan”. (courtesy Russ Windle)

After the war, Lawson time made briefly made clocks for Telechron/GE. The Telechron model was “Register” model 8B23.  After the short lived arrangement with Telechron, Lawson Time continued to make this model as the “Esquire”, model #350. Hair splitters will note that the Telechron versions have rotor + coil motor mechanisms and feet riveted to the case whereas most, but not all of the Lawson Esquires have a Synchron type motor and screwed in feet.

Last but not least, the Lawson #350 “Esquire”, aka Telechron 8B23 Register (author’s collection)

Finally, this too, is a Lawson #350, with the legs usually seen on the model #309. I can’t put my finger on it but I have seen a catalog page showing this unusual variation so it’s genuine.

Lawson #350 (eBay)

Did I miss any? Let me know.