Gustav Becker thought I'd share

[Darrmann39]

Got this Gustav becker in for repair. Never really saw one like this with double and triple winding wheels on front . Also has a shut off just above dial. And some pretty damn big strike and chime mainspring barrels. Westminster sounds really nice.
Also pretty cool lower wall adjusters that are on the inside of case coming out the back.
S/N 2474383

 

[J. A. Olson]

Another great clock. The porcelain dial is unusual compared to the silvered dials most of these clocks had.

The wall levelers were standard practice on these clocks, they were meant to level and stabilize the case so it doesn't jump when one winds or regulates the clock.

John Hubby's serial database suggests this one was made in 1924. Link to the serials:

Post Your Gustav Becker Clocks Here

Travis, from an historical perspective this is a significant clock. It is one of the transition models made in 1910 when GB was entering direct competition with Hamburg American, Junghans, Kienzle, etc. The use of the GB Anchor with "SILESIA" and the serial number both confirm it was made in...

mb.nawcc.org

 

[Darrmann39]

Another great clock. The porcelain dial is unusual compared to the silvered dials most of these clocks had.

The wall levelers were standard practice on these clocks, they were meant to level and stabilize the case so it doesn't jump when one winds or regulates the clock.

John Hubby's serial database suggests this one was made in 1924. Link to the serials:

Post Your Gustav Becker Clocks Here

Travis, from an historical perspective this is a significant clock. It is one of the transition models made in 1910 when GB was entering direct competition with Hamburg American, Junghans, Kienzle, etc. The use of the GB Anchor with "SILESIA" and the serial number both confirm it was made in...

mb.nawcc.org

Thanks. Yes beauty of a dial. I also love the craftsmanship put into the levers on the front plate.

 

[michael isaacs]

Great clock, love the style.

 

[Darrmann39]

Great clock, love the style.

Me to. Not sure my customer realized What a cool clock this is.

 

[tracerjack]

I agree with the assessment on the quality of this clock. But in the photos, the dial has a very matte appearance that doesn’t look like porcelain. Porcelain dials shine like glass which I don’t see in the photo. Perhaps it is just optics, but it looks like a painted dial. If so, a very nice one.

 

[new2clocks]

Perhaps it is just optics, but it looks like a painted dial.

After you wrote this, I looked at the photos again and see your point. It does appear to be a painted dial. But, like you stated, it could be the optics.

The minute hand appears to be a bit too long and could be a replacement.

Regards.

 

[Darrmann39]

After you wrote this, I looked at the photos again and see your point. It does appear to be a painted dial. But, like you stated, it could be the optics.

The minute hand appears to be a bit too long and could be a replacement.

Regards.

Yes it is painted. I see what you mean about the hands. The minute does look a bit long. Problem already solved it was catching lifting up the arm getting ready chime stopping the clock. A little oil on the pivot and amazingly hasn't stopped in 24 hours when it was stopping every couple hours. Still will suggest he let me do a full service.

 

[J. A. Olson]

I'm surprised this one was a painted dial. The numerals look like a silk screen transfer in your close-up photo.
It is true that VFU/Gustav Becker cycled out dial patterns and other details, however they were usually catalogued at one point.
The 1924 catalog doesn't show porcelain or painted dials for the chiming wall clocks, just silvered dials with screened arabic numerals.

Ironically your case does not appear anywhere in the 1924 catalog. The style of the clock you're working on looks closer to VFU/Gustav Becker's older models which were more prominent in the 1910's. Compare the prevalent style of cases in the 1924 catalog...



...to those in the 1912 catalog.



There is also a 'tail' on the bottom of the case which appears to be completely absent on your customer's clock.
Compare with the illustrated cases. None that I could find in the catalogs had a flat base.

Meanwhile the movement and gong appear in the 1924 catalog:




I have two ways to theorize how this clock came to be:

1. A very late example of an 'old style' case produced in 1924, but not cataloged. Case tail broke off or was purposely removed.
2. A marriage between a 1910's case and a 1920's movement with custom changes such as dial and hands, flat base.

 

[tracerjack]

Yes it is most likely silk screened, not actually painted by an artist. I now realize 'painted' carries a specific meaning in horology. Even as a silk screen, the dial is in lovely condition; it is not porcelain which was what I was questioning.

 

[Darrmann39]

I'm surprised this one was a painted dial. The numerals look like a silk screen transfer in your close-up photo.
It is true that VFU/Gustav Becker cycled out dial patterns and other details, however they were usually catalogued at one point.
The 1924 catalog doesn't show porcelain or painted dials for the chiming wall clocks, just silvered dials with screened arabic numerals.

Ironically your case does not appear anywhere in the 1924 catalog. The style of the clock you're working on looks closer to VFU/Gustav Becker's older models which were more prominent in the 1910's. Compare the prevalent style of cases in the 1924 catalog...

View attachment 758356

...to those in the 1912 catalog.

View attachment 758357

There is also a 'tail' on the bottom of the case which appears to be completely absent on your customer's clock.
Compare with the illustrated cases. None that I could find in the catalogs had a flat base.

Meanwhile the movement and gong appear in the 1924 catalog:

View attachment 758359 View attachment 758360


I have two ways to theorize how this clock came to be:

1. A very late example of an 'old style' case produced in 1924, but not cataloged. Case tail broke off or was purposely removed.
2. A marriage between a 1910's case and a 1920's movement with custom changes such as dial and hands, flat base.

I don't believe anything was ever on bottom. Very clean

 

[Darrmann39]

I'm surprised this one was a painted dial. The numerals look like a silk screen transfer in your close-up photo.
It is true that VFU/Gustav Becker cycled out dial patterns and other details, however they were usually catalogued at one point.
The 1924 catalog doesn't show porcelain or painted dials for the chiming wall clocks, just silvered dials with screened arabic numerals.

Ironically your case does not appear anywhere in the 1924 catalog. The style of the clock you're working on looks closer to VFU/Gustav Becker's older models which were more prominent in the 1910's. Compare the prevalent style of cases in the 1924 catalog...

View attachment 758356

...to those in the 1912 catalog.

View attachment 758357

There is also a 'tail' on the bottom of the case which appears to be completely absent on your customer's clock.
Compare with the illustrated cases. None that I could find in the catalogs had a flat base.

Meanwhile the movement and gong appear in the 1924 catalog:

View attachment 758359 View attachment 758360


I have two ways to theorize how this clock came to be:

1. A very late example of an 'old style' case produced in 1924, but not cataloged. Case tail broke off or was purposely removed.
2. A marriage between a 1910's case and a 1920's movement with custom changes such as dial and hands, flat base.

I've would say it most matches the 1st one on bottom. But that has 6 pieces of glass and this only has 3. The roo

 

[J. A. Olson]

Now I see where your case's 'tail' is! It was completely hidden in your first photo, giving the illusion that it wasn't there.
I always call it the tail since it sometimes took a long, narrow formation reminiscent of a hanging tail beneath the case's main structure.

The longer tails were more apparent on the traditional French style outlines, such as this one:



Yes there is a difference between a true hand-painted dial and those created with screening transfers. Very few (if any) German factory production clocks from this period had true hand-painted dials. It was usually silk screening or etching on these dials for ease of economy. Once in a while you'll find raised numerals instead.

Glass panels were also interchangeable amongst the different case outlines.
If the clock is really a 'marriage' between an older case and newer movement, someone did a much nicer job at it compared to other marriages out there. The hands look about the same as those on this archived VFU/Gustav Becker clock.

 

[Darrmann39]

Now I see where your case's 'tail' is! It was completely hidden in your first photo, giving the illusion that it wasn't there.
I always call it the tail since it sometimes took a long, narrow formation reminiscent of a hanging tail beneath the case's main structure.

The longer tails were more apparent on the traditional French style outlines, such as this one:

View attachment 758369

Yes there is a difference between a true hand-painted dial and those created with screening transfers. Very few (if any) German factory production clocks from this period had true hand-painted dials. It was usually silk screening or etching on these dials for ease of economy. Once in a while you'll find raised numerals instead.

Glass panels were also interchangeable amongst the different case outlines.
If the clock is really a 'marriage' between an older case and newer movement, someone did a much nicer job at it compared to other marriages out there. The hands look about the same as those on this archived VFU/Gustav Becker clock.

View attachment 758370

And they are longer also them the minute marks