Just bought my first pendulum clock!

[cwesterfield]

Hello NAWCC members! I've wanted a wind up pendulum clock for some time, I just love the rhythmic sound.

I finally decided to just go ahead and get one. I found one on Ebay that my wife and I liked the look of and we won the auction. The description stated it was an "Antique 1888 Vienna Regulator, " but that doesn't mean much to me.

I have it hung up and put back together. It seems wound, but its not yet keeping the pendulum swinging. I'm excited about some very low level troubleshooting with it.

The stamp makes me think its a Gustav & Becker clock, but that's all I have sorted out yet.

Here's some pictures (hanging crooked, so fair warning for our OCD sufferers):

 

[new2clocks]

Hello NAWCC members! I've wanted a wind up pendulum clock for some time, I just love the rhythmic sound.

I finally decided to just go ahead and get one. I found one on Ebay that my wife and I liked the look of and we won the auction. The description stated it was an "Antique 1888 Vienna Regulator, " but that doesn't mean much to me.

I have it hung up and put back together. It seems wound, but its not yet keeping the pendulum swinging. I'm excited about some very low level troubleshooting with it.

The stamp makes me think its a Gustav & Becker clock, but that's all I have sorted out yet.

Here's some pictures (hanging crooked, so fair warning for our OCD sufferers):

View attachment 648088 View attachment 648089 View attachment 648090 View attachment 648091 View attachment 648092

Welcome to the forum.

Your clock is a Becker, a German company. Our Becker experts will be along to provide the years that your trademark and serial number were used.

The style of clock is a 'box clock'. It is not a Vienna regulator - it is a German box clock.

It appears to be time and strike. It does not chime.

Congratulations on your first pendulum clock! You will enjoy it.

Regards.

 

[JTD]

Welcome to the board.

As new3clocks says, this is not really a Vienna regulator (though the name is often used very loosely). I also think that it is a good deal later than 1888, going by the style of the case and the dial. Don't know where the seller got the date of 1888 from.

You say 'it seems wound'. Well, either it is or it isn't! Wind both winding arbors fully (you can't overwind a clock, no matter what you hear people say). Then give the pendulum a gentle push to set it swinging.

Does it keep going if you have it tilted? It may need setting in beat. The way to do this is described in detail in 'Beat Setting 101' which you will find if you go to the Repair section of this board. Click on the 'How to do it' section and you will see 'Beat Setting 101'. Setting your clock in beat is not difficult and I am sure you will be able to follow the instructions.

Your clock is very nice and I am sure you will enjoy it. However, if you are going to have it running it really should be cleaned and overhauled before too long. I can see a lot of accumulated dirt in the pivots.

JTD

 

[cwesterfield]

Thanks for the tip! It's definitely wound up. I found the string that sets of the chime, so very cool.

I leveled it with a small level and tried again, I get about 5 min before it slows down to much to hear it clicking off teeth.

Need to investigate more. Are there diagrams for these movements?

 

[JTD]

I leveled it with a small level and tried again, I get about 5 min before it slows down to much to hear it clicking off teeth.

Just because you have it level does not automatically mean it is in beat, it may require an adjustment to the crutch.. Please read and carry out the instructions in Beat 101 that I referred to earlier and you may solve your problem.

JTD

 

[cwesterfield]

Update!

I read the "How a pendulum clock works" guide, Excellent stuff. Turns out my bob was cranked up to the highest position.

I got it running!

I also did a little internet sleuthing on the year of manufacture. I won't post it here because it's copyrighted, but the "Gustav Baker Story 1847-1927" has a table of years for serial numbers. It says 1885 started the 500,000 serial numbers, and they started using 800,000 in 1890. Maybe thats how they decided on 1888. The same book has the embossment for BRAUNAU i.BOEHM, which I think means it was made in north Austria.

 

[JTD]

The same book has the embossment for BRAUNAU i.BOEHM, which I think means it was made in north Austria.

The stamp on your clock was the logo used by the Braunau i. Böhm. factory (Braunau is now called Broumov) in what is now the Czech republic. At that time it was part of the Austro-Hungarian empire. The factory in Braunau started in 1888 (does that date sound familiar?!) and the logo on your clock was used from 1888 to 1926.

Serial No (Braunau) 665923 was made in 1911 according to John Hubby's research, so yours will have been made just a little earlier, which would suit the appearance of the case very well.

Hope this helps.

JTD

 

[cwesterfield]

Serial No (Braunau) 665923 was made in 1911 according to John Hubby's research, so yours will have been made just a little earlier, which would suit the appearance of the case very well.

Hope this helps.

JTD

That is so cool! Thanks!

I have two more questions if you have time. Where did you find 1911 specifically? On the page I found it looked like 1913-1914.

Do you know what the little wings are that seem to hold the chimes if you fold them in?

 

[Burkhard Rasch]

they are a transportation device, You close and secure the gong rods when You move the clock to prevent ratteling and breaking.
Burkhard

 

[JTD]

Where did you find 1911 specifically? On the page I found it looked like 1913-1914.

I didn't say your clock was 1911, just the number I quoted, which was from an earlier working by John Hubby. However, the page you linked is his later work, so you are right, your clock is about 1914, which fits the style of the case even better.

JTD

 

[cwesterfield]

I didn't say your clock was 1911, just the number I quoted, which was from an earlier working by John Hubby. However, the page you linked is his later work, so you are right, your clock is about 1914, which fits the style of the case even better.

JTD

Ohh okay cool I'm not great at navigating this site just yet, but I know the information is in here. Thanks!