Post Your Gustav Becker 400-Day Clocks Here

[darek19670528]

I found such a G.B Louvre No. 4434 with a disc pendulum

 

[darek19670528]

Znalazłem taki GB Louvre nr 4434 z wahadłem tarczowym

 

[darek19670528]

Sorry this first is my 4038 wrong photo I added

 

[etmb61]

Becker used the disk pendulums throughout their production. The ball pendulums were an option but they did not supersede the disks.

Eric

 

[darek19670528]

Thank you. Regards

 

[etmb61]

Znalazłem taki GB Louvre nr 4434 z wahadłem tarczowym

View attachment 647585

I recorded this one when it sold on ebay but I missed it in my previous count. With this one and your clock I've recorded 17 Becker louvre models between 142 and 4938.

Eric

 

[darek19670528]

Cześć Eric, dziękuję za informację. Wysyłam zdjęcie mojego G.B Louvre numer 4038 i ma ono wahadło kulowe

 

[darek19670528]

Wcześniejsze

 

[darek19670528]

Eric, a tu zdjęcie tego samego zegara numer 4038 ale na chwilę zmieniłem wahadło

 

[etmb61]

Eric, a tu zdjęcie tego samego zegara numer 4038 ale na chwilę zmieniłem wahadło

View attachment 647640

Hi Darek,

I reviewed my records again and of the 17 louvre clocks I have noted 6 (including yours) have ball pendulums and the rest have discs. The ball pendulums are slightly less common, even though they were introduced when all the other makers were abandoning the discs. I think they are more attractive and certainly better made than the later Becker disc pendulums.

Eric

 

[darek19670528]

Back plate photo and number

 

[gintarasb64]

Hello,
Sharing pictures of my new GB 400 day clock. Very nice with Roman numbers dial and decorated dial ring, torsion pendulum. SN 2467855. Best regards
Gintaras

 

[KurtinSA]

Nice! Roman numerals seem like a cut above to me! Date of the clock is the latter half of 1923.

Kurt

 

[darek19670528]

Hello, a very nice clock, rarely seen with Roman numerals, it was probably a version for the USA and, moreover, a small number of these clocks with this dial.

 

[gintarasb64]

Hello, a very nice clock, rarely seen with Roman numerals, it was probably a version for the USA and, moreover, a small number of these clocks with this dial.

Another one GB 400 day clock, similiar to posted previously, just with small GB logo on the dial. SN 332 ( Junghans numbering).
Best regards
Gintaras

 

[darek19670528]

Hello, great collection. Congratulations Gintaras. Regards Darek

 

[Darrmann39]

Bee, thanks very much for your inquiry and posting your GB clock. Eric is correct, GB changed their serial numbering system in May 1925, no longer posting sequential serial numbers for all their numbered clocks. Instead, they restarted numbering from "1" for at least five different types of movements. My data show your clock was made near the end of 1929. With regard to the change, we initially thought that was because GB was being taken over by Junghans at that time. It turns out the takeover didn't occur until May 1930 so that should not have had any influence on the change

Actually, GB first made this type of clock and movement design in 1902; the earliest serial number documented for that time is 1632604. At the time the numbering system was changed, the highest serial number recorded to date is 2508167; then dropping back to '1'. Your clock appears to be complete except for the suspension guard, exact replicas are available from the Horolovar Company or from eBay. The pendulum having a matching serial number to the movement shows this is the original pendulum. The Roman number dial was used on less than 10% of all the GB 400-Day clocks so it isn't all that common.

I am going to move your thread to be part of our thread "Post Your Gustav Becker 400-Day Clock Here" for continued discussion. We try to avoid having multiple makers discussed in the same thread.

glad i found this post. I recently got a GB 400 day clock for parts originally them i couldn't find myself to take it apart so 8 fixed it and it runs great. Thing it's serial# is 525. Was told it was mid 30s. But from what I'm reading here it would be more like 1925 would that be correct.
Then i got this other one that's numbered 2119487 could you give me a year that would have been.
Added some pics of my GB Skeleton just for the heck of it. Lol. Made my own base. Had a reproduction

 

[KurtinSA]

The "525" doesn't look like a serial number. I think it's just the last 3 digits of the full serial number. Often times, they stamp the other plate with the last 3 digits to keep things together.

As for the number 2119487, that appears to be the latter half of 1909.

Kurt

 

[etmb61]

The "525" doesn't look like a serial number. I think it's just the last 3 digits of the full serial number. Often times, they stamp the other plate with the last 3 digits to keep things together.

As for the number 2119487, that appears to be the latter half of 1909.

Kurt

Kurt,
525 is a good serial number for the late 1920s.

Eric

 

[KurtinSA]

I agree bit IMO the full serial number wouldn't be on the front plate or in that location from what I can see.

Kurt

 

[etmb61]

H

I agree bit IMO the full serial number wouldn't be on the front plate or in that location from what I can see.

Kurt

Hi Kurt,
I believe the last three digits on the front plate was a standard Becker practice. If the serial number was only three digits you got the entire number. I took one of mine apart for you to see.


Here is an older plate as well.


Eric

 

[KurtinSA]

Eric -

As usual, you seem to be correct. Nice that you went and tore down a clock just to confirm! I haven't taken any of my 1925+ Beckers apart yet so can't tell on them. But a few of the other pre 1925 clocks I have overhauled I do see stampings on the front plate. Most are the last three digits of the full serial number. One clock, though, only has the last two digits. So, a bit of an odd ball. I'll have to pay more attention whenever I take the others apart.

Kurt

 

[gintarasb64]

Gintaras thanks for posting. Very tardy reply, but your clock is one of those made in the first production run of the skeleton clocks in January 1910. About 600 clocks were made in this batch, the first 90 and the final 100 of this run being made for B. H. Abrahams of London and stamped with the BHA logo per Plate 1033. Your clock has plate 1189. As best I can tell the clock is completely original, only missing the suspension guard.

All of the clocks in this first batch were essentially identical, all with oval mahogany base with oval glass dome, stamped and embossed silver color metal dial with black numbers, and a standard GB disc pendulum. There are two in my data that have had the original pendulum replaced with a mis-matched serial number No. 17 chandelier style pendulum. This is very evidently due to Charles Terwilliger concluding that "all" the GB skeleton clocks would have the skeletonized No 17, when in fact less than half actually were originally fitted with that pendulum design.

Hello,
Sharing pictures of another GB 400 day clock with logo and SN on the front plate.
Regards
Gintaras

 

[KurtinSA]

It appears there is a faint "1" in front of the numbers...if so, that makes it first half of 1903. Somewhat unusual to me seeing the S/N there as well as the GB logo.

Kurt

 

[marylander]

Hello,
Sharing pictures of another GB 400 day clock with logo and SN on the front plate.
Regards
Gintaras

View attachment 655309 View attachment 655310 View attachment 655311

Hi Gintaras, the pendulum does not look correct for the clock. This is my 1903 GB pendulum.

 

[KurtinSA]

Could it just be the photo angle? It does appear that the deck of the disk seems taller that most that I've seen. But the disks on the gallery look right as well as the pedestal that holds the gallery up.

Kurt

 

[gintarasb64]

Hi Gintaras, the pendulum does not look correct for the clock. This is my 1903 GB pendulum. View attachment 655429

Hello,
Thank you for comments. Pendulum is without SN, but I think it match 1903 time period . See pictures.
Best regards
Gintaras

 

[marylander]

Hello,
Thank you for comments. Pendulum is without SN, but I think it match 1903 time period . See pictures.
Best regards
Gintaras

View attachment 655590 View attachment 655591 View attachment 655592

Hi Gintaras,
Thank you very much for the photos. Indeed, it is correct pendulum. When I used Ipad to look at your first post, I could not see the pendulum very well. with these new photos, it is very clear to me that it is the correct pendulum for the clock.
Ming

 

[atopos]

Hi there,
Does someone can share pictures of the shape of the feets from Gustav Becker skeleton clock?

 

[Darrmann39]

Hi there,
Does someone can share pictures of the shape of the feets from Gustav Becker skeleton clock?

That's the best I can do without taking off the pendulum

 

[atopos]

Thank you.

One more question:

This ball shaped feets are fully circular or with flat bottom?

 

[Darrmann39]

Thank you.

One more question:

This ball shaped feets are fully circular or with flat bottom?

Not really

 

[Meyer]

Meyer -

Welcome to the message board! Nice find...hopefully the dome is in good shape and is original. I would date the clock to late 1922 based upon tables presented on the forum in the past. As for leveling, about all you can do is to shim it. I use small strips of old credit cards at the appropriate spot to bring the base into level. The picture you show of the suspension spring doesn't look too bad...I think it would run as is.

Kurt

Hi Kurt,
Just quick question, I got the Horolovar book today, and when looking up the serial number they date it to be around 1910, are the book really about 12 years off ?
Thank you
Meyer

 

[KurtinSA]

Meyer -

I'm afraid that is likely the case! Terwilliger did the best he could and is generally more accurate with the post WWII clocks. John Hubby has spent a great deal of time researching, among other things, the dating of the Becker products. I don't know all of his sources but it includes period catalogs as well as specific points in time where a serial number can be dated due to ownership papers, sales receipts, etc. With periodic known points of time, he was better able to fill in the gaps...with some assumptions on production rates.

Kurt

 

[instarclock]

All.

I wanted to share pictures of my latest Becker. It has a presentation engraving dated 1907, but John Hubby tells me the clock was made in 1905. The serial number is 1845653. It’s missing the verge, but I have a donor clock for a replacement.

Robb

 

[etmb61]

All.

I wanted to share pictures of my latest Becker. It has a presentation engraving dated 1907, but John Hubby tells me the clock was made in 1905. The serial number is 1845653. It’s missing the verge, but I have a donor clock for a replacement.

Robb

View attachment 684321 View attachment 684322

The hands are a bit too modern.

 

[OlegM225]

I wish everyone a Happy New Year!
I wanted to share pictures of my latest Gustav Becker.
The serial number is 1910992.
I got this watch without a glass dome and a torsion bar with a fork.
I have a desire to make a mahogany case for this watch.
Sincerely, Oleg, Russia.

 

[Dells]

This is the correct case for GB with that square dial.

 

[OlegM225]

This is the correct case for GB with that square dial. View attachment 687945

Good afternoon!
It remains to add a crown

 

[OlegM225]

 

[KurtinSA]

Oleg -

Welcome to the message board! Seeing these clocks in wooden cases is special. Your clock serial number dates it to the middle of 1906. Your first picture shows a twisted rope design around the dial whereas the other pictures show a series of beads in a line. I wonder if that was just a design option available at the time.

Kurt

 

[OlegM225]

Oleg -
Seeing these clocks in wooden cases is special.

Kurt

I agree - beauty and grace!
We wash it slowly and return it to its original appearance. The figures will be restored with black enamel.

 

[Dells]

Good afternoon!
It remains to add a crown

Yes my one is missing the top spandrel, I am looking for one.

 

[Burkhard Rasch]

I agree - beauty and grace!
We wash it slowly and return it to its original appearance. The figures will be restored with black enamel.

View attachment 687950

this dial has the numbers and minute markings engraved : new waxing and resilvering would restore its original beauty , even done by a (talented) amateur !
Good luck with it!
Burkhard

 

[OlegM225]

new waxing and re silvering would restore its original beauty.
Good luck with it!
Burkhard

I will entrust this work to a professional jeweler.
Oleg.

 

[OlegM225]

Oleg -
Your first picture shows a twisted rope design around the dial whereas the other pictures show a series of beads in a line. I wonder if that was just a design option available at the time.

Kurt

"number 2070882"

https://clockinfo.com/posts/2823

 

[KurtinSA]

"number 2070882"

Note that that source shows a date of 1906 for that serial number published in the repair guide. John Hubby has published more refined numbers for after 1900 which improve the dating. That serial number should be more like late 1908.

Kurt

 

[OlegM225]

I noticed that the mechanisms with numbers more than two million are installed in less elegant wooden cases.

Oleg.

 

[gintarasb64]

I noticed that the mechanisms with numbers more than two million are installed in less elegant wooden cases.

Oleg.

Hello,
Sharing pictures of my latest find - nice GB skeleton clock. BHA logo, movement SN 2131386, pendulum SN 21321388. I think pendulum is original to this clock. Any comments would be interesting Regards
Gintaras

 

[KurtinSA]

A Gustav Becker skeleton clock is on my bucket list! The serial number dates the clock to first few months of 1910.

Kurt