Gustof Becker Wall Clock

 In for repair is a Gustof Becker wall clock with and hour and 1/2-hour strike.
Circa between 1902 and 1926.  The customer stated that the clock will not keep running and that it has not been serviced in quite some time.

Before we talk about the clock and what needs to be done for the repair it is a good idea to talk about the history of the Gustof Becker clock company.  This information came from a general search via AI. 

Gustav Becker's clockmaking journey began in 1847 when he opened a small clock shop in Freiburg, Silesia. His dedication to precision and his ability to create intricate clock repairs earned him recognition and accolades, including a gold medal at the Silesian Clock Fair in 1852. Becker's clocks were known for their exceptional quality and design, and he became a sought-after clockmaker in Europe. His company, Gustav Becker, produced a wide range of clocks, from simple wall clocks to elaborate regulators, and was known for its elegant casework and fine movement construction. The company's production continued until 1935, when it merged with the Junghans group. Today, Becker clocks are highly sought after by collectors and enthusiasts for their historical value and craftsmanship.

This article didn't mention that these clock movements are well made hence, a pleasure to repair.

There is a label on the clock case.  It was not easy to find given the tarnish over the years.  A little steel wool uncovered this gem. 

The label reads Nicolas Leiteror.  He was the maker of this clock.  The next line reads "Uhrmacher", this is translated as "Watchmaker".  The final line reads Gabwiler i.E.  This is a town in eastern France, near Basel Switzerland and Friburg Germany.  More information about his town can be found by following -> this link <-

Another interesting feature of this clock is the gong.  Below is a picture of the gong with the movement removed.  There is a picture of a church and below says "Dom Gong" or "Cathedral Gong".

On to the repair:

The clock movement was very dirty, with old oil that has hardened and thick. 

The clock case was very dry and the wood was very fragile.  It is difficult to remove the clock movement from the case.  It was a very tight fit.  With a little patience, the movement was removed.  The next image shows the movement out of the case.  Notice how dirty and dingy the brass is.

The levers and outside wheels were removed to see how warn the clock movement was.  The next two images show front and back.  The worn pivot holes are circled in RED.

Front

Back

There were 9 pivot holes that were worn that needed rebuilding.  Since it is impossible to grow brass or any metal that has worn away, the original pivot hole must be cut out and plugged with a new "bushing".  If you count the number of circles there is only 8.  The 9th pivot hole needing rebuilding is on the front side underneath the steel strike lift lever.

Other items included in the repair include:  All pivots were tested for smoothness. Most were great after 125 years of service but 5 needed polishing.  These 5 were loaded individually on a jewel's lathe and polished to a shiny finish.  Mainsprings were removed from their barrels and stretched and examined for damage.  Both looked in good shape.

After all physical work is performed, the disassembled movement was cleaned in an ultrasonic cleaner using hi-grade clock cleaning solution.

The image below shows the movement out of the cleaner.  How clean and shiny.  The movement was assembled, oiled, adjusted then tested out of the case.  When this testing phase is complete, the movement is placed back in the case and tested again.  This time with hands installed but no face.  The 3rd testing phase is with the clock completely assembled.

Here is the clock ready to go back to it's owner.  Click the image to see the clock running and striking.

A job well done!