Crosswords0 min ago
Clock Mystery
44 Answers
I have a Vienna wall clock by Gustav Becker that has been silent for about two years and has suddenly started up again on its own.
(I was not able to find a clockmaker who could take a look and tell me what was wrong, so I had more or less given up).
As far as I know, it has not been moved at all. It gave me quite a shock to hear it chime this morning.
Could anyone suggest why it might suddenly decide to start?
Could anyone also suggest a clockmaker in N Ireland who might look at it for me?
Many thanks.
(I was not able to find a clockmaker who could take a look and tell me what was wrong, so I had more or less given up).
As far as I know, it has not been moved at all. It gave me quite a shock to hear it chime this morning.
Could anyone suggest why it might suddenly decide to start?
Could anyone also suggest a clockmaker in N Ireland who might look at it for me?
Many thanks.
Answers
The workings of any clock involve very fine pieces of very precise engineering all working together, if something slipped out of line or maybe a small bit of dust or dirt got stuck in the workings it is possible that it has cleared itself, maybe a change in temperature or humidity has caused a minute change somewhere, you will probably never know unless it...
09:45 Tue 29th Jan 2013
Hi, stewey
I have done lots of hopping on and off chairs to try to identify the logo, but am having a problem. I have also taken photos with the iPad, as the camera flash obliterates the marking. It looks like it may be 1894-1903, but the anchor does not tally. Mine seems to be wider at the base with quite narrow arms/legs rather like that of 1852-1875.
There seems to be a clock in the centre of the crown, btw.
I have never mastered photobucket or tinyurl. If you want to set up a throwaway mailbox, I could send you a photo.
Thanks a lot for your interest.
I have done lots of hopping on and off chairs to try to identify the logo, but am having a problem. I have also taken photos with the iPad, as the camera flash obliterates the marking. It looks like it may be 1894-1903, but the anchor does not tally. Mine seems to be wider at the base with quite narrow arms/legs rather like that of 1852-1875.
There seems to be a clock in the centre of the crown, btw.
I have never mastered photobucket or tinyurl. If you want to set up a throwaway mailbox, I could send you a photo.
Thanks a lot for your interest.
Anne, my dad loves clocks. I told him the other day about your posting. Could you send me a pic to show him. {[email protected]}
Although clocking up the years he has just repaired a similar timepiece that has not ticked for over 50 years. ( He also made the missing decorations for it ) dtc
Although clocking up the years he has just repaired a similar timepiece that has not ticked for over 50 years. ( He also made the missing decorations for it ) dtc
A word of caution:
If it transpires that your clock is of any substantial value make sure you have photos of the case and especially the workings so it can be identified. Get a receipt when it is collected and take the collectors vehicle registration number.
A relative of mine left a valuable timepiece at a repairers and found out some time later that the movement had been changed for a cheap one - they had no way of proving it....
I'm sure it will be unnecessary but 'just in case.'
If it transpires that your clock is of any substantial value make sure you have photos of the case and especially the workings so it can be identified. Get a receipt when it is collected and take the collectors vehicle registration number.
A relative of mine left a valuable timepiece at a repairers and found out some time later that the movement had been changed for a cheap one - they had no way of proving it....
I'm sure it will be unnecessary but 'just in case.'
Stewey,
my mail is [email protected]
my mail is [email protected]
Bit of a long shot: however, you might find a similar clock here:
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Clocks of the 'Vienna Regulator' type are right devils to set up; it's not for nothing that they have a marked swing indicator on the backboard; and they won't usually run at all unless perfectly vertical. This one started on its own, which suggests that the train that operates the chime had stuck and some minor change freed it. That could be a slight knock or almost anything. Once the mechanism was freed the weight dropped again, unhindered, and the clock chimed. Presumably it didn't 'go' by the clock itself starting; it needs the pendulum to swing for that to happen.
Chances are that the clock needs cleaning by somebody competent, who may remove oil put there by some well-meaning person in the past; clocks need no, or microscopic amounts of, very thin oil; and that the mechanism is sound and needing no work. Mind, then you have got to get the little B set up to run when it's on the wall!
Chances are that the clock needs cleaning by somebody competent, who may remove oil put there by some well-meaning person in the past; clocks need no, or microscopic amounts of, very thin oil; and that the mechanism is sound and needing no work. Mind, then you have got to get the little B set up to run when it's on the wall!
Yes, Fred, quite often clocks seem to develop minds and personalities of their own, and attempt to thwart any tries of yours to get them in beat, and synchronized. It's amazing how many people think that a pendulum "drives" a clock, whereas it regulates the release of the energy stored within the main-spring or the weights. I find it a very interesting subject. I would love to see a photo of Annemollies's clock. Cheers.
Try this, stewey:
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Annemollie, from what I can see of the dial and the upper-case molding, you have a extremely fine example of the type. As shoota mentioned previously, get lots of documentation on this clock before it leaves your home: close-up photos of identifying marks and symbols as well as general shots of the entire clock. Many of these clocks, especially the two and three weight types, can be worth thousands of pounds! A close-up of the mechanism in-situ would be great. By the way, I hope that you don't have it hanging sideways as it appears in the photo:)
