7.4

Gothic and Renaissance Style Right from the Factory. The Rise of Baden‘s Clock Industry

The first clock factories emerged at the hub of the clock trade in the second half of the 19th century. The Aktiengesellschaft für Uhrenfabrikation Lenzkirch, a corporation founded in 1851, set the standards for other firms, such as L. Furtwängler Söhne in Furtwangen.

The industrially produced clocks were made according to handcrafted models. Their intricate workmanship is still impressive today. In keeping with interior decorating fashion, clock cases were available in the styles of different historical periods, such as Gothic, Renaissance or Baroque. 

Although clocks were being manufactured in factories, the clock-making tradition in the home did not die out. As such, the cottage industry proved to be an indispensable supplier. Also, some manufacturers of high-quality clocks, such as Johann Baptist Beha in Eisenbach or Emilian Wehrle in Furtwangen, actually had large workshops rather than factories. They had found their market niche by specializing in high-quality cuckoo clocks and trumpeter clocks.