# Rohrer Pocket Watch



## mikeyt (Jan 19, 2013)

hi all,

Does anyone know anything about a watchmaker named "A. Rohrer or A. Rohrer & Sons" based in Plymouth back in the late 1800's to early 1900's? I have an old key wind Rohrer pocket watch with a Baume Geneve movement that i understand was likely imported by Baume & Co. of London and i would assume was then provided to Rohrer to be cased and sold as a finished watch.

I see that i cannot upload a photo here so if you want to see one its here at this link.

Thanks in advance!


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## mikeyt (Jan 19, 2013)

No one?


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## mel (Dec 6, 2006)

Two thoughts - - the name is unusual, and most likely NOT local, is it possible the Rohrer name was even Swiss itself? :yes:


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## mel (Dec 6, 2006)

I threw the name and watchmaker (rohrer watchmaker) into Google, and about two thirds down the results page is a reference to the 1891 census for Plymouth he had three sons and a daughter plus a servant, and all three sons were apprenticed as watchmakers. Thjs might help your quest., follow it through to the 1901 census? The entry means they all lived "above the shop" as it were probably.

:weed:


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## mikeyt (Jan 19, 2013)

hi Mel,

I did find Rohrer and a bit of info about his business during some research but i've yet to see another watch (or clock for that matter) with his name on it. I was kind of hoping someone in the horological community who lived in the Plymouth area might know a bit about them and their products.

From what i found out about the watch i have is that both the Baume Geneve movement and the case were imported from Switzerland (had a Swiss 'bear' hallmark on it) but i had understood that all watches retailed in Britain had to be assayed in Britain. My guess is that the importer (Baume & Co of London) somehow bypassed the British rules with their Swiss connections. It also appears that Rohrer would have assembled the watch & placed his name on the dial for retail purposes. I do know for certain though that the watch was purchased in Plymouth.


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## mikeyt (Jan 19, 2013)

As a little more to my prior post, i now understand that British hallmarks weren't required as the content was less than .925.


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## mel (Dec 6, 2006)

The silevr would be classed as "white metal" in an auction catalogue, simply because it doesn't meet the Sterling mark standard, but is a Continental standard.


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## harryblakes7 (Oct 1, 2010)

Just to add to the comments here, the watch could have foreign marks and still be sold legit in Britain as long as they paid an import tax on the Silver or the Gold content in the case, that is why a lot of watch movements were imported, then had Dennison cases made in Birmingham and hallmarked there as it got around the high import duty tax.

As regards the movement it is a fairly low grade cylinder movement of average quality for the time it was sold in............ It may have been imported as a family piece or some connection with a friend or special gift, hope that helps


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## mikeyt (Jan 19, 2013)

harryblakes7 said:


> Just to add to the comments here, the watch could have foreign marks and still be sold legit in Britain as long as they paid an import tax on the Silver or the Gold content in the case, that is why a lot of watch movements were imported, then had Dennison cases made in Birmingham and hallmarked there as it got around the high import duty tax.
> 
> As regards the movement it is a fairly low grade cylinder movement of average quality for the time it was sold in............ It may have been imported as a family piece or some connection with a friend or special gift, hope that helps


Possibly. The family that purchased the watch emigrated from Plymouth to Canada back around the start of WW1. I suspect the watch was bought by one of the parents of the individual that i knew owned it but as he has now passed on i can't confirm this. It may simply have been passed from father to son or may have been bought as a gift relating to the emigration.

As for Rohrer & Sons i see they had 3 different locations in Plymouth in the early 1900s so i'm assuming they must have been a relatively successful business at the time and i'm also assuming that the arrival of the Great Depression was their downfall.


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## Andrew Evans (Dec 21, 2020)

My great grandfather, Anton Kirner, married the daughter of Andrew Rohrer . The Rohrers like Anton , were from The black Forest and were involved in the clock industry there. In 2018 one of the Rohrer brothers clocks turned up in an Antiques Road show program from Newcastle.


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## Sawdon (Feb 7, 2021)

Hi, andrew - which anton kirner is this please? Oxford? I see that sadly kirner of dudley has closed after 160 years. My interest is in the people who came here from the black forest - just a few of their firms continuing now in great britain, but they have survived very well in ireland


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## Andrew Evans (Dec 21, 2020)

Hi.

Sorry about delay in replying. I've only just seen your post. yes Anton was part of the Kirner Brothers firm in Queen Street Oxford . He passed it on to his son in law Herman Jarvis,who in turn passed it on to his oldest son Lawrence. When Lawrence retired 30 odd years ago the business closed.


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## Sawdon (Feb 7, 2021)

Andrew Evans said:


> Hi.
> 
> Sorry about delay in replying. I've only just seen your post. yes Anton was part of the Kirner Brothers firm in Queen Street Oxford . He passed it on to his son in law Herman Jarvis,who in turn passed it on to his oldest son Lawrence. When Lawrence retired 30 odd years ago the business closed


 belated thanks andrew

...kirner of Thomislehause, schwarzenbach/fridenweiler. Rohrer bubenbach?


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