After 1900 Looking for Information on Oswald and Company Germany 1905

[RickThomes]

I have been doing research on the Oswald Clock Factory OSUHR Owned by Josa and Fritz Oswald starting around 1925 in Freiburg, Germany and came upon another OSWALD and Company clock Factory c. 1905 also from Freiburg. I am looking for information on both companies but could not find any examples of the c. 1905 Oswald and Company clocks. I was also trying to determine if there is a relationship between Herman Oswald owner of The Oswald and Company clock Factory 1905 and the owners of The Oswald Clock Factory 1925 and their owners Fritz and Josa Oswald. Josa (wife of Fritz Oswald).

Any help in these pursuits is greatly appreciated. I am trying to do a research paper on The Oswald Clock Factory OSUHR 1925 and have been limited to resources.

Thanks for looking and your help.

 

[new2clocks]

came upon another OSWALD and Company clock Factory c. 1905 also from Freiburg.

Here is a 1903 advertisement from Deutsche Uhrmacher-Zeitung, a trade journal. (All that follows is courtesy Doug Stevenson).

According to Doug Stevenson, this Oswald firm was a wholesaler.

The following are advertisements from Osuhr that appeared in 1931 issues of the Deutsche Uhrmacher-Zeitung.

Perhaps someone with a copy of the Lexikon, the gold standard publication of German clock trademarks and German clock history, can provide more information of the different Oswald companies.

Regards.

 

[new2clocks]

And some more information on Oswald Clock Factory, courtesy of Doug Stevenson.

... the "J. Oswald" in ads etc. turns out to be (or have been) a woman named Josa. As can be seen in downloaded documents via the present German patent office's site from a 1950 Gebrauchsmuster patent application. We can see a copy of the letter she wrote, and even her signature. But the full legal reference is "Frau Josa Oswald geb. Reisbeck", that is, her maiden name was Reisbeck. This patent was for a clock with a flower dial. There's a drawing of the flower face too. Pretty good drawing. Has a butterfly and a ladybug.

And the same year, in fact about three weeks later, one "Dipl. Ing. Fritz Oswald" of the same address applied for another GM patent -- this one for a clock with an animal's face (a drawing of a lion's face dial is attached with lion looking as if a vet had just inserted a thermometer in his nethers). Fritz's signature is also there. So we know that both Fritz and Josa were alive at the same time -- married? Then if we actually check the 1926 Brit patent mentioned by Shenton and Shenton) which the S&S text says was given to J. Oswald, it (276738 June 2, 1926) turns out to have actually been given to one F. Oswald (according to the Patent Abridgements). Assumedly Fritz the graduate engineer.

The last known address I've seen for an "Osuhr" Oswald was for 1966: Waldkircherstrasse 49 in Freiburg i.Br.(i.e. the Freiburg "im Breisgau") and, more particularly, in the city section known as Littenweiler (= "Freiburg-Littenweiler"). There are no Oswalds at the address in Freiburg today, according to the telephone book. Yet there would be records available, and probably newspaper articles, and marriage and death certs, etc. And there aren't all that many O's in Freiburg in any case.....

Regards.

 

[Yahagi]

About Hermann Oswald from "Freiburg and / Schles"
I can provide some information. (about the latter - I don't know anything ... it's not my period of interest anymore):

Hermann Oswald & Co. was another trading company that played a significant role in the history of the clock industry in Świebodzice was the company founded around 1890 by Hermann Oswald. It specialized - as evidenced by old advertisements - in the sale and delivery of regulators and clocks in various ranges and for use mainly by households. These were table clocks, free-standing, alarm clocks or massive clocks produced in the so-called American style. The company also produced oak clock cases (in 5 shades), as one advertisement published in 1898 tells us. There are many indications that the Oswald company was also a producer, but on a small scale, of its own clocks. The company's name as "Zimmeruhrenfabrik", as well as its own signature placed on the regulators, would prove it. After the founder's death (May 5, 1905), the company passed into the possession of his sons - Emil and Paul. During this period - 1904 and 1907 - the company is presented only as a trading company. In 1908, the company from Świebodzice was also mentioned among the members of the Association of German Clock Wholesalers (German: Der Verbandes Deutscher Uhrengrossisten). It was last mentioned in 1912. Currently, it is not known how long it operated and where its headquarters was located.

Source:
Świdnica – Moje Miasto » Blog Archive » Zegarowe spółki handlowe ze Świebodzic Rafał Wietrzyński (in Polish)

Footnotes
Until December 31, 1909, the company Oswald & Co was among the members of the Association.

The address book from 1932 mentions a certain Marie Oswald, widow of a merchant, who lived at 1 Świdnicka Street.
(this entry may suggest that the companies, despite similar names, had nothing in common with each other)


Graphics also downloaded from this site.

 

[Yahagi]

And here is the example of Herman Oswald from "Freiburg i / Schles".

As seen on FMS

 

[RickThomes]

Thanks for the reply and valuable information. What seems to me to be possible is that the Owner of the Oswald and Company 1905 Herman Oswald would be related to Fritz Oswald and Josa Oswald (his wife as per their Grandson). Herman and Fritz could of been related since they all came from Freiburg, Germany (between 1905 and 1925) which could not have had a very large population at that time. I need to search the German birth records for Fritz Oswald in that era.

I have copies of the German Patients for Josa and Fritz but could not find anything for Herman in the German Patient office. It makes since that if The Oswald and Company was a clock distributor that he would not have patients.

 

[RickThomes]

About Hermann Oswald from "Freiburg and / Schles"
I can provide some information. (about the latter - I don't know anything ... it's not my period of interest anymore):

Hermann Oswald & Co. was another trading company that played a significant role in the history of the clock industry in Świebodzice was the company founded around 1890 by Hermann Oswald. It specialized - as evidenced by old advertisements - in the sale and delivery of regulators and clocks in various ranges and for use mainly by households. These were table clocks, free-standing, alarm clocks or massive clocks produced in the so-called American style. The company also produced oak clock cases (in 5 shades), as one advertisement published in 1898 tells us. There are many indications that the Oswald company was also a producer, but on a small scale, of its own clocks. The company's name as "Zimmeruhrenfabrik", as well as its own signature placed on the regulators, would prove it. After the founder's death (May 5, 1905), the company passed into the possession of his sons - Emil and Paul. During this period - 1904 and 1907 - the company is presented only as a trading company. In 1908, the company from Świebodzice was also mentioned among the members of the Association of German Clock Wholesalers (German: Der Verbandes Deutscher Uhrengrossisten). It was last mentioned in 1912. Currently, it is not known how long it operated and where its headquarters was located.

Source:
Świdnica – Moje Miasto » Blog Archive » Zegarowe spółki handlowe ze Świebodzic Rafał Wietrzyński (in Polish)

Footnotes
Until December 31, 1909, the company Oswald & Co was among the members of the Association.

The address book from 1932 mentions a certain Marie Oswald, widow of a merchant, who lived at 1 Świdnicka Street.
(this entry may suggest that the companies, despite similar names, had nothing in common with each other)


Graphics also downloaded from this site.

View attachment 663657 View attachment 663658 View attachment 663659 View attachment 663660

That is wonderful information and answers most of what I am looking for. It is Greatly appreciated.

 

[Yahagi]

RickThomes:

I don't know if you caught, but there were 2 Freiburgs:

Freiburg and / Schles. (Silesia ... today in Poland - Świebodzice)
Freiburg and / B.-Z. (suspect Freiburg im Breisgau)
... that's why after Freiburg it was given "and /" ... to distinguish between them.

It seems to me that these are just similar names of these people. Of course I can't prove it ... but as I mentioned before:

The address book from 1932 mentions a certain Marie Oswald, widow of a merchant, who lived at 1 Świdnicka Street.
(this entry may suggest that the companies, despite similar names, had nothing in common with each other)

 

[RickThomes]

RickThomes:

I don't know if you caught, but there were 2 Freiburgs:

Freiburg and / Schles. (Silesia ... today in Poland - Świebodzice)
Freiburg and / B.-Z. (suspect Freiburg im Breisgau)
... that's why after Freiburg it was given "and /" ... to distinguish between them.

It seems to me that these are just similar names of these people. Of course I can't prove it ... but as I mentioned before:

The address book from 1932 mentions a certain Marie Oswald, widow of a merchant, who lived at 1 Świdnicka Street.
(this entry may suggest that the companies, despite similar names, had nothing in common with each other)

Thank You, for that clarification as to the two Freiburgs and given that, I agree they are just similar names. Thanks for that and the clarification and that answers my question about their relationship which I they are not the same families. My assumptions were wrong.

 

[RickThomes]

Thanks to all of you for your help with this. There just seems to be such little information on Fritz and Josa Oswald's OSUHR company that this thread has clarified for me.
Many Thanks to all
Rick Thomes
NAWCC 56,739

 

[PatH]

Hi, Rick -

Will your findings be published? As you said, it's very difficult to find the depth and volume of OSUHR/Oswald information that is available for many other clock manufacturers.

Thanks to all who added insight in this thread. Very interesting!
Pat

 

[Chiuzo]

Hello! I´m searching for the family Oswald, my brother`s wife. Could anybody please give some information about the firm or the family??
Thank you very much. Christoph

 

[PatH]

Hi - if you search the forums, I believe you will find various threads about the clocks and company. Hopefully there will be some helpful information
Good luck in your search!