Emilian Wehrle
Encyclopedia
Emilian Wehrle
Emilian Wehrle (1832 – 1896, born in Schönenbach (Furtwangen), was a reputed Black Forest
clockmaker
famous for his high-quality musical clocks. These musical clocks included the Trumpeter Clock
, Flute Clock, Singing Bird Clock, and Rooster Clock. These timepieces call the hour with the sound of a trumpeter, flute, bird and rooster respectively.
E. Wehrle came from a poverty-stricken farming area, his father was also a farmer and clockmaker, but in spite of limited schooling, he proved he was an outstanding student of extreme achievements and technically very talented. After working (virtually day and night) for some years at several different places as a clockmaker, he accumulated a starting capital of 1.000 gold marks and registered his own workshop in 1860.
In 1864 he produced about 160 clocks and later increased production to 190 clocks annually. In that year with the support of his father-in-law Wehrle obtained a building in Furtwangen (Black Forest), for his factory.
The gifted musical talent of the entire Wehrle clan, accompanied by outstanding skill and craftsmanship, originality and an enjoyment of tinkering, all these assets are credited for the great success of the Wehrles, whose trumpeter clocks were exported worldwide, primarily to the United States
and Great Britain
.
Trumpeter clocks of the period were very expensive and never sold in large numbers like the more popular and much cheaper cuckoo clock
. Today these clocks are very rare and command very high prices.
After his death happened in 1896, Emilian Wehrle's brother-in-law Julian and Julian's son Erwin continued in the tradition of the precision mechanical Black Forest industry of making water metres and recording instruments but the production of trumpeter clocks was discontinued.
Due to the quality, craftsmanship and originality, the "E. Wehrle & Comp." won several awards over the years at the; Badenia Exhibition (1861), London (1862), Paris (1867), a medal at the World Exhibition of 1873, etc.
The Emilian Wehrle's clocks are sought-after museum pieces due to its high artistic, technical and musical level that went into each of his clocks.
Emilian Wehrle (1832 – 1896, born in Schönenbach (Furtwangen), was a reputed Black Forest
Black Forest
The Black Forest is a wooded mountain range in Baden-Württemberg, southwestern Germany. It is bordered by the Rhine valley to the west and south. The highest peak is the Feldberg with an elevation of 1,493 metres ....
clockmaker
Clockmaker
A clockmaker is an artisan who makes and repairs clocks. Since almost all clocks are now factory-made, most modern clockmakers only repair clocks. Modern clockmakers may be employed by jewellers, antique shops, and places devoted strictly to repairing clocks and watches...
famous for his high-quality musical clocks. These musical clocks included the Trumpeter Clock
Trumpeter clock
A trumpeter clock is a type of clock that uses air vibrating a reed to mimic the sound of a trumpet. They were made in the Black Forest region of Germany. The trumpeter plays a song at the hour, half hour or quarter hour. A trumpeter usually comes out of a door and plays the music...
, Flute Clock, Singing Bird Clock, and Rooster Clock. These timepieces call the hour with the sound of a trumpeter, flute, bird and rooster respectively.
E. Wehrle came from a poverty-stricken farming area, his father was also a farmer and clockmaker, but in spite of limited schooling, he proved he was an outstanding student of extreme achievements and technically very talented. After working (virtually day and night) for some years at several different places as a clockmaker, he accumulated a starting capital of 1.000 gold marks and registered his own workshop in 1860.
In 1864 he produced about 160 clocks and later increased production to 190 clocks annually. In that year with the support of his father-in-law Wehrle obtained a building in Furtwangen (Black Forest), for his factory.
The gifted musical talent of the entire Wehrle clan, accompanied by outstanding skill and craftsmanship, originality and an enjoyment of tinkering, all these assets are credited for the great success of the Wehrles, whose trumpeter clocks were exported worldwide, primarily to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
.
Trumpeter clocks of the period were very expensive and never sold in large numbers like the more popular and much cheaper cuckoo clock
Cuckoo clock
A cuckoo clock is a clock, typically pendulum-regulated, that strikes the hours with a sound like a common cuckoo's call and typically has a mechanical cuckoo that emerges with each note...
. Today these clocks are very rare and command very high prices.
After his death happened in 1896, Emilian Wehrle's brother-in-law Julian and Julian's son Erwin continued in the tradition of the precision mechanical Black Forest industry of making water metres and recording instruments but the production of trumpeter clocks was discontinued.
Due to the quality, craftsmanship and originality, the "E. Wehrle & Comp." won several awards over the years at the; Badenia Exhibition (1861), London (1862), Paris (1867), a medal at the World Exhibition of 1873, etc.
The Emilian Wehrle's clocks are sought-after museum pieces due to its high artistic, technical and musical level that went into each of his clocks.