Albert F. Jahnke Pocket Watch Survives in Richmond VA

   Several months ago, a friend, one of the most experienced Jewelers in Richmond, showed me a pocket watch that an elderly friend wanted to sell. My friend Amy Shady knew how much I liked pocket watches and history and thought I would appreciate seeing it. I was intrigued from the moment I saw it. It was a ladies pocket watch with a dial that was marked "Jahnke Richmond VA". I had to begin research right away. Jahnke Road was about a mile from my house. I always wondered where the name came from, but never looked in to it.

My research took me to the Jahnke Family Page on Rootsweb.ancestry.com. I have provided the link here.  http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~bensonarchives/JahnkeFamilyArchives/jahnke_family_page.htm

Albert F. Jahnke, Sr., was born 1826 in Prussia.  According to several newspaper articles, he immigrated to New York in 1848, stayed there for two years, moved to Petersburg Virginia and two years later moved to Richmond. He was a partner in a jewelry business called Myers & Jahnke. The The 1881 Richmond City Directory lists the store at 1201 E. Main St. The Virginia Select Marriages 1785-1940 lists his marriage to Mary B. Chaulkley Sept. 3rd 1859 in Henrico County. 1893 Richmond City Directory lists Albert F. Jahnke, watchmaker at 912 E Main Street in downtown Richmond and home in Chesterfield. He brought jeweler and watchmaking skills from Prussia.
   Below is page 145 from a book published in 1903 "Richmond Virginia: The City on the James: The Book of Its Chamber of Commerce" with a photo and small bio (upper right). This book was digitized by Google and can be found in Google Books. The bio reads A.F. Jahnke , Founder of the business of Jahnke Bros., now conducted by A.F. Jahnke, Jr. Watchmakers, Jewelers and Opticians, 912 East Main Street. Established 1852. Fine Watch Making and Optical work a specialty. Largest stock of watches in the city. Agents for Patek, Phillippe & Co.
 Albert F. Jahnke, Sr. ran the business until 1890. His two sons ran it under the name Jahnke Brothers until their deaths. His daughter Minnie was the first woman jeweler in the state of Virginia and finally closed the business in 1952, a 100 year run.
 In the 1915 Richmond City Directory his residence is listed as the Virginia Building, which was an apartment building. He died there on November 27th 1915. He was the oldest jeweler and mason in the state.

Thanks to a descendant of Albert`s wife Mary`s side of the family for emailing me this Richmond Times Dispatch article from Sunday, February 8th 1953, page 89.

The Jahnke Farm taken 1/31/2015

Taken from Jahnke Road 1/31/2015

The pocket watch was purchased new and given to a young lady when she was about 18 years old. It is a Swiss movement with a serial number 1232259. The dial and movement ordered from the Swiss maker and are marked Jahnke Richmond. Then the customer would choose a case to hold the movement. The owner gave it to her friend who is now in her 90`s.
The case is gold filled, although marked 14K. Information below on the case was gathered from NAWCC:
James Boss patented the "gold filled" watch case in 1859. A JBoss marked watch case it will be "gold filled" and not 14k solid gold.
The Keystone-Watch-Case Co. purchased the patent and trademark rights for the JBoss case from the previous owners and used it with their own trademark.

After Jan. 1, 1924 a "guaranteed" marked case was prohibited by the U.S. Govt. They were only mark 10 or 14 "gold filled" after that date.

The pocket watch was taken to a jeweler at some point in recent years to be appraised. The watch was butchered by the jeweler. The front and back case are bent. The crystal is missing, and the previous owner stated the jeweler stole the jewels out of the watch. There ought to be a law.

I bought the watch from the second owner so I could do some research and more than likely have it on display in my Antique Booth at Hickory Creek Antiques in Ashland Virginia. I had a reputable jeweler/watchmaker there give an estimate of $1800.00 to restore it. They seemed to think it was from around 1880. I was thinking 1900. I`d really like to raise the money to have it restored.

What a piece of Richmond History! Enjoy the photos.

Beautiful dial & hands

Front cover

Keystone Watch Case

Engraved with owners`s name

Swiss Movement

Marked: Guaranteed J BOSS 14K 25 Years

Front case: note damage

Missing crystal

Movement marked Jahnke, Richmond, VA.

Anyone interested in seeing it should contact me through this blog or at SundayHistorical@gmail.com. I am hoping someone can identify the movement without me removing the hands and dial to look behind for a makers mark.

Thanks to my fellow jeweler and friend Amy Shady for making it possible for me to share this watch.

UPDATE MAY 26, 2016
I have connected with a non commercial watch repairman and the Jahnke pocket watch is being restored. I hope to have it back toward the end of the year.