Kieninger and Obergfell

Johann Obergfell founded a company making clock parts in 1899 in St. Georgen in the Black Forest region of Germany. He is credited with inventing the coiled rod gong. In 1918 he formed a partnership with Georg Kieninger and the enlarged company made mantel, wall and long case clocks, particularly 400 day or anniversary type torsion pendulum mantel clocks. The trademark and company name Kundo is an abbreviation of the two company names to ‘K and O’. Clocks may be marked ‘Kundo’ in the trademark fancy script & possibly  K and O superimposed but also likely to have the full ‘Kieninger and Obergfell Made in West Germany” together with the number of jewels in type script not immediately visible either under the base or at the rear. 

Johann’s son Reingold took over the Company and promoted anniversary clocks, and his son Herbert took over in 1956 and promoted electromechanical and electronic  clocks.  Kundo were latecomers to electric clocks but in the late 20th Century they were prolific and sold clocks very successfully worldwide.  An additional factory was built in Maria-Zell in 1964.  Clocks with transistorised switching were made from 1956, and quartz clocks from 1962, including the world’s first digital quartz alarm clock. In 1980 Kundo entered a partnership with Staiger, forming a new company Uhren Techik Schwarzwald (U.T.S.) making quartz and radiocontrolled clocks.  More recently the company has diversified away from clocks, but still remains active as OTG Obergfell Technology Group AG.