What is it?

[asimpleparsonParticipant @asimpleparson]

Hi there.

I wonder if I may pick the brains of the members here?

Can anyone tell me what the item below is? I believe it is some type of Horological tool. It is stamped 'Foreign' why is that?

Many thanks

SP.

[asimpleparsonParticipant @asimpleparson]

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

It is stamped ‘foreign’ because it was not made in the UK.

It looks like it may be a mini, or even micro, bending machine, but missing some parts?

[Bill Davies 2Participant @billdavies2]

It's probably not strong enough to emboss metal parts, and far too strong for embossing paper, so I hazard a guess that it's for leather. Alternately, it could be for some other purpose entirely! The toolholding part and the handles look like later additions/modifications, so I think it has been repurposed.

[OldironParticipant @oldiron]

No idea what the item is.

There seems to be no definitive answer as to why any item is marked "Foreign".

It seems to stem from a USA rule from 1893 that says all imports to that country must be marked as "foreign" or have the actual country of origin clearly marked. Some claim that Germany stamped some exports to certain countries as "Foreign" after WW1 so as to be able to sell items to Allied countries.

Googling the question brings up a myriad of answers.

regards

[speelwerkParticipant @speelwerk]

It is for opening watchcases, see**LINK** Niko.

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

Posted by Oldiron on 06/12/2019 11:21:39:

No idea what the item is.

There seems to be no definitive answer as to why any item is marked "Foreign".

It seems to stem from a USA rule from 1893 that says all imports to that country must be marked as "foreign" or have the actual country of origin clearly marked. Some claim that Germany stamped some exports to certain countries as "Foreign" after WW1 so as to be able to sell items to Allied countries.

Googling the question brings up a myriad of answers.

regards

Pretty much my understanding, but not just the USA. What happens is a country decides it's fed up with imports and takes measures to discourage them. Usually the reasons are political. Depending on strength of feeling, restrictive measures range from outright bans, through tariffs, to voluntary persuasion as in the 'Buy British' campaign.

President Trump's 'America First' policy is an example of relatively strong action being taken against foreigners.

Protective measures are easier to implement when goods are marked with country of origin, or otherwise showing they aren't local.

The UK has always favoured 'Free Trade', that is we are against artificial impediments to trade, especially protective tariffs. Brits understand that protectionism is bad, including for the countries that apply it. One issue is blocking trade causes other countries to reply in kind, often painfully. Less obviously goods become more expensive for the bulk of the protectionist countries population, who don't like it! Everybody gets poorer and there's a high risk of unexpected consequences.

Quite a few countries, including the USA, have a history of switching between policies forbidding and encouraging foreign imports. It's because the cure is as bad as the disease! And maybe because each generation forgets the traumatic lessons of history.

Markings such as 'Empire Made', 'Made in England', Made in Britain, and 'Foreign', are the result of past and present trade disagreements. 'Fabrique en Angleterre' is representative. After the Great War, the French government decided British goods were a threat to their national balance of payments and cheap British tat was unfairly undermining high-quality local industry. Zut Alors! Amongst other measures they insisted British goods be stamped 'Fabrique en Angleterre'. Not to highlight superior manufacture, but warning innocent French buyers they were unpatriotically wasting their money on anglo-saxon rubbish. Discouragement of British goods continued until the early 1930's when it became obvious that the real threat to the French way of life was extreme German nationalism seeking wealth by direct methods…

Dave

[asimpleparsonParticipant @asimpleparson]

Hi all.

Thank you for your help. Very interesting reading about the reasons for 'foreign' marking. Every day is a school day.

I really don't know what to do with the thing. Does it have any value? Can someone make use of it? Can it be made into something? I'm loathe to chuck it in the bin, and I'm not too keen on it rotting in a cupboard either. I have no cause to remove the back from a wristwatch, my faithful little Casio has screws!

If you can think of a use for it, then it's yours for the price of postage.

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