Virginia City, NV - MM Fredrick - Medallion pattern

[renocharles]

Please help. I'm looking for any and all information I can get on a dealer (MM Fredrick) from the 1800's in Virginia City, NV.

He sold a pattern called "Medallion" that (apparantly) was made by a Virginia City silversmith (unknown). I don't have the piece in my possession, but it was stamped "MM Fredrick" and "VIRG. NEV. COIN"

Any and all information would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

Charles
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[renocharles]

Ok all you wizz kids! :) Does anyone have some info on this? Or, just point me in the right direction.

TIA,

Charles


Thank you,

Charles
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[admin]

Hi Charles,

I can't answer, but I can point.
I don't believe anyone actually worked silver in Nevada, at least not pattern flatware. Complex die stamped or rolled patterns are the work of heavy industry and tended to be located in highly populated coastal areas, there were a few inland, but in major river cities with shipping access.
Had a set of Reno marked medallion teaspoons a couple of years ago. Like yours, no maker's mark, only a retailer's mark (don't recall the name) and Reno. The pattern did not quite match up with any I knew and considering the retail location, I thought San Francisco might be the source and checked in "Silver of the Golden State". The book showed three medallion patterns, including mine by Schulz & Fischer, the other two were by Koehler & Ritter and all were fairly close copies of the patterns of east coast manufacturers who were too busy copying from each other to notice.
Considering your location this might be a book you'd find interesting.

Regards, Tom
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[renocharles]

Thank you for your response Tom. This was (supposedly) a Virginia City silversmith. Virginia City, Nevada was the "mother load" of silver mining and is today preserved and a big tourist attraction.

Charles

Hi Charles,

I can't answer, but I can point.
I don't believe anyone actually worked silver in Reno, at least not pattern flatware. Complex die stamped or rolled patterns are the work of heavy industry and tended to be located in highly populated coastal areas, there were a few inland, but in major river cities with shipping access.
Had a set of Reno marked medallion teaspoons a couple of years ago. Like yours, no maker's mark, only a retailer's mark (don't recall the name) and Reno. The pattern did not quite match up with any I knew and considering the retail location, I thought San Francisco might be the source and checked in "Silver of the Golden State". The book showed three medallion patterns, including mine by Schulz & Fischer, the other two were by Koehler & Ritter and all were fairly close copies of the patterns of east coast manufacturers who were too busy copying from each other to notice.
Considering your location this might be a book you'd find interesting.

Regards, Tom

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[admin]

I don't believe anyone actually worked silver in Nevada

That really should say "manufactured" where I used "worked".

It is probable that MM Frederick was a jeweler or jewelry shop owner that retailed silver as well. This is often the case for American coin silver, especially post-1840, both east and west of the Mississippi.

Just took a break from writing this and googled ("MM Frederick" Nevada) and came up with this from the SMP forum.
http://www.smpub.com/ubb/Forum2/HTML/000017.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Tom
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[renocharles]

"It is probable that MM Frederick was a jeweler or jewelry shop owner that retailed silver as well...."

Yes, this is the case according to the guy in Virginia City. Thank you again Tom. I'll pass it along to him.

Charles
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[Neruda]

Holabird Auctions have or had an auction featuring a variety of M M Fredrick items. From the on-line catalogue I quote, for information NOT commercial promotion:

"734. Nevada. Storey. Virginia. M. M. Fredrick Silver Flatware Collection, 1872. The collection contains 41 engraved pieces. Probably one of the finest accumulations of Virginia City silver ever assembled privately. This ;coin silver flatware, all marked with ;M. M. Fredrick, Virg. Nev are on Gorham patterns (floral and medallion) probably made by Schultz & Fisher in San Francisco and marked and sold by Fredrick in Virginia City. Fredrick had only a short run in Virginia City in the mid 1870's. This extremely rare set has 5 medallion pattern pieces: Large Crumb scraper presented to James Kelley, 1872 as engraved, 13.25 long, 0.75 wide. 2 Tablespoons, 1 teaspoon and 1 dinner fork. The floral Gorham pattern has 6 pearl handled knives, 12 dinner forks, 9 tablespoons, 1 serving spoon, 6 butter knives, 1 spreading knife, 1 scalloped sugar spoon. All are in original oak brown felt-lined box that measures 15 x 3 x 10.75. The collection also comes with 3 different Frederick billheads dated 1876 and 1877. One is signed by him personally. The billheads advertise ;fine watches, jewelry, diamonds and silverware.

"The M. M. Fredrick business was truly one of the pioneer jewelry businesses in Nevada. It began as Eaves & Nye in Virginia City in late 1862 or early 1863. William T. Eaves and Emanuel Nye started their jewelry store on the corner of C and Union Streets. Eaves lived in the building, perhaps in an apartment in the back or upstairs as was the common practice in Virginia City at the time. Nye, a carpenter in 1862 in Virginia City, lived on Stewart. Eaves was not present in 1862 for inclusion in Kelley's First Directory of Nevada Territory. [1862 and 1863 Nevada Territory Directories]

"Nye took over the partnership in the mid-1860's. By 1867 the firm was known as Nye & Rothenbucher, according to Langley's Pacific Coast Business Directory for 1867. Emanuel Nye may have briefly left Virginia City in the early 1870's. The name does not appear again until much later, and then as a saloon proprietor. In 1871, the firm Nye & Co. was run by Issac Fredrick, probably a relative of M. M. Fredrick. Both the Nye & Co. and Fredrick businesses were listed at the same address, 36 South C Street in the 1871 Langley Pacific Coast Business Directory. They were listed as watch makers and jewelers.

"M. M. Fredrick took over the business and began using his own name in 1872, calling himself a ;manufacturing jeweler. The business made it through the fire of 1875. By 1877 Fredrick was billed as the ;Nevada Jewelry Manufactory, as listed on his billheads and in the Bishop's Directory of Virginia City and surrounds in 1878. Meanwhile, Fredrick's business was doing so well that he opened two other businesses. The M. M. Fredrick House, a lodging establishment on the north east corner of Union and C Streets, was opened about 1876 and run by his son, M. M. Fredrick, Jr. He also ran an auction business in 1876. [1876 Langley Pacific Coast Business Directory]

"By 1883 Fredrick was known as the ;Pioneer Watch Maker, still located at the old shop address, 36 South C. His store and business was then twenty years old. [McKenney's Oregon State Directory for 1883 (and business directory of some western states)."
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[tarcangel]

This has little to do with silver, but I find it interesting.

M.M. Fredrick was Morris Mannheim Fredrick out of NYC, originally from Prussia. His son, Marcus, was the father of Maj. Gen. Robert Tryon Frederick, the youngest ground forces general of WW2. Frederick was the recipient of dozens of decorations including 8 Purple Hearts. He built, trained and led the elite First Special Service Force, the American-Canadian commando unit popularly known as The Devil's Brigade. M.M. Fredrick was the grandfather of one of America's greatest hero's who Winston Churchill (in 1944) called "The greatest fighting general of all time."
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[silverly]

M M Fredrick was born 16 April 1837 in Posen, Prussia. He immigrated to the U S in 1853, and he is listed in the
1860 census in San Francisco with his wife Ann Valeria White. His occupation in 1860 was merchant.

In the Nevada Directory 1868-1869 M M Frederick appears at B & Sutton Streets as a jeweler, watchmaker and gilder.
Isaac Frederick is in the same directory at 36 South C street listed as a jeweler and watchmaker.

In the San Francisco, California Directories, 1889-90, M M Fredrick is listed as a manager at Will & Finck.

In 1890 Morris M Fredrick is in Seattle working as a jeweler.

Morris is listed in Seattle Census's from 1892 through 1900 with the occupations jeweler and merchant
and 1910 without an occupation.
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[SilverSurfer]

FWIW for this zombie thread, I have a serving spoon also marked M.M.FREDRICK and VIRG. NEV. COIN. It is not maker marked, but it is in the Eureka pattern by Schultz and Fischer of San Francisco, similar to the Gothic pattern by SF makers Vanderslice, Reichel, and Koehler&Ritter (both patterns a ripoff of the Gorham Cottage pattern). Here is the trace of my search re SF variants of the Gorham pattern:

http://925-1000.com/forum/viewtopic.php ... rick#29328" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I imagine Fredrick in Virginia City could well have sold on silver from other SF makers in addition to Schultz and Fischer.

SS
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[silverly]

Whatever the age of the posting, I enjoy digging up what little bit of information I can about the people in silver and related business's, but if it's a time waster I'll cease.
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[admin]

Silverly,
Certainly not a waste of time. Every bit of biographical information adds to the general body of knowledge. Keep up the good work.
Regards, Tom
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[dognose]

Oh, how I agree. It's like finding missing pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, it's the only way that we will eventually see the complete picture.

Trev.
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[SilverSurfer]

I fear that you may have taken my response as critical in nature, which I did not intend, silverly, alas, yet another poor attempt at humor gone astray. I have personally had a very old, apparently dead thread of mine come back to life with requested info, though in this case my response was not in the mainstream of what you asked, hence the "FWIW", just adding another sidelight for those interested.

SS
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[silverly]

No problem silversurfer. I was the over sensitive one. Talking to someone face to face is tricky enough, but putting words in print alone to get a point across is almost impossible for me to do well.
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[BradH]

MM Fredrick was my great-great grandfather. Fun to see he's still talked about! I have pictures of him, a rather complete bio, and one of his silver spoons. If any of you would like more info about him, just contact me and I'll share what I have.
hicks@wi.rr.com
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[BradH]

Silverly-
The Morris Fredrick who worked at Will & Finck in SF was MM Fredrick's nephew. MM had two brothers who were also watchmakers/jewelers/silver manufacturers: Solomon who lived in NYC (he and MM were in business together in the early 1860s), and Isaac who had a shop in VC for a while in the 1860s but established himself in Reno.
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[silverly]

Bradh, thank you. It did seem like a lot of moving around for the poor gentleman in those days. I've seen pictures of three generations of your ancestors beginning with the elder Morris. They are very impressive.
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[spauly]

I'm mainly interested in Emanuel Nye, Virginia City silver shop owner. His firm later became MM Fredrick. Emanuel and his brother Urias S. came to Calif. in 1848, and Emanuel left for VC in 1851, I believe. They were younger brothers of Michael C. Nye, 1841 immigrant to Calif with John Bidwell.
I'd like to know more about Emanuel after he left the silver business. Where buried (Nevada?). etc. Is there a bio?
I'm descended from Nye's but not from the same line in America as Emanual.
Thanks, Steve

[silverly]

I can tell that his death is recorded in Storey County as 27 July 1890. Being a pioneer jeweler in Virginia City, it seems likely that a local historical society there was have something about him. Wish I could be more help.