South African and Rhodesian Silversmiths

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A. KIENZLER

Bulawayo, Rhodesia

Noted as a Practical Watchmaker, located at 'Back of the Bank of Africa', Bulawayo, in c.1895.

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MORUM BROTHERS

Bulawayo, Rhodesia



Morum Bros. - Bulawayo - 1912

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I. KIRSCHBAUM

Manica Road, Salisbury, Rhodesia



I. Kirschbaum - Salisbury - 1907

Established 1893.

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HOLLANDER BROTHERS - FELIX CHARLES HOLLANDER

Hollander's Building, Field Street, Durban

NOTICE is hereby given, that the Partnership heretofore subsisting between us the undersigned, Felix Charles Hollander and Elias Pincus Hollander,
carrying on business as Merchants, under the style or firm of DAVID HOLLANDER AND SONS, and as Electro Plate Manufacturers, under the style or firm of The Vittoria Electro Plate Co., both at 99, Vittoria Street, in the city of Birmingham, and as Merchants, at Field-street, Durban, in South Africa, under the style or firm of Hollander Brothers, has been dissolved by mutual consent as from the 1st day of September, 1909. The said Felix Charles Hollander will continue to carry on the business heretofore carried on by us in Durban, upon his own account, under the style or firm of Hollander Brothers, and the said Elias Pincus Hollander will continue to carry on the businesses heretofore carried on by us in Birmingham, upon his own account, under the styles of David Hollander and Sons and The Vittoria Electro Plate Co. respectively.–Dated the 6th day of June, 1910.
FELIX CHARLES HOLLANDER,
By Elias Pincus Hollander, his Attorney.
ELIAS PIXCUS HOLLANDER.

Source: The London Gazette - 10th June 1910

Hollander Brothers were described as Jewellers and Import Merchants of Jewellery.

Felix Hollander was noted as being the grandson of a English Rabbi. He married Ethel May Watson, the daughter of James Watson. Felix Hollander was elected Mayor of Durban 1910 - 1913.

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H. BLUMBERG & Co.

Blackie's Buildings, Selborne Avenue, Bulawayo, Rhodesia



H. Blumberg & Co. - Bulawayo - 1912

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HENRY WILLIAM WADE

107 Church Street, Pietermaritzburg

Henry Wade was a manufacturing jeweller born at Dublin in 1853, In 1883 he arrived in South Africa and opened premises at 107, Church Street, Pietermaritzburg, and continued to make and retail in Pietermaritzburg until 1933.

He was noted as the Timekeeper to the Maritzburg Athletic Club and as a Mason, he was a member of the District Grand Lodge of Natal, both in 1897.

He married Maria Winkley in 1885, and his residence in 1897 was noted as 70, Pietermaritz Street, Pietermaritzburg.

His work is marked: H Wade - Maritzberg

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FELIX VETTER

Jeppe Street, Johannesburg

Munich born Felix Vetter served his apprenticeship in the jewellery workshops and art colleges of Pforzheim. Following his training he appears to spent a nomadic life working in some of the finest jewellery workshops in the world, including those of Tiffany and Cartier.

Vetter arrived in South Africa in the early 1930's and after working for other establishments for some years, finally opened his own workshops on Jeppe Street, Johannesburg in 1947. He appears to have been in business until the mid 1960's.

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AUGUST CHRISTOFFEL SCHLOSSER

Cape Town




August Christoffel Schlosser's working period was at least from c.1808 until 1840.

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And here is Schlosser's mark accompanied by the hammer mark used by Schmitzdorff (d.1808), probably indicating that in this case Schlosser retailed a spoon made by the latter.

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R. S. MINTO

Victoria Street, Dundee, Natal




It is interesting to note that, as the years go by, the wants of the inhabitants of even the most distant parts of the world are steadily increasing, and while the older generations were satisfied with comparatively little in the way of luxuries, the rising generations look upon many of these luxuries as necessaries. Perhaps one of the most striking examples in this respect is the demand for jewellery, and jewellers are to be found in almost every township throughout the Colonies; moreover, these jewellers are not satisfied with carrying a small stock, but have, in many cases, well-fitted stores where almost anything in the way of fancy articles can be obtained. Dundee is no exception to this rule, and here Mr. R. S. Minto has one of the handsomest establishments in Victoria Street. Born and educated in England. he came to South Africa, and started in Pretoria, and for a long time carried on a lucrative business. Unfortunately, during the war he sustained heavy losses, and at the close of hostilities he found it necessary to make a fresh start. In 1904 he moved from the Transvaal, and settled at Dundee in the premises he now occupies. The original buildings he was obliged to pull down, as they were unsuitable for his purpose, and he erected on the site the present building. Mr. Minto is an enthusiastic Mason, and when he first came to this country he brought with him numerous credentials from lodges in England, and while in Pretoria he associated himself with the Pretoria Celtic Lodge. In Dundee he was the promoter of the Talana Lodge and the Royal Arch Chapter.

Interior view of the premises of R.S. Minto:




Source: Twentieth Century Impressions of Natal - 1906

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MYERS BROTHERS

Adderley Street, Cape Town

An image of the premise of Myers Brothers, located in Adderley Street, Cape Town, in 1901:







Myers Bros. - Cape Town - 1901

This is likely to be the same Myers Brothers noted as being in business at Stuart Street, Harrismith, between 1892 and 1896.

Myers Brothers are thought to have been in the jewellery business until around 1930.

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J. COURTENAY

Corner of Adderley and Castle Streets, Cape Town




COURTENAY, J., Jeweller and Watchmaker, has long been noted for the excellence of his workmanship in the manufacture of Cape Souvenirs. These are made in various designs, the Souvenir Spoons being exceedingly handsome. They are made in solid silver and besides their utility are one of the prettiest little complimentary gifts imaginable. Of course there are other articles manufactured also which are suitable for presents, and Mr. Courtenay undertakes the manufacture of jewellery to any design. He has a very large stock of goods, and his establishment is situated at the corner of Adderley and Castle Streets.

Source: The Illustrated Cape Town Guide - 1897

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J.D. CARTWRIGHT & Co.

Strand Street, later, Adderley and Darling Streets, Cape Town



J.D. Cartwright & Co. - Cape Town - 1901

J.D. Cartwright & Co. were established at Strand Street in 1836. Although they were grocery and provision merchants, as can be seen, they were also suppliers of luxury goods.

They moved to their premises on the corner of Adderley and Darling Streets in 1888.

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M. LEVENBERG

Grand Hotel Buildings, Adderley Street, Cape Town



M. Levenberg - Cape Town - 1897

M. LEVENBERG, since succeeding Mr. P. Levenberg, has made considerable progress in his business. His premises are in a prominent position in Adderley Street, where he keeps a large and varied assortment of jewellery and watches, and silver and electro plated goods. He also has a capital stock of opera glasses, gold and steel spectacles and eye-glasses to suit all sights. Mr. Levenberg's is the sole depot for the "True as the sun" watch.

Source: The Illustrated Cape Town Guide - 1897

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TOLL & COURTIS

Grave Street, Cape Town

Death of a Cape Jeweller.–The death of Mr. Courtis, of the firm of Toll and Courtis, jewellers, Grave Street, Cape Town, is announced as having taken place in September last. The deceased had only just returned from Johannesburg, where he contracted the germs of the fever, from which he succumbed.

Source: The Watchmaker, Jeweller and Silversmith - 1st November 1889

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E. COURTIS & Co.

Cape Town

Noted as being Rolex dealers in the 1920's.

Perhaps to be identified with the business of Toll & Courtis (see above post).

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JOHANNES JACOBUS HEEGERS

6, Rose Street, Cape Town, later, Graaff-Reinet

Johannes Heegers was born at the Cape in 1778. His working period was 1814-1830.

For the period 1829-1830 he is thought to have worked as a silversmith working alongside his brother Theodorus, at Graaff-Reinet.

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ALBERT FORD - FRANCIS HENRY STEVENS

Cape Town


Customs Tariff Commission 1907-08


Albert Ford and Francis Henry Stevens, Watchmakers and Jewellers, Representing the Society of Manufacturing Jewellers, examined:

15858. Chairman.] Will you state what you want to bring before the Commission [–Mr. Stevens.] I am speaking from an experience of twelve years in South Africa and ten years in Australia as a manufacturer. The manufacture in the Colony at the present time is practically at a standstill, and is likely to remain so under existing conditions, as the greater proportion of Colonial jewellery is made from the designs of the South African manufacturers. It does not matter what design is produced here : if there is any demand for it it is immediately sent Home and reproduced, and mostly of a hollow kind, which accounts for the trade being in such bad condition. If the maker here could register his design at a nominal cost it would be of great benefit to the manufacturers in this country, for the simple reason that he spends perhaps a week in getting out some small design which takes very well to the public and he has no protection for it. If he shows it to any one or submits it, the next thing he sees is the same article manufactured by his next-door neighbour. You can register a design, but it costs about £16, which no small manufacturer can pay. I am surprised to see the small amount of jewellery that is imported into this Colony, because from my experience there is a greater amount sold in this country that what is accounted for in the imports.

15859. Are you taking the bad times into consideration ?–I am taking the shopkeepers–the turnover they must have. I am positive Adderley Street alone can account for more than that in twelve months, because the jewellery is not manufactured here. It is all imported, or say 75 per cent, is imported. I would like to speak on the point of the protection which would be required to manufacture two-thirds of the jewellery which is at present imported. The manufacturer at the present time is able to manufacture all the solid articles that are imported under the existing tariff, but those goods would have to be marked with his initials and the Government stamp on, otherwise he would find no market. Taking the lighter class of goods, which contain very little gold and very much labour, the tariff necessary to protect them would be really just sufficient to cover the extra cost of production, because no man can employ labour here and pay high wages and expect to compete with the man in Birmingham. Naturally, the manufacturers have left here and gone to Birmingham and send their merchants here to sell their goods.

15860. What protection do you ask ?–Take a gold chain, containing say £15 worth of gold. That article may be produced with 10s. worth of labour. Naturally, getting our material on the spot, we would require no protection, the cost of production being so little on the gross amount; but taking another article, containing say Is. worth of gold and 2s. worth of labour, you would have to base your protection accordingly because to be of any advantage to the manufacturing jeweller you must have a high tariff. It must be sufficient to allow him to compete with the foreign makers.

15861. Are you prepared to say what you want?–We could not arrive at that very easily, because there are so many classes of jewellery and so many different kinds. Some jewellery would never be manufactured in any Colony, for the simple reason that these things are made in special factories in Paris, London or Birmingham, which supply the world. There is not room for two factories of the one description in the world. I have had considerable experience, and with the present high tariff in Australia I find the goods are cheaper than the imported article, so there is no fear of the public being charged more with the tariff put on. In regard to the other points of the oversea carriage and such things as medals, I think Mr. Ford can give you an idea of a few items which the trade looks upon as an injustice.
Mr. Ford.] Up to the present we have had the manufacture of medals, rings and ordinary solid articles of jewellery of catalogue prices here. Paying the wages we do in comparison with the wages paid at Home, we find it rather hard. Hut we should not count that so much it we could only get the quantities to do; but we are rather handicapped owing to the manufacturers disagreeing with us on the qualities of the metals supplied. We can give them our written guarantee, and they have their remedies if it does not prove to be as we state. But that is not satisfactory in the Colony. They want a mark of some description from the Government as a guarantee that the article is good.

15862. You are rather going beyond the scope of our inquiry, because we only deal with the Customs Tariff and Railway Rates. We are prepared to listen to any suggestions you may make about any alterations in the tariff?–Mr. Stevens.] It is a very small industry Id this country, but it is surprising what springs out of that one industry.
Mr. Ford.] Why I refer to the marking is that we, having to work on the imported price, are under a disadvantage, because as we can compete with it the want of a market prevents us from doing what we could. I was really meaning that if we should have a protective tariff put on any solids like that which could be manufactured, it may make some difference for us, and prevent the import of things which we can make at an equal price. The quantities they give us do not ensure really enough work, and as a matter of fact we have had to reduce our staff considerably through it.

15863. Have you any suggestion to make about the tariff ?–Mr. Stevens.] I would like to give you an instance of medals, cups, badges and trophies for sporting bodies in this Colony. At the present time you can import these articles free of duty, provided they are engraved abroad. That means if a shopkeeper imports his medals and pays the duty he has to pay the engraver here the extra cost and he cannot compete. All those goods could be manufactured here, in fact anything of a solid nature. The consequence of these medals alone has been, to my knowledge, that it has sent three engravers out of this town. Then there is another item. Any person can go round this town and buy diamond jewellery, send it home through the post, declare it here, and have it returned in a manufactured state by paying the duty on the cost of manufacture.
The Secretary.] That is not so now.
Mr. Stevens.] I know cases where it has been done, but it must have been altered.

15864. Chairman.] You have not suggested any alteration in the tariff– Mr. Stevens.] I should suggest if the tariff is to keep the manufacturing jeweller in South Africa, give him the same opportunity as, say, Canada or Australia, and you will have two-thirds of the jewellery which is at present imported, manufactured in this Colony. Of course the stamping of the jewellery would have to be arranged for ourselves, and give our guarantee through the Association, the same as they are doing in Australia at the present time. Each Association there has its own stamp and they mark the goods, having officers to see that the goods are of the proper quality. Of course it is much better to have a Government mark.

15865. Is that all you wish to bring before the Commission ?–That is all I can say in regard to the tariff at the present time.

15866. Mr. Tod.] Do you know the Canadian tariff?–It runs from 5 per cent. up to about 35 per cent, roughly speaking. I believe the Australian tariff is u little lower, but at the same time I would not advocate the same high tariff as in Australia, because you can buy goods in Melbourne cheaper than the imported, because the manufacturing jewellers are competing. Any manufacturing jeweller can buy the material and manufacture in a small way.

15867. That complicated classification you speak of would be difficult to operate? –It would not matter for the public. If you put 50 per cent, on the whole of the goods there would be no fear of the public being overcharged, because one manufacturer is as keen as another to get the trade, and has to keep his prices accordingly.

15868. What is the present duty on jewellery –I believe 12½ per cent, and 15 per cent, on foreign.

15869. You contend that that is not sufficient to make up for the difference in the wages paid ?–On the solids quite sufficient, but not on the hollow goods.

15870. As you pointed out, the more valuable the article the less percentage of protection you require ?–Not the more valuable. A manufacturer may charge 15 guineas to make a diamond brooch, and there may not be 10s. worth of material besides the diamond.

15871. At present if a diamond ring is imported the duty is assessed on the whole value ?–That is only fair, because you have to pay the duty on the diamonds. In Australia they work it differently. Cut stones are imported free. That is an enormous protection to the manufacturer, because the diamond setters in Sydney alone have ample work, for the simple reason that any one importing diamond goods has his mountings manufactured in Birmingham, London or Paris as the case may be, and they are sent to the Colonies, and when I was there they paid 15 per cent, duty on those articles in an unfinished state. The diamonds where naturally in another parcel, and came in free, and they put them together, which found work for a large number of setters.

15872. Is that the practice here ?–No. Here you pay the same duty on your cut diamonds as you do on your manufactured article. Of course if stones of all descriptions were free that would give a large amount of work for specialists in stone setting.

15873. Are there many men engaged in the industry ?–At the present time you will find 75 per cent, of the manufacturers in the country are working in the Transvaal. They were working in Cape Town.

15874. Where there many men employed in Cape Town when things were good: –I had eight men, and at present time I am standing still just keeping the shop open with a boy, waiting for things to improve. During the busy time my output was about £400 worth a month. There was no check on me. I could have manufactured a thousand pounds worth of gold goods in my shop and sold them round the country, and no one would have known how they were made.

15875. Your good faith about the gold would have to be taken ?–The shopkeeper? would but not the public. I can manufacture in Cape Town with the existing tariff, but I cannot compete on account of there being no hallmark or Government mark. That is the great stumbling-block of manufacturing jewellers here–on gold things particularly- -because unless the manufacturer marks his goods you have no protection against him.

15876. It appears to me you want that remedy rather than the tariff'–That would come about I think if the tariff was remedied.

15877. The present protection is 12½ per cent, from England. What recommendation do you make ?–If I made a recommendation I would leave the tariff on all solid goods the same as at present, and on hollow goods, which entail a large amount of labour, I would double that tariff.

15878. Is it a very easy matter to distinguish between solid and not solid.–Yes.

15879. The Customs would find no difficulty ?–None whatsoever: in fact the manufacturers at Home who manufacture the hollow goods do not manufacture solid ones.

15880. There is much more work in connection with the hollow goods?–Not such a great amount of extra work as there is in the intricate machinery you have to have. If you manufacture hollow goods in this Colony the output is not sufficient to warrant much machinery, and therefore you have to use one set of machinery to produce goods in gold and silver.

15881. Is there much machinery used in your business ?–A great amount of machinery–most of which can he manufactured in South Africa. I personally have sufficient machinery for fifty men for manufacturing, and some of the machines I have are quite sufficient for 200 men.

15882. You are not interested in other work, such as watches ?–I do not think those will ever be made in any of the Colonies. These are made in different departments of the Continent and all over the place in pieces, and they are really all assembled in the workshops in Europe and put together. You cannot call it an industry.

15883. You recommend the existing tariff on solid goods and double on the hollow goods ?–Yes.

15884. Mr. Scott.] Can you tell us why 75 per cent, of the jewellers have gone to the Transvaal ?–That is a question which I think requires a private Commission Inquiry. We all have theories, and there are things you let the Government inquire into. When you find one manufacturer can pay the same wages or more and can undersell you in the market you begin to think there is something radically wrong, and I always think that is for the Government to inquire into: 1 do not think it is a matter for this Commission.

15885. Do they pay higher wages in the Transvaal –Naturally I should say so, and I may say the labour required in the manufacture of jewellery is generally white labour.

15886. Is there much of the jewellery made in the Transvaal coming into the Cape Colony ?–A great amount.

15887. Then of course the gold is produced there, which makes a great difference ?–That we cannot say. There is a difference somewhere which we will leave to some one else to find out.

15888. Did you give the number of workshops ?–In Cape Town I do not suppose there are over 200 working jewellers, and there ought to be at least a thousand.

15889. Is it long since the number of workmen went to the Transvaal ?–No. It has always been so since my recollection–that most of the manufacturing jewellers after being here a certain time have found it did not pay them here and have gone to the Transvaal, and there they seem to stop.

15890. How long have you been in business in Cape Town ?–The last twelve years.

15891. Mr. Kayser] Is it not on account of the population in the Transvaal that the engravers go there ?–I cannot say that they go to the Transvaal. I speak of three engravers having left the country. The depression may have something to do with it, but I take it the engraving oversea has a lot to do with it.

15892. Has that occurred lately ?–I believe it was only at the time of the last tariff that most of the people found they could do so.

15893. Have they left during the last two months ?–Two years ago they left.

15894. What was the difference in the tariff ?–I think 7½ per cent.

15895. In the previous tariff, cups, etc., came in free ?–I know since the last tariff more of these goods have been imported free than before, because I think most of the association did not know about the former tariff.

15896. Is not that because the ad valorem tariff was increased and made the goods dearer? They would not bother about 7½ per cent. ?–Yes, that may be it.

15897. If you double the duty it makes people seek the cheaper market –Yes.

15898. Do you import any of these cups and medals?–We do not import anything; we are purely manufacturers.

15899. You made a remark that these cups were imported ?–I said if the retailer docs import them he has to pay his duty and pay his engraver for engraving them, and naturally he cannot compete.

15900. If you do not import you cannot speak about the import trade ?–No, but that is a point.

15901. What do you mean by manufacturing at catalogue prices?–Mr. Ford.] A certain number of catalogues are sent from the British firms to us, and if anything is wanted manufactured here in a hurry they send us the catalogue price and say they can import it for that, and we have to make it for that price. If they have time to wait they send home for the article and have it engraved and get it in practically free.

15902. Is there any discount on these catalogue prices ?–5 per cent, on some.

Minutes of Evidence, with Index: Presented to Both Houses of Parliament - Cape of Good Hope (South Africa) Customs Tariff Commission - 1908

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MORRIS GARFUNKEL - S.J. COOK & SON - MICHAND & BRO. - H. WEHLE & Co. - MYERS BROS. - R. MYERS

East London


Customs Tariff Commission 1907-08

Morris Garfunkel, Jeweller, representing the Watchmakers and Jewellers of East London, examined:

6443. The Chairman."] You wish to give evidence on the jewellery trade? Yes. I put in a statement signed by four jewellers and watchmakers of East London. The following Statement was handed in: –

East London.
November 20th. 1907.
GENTLEMEN,–We the undersigned Watchmakers and Jewellers, of East London. propose the following: That a duty of 60 per cent, be imposed on all Watches, Clocks and Jewellery imported by private individuals as at present any person not a bona-fide dealer is able to import such articles at the same duty as paid by licensed Watchmakers and Jewellers and thus are in a position to undersell us who depend on their trade.
S. J. Cook & Son.
Michand & Bro..
H. Wehle & Co.,
Myers Bros..
R. Myers.

6444. Mr. Pyott.] What is the duty on jewellery to-day ?–12 per cent.

6445. And you want a sub-charge of 48 per cent, on private importations ? Yes.

6446. That is a reasonable suggestion? Yes, because any person can send Home to a so-called maker and obtain his watch for 10s., whereas those dealing in watches out here have to sell the same watch for £1.

6447. Those are watches coming through the post? Yes.

6448. On a watch costing 10s. in England you would put 11s. on here?- -No. We would have to retail it for £1.

6449. What postage will he pay? 6d.

6450. Take a clock, for instance?–Clocks are different to watches. A clock would not come through the post.

6451. You think this is a reasonable suggestion?–I do. If that duty were imposed on private individuals importing goods, people with capital could turn round and manufacture clocks and watches here, whereas to-day they cannot.

6452. The Chairman.] There is no other point besides that ?– No.

6453. Mr. Pyott.] You want to impose 60 per cent, on clocks, watches, and jewellery imported? Yes.

6454. By yourself? - No.

6455. That is class legislation? It may be but under the conditions of doing business out here it does not give the jewellers a chance.

Source: Minutes of Evidence, with Index: Presented to Both Houses of Parliament - Cape of Good Hope (South Africa) Customs Tariff Commission - 1908

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MORRIS HARRIS

Cape Town


Receiving Orders:

Morris Harris, formerly Cape Town, Cape Colony, South Africa, now Princess Road, Birmingham, Warwickshire, formerly watchmaker, now traveller.

Adjudications:

Morris Harris, formerly Cape Town, Cape Colony, South Africa, now Princess Road, Birmingham, Warwickshire, formerly watchmaker, now traveller.

Source: The Jeweller and Metalworker - 15th June 1886

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