Those Working in Ireland From the Mid 19th and 20th Century

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Re: Those Working in Ireland From the Mid 19th and 20th Century

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R.G. NORMAN & Co.

78, Grafton Street, Dublin


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R.G. Norman & Co. - Dublin - 1875

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Re: Those Working in Ireland From the Mid 19th and 20th Century

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JOHN H. LUNN (Jewellers), Ltd.

13-21 Queens Arcade, and 1, Victoria Square, Belfast and 10, Shipquay Street, Londonderry


Examples of the work and marks of John H. Lunn Ltd.:

A novelty cigarette box in the form of an entrée dish and cover advertising Senior Service cigarettes, assayed at Birmingham in 1961:

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JHL - Birmingham - 1961


Another example of their mark:

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JHL - Birmingham - 1965

John H. Lunn (Jewellers) Ltd. were incorporated on the 25th October 1954.

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Re: Those Working in Ireland From the Mid 19th and 20th Century

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J. MAURER & SONS

22, O'Connell Street, and 34, William Street, Limerick


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J. Maurer & Sons - Limerick - Sales box detail


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Maurer's - Limerick - 1962

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Maurer's - Limerick - 1964

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Re: Those Working in Ireland From the Mid 19th and 20th Century

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J.J. KELLY

1, Crampton Quay, Dublin


J. J. Kelly, Jeweller and Diamond Setter, 1 Crampton Quay, Dublin, is displaying a very unique assortment of Christmas and Wedding Gifts in Jewellery, Silver and Plated Ware. Mr. Kelly’s wide continental experience has placed him in the foremost rank amongst Dublin Jewellers as an expert in diamonds and other precious stones. All work is executed on the premises by an efficient staff of diamond setters and mounters.

Source: The Lady of the House - Christmas 1913

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Re: Those Working in Ireland From the Mid 19th and 20th Century

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MATTHEW STEPHENS

8, O'Connell Street, Limerick


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Matthew Stephens - Limerick - 1993

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Re: Those Working in Ireland From the Mid 19th and 20th Century

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DOYLE & DILLON

76, Quay, Waterford


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Doyle & Dillon's - Waterford - 1905

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Doyle & Dillon's - Waterford - 1906

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Re: Those Working in Ireland From the Mid 19th and 20th Century

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WALTER WALSH & SONS

Barronstrand Street, Waterford


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Walter Walsh & Sons - Waterford - 1906

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Re: Those Working in Ireland From the Mid 19th and 20th Century

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WEST & SON

18-19, College Green and Grafton House, 102-103, Grafton Street, Dublin


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West & Son - Dublin - 1882

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West & Son - Dublin - 1926

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West and Son - Dublin - 1951

See: viewtopic.php?f=38&t=18350&p=78550#p78550

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Re: Those Working in Ireland From the Mid 19th and 20th Century

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TARA WARE Ltd.

Grants Road, Greenogue Business Park, Newcastle, Dublin


An example of the work and marks of Tara Ware Ltd.:

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TW - Dublin - 2000

An earlier version of their mark:

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TW

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Re: Those Working in Ireland From the Mid 19th and 20th Century

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JAMES MANGAN

3, Patrick Street, Cork

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James Mangan - Cork - 1886

See: https://www.925-1000.com/forum/viewtopi ... an#p147273

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Re: Those Working in Ireland From the Mid 19th and 20th Century

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DIMIER BROS. & Co.

81, Grafton Street, Dublin and 27-29, Tamworth Road, Croydon

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Dimier Bros. & Co. Limited - Croydon and Dublin - 1959

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Re: Those Working in Ireland From the Mid 19th and 20th Century

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MARTINA CATHERINE GILLAN

4, Castle Street, Sligo


An example of the work and mark of Martina Catherine Gillan:

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MCG - Dublin - 199?

Martina Catherine Gillan first registered her mark with the Dublin Assay Office on the 13th March 1987.

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Re: Those Working in Ireland From the Mid 19th and 20th Century

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THE JEWELLERS HELP Ltd.

14, Aungier Street, later, 22, Lower Rathmines Road, later, Pleasant House, Pleasant Lane, Dublin


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The Jewellers Help Ltd. - Dublin - 1960

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Re: Those Working in Ireland From the Mid 19th and 20th Century

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WIGHTMAN & Co.

The Irish Jewellery Works, 5, Garfield Street, Belfast


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Wightman & Co. - Belfast - 1898

Likely to be identified with David Wightman, see: https://www.925-1000.com/forum/viewtopi ... 27#p150427

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Re: Those Working in Ireland From the Mid 19th and 20th Century

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WIGHTMAN & Co. (See above post)

The Irish Jewellery Works, 5, Garfield Street, Belfast


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Wightman & Co. - Belfast - 1898

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Wightman & Co. - Belfast - 1898

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Wightman & Co. - Belfast - 1898

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Wightman & Co. - Belfast - 1898


GAELIC LEAGUE MEDALS

The gold and silver medals awarded at the Donegal competitions by the Shan Van Vocht were specially designed and made for the occasion by Mr. Wightman, Belfast, and are of a characteristic Irish pattern, an interlaced trefoil, the inscription and lettering in Gaelic. Sharman D. Neill & Co., Donegall Place, can also supply a very fine medal, copied from one of our Northern Celtic crosses, with very fine interlacing work, and which we can recommend for award at any Irish literary or musical competition.


Source: The Shan Van Vocht - 3rd October 1898

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Re: Those Working in Ireland From the Mid 19th and 20th Century

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HENRY PHILLIPS

13, Essex Quay, Dublin


The Last of the Dublin Goldbeaters

By Joseph J. Bouch

Behind an unobtrusive shop front on the Dublin quays works a man who is the last of a line of craftsmen that once figured prominently in the life of the city. He is a goldbeater whose output of the cobweb-like gold leaf satisfies the present demand, though. In 18th century Dublin, no less than seven firms of goldbeaters were kept busy.

Goldbeating is a craft practised since the time of the building of the Egyptian pyramids. Unlike many other processes formerly done by hand it does not lend itself to machine production. It is only by careful, tireless work that a lump of metal is converted into sheets of gold as sheer as cobwebs.

Ingot into Ribbon

The process of this conversion begins when the granulated or rough gold is placed in a stone crucible, melted under great heat in a furnace and when thoroughly molten, is cleaned of any impurities and poured into a mould. When cold it is termed an ingot, and its size is such as to permit its being placed in a rolling machine, to be pressed out into a ribbon one inch wide. Its length defends upon its weight, but roughly the ingot measures one inch for every ounce in the rough. This ribbon is again rolled out and under great pressure is pressed so thin that its length measures 60 times its original length. A 6-ounce ingot is converted into a flimsy ribbon approximately 400 inches long.

This strip is then cut into one-inch squares; each square is then placed in a " cutch " consisting of a great number of thin skins or membranes measuring about 3¼ Inches square. One gold square is placed between two skins until the cutch is complete, with each square placed directly over the square beneath it. Two bands of vellum strip placed diagonally over the cutch hold it in position.

Three Beatings

The gold now receives its first beating - it is pounded for 20 minutes with a heavy hammer weighing 16 pounds. The gold squared are removed from the skins by a long wooden tweezers, each square formerly an inch square, now measuring about four inches square. Each of these is then divided into four equal parts by a " skewer" and placed in a " shoder. " This "shoder" would contain as many as 680 skins, all of which are obtained from the "bung gut " of an ox, only two skins being obtainable from one animal. This time the gold is beaten with a lighter hammer, weighing ten pounds. The squares increase in size and are again quartered. They are then placed one on top of the other between the skins as before, until there is a total of 900 leaves of skin. The sheets are beaten for nearly four hours with a seven pound hammer. At the end of this time the gold is sufficiently thin to be considered gold leaf. it is carefully trimmed by a wooden sledge-shaped affair with centre handle, called a " wagon" and inserted in a book between two sheets of thin tissue paper. All the tiny fragments trimmed off are carefully collected and once more find their way back to the crucible. Only pure gold, that is, gold containing twenty-four carats can be used.

Pages of the Bible

At one time, in fact up to forty years ago, the thin sheets of tissue paper, between which the gold leaf was carefully laid for permanent safe keeping, were pages of the Bible cut to fit this unique purpose. Shortly after 1850 the paper used in printing the Old and New Testaments was of the flimsy Manilla type made to contain a plentiful mixture of rice. This rice finish suited the goldbeater nicely, for his gold leaf did not adhere to this particular type of paper. To-day a specially prepared tissue paper with a red ochre finish is used, but I have seen the former Bible paper made into books.

Before the beating process, the skins are heated and primed to prevent the leaf from adhering to the membrane. Heated presses are used to press the moisture from the skins. Each skin is rubbed with a hare's foot and dusted with Talc on both sides before heating. To show how thin the gold leaf has become, it is only necessary to say that the one-inch square ribbon after the beating process is converted into 25 leaves measuring 3¼ inches square.

The demand for gold leaf has gradually declined. Except for its use by bookbinders, cap-makers, frame gilders and painters and decorators it is seldom used to-day. Its place has been taken by the electric deposit of synthetically produced gold, assisted by liquid concoctions, which can be smeared by brush.

Among the Guilds

The craft of goldbeating has had honourable place in Dublin among the Guilds. Even in the writer's memory forty odd years ago there were more than a dozen men employed in this business. To-day, there in only one. He truly represents a time-honoured craft for his quiet cultured manner, coupled with his easy delivery, immediately mark him down as a representative of a long-vanished section of our Dublin community.

When one enters the gold-beater's shop he passes through double doors. The reason for the second door is to keep out the draft which might
cause havoc if it swept up the beaten gold. Only by the most careful handling is the leaf kept flat and unwrinkled.

His Shop Sign

His shop sign - or rather, the sign which was over the door in his father's time, is still extant. It shows an arm bent at the elbow, holding a fourteen pound hammer. This sign of an ancient and honoured craft might well be acquired by our National Museum for inclusion in our Irish History and Folk Lore Collection.

It is of interest to record that the name of Phillips was first introduced to the gold-beating craft by Thomas, grandfather of the present owner,
in 1855. He was at that time in 41 Temple Bar and moved to the present premises in 1863, where he lived and worked until his death in 1887. His place was taken by his son Henry who in turn handed on the trade to the present proprietor, Henry Phillips, Gold and Silver Leaf Manufacturer.


Source: Irish Travel - April 1942

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Re: Those Working in Ireland From the Mid 19th and 20th Century

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IRISH HOTEL SUPPLIES Ltd.

Hammam Buildings, 11-13, Upper O'Connell Street, Dublin


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Irish Hotel Supplies Ltd. - Dublin - 1937

Agents for the Newbridge Cutlery Co. Ltd.

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Re: Those Working in Ireland From the Mid 19th and 20th Century

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FRENGLEY BROS., Ltd.

5, Crow Street, Dublin


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Frengley Bros., Ld. - Dublin - 1917

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Frengley Bros. Limited - Dublin - 1935

Established in 1856.

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Re: Those Working in Ireland From the Mid 19th and 20th Century

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THE CRAFTWORKERS Ltd.

39, Harcourt Street, Dublin


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The Craftworkers Ltd. - Dublin - 1920

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The Craftworkers Ltd. - Dublin - 1920

Established just after the First World War by William MacBride (b.1880-d.1962).

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Re: Those Working in Ireland From the Mid 19th and 20th Century

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E. SHORTSINGER

57, North Street and 62, Carlisle Street, Belfast


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Shortsinger - Belfast - 1923

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE INNORTHERN IRELAND.

KING'S BENCH DIVISION—IN BANKRUPTCY

JOSEPH SHORTSINGER, TERESA SHORTSINGER, and JOHANNAH SHORTSINGER, trading as " E. SHORTSINGER" of 57 North Street, Belfast, and
62 Carlisle Street, Belfast, in the County of the City of Belfast, Jewellers, were on the 13th day of April, 1935, adjudged Bankrupts.

PUBLIC SITTINGS will be held before the Court at the Royal Courts of Justice, Belfast, on Friday, the 10th day of May, 1935, and on Friday, the 17th day of May, 1935, at the hour of Eleven o'clock in the forenoon, whereat the Bankrupts have to attend, and to make a full disclosure and discovery of their Estate and Effects. Creditors may prove their Debts, and at the First Sitting choose a Creditors' Assignee. At the last Sitting the Bankrupts are required to finish their Examination.

All persons having in their possession any Property of the Bankrupt should deliver it and all Debts due to the Bankrupt should be paid to Major
F. G. Hill, Official Assignee, Royal Courts of Justice, Belfast, to whom Creditors may forward their Affidavits of Debt.

ROBERT W. McGONIGAL, Deputy Registrar.

S. VICTOR TUGHAX, Solicitor, 4 Waring Street, Belfast.


Source: The Belfast Gazette - 26th April 1935

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(to be continued).
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