Early Australian Silversmiths

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FELIX HENRY

107, Castlereagh Street, Sydney



Felix Henry - Sydney - 1923

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P.J. KING

122, Russell Street, Melbourne



P.J. King - Melbourne - 1923

Established in 1893.

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LARARD BROTHERS

266, Little Collins Street, Melbourne



Larard Brothers - Melbourne - 1923

Larard Brothers mark was a 5-pointed star above a heraldic bar.

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A.J. LONG & Co.

288, Little Collins Street, Melbourne



A.J. Long & Co. - Melbourne - 1923

A.J. Long & Co.'s mark was a winged wheel.

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RESLAW, GREEN & Co.

163, Pitt Street, Sydney



Reslaw, Green and Company - Sydney - 1923

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WILLIAM FARMER & Co.

30, Hunter Street, Sydney



William Farmer & Co. - Sydney - 1906

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ERIC H. STEWART

Albert Buildings, 110, Bathurst Street, Sydney



Eric H. Stewart - Sydney - 1923

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AMERICAN WATCH COMPANY

Melbourne


Ever since the Sydney and Melbourne Exhibitions, the American Watch Company has been doing a good trade with the Australian Colonies, and it has now attained such large proportions as to necessitate the opening of a branch establishment at Melbourne. The Melbourne branch will no doubt be carried on with the same energy and spirit which so rapidly developed the business in this country ; in fact, as far as we are concerned, we feel quite sure of it, as the manager selected for the new establishment is Mr. D. Mauson, who so ably represented the Company at the Australian Exhibitions.

Source: The Watchmaker, Jeweller, and Silversmith - 5th March 1883

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A. BENJAMIN & SONS

344, Little Collins Street, Melbourne



A. Benjamin & Sons - Melbourne - 1923

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T. GAUNT & Co.

337-339, Bourke Street, Melbourne



T. Gaunt & Co. - Melbourne - 1906

See: viewtopic.php?f=38&t=18484&p=57155&hilit=gaunt#p57155

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PERCY MARKS

5, Hunter Street, later, 49, later, 79, Castlereagh Street, Sydney






Percy Marks - Sydney - 1968


Percy Marks Pty. Ltd. - Sydney - 1974


Percy Marks - Sydney - 1983




Established in 1899.





Percy Marks (1879-1935), jeweller, was born on 6 July 1879 in Wellington, New Zealand, son of London-born John Marks, jeweller, and his New Zealand-born wife Eliza Jane, née Levy. The family moved to Sydney about 1880 and Percy was educated at Paddington Superior Public School. At 14 he was apprenticed to R. H. J. Jenkins, jeweller, and also studied at Sydney Technical College. On 7 March 1899 he married Eliza Robinson Barton with Congregational forms, and that year started his own business in Market Street. He advertised his appointments as a vice-regal jeweller from 1908.

In 1907, impressed by samples of dark opal from Walangulla (Lightning Ridge), Marks obtained a miner's right. Although winning only 'shin-crackers' himself, he recognized the opal's market potential, and bought all available. Captivated by its 'flashing splendour', he described it as 'the orchid of gems' and named it black opal to distinguish it from the more common pale form. Promoting it as Australia's national gem, he discounted the superstition that opal was unlucky, and made a collection for public display. He won the grand prix at the 1908 Franco-British Exhibition in London and at the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco.

In 1919 the State government commissioned him to inquire into the marketing of opals in Europe and North America. He exhibited his collection at the Foire Internationale de Lyon, France, and in Paris, and presented collections of rough and cut opal to eight French museums and mining schools. Believing the opal trade was being hampered by miners demanding excessive prices, he suggested in his report that a small advisory board be appointed by the government to protect and harmonize the respective interests of miner, jeweller and the public. In 1925 the French government appointed him officier d'instruction publique.

With a 'courtly manner' and a 'clear-cut', 'polished' appearance, Marks had a boyish whimsicality. He delighted in presenting jewellery of his own design to celebrities. At a dinner in honour of Pavlova each female guest was presented with a silver-papered 'chocolate', in reality a black opal. Others to receive gifts were Dame Nellie Melba, Elsa Stralia, the American bandmaster J. P. Sousa and Amy Johnson. The opal presented to the Duke of Gloucester in 1934 by the Federated Retail Jewellers' Association of the Commonwealth was selected and mounted by him. Marks also made a miniature opal casket for Queen Mary's Doll's House. He donated sports trophies and charity appeal prizes, as well as presenting opal collections to the Mining and Geological and Technological museums, Sydney, and to twelve high schools.

Marks was awarded King George V's Silver Jubilee medal in 1935. He had a wide range of other interests: golf, billiards, swimming, yachting, fishing, gardening and Freemasonry. He was a director of the New South Wales Sports Club Ltd and a member of the (Royal) Motor Yacht Club and of the Amateur Billiards Association. Survived by his wife and four sons, he died of cancer in hospital at Moore Park on 23 September 1935 and was cremated. His estate was valued for probate at £21,420.

Source: Australian Dictionary of Biography - Gillian Fulloon - 1986

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G. EVANS

Howick Street, Bathurst



Waterbury Watch Co. - Sydney - 1892

Mr. G. Evans, watchmaker, Howick-street, Bathurst, writes under date 15th June, 1892: “I have carefully examined the Waterbury Watches, and find them splendidly finished, especially the Gold-cased Series ‘K ’; and I am of the opinion that they are the grandest watches made in the world for the money. I always wear one of the Gold Series ‘K,’ and it keeps the very best of time.”

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DUGGIN, SHAPPERE & Co.

346, Little Collins Street, Melbourne



Duggin, Shappere & Co. - Melbourne - 1923

'NELLIE STEWART BANGLES'

'ANCHOR'

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J. S. Larke, Canadian commercial agent at Sydney, Australia, in a report to the Trade and Commerce Department at Ottawa, reviewing the trade of Australia for 1905, writes as follows regarding plated ware: “The importations of plated ware in 1905 amounted to £153,760. There has been a steady increase during the last three years. The bulk of the trade belongs to the United Kingdom. Her supplies amounted to £129,099 as against £4,152 from Germany and £17,381 from the United States. Canada, in the returns, is credited with £256, which, as shown in the table of origin, is much below the amount actually sent. Canadian manufacturers have made persistent efforts to get into the market, but they have been confronted with two difficulties. Large manufacturers of Great Britain and the United States have their direct representatives in this country in some cases carrying stocks of goods. The Canadian designs largely follow those of the United States, which are not popular in this country, and in spite of the persistent efforts of United States manufacturers, they have made but small growth. As compared with 1903, the imports from the United Kingdom increased by over £38,000, while those from the United States increased by £1,000, and those from Germany slightly declined. With their present patterns, there is not much probability of a large increase in the trade.” The “table of origin” referred to is a separate statement compiled by the Australian Department of Trade and Commerce, showing the “country of origin” of importations, often differing widely from the customs entries.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 3rd October 1906

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ARONSON & Co. Pty. Ltd.

Holt House, 56, York Street, Sydney, 297-299, Little Collins Street, Melbourne, and Charlotte Street, Brisbane



Aronson and Co. Pty. Ltd. - Sydney - 1923

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MALEY & COOPER

283, Pitt Street, Sydney



Maley & Cooper - Sydney - 1923

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W. SMYTHE

65, Market Street, Sydney



W. Smythe - Sydney - 1923

Established in 1911.

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HARDY BROTHERS (SYDNEY & BRISBANE) LIMITED

32, Old Burlington Street, London


Jewellery and goods of a kindred nature figure with considerable prominence in the trade of Australia. The people of the Commonwealth, ranking, proportionally to their number, with the richest of the nations of the world, possess the means to gratify their tastes in such matters, and their requirements are duly studied by the merchant houses whose attention is given to the importation and distribution of articles of elegance and refinement. One of the best known of such houses in the Australian centres is that of Messrs. Hardy Brothers, Limited, of 13, Hunter Street, Sydney, and 118, Queen Street, Brisbane, whose buying agents in London are Messrs. Hardy Brothers (Sydney and Brisbane), Limited. This latter company was incorporated on July 24th, 1913, and operates under a directorate consisting of Mr. S. Hardy, Mr. S. H. Hardy, and Mr. J. P. Hardy,the office of secretary being held by Mr. J. Penn Titterton. The export department of the business done here has reference to the varied demands of the Australian market in regard to manufactured jewellery, silver goods, electro-plate etc. These demands, while taking a wide range, are on the whole, such as to call for the maintenance of a standard of quality and value above the average; and to this end Messrs. Hardy Brothers (Sydney and Brisbane), Limited have placed themselves in touch with producers of established repute whose resources enable them to supply the best and most suitable classes of goods upon favourable terms. Clients of the Australian house derive an obvious benefit from arrangements so conducive to their interests, while an important market is made directly available to manufacturers on this side who are prepared to fulfil the requirements indicated. In addition to their export buying operations, the company are actively taking up the matter of direct dealing in London with Australian clients visiting this country. Their business with such clients has become so large that they have experienced the need of a central position in the West End, and have acquired premises admirably adapted to their purpose in a fine old house of the Georgian period at 32, Old Burlington Street, London, W. Here their friends will find a very notable display of choice examples of the jeweller's and allied crafts, attractively set forth in a handsome salon after the Parisian style, under conditions perfectly conducive to the visitors' convenience. There is no window display. The establishment is to all intents and purposes a private house, where the company's clients can be received, and their tastes specially studied in regard to articles of the highest class, derived in every instance from original sources. Such a departure bids fair to meet a want, and should prove welcome to the ever-increasing number of Australians who visit the Mother Country on business or pleasure bent. Telephone : Regent 5648

Source: The Business World - 1914

See: viewtopic.php?f=38&t=18484&p=62060&hilit=hardy#p62060

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HENRY WALKER & SONS Ltd.

Ruthven Street, Toowoomba



Henry Walker & Sons, Ltd. - Toowoomba - 1915

See: viewtopic.php?f=38&t=18484&p=167964&hilit=toowoomba#p167964

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LA PERLE

72, Castlereagh Street, Sydney



La Perle - Sydney - 1932

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