Some London Advertisements and Information

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HALTON & SLOCOMBE

Moorgate Street, London


Wanted.–A reward of £200 has been offered for the apprehension of Frederick Harrison, a jewellers' porter at Messrs. Halton and Slocombe's, jewellers, of Moorgate Street, who on April 10 decamped with over £2,000 worth of jewellery.

Source: The Watchmaker, Jeweller and Silversmith - 2nd June 1890

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KAY & Co.Ltd.

4, Foregate Street and Shrub Hill, Worcester



Kay & Co.Ltd. - Worcester - 1905

Kay & Co.Ltd. entered a variety of marks with both the London and Chester assay offices.

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GEOFFREY HARDING

Abingdon, Oxfordshire


An example of the work of Geoffrey Harding, a coffee pot 8½" (21.5cm) in height and weighing 713 grams, assayed at London in 1971:








GNH - London - 1971

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ADOLF FISHBERG

29, Christian Street, Commercial Road, later, 40, Anthony Street, Commercial Road, London


THEFT OF £11,000 JEWELLERY

Practically without a single clue Scotland Yard officers were engaged recently making close investigation into the amazing achievements of up-to-date cracksmen, who were provided with the latest scientific equipment. As the result of their prowess the men concerned not only obtained access to a jeweller's premises in the East End of London, but they managed–so complete and so skilful were their operations–to escape without detection, with a very valuable haul, including packets containing diamonds worth about £11,000.

Once having secured an entrance, these super-burglars went to work according to an obviously pre-arranged plan, and with the aid of an acetylene burner speedily cut through the half-inch casing of a safe four feet high. That the raiders took every precaution to aid them in their nefarious enterprise was shown by the careful way they avoided interference with the electric police-warning bell, and also by the manner in which they tidied up everything before they left the premises with their rich booty.

"The robbery is one of the most daring I have Investigated," said Mr. Sidney Balon, of Balon Bros., assessors, of Queen Victoria Street, London. "It is perfectly clear that the thieves knew the run of the building, and were fully acquainted with the ingenious method in which it was wired to operate the burglar alarm."

Rings and Diamonds Missing

That the robbery was the work of some of the cleverest cracksmen is undoubtedly beyond all question. The scene of their operations was the premises of Mr. Adolf Fishberg, jeweller, of Commercial Road, and those engaged in the exploit got away unobserved with 17 packets of loose diamonds, 200 to 300 18-carat gold ladies' and men's rings, a number of stone rings set in gold and platinum, a number of ladies' and men's gold watches, and some gold cigarette cases.

Judging by the manner in which the crime was carried out the police were inclined to the theory that the burglars were aware of the safe's contents. The district is patrolled by the police at frequent intervals, and in order to avoid detection the thieves made their way to the first floor of a house in a side turning adjacent to the jeweller's premises. They then used a balcony communicating with a window at the rear of the shop, and by this means entered the building.

There are several electric wires attached to the burglar alarm in the shop, but none of these was touched. By means of an acetylene flare a large hole was burned by the cracksmen through the back of the solid steal safe. "When I entered in the morning," Mr. Fishberg said, "there was nothing to indicate that anything was amiss. The window was barred and shuttered as usual, and all the silverware was in its place. It was not until I had walked to the rear of the premises that I discovered a robbery had been committed.

"The thieves had sawn their way through a door, and had then gone to the safe, a very substantial affair, burned a hole through it, and taken all of the diamonds that were inside, £11,000 worth. They did not leave any litter of any kind behind them, and they went to the trouble of putting back the portion of the door that they had sawn away. I could not see the hole in the safe until I got close to it.

Thieves Display Much Daring

"The thieves acted in a most daring way," said a representative of the establishment. "The place is self-contained, over the shop being a work-room. The premises were closed at 4 o'clock. We do not know at what time the thieves carried out their work, for the discovery was not made until 9 a.m. The burglars showed extreme skill. They carried out their work so quietly that they were not detected through the peep-hole in the front door of the shop. They entered by forcing a back window upstairs, and then took out a panel from the door that leads to the workshop.

"By this means they were able to come down a short flight of stairs that leads to the shop. Here there is a narrow door. It was locked and strongly protected by iron bars stretched across. What the thieves did was to use a fine saw and cut the door completely in half, just above the lock. Removing the upper part in this way with the bars that were attached, they were able then to get into the shop. The safe is only a few inches away from this door, and it is a particularly heavy one, about four feet high.

"The front of it faces the front door, but the front is away from observation. The thieves must have been provided with the most modern equipment, for they had to tackle the breaking open of a particularly formidable safe. Had they gone about it clumsily they would inevitably have caused an alarm that is fixed to it to sound. They burned a big hole in the front 18½ inches by 11 inches.

All Traces Tidied Up

"The steel is half an inch thick, and the heat during the burning operations must have been very great. I think that during the process they were able to take advantage of our electric supply by fitting some connection to the wire overhead. One imagines that the task occupied them for a long time, but they were certainly most thorough.

"Directly the hole they had made was large enough they were able to extract the contents. These consisted of diamonds, both cut and uncut, and many rings. The elaborate and sure manner in which the burglars worked seems to indicate that they were fully conversant with the premises. At the end of their task they showed considerable care in leaving everything tidy, evidently so that no policeman looking through the peep-hole would become suspicious.

"The only clue that was left is a curious one. The men evidently worked with gloves on, and used some putty to hold in position some wires that were used for the cutting through of the safe. On this putty were found some button marks from the gloves.

Source: The Canberra Times - 10th June 1927


Adolf Fishberg entered his mark 'A.F' contained within an oblong punch, with the London Assay Office on the 5th March 1908.

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NATHAN FISHBERG

201, Commercial Road East, London



An old trick was played on an East-end jeweler the other day when Nathan Fishberg handed over £5,000 for an attache case containing lumps of coal. Two men entered the jeweler's premises and displayed the attache case full of gems. Fishberg agreed to buy for £5,000. He went to the safe, counted out the notes and handed them across the counter to the couple, who handed over the attache case closed. When the jeweler opened it he found it was not the one containing the gems he had bought. Scotland Yard has a good description of the men.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 1st December 1920



CHANGE OF NAME

LIST of ALIENS to whom Exemptions under Section 7 of the Aliens Restriction (Amendment) Act, 1919, have been granted up to 31st January, 1937

The Name printed in larger type is that in respect of which the Exemption has been granted; then follow the former Name or Names and the Occupation or Business of the Alien or Aliens:–

FISHBERG, N. & SON; N. Fishberg; Diamond Merchant and Jeweller; 201, Commercial Road East, E.1

Source: The London Gazette - 5th February 1937

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C.W. HILLS

Gray's Inn Road, London


"Life preservers" were new features of the jewelry thieves' operations over the holiday week. In the Gray's Inn Road, West-Central, C. W. Hills, a jeweler, was knocked down in his own establishment with a "life preserver-' wielded by one of two supposed customers who entered the place to "purchase" a ring. The blow did not render the jeweler unconscious but the would-be thieves got away.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 28th April 1920

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PETER ROBINSON Ltd.

204-228 & 234, Oxford Street, and 252-264, 278, 282-286, Regent Street, and 1-11, Great Portland Street, London




Peter Robinson - London - 1905

Established in 1833, the business was converted into a limited liability company in 1896. Peter Robinson Ltd. entered three marks, all 'PRLd' contained within an oblong punch, with the London Assay Office on the 5th September 1902.

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BOWLER & JONES

71, Piccadilly, London


A daring robbery of jewellery took place at the premises of Mr. F. A. Bowler, jeweller, of 71 Piccadilly. Before the shop was closed, at five on the Saturday afternoon, the jewellery was taken out of the window and placed in a safe at the back of the shop. On Monday morning this safe was found open, and a number of empty jewel-cases were strewn about the floor. It was apparent that the thieves had entered from the front, for of the three locks by which the shop-door is secured, and which had been left secure on Saturday, two were found unfastened. When the safe was examined it was found that the whole of the jewellery had been taken from it. The value of the property was estimated at from 1,100l. to 1,200l.

Source: The Annual Register - August 1882


This was the business of Frederick Austin Bowler and William Augustus Jones and was thought to be founded in 1881. They were noted as customers of Sampson Mordan & Co. The firm went into liquidation in 1883 and the premises were taken over by Percy Edwards & Co. (see above post).

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DODD BROTHERS

40, Cornhill, London


GREAT JEWEL ROBBERY IN CORNHILL

A very daring burglary, by which the thieves carried off a great plunder, was perpetrated in one of the most frequented thoroughfares in the City.

Messrs. Dodds Brothers are extensive jewellers, occupying the house, No. 40, Cornhill. The upper part of the house is used as a residence by one of the firm. The lower part is the shop, filled with a very rich assortment of the valuables proper to their trade. The front of the shop is in Cornhill. The front can scarcely be said to be divided; for the window recedes into a doorway, in which is a door of the light description usual in such establishments when open for business. At night a “stall-board,” of the height of the window-sill, is let into the front of the doorway, and securely bolted into its place, and an iron shutter is then rolled down, and covers the whole window-front and doorway, and is fastened to the stall-board by a thumb-screw. Inside, the shop is shut off from the house by a sliding door covered with iron, which is rolled back during the day. There is a private door to the residence in a court leading from Cornhill, which is closed by an iron gate with a padlock. The inmates of the house were Mr. Dodd, his wife, her sister, an assistant (Mr. G. Williams), a porter named George Ellis, and a maidservant. In the evening of the 11th of March, Mr. Dodd, his wife, and sister-in—law went out; they returned together about 10 minutes past 12. Mr. Dodd examined the sliding-door between the house and the shop, and finding it properly secured, retired to bed. Shortly before 6 o’clock the following morning he was awoke by a violent ringing of the bell, and on going out of his bedroom he found the porter Ellis on the staircase, in the act of going down stairs, although not required to be on duty before 8 o’clock. He was fully dressed. On descending, he found that the sliding-door was still secure; but on entering the shop he found that the cases in which the jewellery is displayed in the window had been broken open, and articles to a great value carried off. The list of the plunder reads like an adventure in the Arabian Nights. Among the articles missing were 100 fine gold Signet rings,120 ladies’ fancy rings, 50 pairs gold sleeve-buttons, 120 gem and gold pins, 36 diamond, emerald, opal and gold bracelets, 60 fine gold guard-chains, 50 sets of gold chains, with lockets, watches, necklets, studs, and every imaginable article of personal jewellery. The total value of the property carried off was estimated at 8000l. The rolling shutter was untouched; but the stall-board showed plainly that it had been tampered with. It was still properly fastened; but the top, bottom, and one end had been cut through at the heading, and the panel had been pushed inwards as far as could be done without breaking its connection with the framework at the opposite end, which was still perfect. The obvious intention of this work was to suggest that the shop had been entered by means of the broken panel. But on examination, it was found that the cutting had been performed from the inside, and that it was not possible that any person could have passed through the stallboard by such an aperture as that offered by the imperfect removal of the panel. It was obvious, then, that the robbery had been committed by some one who either had access to the shop from the house, or who had been concealed in the shop when it was closed, and who had since been let out by the private door. There was no difficulty in fixing on the porter as the principal in the scheme. He had many opportunities of procuring an impression of the key of the padlock which fastened the sliding-door; but even this was unnecessary, for it was afterwards discovered that the staple in the iron door could be taken out after the padlock had been fastened in it; that the door could then be opened and shut and the staple replaced, so as to give the door the appearance of being perfectly secure; and the stall-board was placed during the day-time in a cellar in which he worked when not otherwise employed; and he was found ready dressed two hours before he was required to be at business; and there were suspicious circumstances in his conduct the preceding evening. He was arrested and committed for trial.

The jewellers and goldsmiths have suffered severely from a gang who have directed their especial attention towards their establishments. In January the premises of a watchmaker at Kingsland were broken open, and plundered of goods to the value of 3800l. One party concerned in this robbery proved to be an engineer in the service of Messrs. Perkins and Bacon. The knowledge that he was in possession of a great quantity of jewellery led to his apprehension; and it was then discovered that he had robbed his employers of a great number of unfinished private bank notes, which would have no doubt been completed and circulated by his confederates.

In May, the shop of a jeweller and silversmith in High Street, Camden Town, was burglariously entered, and more than 1000l. worth of property carried off.

This unfortunate trade has also suffered severely from the skill of foreign practitioners. In May, a watchmaker in Clerkenwell sold 500l. worth of watches to two gentlemanly-looking foreigners. The goods were packed up in a cigarcase, which was carefully placed in a black leather carpet-bag, and left in the charge of the seller until it should be called for and the money paid. Suspicion arising, the bag was opened, and the cigar-box was found to contain nothing but pebbles. A diamond merchant in Regent Street was robbed of 750l. worth of precious stones by the same trick, and probably by the same persons, a few days later.

Source: The Annual Register - March 1862


The partnership of Alfred and Francis Dodd was dissolved on the 7th June 1861.

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METCALF & Co.

8, Pall Mall, later, 19, Cockspur Street, London



Metcalf & Co. - London - 1872


Metcalf & Co. - London - 1873


Metcalf & Co. - London - 1877


Established in 1825.


There is now on view at Messrs. Metcalf & Co.'s, in Cockspur Street, a collection of military medals from the year 1645 to the present time, formed by Gen. Frederic Brine.

Source: The Academy - 26th December 1885


See: viewtopic.php?f=38&t=39456&p=113450#p113450


Metcalf & Co. failed in 1879 with estimated liabilities of £70,000.

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THE CONTINENTAL DAILY PARCELS EXPRESS (JOHN GEORGE SMITH & Co.)

53, Gracechurch Street, London



The Continental Daily Parcels Express - London - 1877

Established in 1849 by John Friend and John Piddington. In 1865 the firm passed to Piddington's son-in-law, John George Smith and sometime in the 1890's to his son also named John George Smith. In 1900 John George Smith assumed his grandfather's name of Piddington.

This company of shipping and forwarding agents took advantage of of their routes of communication and experience of handling high value packages to import silverware, especially that of Simon Rosenau of Bad Kissingen, into the United Kingdom. The firm registered their marks with the London Assay Office, initially under the name of their general manager, David Nicholas Bridge.










DB - London - 1896 -- SR crowned

The business are thought to have imported German silverware up until 1939.

The firm's marks were as follows, 'DB' (David Bridge) contained within an oblong punch with clipped corners, on the 16th July 1885, 'J.S' (John Smith) contained within an oblong punch, on the 10th September 1897, 26th November 1897, and 20th October 1898, 'JGP' (John George Piddington) contained within an oblong punch with clipped corners, on the 29th March 1901.

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FREDERIC ALDIS

10,11,12,13, Belgrave Mansions, 61, 63, 65, Buckingham Palace Road, and 3, Cheapside, London



F. Aldis - London - 1890


F. Aldis - London - 1907

Established in 1852.

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I.J. RIPPON

63, Castle Street East, later, Wells Street, Oxford Street, London



I.J. Rippon - London - 1837


I.J. Rippon - London - 1837

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ALBERT WOODHOUSE

56, Carey Street, Lincoln's Inn, London


DEED POLL

By a deed poll dated January 5th, 1928, ALBERT WALLHAUSER and ARNOLD WALLHAUSER, both of 56, Carey Street, Lincoln's Inn, E.C., trading as Albert Woodhouse, silversmiths and jewellers, abandoned the respective names of Albert Wallhauser and Arnold Wallhauser, and adopted the respective names of Albert Woodhouse and Arnold Woodhouse.

Source: The Jeweller and Metalworker - 1st February 1928

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HERSEY & SON



Michael Hersey began his career at William Comyns & Sons Limited, in Soho, London when he started his apprenticeship in 1954, aged 15, to learn the trade of a silver spinner. He furthered his knowledge of silversmithing skills with the firm of C.J. Vander Limited. In 1971 he joined forces with another silversmith, David Mills, and founded the firm of Mills & Hersey, located at a workshop in Rawston Street, Clerkenwell. They specialised in the manufacture of candlesticks, napkin rings and wine coasters.

The business expanded and removed in 1974 from Clerkenwell to Church Street, Twickenham, Middlesex, a combined manufacturing premises and retail shop.

Stewart Hersey, Michael’s son, joined the firm in 1981 following training as a silversmith at the Sir John Cass College, London Guildhall University and as an apprentice under Grant Macdonald. In 1983 David Mills left the company and in 1985 the firm changed its name to M.C. Hersey & Son. In 1987 the business moved once again to larger premises at Railway Road, Teddington, Middlesex, and the firm ceased retail activities. The business is now in the hands of Stewart Hersey.

Between 1971 and 1983 their maker’s mark was M&H.

Between 1983 and 2007 M over CH in a trefoil as shown below:


M above C H - London - 1989


M above C H - London - 1993

Since 2007 their hallmark has been SH in a chamfered square, as shown below:



In 2009 they returned to retailing and opened a shop at East Molesey, Surrey. In 2011 a further branch was opened in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey.

In 2010 they were commissioned by the Joint Assay Offices Committee to manufacture an Armada Dish that was presented to Richard Vanderpump its retiring Chairman. As well as the Leopard’s Head hallmark for London, it also bore the representative marks of the Anchor hallmark for Birmingham, the Rose for Sheffield and the Castle for Edinburgh.

In 2011 Hersey & Son were commissioned to make the trophies for the Tranatlantic Race.

Below is a link to a short film describing the manufacture of Hersey & Son's candlesticks:

http://vimeo.com/1464404




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HARDEBECK & BORNHARDT Ltd.

35, Myddleton Street, later, 13, Myddleton Place, Clerkenwell, later, 88, Rosebery Avenue, London


Hardebeck & Bornhardt, Ltd.—A manufacturing jewelry business carried on for 30 years in an ostensibly private dwelling house in what was, until a few years ago, a back street in Clerkenwell, has just been converted into a limited company with a nominal capital of £120,000. The partners started in a small way as diamond mounters and by personal skill and industry have prospered. The net profits for the past three or four years are certified at £12,325 per annum (average) and for the last eight months reached £16,082. The stock of jewelry and unmounted stones is valued at £28,510 only. The business is typical of Clerkenwell, where much of the finest work in gold and silver is carried out amidst the meanest surroundings.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular and Horological Review - 20th July 1898

The business of Carl Joseph Hardebeck, E. Bornhardt, and A. Weil in 1898.

In the 1920's, the business was managed by E.W. Scott and W. Ash. The firm went into voluntary liquidation on 6th July 1932, the goodwill and stock being acquired by W. Wingrove & Co.Ltd.

The business entered their mark 'HB' (Henry Bornhardt) contained within an oblong punch, on the 8th September 1869 with the London Assay Office.

See: viewtopic.php?f=75&t=30529&p=75916&hilit=Hardebeck#p75916

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UIBEL & BARBER

57b, Hatton Garden, London, and 39, Vesey Street, New York



Uibel & Barber - London - 1887


Messrs. Uibel & Barber, of 57b, Hatton Garden, London. E.C., are manufacturing a new and beautiful line of goods—of sea beans and alligator teeth. They work them up into bangles, brooches, scarf pins, charms, &c, the workmanship on which is perfect ; and as they employ steam power in their factory they reach the highest perfection in the polishing of the sea beans and alligator teeth. The sea beans, which are of varied and beautiful colours, are gathered on the coast of Florida, where they wash ashore from the Coral Islands on which they grow. Being of an exceedingly hard nature, they are susceptible of an extremely high polish. The alligator teeth are from alligators hunted in the bayous of Texas and everglades of Florida, where they are sought for their teeth and hides.

Source: The Watchmaker, Jeweller and Silversmith - 1st August 1887


Noted as exhibitors at the Centennial Exposition of the Ohio Valley and Central States held at Cincinnati in 1888 and the Universal Exposition of 1889 held at Paris.

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WARWICK & SONS

Grosvenor Square, London


London, Sept. 6.—The European jewel thieves are becoming bolder. They do not hesitate now to rob the jeweler during shop hours. Only the other day a particularly daring robbery was carried out at the jewelry store of Warwick & Sons, Grosvenor Square, although only money was taken, probably because there was no time to collect jewelry. The thief, who held up the shop assistant with a revolver and then robbed the till, is believed to be an American. The man entered the jewelry shop just after the noon hour and professed interest in silver cigarette cases. Then he abruptly changed his mind, evidently preferring currency. He whipped out a revolver, covered the clerk and told him to keep his hands up while he emptied the till. There was only $15 or $20 in the till but the man scooped it up, backed to the door and then slipped into the passing crowds. The police description circulated throughout the country contains the note: Speaks with an American accent.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 21st September 1921

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GEORGE BRUTON

9, Spencer Street, Clerkenwell, London


It is our painful duty to record the death, after a lingering illness of nearly two years, of Mr. George Bruton, the well-known enameller, of 9, Spencer Street, Clerkenwell, on June 6th, at the early age of 31. He was a member of the Institute almost from the commencement, and took an earnest interest in its welfare.

Source: The Horological Journal - 1st August 1863

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WILLIAM CONNELL

22, Myddleton Street, Clerkenwell, later, 83, Cheapside, London


OBITUARY

Mr. W. Connell, of Cheapside, chronometer maker, died at his residence, West Hackney, on the 16th ultimo. He was under 60 years of age; was a common councilman of the City of London, and might fairly have aspired to the highest civic honours. He was a man of great ability, and no one was more respected throughout the trade.

Source: The Horological Journal - 1st April 1863

The above would refer to William Connell, who succeeded to the business of Richard Pinfold Ganthony, Master of the Clockmakers' Company following his death in 1845. William Connell was the father of William George Connell, one of the pioneers of modern artistic silverware.

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