Information Regarding Wright, Kay & Co.

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A topic for recording information regarding Wright, Kay & Co. of Detroit.





If you have any details of the above company, advertisements, examples of their work, markings, etc., anything that you are willing to share, then here's the place to post it.

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Wright, Kay & Co. recently sold a street clock to the clothing firm of Mabley, Harvey & Co., valued at $500. Last week this firm went to the wall and the jewelry house seized the timepiece on an attachment. The clock had fortunately for them not yet been accepted, or else it would have gone in with the firm’s assets.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular and Horological Review - 31st July 1895

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Wright, Kay & Co. - Detroit - 1905

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William Harris, formerly with Wright, Kay & Co., is recovering from a serious illness. He states it as his intention to start a business of his own in a western town.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular and Horological Review - 23rd August 1893

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Wright, Kay & Co. have renewed their co-partnership, with Henry M. Wright and John Kay as general partners, and Jacob S Farrand as special partner, who contributes $10,000 to the capital stock.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular and Horological Review - 6th May 1896

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The handsome prizes for the winners in the races to be given by the Detroit Cycle Track Co., on Aug. 28 and Sept. 6, are on exhibition in Wright, Kay & Co.'s windows. The firm donate a silver loving cup for the State champion.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 25th August 1897

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Wright, Kay & Co., the enterprising Detroit retailers, issued a very neat little cardboard souvenir to their patrons, on the cover of which is a picture of a youth curtsying, and asking, “ What D’ye lacke, goode Folkyes?”

Source: The Jewelers' Circular and Horological Review - February 1889

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Fred Patterson, in charge of the badge department of Wright, Kay & Co., has returned from a trip to eastern colleges, where he says the firm’s fraternity and secret society badge business was excellent.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 23rd November 1898

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It is understood among the philatelic friends of John Kay, of Wright, Kay & Co., that he recently disposed of his collection of postage stamps to an English collector, and that the proceeds will be placed in a handsome Woodward Ave. residence. During the week that the American Philatelic Society met here Mr. Kay sold four Hawaiian stamps for a price that is understood to be close to $12,000. The story was published. Mr. Kay did not deny the sale, and stated that he could not afford to keep the group at the price offered for them. Only three sets are known to be in existence. Since the publication of the story, however, A. Fitzsimmons, of Reading. Mich., has discovered duplicates of Mr. Kay's stamps which he has held for 35 years, not knowing their value. The increased production of this group is likely to lessen their value.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 27th September 1899

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DETROIT

Carlos Warren, of Wright, Kay & Co., is at Mackinac Island, with his wife.

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D.B.R. Bancroft, formerly with Wright, Kay & Co., announces that he has obtained the office of inspector of watches for three railroads and will shortly open a retail jewelry store on Griswold St.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 14th July 1897

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Wright, Kay & Co. - Detroit - 1908

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John Kay, Detroit, Granted Injunction Against Kay Jewelry Co., Restraining That Concern from Using the Name "Kay"

Detroit, Mich., Jan. 18.—John Kay, jeweler, with offices in the Book building here, was granted an injunction by Judge Adolph F. Marschner today, restraining the Kay Jewelry Co., 123 State St., from using the name Kay.

Mr. Kay began proceedings against the Kay Jewelry Co., in November on the grounds that the Wright, Kay & Co., and himself were the only interests entitled to use the name.

Mr. Kay, known throughout the country, and for 40 years one of the leading jewelers in Detroit, cited, through his attorneys, that the Kay Jewelry Co. simply sought to add prestige to its concern by adopting the name which Detroiters and Michigan in general had associated with high grade jewelry. His years of active connection with the business, during which he founded the Wright, Kay Co., and helped it to become one of the biggest firms in the city, and then retired from that concern 12 years ago, to devote himself to his own concern, were cited by attorneys for Mr. Kay. Attorneys for him also stated that of the nine partners in the organization of the company which he sued, none was named Kay.

A temporary injunction was granted Mr. Kay in November, barring the Kay Jewelry Co. from using the name significantly in advertising pending the trial of the case and the granting or refusal of a permanent injunction. In the meantime the Kay Jewelry Co. had erected immense and expensive signs including the name Kay.

Slogans such as "Your Promise to Pay is Good with Kay," and "Kay's Corner," were aimed at in the advertising injunction. The court decided that the use of the name should be permitted until the trial of the case on its merits.

What action will be taken by the Kay Jewelry Co. has not been announced. Alterations in the company's signs must be made within a week after the granting of the injunction, unless attorneys argue for an appeal, and a stay of execution is granted. But whether the company will take the case to the Michigan Supreme Court has not been announced.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 25th January 1922

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C. Wellington Hayes, who has been in charge of the diamond department of Wright, Kay & Co. for nine years, commenced work at Smith. Sturgeon & Co.’s store Monday. His old employers presented to him an opal scarf pin set with diamonds, and his brother workmen gave him a complimentary dinner at the St. Clair Hotel.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 8th June 1898

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Wright, Kay & Co. - Detroit - 1915

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Wright, Kay & Co. have given a fine pair of marine glasses to the winner of the 100 yards dash in the Field Day at Ann Arbor University.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular and Horological Review - 31st May 1893

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Wright, Kay & Co. have fitted out their Woodward Ave. window in true Oriental style. The statues in bronze and marble, the antique horologes, rare and costly paintings and eastern relics combine to present a most pleasing picture.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular and Horological Review - 1st February 1893

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Other important changes in location of jewelry firms due to the Wright, Kay &: Co. removal, are the following: The E. H. Pudrith Co., wholesale jewelers, have removed from the old Wright. Kay & Co. building at Woodward and Grand River Aves., to the fifth floor of the same building, in which Wright, Kay & Co. are now located. Edward R. Roehm, manufacturer of class and fraternity jewelry, has removed his office and plant from Woodward and John R. Sts., to 15 Macomb St. The C. & E. Marshall Co.. material and watch supplies, will remain in their present location on the top floor of the new Wright, Kay & Co. building at Woodward and John R. Sts.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 12th May 1920

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The Watch That Told the Time of Day to Bobby Burns

Detroit, Mich., July 28.—Fred H. Hitchcock, of 113 Jefferson Ave., has in his possession a watch which belonged to the Scottish poet Robert Burns, having been presented to him by his friend and patron, James, Earl of Glencairn. The watch is open faced, with small hands, and made of gold; the back of the case is protected by a crystal. In the inside of the case is the inscription, "To Robert Burns, from his friend, James, Earl of Glencairn." The watch is numbered 14616 and was made by Mitchell & Russell, of Glasgow. John Kay, of Wright, Kay & Co., says that when he learned the jewelry business in Glasgow the firm referred to was then the oldest in that line.

Mr. Hitchcock has possessed the watch, which still keeps excellent time, for a few weeks only. He got it from a Scotchman, now residing in Canada, and who about twenty years ago purchased it from a niece or grand-niece of the poet whom he found residing near the home of her uncle. The poverty which chilled the life of the bard fell to the lot of his niece and compelled her to sell the watch. Everything else had been disposed of.

Experts have told Mr. Hitchcock that the Robert Burns Club, of New York, would gladly give $1,000 for the relic.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular and Horological Review - 2nd August 1893

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Wright, Kay & Co. have commenced against John Grant, a former superintendent of the Detroit United Railway, on a promissory note for $464.62.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 6th June 1906

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Charles Warren, with Wright, Kay & Co., is spending his vacation with his family at Interlochen, Orchard Lake, Mich.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 29th June 1898

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