Information Regarding H. Muhr's Sons of Philadelphia

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H. Muhr's Sons - Philadelphia - 1884

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DIAMOND AS BIG AS WALNUT

"The President" is the name of yellowish piece of quartz-like stone in possession of H. Muhr’s sons, the diamond merchants on Chestnut street, below Seventh. "This is the largest rough diamond that has ever been imported into the United States,” said Simon Muhr yesterday. "In its present condition it weighs 128 carats. It was brought to New York by express last Tuesday. It was found in the De Beer mine at Kimberly, South Africa, where several other large stones have been discovered. The stone is perfect octahedron, without flaw, and although it is yellowish now it will be nearly white when cut. It will then be what is known as the ‘biwater’ or ‘second white’ stone. Its shape being so good it will weigh, when finished, about seventy carats. If the diamond had been pure white, its value would have been about $250,000, but as it is I expect we shall get from $25,000 to $30,000 for it. The next largest diamond to this one in the United States was seventy-five carats in weight when imported in the rough, and now weighs forty-two carats. It is said to have been purchased by Minnie Palmer for $40,000. It is pure white and called the Cleveland.”

Source: Philadelphia Times - June 1885

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H. Muhr's Sons - Philadelphia - 1879

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The recent increase in the business of H. Muhr’s Sons has necessitated an increase of facilities in their manufacturing establishment at Broad and Race streets. One floor of an area of 14,000 feet is devoted to the jewelry department, and the watch case business proper, which previously had but one floor, now requires three floors of 14,000 feet each in area, to accommodate it. The several departments are thus doubled in capacity for the current year.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular and Horological Review - 4th February 1891

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H. Muhr's Sons - Philadelphia - 1879

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Philadelphia

Mr. Campbell, formerly with H. Muhr’s Sons, has been secured by William Morris & Co. to look after their city business.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular and Horological Review - 3rd February 1892

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Joseph Muhr, the rich Maiden Lane jeweler, whose curious conduct at Long Beach has recently attracted considerable attention, is now in Bloomingdale Asylum.

Source: The Brooklyn Daily Eagle - 9th July 1888

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Henry Newberger, of H. Muhr’s Sons, has been taking a week’s rest at Atlantic City. Walter Davis, of the same house, started last Monday on his first trip of the season.

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

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H. Muhr's Sons - Philadelphia - 1884

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The Firm of H. Muhr’s Sons to Retire from Business

Philadelphia, Pa., Aug. 13. - The rumors that the firm of H. Muhr’s Sons contemplated going out of the business were confirmed last week by Simon Muhr himself who announced that by the beginning of next year he and his brothers will probably have retired from the jewelry trade.

‘‘We are going out of business,” said Mr. Muhr on Saturday “and will probably wind up about the end of the year. Negotiations are under way with a purchaser for our concern, but until details are settled I cannot say anything further about the matter.”

The sons of Henry Muhr have become wealthy through the great business inheritance that came to them from their father. But apart from the jewelry and watch case trade they have various other business interests from which they derive handsome incomes.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular and Horological Review - 15th August 1894

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The Dissolution of the House of H. Muhr’s Sons

Philadelphia, Pa., Aug. 16. —The dissolution of the firm of H. Muhr’s Sons, which was announced in the last issue of The Circular, makes an end to one of the most conspicuous monuments of business courage and enterprise that has ever been known in Philadelphia. The partnership between the three brothers who comprise the firm was merely verbal, and expired Jan. 1st. The business, however, was continued unchanged until a few weeks ago, when a consultation was held and it was decided to dissolve the partnership and to place the affairs of the firm in liquidation.

Simon Muhr, the oldest of the three brothers, has interests in various financial institutions and in outside investments that will occupy the greater part of his time. Jacob and Philip Muhr, owing to their wide knowledge of the jewelry trade, will, it is thought, continue in that line of business. Neither of them, however, has as yet announced his intention whether to retire or not. Any new embarkation in business on the part of any one of them will, in all probability, be on a scale considerably less cumbersome than that of the previous firm, the great calls that the business made upon the time and thought of the partners being given as one of the reasons for dissolving the firm.

The business owes its foundation to Henry Muhr, the father of the three brothers. He was born in Hurban, Bavaria, in 1813, and at first was destined by his parents to be a Rabbi. He chose a trade, however, and at 16 went to Cologne, there to apprentice himself to a watchmaker. Six years at the bench, and he was a finished jeweler, and started in business for himself. For ten years he kept a shop at Hurban, coming to America in 1853. He opened a shop on Vine St above Front, and later entered into a short partnership with Harry Friedburger at 6th and North Sts. Having bought out Friedburger he moved again to a smaller establishment, on 2d St., between Race and New Sts.

In 1860, the business having prospered, it was taken to a more pretentious home, at 160 N. 2d St. Six years later the property next door was purchased. The house had opened a field for itself by selling to very small dealers throughout the State, and had also sent out a drummer or two, young Simon Muhr being one of them. Growing business made necessary another move in 1869, and the factory, still very small, but busy and promising nevertheless, was installed in a building on Franklin place, between Market and Chestnut Sts. The salesroom was still on 2d St., and remained there until 1878, when it was moved to its present location at 629-631 Chestnut St.

The dignity of a factory and salesrooms in different places seems to have given the business a big impetus, and four years had not elapsed before a larger factory was found necessary. The establishment was placed at 4th and Race Sts., where, in 1876, it was completely destroyed by fire. Tools and machinery were ruined forever, but the factory, in less than a week, was started again in the Tatham building, 5th St. below Walnut. It was while here that an attempt at diamond cutting was made, but the experiment failed, and the firm returned to its old system of having a buyer stationed in the gem markets. New York and Chicago offices were also opened in 1884. In 1885, another move being necessary, Simon Muhr built the Muhr building, at Broad and Race Sts., of which at first only two floors were occupied. In five years the whole building was occupied and has remained so to the present time.

Henry Muhr died in 1892, and the firm was then composed of his three sons. Simon Muhr, the oldest, was born in Hurban in 1845, being brought to this country at the age of eight, and receiving his education in the public schools. At 15 he entered his father’s shop as an apprentice, and was put on the road in 1863, five years later. He was admitted to an interest in the business in 1865. Jacob Muhr was born in Philadelphia in 1855, and after a public school education, entered the factory, in 1873. Three years later he became a member of the firm, and has since then largely influenced the success of the house by his judicious management of the purchase and sales department. In Philip, who was born in 1860, his father saw artistic instincts, and the boy was accordingly educated in Europe. He returned in 1887, and was immediately placed where his training could be used to best advantage—at the head of the immense factory. He became a member of the firm one year later. Joseph Muhr, another son and a member of the firm for several years, died some years before his father.

An estimate given recently placed the annual business of the house at $2,000,000, and the value of the Muhr building, owned by Simon Muhr, at not less than $300,000. The contents of the factory are probably worth $250,000.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular and Horological Review - 22nd August 1894

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H. Muhr's Sons - Philadelphia - 1894

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Adolph Edward Lepke, a popular employe of H. Muhr’s Sons, died on the 9th inst. The funeral on the 11th inst. was largely attended by his fellow workman. The services were held at the deceased’s residence, 1617 Vine St. Mr. Lepke was but 34 years old.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular and Horological Review - 18th January 1893

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Aluminum

Another apt application of the new metal to practical uses has recently been made in this city by H. Muhr & Sons, the jewelers. For the great airship under construction at Chicago aluminum bars were needed, and they were drawn by the Muhrs. The order called for a lot of tubes eight inches long, two and a half inches in diameter and a quarter of an inch in thickness. They are to be used, it is said, instead of iron and steel as braces, the airship needing to be as light as possible in all its parts.

Source: Philadelphia Record - December 1891

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An image of Simon Muhr published in 1894:



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Extensive alterations are being made in H. Muhr's Sons’ factory at Broad and Race Sts. New elevators are a feature of the improvements.

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

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H. Muhr's Sons - Philadelphia - 1902

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Narrow Escape of Muhr's Store. — H. Muhr's Sons Jewelry store, at 1110 Chestnut, narrowly escaped being destroyed by fire on Friday night. Shortly before midnight flames lit up the interior of the second floor of the building, occupied as a detective agency, and attracted the attention of an officer. An alarm was immediately turned in, and the flames were extinguished a few minutes after the arrival of the first company. It is supposed the blaze originated in a spark caused by electric light wire crossing.

Source: The Jewelers Review - 28th June 1899

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THE INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION - PHILADELPHIA 1876


H. Muhr's Sons, of Philadelphia, a case of solid and filled gold finger rings, worth $3,000, and of three hundred different patterns.

Source: Four Thousand Years of the World's Progress from the Early Ages to the Present Time. - Samuel J. Burr and S. De Vere Burr - 1878

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H. Muhr's Sons - Philadelphia - 1893

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