Information Regarding Bigelow, Kennard & Co.

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Bigelow, Kennard & Co. have a remarkably fine miniature jewelry shop at the Atlantic City Boardwalk in Mechanics Hall. The company is featuring unique and attractive Christmas gifts. At its store on West St. there is the most comprehensive stock of its kind in New England, including gold, silver, jewelry, clocks, watches, ecclesiastical goods, stationery, greeting cards, leather novelties, china, glass, cutlery, lamps, antique furniture, etc.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 6th December 1922

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Bigelow & Brothers - Boston, Mass. - 1920

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SET OF COMMUNION PLATE PRESENTED TO THE 302d FIELD ARTILLERY, UNITED STATES NATIONAL ARMY





A set of communion plate made by Bigelow, Kennard & Co., Inc., Boston, Mass., was presented to the 302d Field Artillery, United States National Army, at the morning service in King's Chapel, recently, in memory of a member of the chapel, one of Boston's most historic churches.

The set is designed for use in the field, with special attention to lightness, compactness and strength, is complete in every detail, and is contained in a cabinet 16 inches in length, 8 inches in width and 18 inches high. This box of stout oil oak, lined with purple velvet, has a watertight canvas cover with two heavy straps and a handle. The box is plainly marked: "Property of the Unitarian Chaplain, 302d Field Artillery. Presented in memory of a member of King's Chapel, Boston, Mass."

The box has a compartment for linen made by the Society of Arts and Crafts. Within this compartment are two cases which contain diminutive mahogany trays with 25 individual communion cups of plain, durable glass. Below these two cases are places for the rest of the set—a plain silver packing about six inches in diameter, a chalice and flagon, a spoon and requisite implements for cleaning. The chalice and flagon are about six inches high, of plain design. The inside of the chalice is washed with gold. The flagon has a short neck, to give the maximum capacity in the least space. All the silver is marked with a Greek cross enclosed in a circle, and the words 'Fidelis in Memoriam'.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 30th January 1918

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Bigelow, Kennard & Co., 1869 - Bigelow, Kennard & Co. (Inc.), 1919

In point of time as of dimension the jewelry establishment of Bigelow, Kennard & Co., Inc., ranks amongst the oldest and largest in the country.

The career of the firm began in 1830 when John Bigelow opened a jewelry store near the head of State St. Soon afterward he was joined by his brother, Alanson Bigelow, and the firm name was changed to John Bigelow & Co. The business grew rapidly and the firm built a handsome granite store on what is now 511 Washington St. As years passed Abraham O. Bigelow, brother of Alanson, M. P. Kennard, William H. Kennard and F. P. Bemis became members of the firm and the name changed to Bigelow Bros. & Kennard. The firm was in business as Bigelow, Kennard & Co. at 331 Washington St., in 1869. In 1876 the present Alanson Bigelow, Sr., came into the firm and for half a century has been an important factor in the success attained. He still retains an interest in all the details of management.

When they moved to their present location in 1869, Boylston St. was considered the very southerly limit of the business district, and friends prophesied all manner of evil. Their example was soon followed, however, and now the building seems to be fairly down town.

Alanson Bigelow died in 1884, Abraham O. Bigelow and M. P. Kennard retired from the firm, both of them dying a few years later. Mr. Bemis died, leaving the then Alanson Bigelow, Sr., son of the founder of the firm, who carried on the business alone for some years, and in 1895 his son, a third Alanson Bigelow, the present junior member of the firm, was admitted to partnership. Another son. Homer Lane Bigelow, became a member of the firm in 1899, retiring a few years later, at which time Reginald C. Heath, a son-in-law, was admitted.

The business was then incorporated as Bigelow, Kennard & Co., in 1912. The officers were Alanson Bigelow, Jr., president; Alanson Bigelow, Sr., vice-president; Reginald C. Heath, treasurer, and Edmund T. Glover, clerk. These gentlemen have continued to fill their respective offices up to the present time. It is a close corporation, the Bigelow family owning all of the common stock.

The present marble and sandstone building was erected in 1911 on the ground of the original building erected by the firm in 1869. It is, perhaps, the only example of Louis XVI style adapted to mercantile work to be found in Boston. The architect was Henry Ives Cobb, of New York.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 5th February 1919

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Bigelow, Kennard & Co. - Boston, Mass. - 1911

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Chas. W. Kennard & Co. - Boston - 1872

See: viewtopic.php?f=38&t=44449&p=133099&hilit=charles#p133099

and: http://www.925-1000.com/ax_KennardCW.html

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Bigelow, Kennard & Co. - Boston, Mass. - 1877

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DEATH OF A. BIGELOW, SR.

Dean of Boston Jewelry Trade Passes Away in His 87th Year After a Brief Illness

Boston, Mass., Dec. 30.—Alanson Bigelow, Sr., for many years head of the firm of Bigelow, Kennard & Co., and known throughout this section as the Dean of the Boston jewelry trade, died early yesterday morning at the home of his daughter, Dorothea (Mrs. Reginald Carey Heath), at Heath Hill, Brookline. Mr. Bigelow's death came as a surprise and shock to his many friends in Boston, for though in his 87th year, he had been in good health up until a few days ago.

Alanson Bigelow came of a family of jewelers and his ancestors were among the oldest settlers in New England. He was the eighth generation of the family of John Bigelow, who first settled in Watertown and some of whose grandsons settled in Westminster. It was from the Westminster branch that the late Alanson Bigelow is descended.

The jewelry house with which he was connected was founded in 1830 by John Bigelow, his uncle, who afterward was joined by a brother, Alanson Bigelow, and the name changed to John Bigelow & Co. As the business grew, the firm moved to 511 Washington St., and later Abraham O. Bigelow, another brother, M. P. Kennard, Wm. H. Kennard and F. B. Bemis, became members of the firm under the name of Bigelow Bros. & Kennard. This was later changed to Bigelow, Kennard & Co., which is the present name of the concern.

Deceased was born in Cambridge and was the son of Alanson Bigelow. of the original jewelry firm, his mother being Rebecca Bangs. Following his graduation from Harvard, he entered his father's business and from that time to the present, had been closely identified not only with the affairs of the house but with the jewelry trade of Boston. He was admitted as a member of the firm in 1876. The father died in 1884, Abraham Bigelow and M. P. Kennard retired from the firm about this time, both of them dying a few years later, and shortly after Mr. Bemis passed away. This left Mr. Bigelow as sole member of the firm for some years until in 1895, his son, Alanson Bigelow, Jr. (the third member of that name), was admitted to partnership.

Another son, Homer Lane Bigelow, became a member of the firm in 1889. retiring a few years later, at which time Reginald C. Heath, a son-in-law, was admitted. On the incorporation of the business in 1912, Alanson Bigelow, Jr., became president; Alanson Bigelow, Sr. (who has just died), vice-president, and Mr. Heath, the treasurer of the firm.

Mr. Bigelow had a wide circle of friends in and out of the jewelry trade and was noted as a man of culture, taste and discrimination. He was an extensive traveler and. had spent much time abroad. The house in which he was born at 265 Harvard St. was occupied by him until 1890, when he took up his residence at Chestnut Hill, but following the death of his wife (who was Sarah Elizabeth Lane, of Newton), he went to live with his daughter, Mrs. Heath, and remained with her until his death. Beside his daughter and sons, Alanson and Homer, he had another son, Ernest A. Bigelow, a resident of New York.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 2nd January 1924

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Bigelow, Kennard & Co. - Boston, Mass. - 1920

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Bigelow, Kennard & Co. - Boston, Mass. - 1875

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James S. Geggis, formerly of Bigelow, Kennard & Co., Inc., is now employed in the watch department of the Thomas Long Co.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 16th March 1921

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Bigelow, Kennard & Co. - Boston, Mass. - 1923

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Fred Faller, son of Mr. Faller, head watchmaker at Bigelow Kennard & Co.. Inc., won the 10,000 metre race in the Harvard Stadium July 17, thereby also winning the right to represent America at the Olympiad in Antwerp. Before serving in the war he was employed with his father at the establishment of Bigelow, Kennard & Co. He is 24 years old and has been running about eight years. While in France with the A. E. F. he won nearly all the big athletic long distance races, including the A. E. F. modified Marathon and two inter-allied Marathons. On his return to America he won the New England cross country and the 10-mile championship events with ease. Then he secured first place in similar events in New York.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 28th July 1920

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The new gallery of Bigelow-Kennard is occupied by sculpture by a modern Italian, working after the old manner - Angelo del Nero-once again represented in Boston by a one - man show. A portrait bust of the composer Verdi by Fontana is the most important example. A "Narcissus" and "Faun and Fauness" are in silver.

Source: American Art News - 16th October 1915

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Bigelow, Kennard Co. - Boston, Mass. - 1962

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Bigelow, Kennard & Co. - Boston, Mass. - Undated

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UNUSUAL CLOCK INSTALLED

The Bigelow, Kennard Co. has just installed on the Washington-street facade of its building at Washington and West streets, a new clock which
is attracting the attention and admiration of thousands of shoppers.

The clock is the work of the Waltham Watch Co., which has been seeking for some time to provide the Boston public with a service of time. This
has been accomplished with the cooperation of the Bigelow, Kennard Co.

The time-keeping device was designed from the architectural standpoint by Roland Webster Baldrey, well-known architect, and was constructed
under the supervision, of Bigelow, Kennard & Co.'s lighting fixture department.

The relation of time to all things has been expressed in this design by the use of various types of plants and other forms in the decorations, that of the earth, that of the waters under the earth, and that of the imagination—the latter as seen beneath the time ball which daily marks the passage of the sun through the zenith.

Crowning the whole and surmounting the arrowhead of time are the up-stretched wings of day, and a symbol of the sun, the life-giver. Below, cast into the bronze bracket which supports the clock, are the drooping wings of night pulling aside the starry mantle of the moon. The moon goddess herself appears as a mythical being, half creature and half architectural form. The endless swing of day and night is also suggested in the sun and moon upon the hands of the clock, which point the hours as they go.

Atop the clock and supporting the time ball, which rises and then drops as the sun crosses the meridian, the designer has again called upon the
mythology for his symbolism; for here is Phoebus Apollo in bronze, the god of classic Greece, who daily drove the four-winged horses and the golden chariot of the sun across the sky, while around the clock case appears laurel band, the symbol of Apollo.

Source: The Advocate - 27th July 1933

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An image of Auren W. Hayes, who spent ten years (1874-1884) as a watchmaker and jeweler with Charles W. Kennard & Co.:



This image was published in 1893.

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Byron Abraham, formerly with Bigelow, Kennard & Co., is now with Maynard & Co., in the silver and art department.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 18th October 1911

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Bigelow, Kennard & Co. - Boston, Mass. - 1929

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