119-121-123, Queen Victoria Street, and 226 & 227, Upper Thames Street, and 112, High Street, Homerton, and 16-18, Beak Street, Regent Street, London
An example of the work and mark of Louis Blumfeld, a novelty vesta case incorporating a whistle, assayed at London in 1884:
L-B - 1884
L-B - London - 1884
Established in 1848.
Partners in the firm of Adolph Frankau & Co. at various times included Rosetta Frankau, Louis Blumfeld, Hermann Hinricks (Hinrichs), Walter Allen, Frederick Joseph Frankau, S. Blomfield and J. L. Blumfeld.
Adolph Frankau & Co., Limited.—This Company has been formed to purchase as a going concern the business of Adolph Frankau & Co., of 119 and 121, Queen Victoria-street, London, and High-street, Homerton, dealers in tobacco-pipes, fancy goods, &c. The capital is £200,000, divided into £150,000 Five and a Half per Cent. Preference and 50,000 Ordinary shares of £1 each.
Source: Truth - 16th February 1899
The business was later reorganised as Adolph Frankau & Co. (1927) Ltd.
An extensive robbery was committed on Friday morning, between three and six o'clock, in the premises of Mr. Whiteaves, jeweller and silversmith, 30, Fleet-street. The house in question is situated in the most public part of Fleet-street, and yet the thieves obtained an entrance by forcing up the iron grating in front of the house, into which, it would seem, a boy was thrust, and in an instant it was closed down again. The young thief then entered the kitchen, and came up into the shop and admitted his companions at the front door, they entirely cleared the shop-windows of the watches and small articles of plate, and then broke open several drawers and cabinets, and took out some rare and valuable gold coins. The other articles which the villains possessed themselves of were six gold watches, about 36 silver watches, and lever horizontals, various gilt watches, and gold watch-keys, rings, about 20 gold seals, and three gold chains, and several articles of jewellery; a quantity of silver plate, and other valuable articles, furnishing a rich booty. The family of Mr. Whiteaves slept in the upper part of the house, and were not in the least alarmed by the operations of the thieves.
Source: The Carmarthen Journal - 15th January 1830
Arthur T. Davies, 51, a schoolmaster, was charged at West London on Saturday with converting to his own use a bicycle belonging to Mr. Meager, a cycle dealer, of Shepherd's Bush-road, and with stealing a watch belonging to Abraham Zinkin, jeweller, of North End-road, Fulham. The accused hired a bicycle, leaving as security a couple of dogs, and he never returned the machine. Afterwards he took it to the jeweller and left it with him as security for the watch, which he carried away with him on approval and never paid for. The bicycle had thus been recovered, but the watch was still missing.
The prisoner's solicitor said he was a man who had held a good position in South Wales, and was well connected.
A detective stated that the prisoner had been twice previously convicted, the last time for stealing a bicycle.
The Magistrate passed sentence of three months' hard labour.
Source: Evening Express and Evening Mail - 2nd September 1907
An Abraham Zinkin, perhaps the same, was noted as being in partnership with one Lewis Silver, as 'Zinkin & Silver' in 1901, and earlier in partnership as 'Grushko & Zinkin' in 1897.
Quebec House, 60 Pall Mall and 11, Bury Street, St James's, London
The Winston Churchill Rule of Life:
R J - London - 2007
Richard Jarvis was formerly the Managing Director of Garrard & Co. and of Thomas Goode. He set up business on his own account in 1999. He is a Freeman and Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths.
The death has been announced of an esteemed London merchant, Mr. William Gladstone, late of the firm of Messrs. I. Thomson, Bonar, and Co., at the age of 63. He was a director of the Alliance Insurance Company, and was a member of the Court of the Goldsmiths' Company.
A case of interest to traders dealing with travellers came before the City of London Court on September 12th. Gurney and Co., jewellers and fancy dealers, of Fore Street, E.C., sued Mr. Crouch, jeweller, of Cardiff, to recover the balance of account for jewellery, etc., supplied, and the defendant raised a dispute as to an amount of 19s., which he sought to deduct from the plaintiffs' account by way of discount, which, he said, was in accordance with the terms arranged by the plaintiffs' traveller when opening the account. The Assistant-Registrar pointed out to the defendant that, according to the invoice received by the defendant from the plaintiffs, there was a printed note that 2½ per cent. was allowed at 30 days. The plaintiffs' representative said that their traveller had no authority to make any fresh terms, other than those appearing on the invoice. The defendant said it was a custom in the trade for such a discount to be allowed, and other jewellers in Cardiff, who had dealings with the plaintiffs, had been allowed the same. If an adjournment were granted him, he could call them as witnesses. He had also received such an allowance himself from the plaintiffs in settling an amount with the plaintiffs. The plaintiffs' representative said that in one instance spoken of the defendant had paid an amount promptly. He had had goods on December 9th, and paid for them on the 30th, and 5 per cent, was allowed for cash.
The Assistant Registrar pointed out to the defendant that he could pay no attention to what he (defendant) said was the arrangement made with the traveller. Travellers would often say anything to get orders. The defendant said that if the case was adjourned, he would subpoena the plaintiffs' traveller. The Assistant-Registrar said even if he heard the evidence of that witness, it would not alter his opinion. He should hold that the traveller had no authority in the face of the printed notice of the plaintiffs' invoice, to make any such arrangement. The defendant was not entitled to the discount. The defendant said that a Mr. Kayser, another jeweller in Cardiff, was allowed similar terms to those he was claiming.
The Assistant-Registrar said that if the defendant thought it worth his while to come up from Cardiff over a sum of 19s. 3d. he would grant him an adjournment.
The defendant: I am fighting the thing on principle.
The Assistant-Registrar: Principle is a fine thing, but there is very little about.
An adjournment was eventually granted, the defendant to pay the cost of the plaintiffs' witness.
Source: The Journal of Domestic Appliances - 2nd October 1905
Gurney & Co. entered their marks, 'G&Co' contained within a hexagonal punch, with the London Assay Office on the 12th May 1903.
I.W. & F.B. THOMAS & Co., later, F.B. THOMAS & Co.
153, New Bond Street, London
I.W. & F.B. Thomas - London - 1858
DINERS A LA RUSSE
The Introduction of this new and fashionable mode of serving Dinners affords an admirable opportunity for the display of ORNAMENTAL PLATE, and has induced Messrs. THOMAS, of New Bond-street, to prepare in Silver and Electro-Plate, several choice and original designs in the form of Dessert Dishes for fruit, Vases for flowering plants and cut flowers, &c., varying in taste and price from the most simple and inexpensive to the elaborate and more costly. SILVER PLATE or USELESS PLATED ARTICLES TAKEN IN EXCHANGE. Dresden and other China Dishes mounted.
I. W. & F. B. THOMAS, Silversmiths & Electroplaters, 153, New Bond Street, W, London.
Retailer mark of Thomas on a pair of salts by Richard Sibley and assayed at London in 1871:
Much of Richard Sibley's work was retailed through I.W. & F.B. Thomas
Notice is hereby given that the Partnership heretofore subsisting between us the undersigned Francis Boone Thomas, Charles Henry Townley, and William Franck carrying on business as Goldsmiths Silversmiths and Jewellers of No. 153 New Bond-street and Nos. 1 and 2 Bruton-street in the county of London under the style or firm of F. B. Thomas and Co. and at Nos. 46 and 47 King's-road in Brighton in the county of Sussex under the style of Glading and Co. has been dissolved by mutual consent as and from the 30th day of September 1895.—Dated this 18th day of October
Firemen engaged at an outbreak which destroyed the premises of Messrs. Sembill and Baker, jewellers, Princes-parade, Finchley, found afterwards that their coats were profusely sprinkled with silver which had fallen in a molten state, and one fireman's hand was burned through contact with a stream of molten gold