Views of American Silversmith's and Jeweller's Premises

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An image of the American Platinum Works, located at New Jersey Railroad Avenue, Newark, New Jersey:



This image is from 1912

American Platinum Works
Practically all the precious and baser metals are used in the manufacturing plants of Newark. One of these that in these days, has many uses, is platinum, the heaviest of all metals, a hard, ductile and malleable substance.

One of the best known enterprises engaged in refining this and other metals, is the American Platinum Works on New Jersey Railroad avenue. This business dates back to 1875, and has been in continuous operation since. In July, 1903, an incorporated company was formed to operate the business and the money
invested was increased to its present capitalization of $350,000. The president and treasurer is Charles Engelhard; the Newark manager is Theo. Koch; both well known, and identified with various successful enterprises.

The Newark plant is at 225, 227, 229, 231 New Jersey Railroad avenue, where a ground floor 100 by 200 feet in extent, and two other floors each 50 by 107 feet, are utilized. The company is refining platinum, gold and silver.

All forms and sizes of platinum ware for both chemical and other purposes are manufactured here, and pure platinum as well as alloys of various kinds and grades of hardness. Seamless platinum tubing is one of the specialties. The products are used in many crafts and professions and in connection with electrical apparatus, as well as being used by manufacturers of dental supplies, surgical apparatus, etc. Twenty employees may be found regularly employed. The New York office of the company is at 30 Church street, connected with telephone 2296 Cortlandt.

Source: Newark, the City of Industry: Facts and Figures Concerning the Metropolis of New Jersey - Published under auspices of Newark Board of Trade - 1912

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An image of the interior of the premises of Bippart, Griscom & Osborn located at Garden Street, Newark, New Jersey:



This image is from 1912


Bippart, Griscom & Osborn
Among the business concerns which have given Newark prominence and helped her win her proud reputation as a producing center, is the firm of Bippart, Griscom & Osborn, widely and favorably known to the jewelery trade of this country.

The inception of this enterprise occurred in 1886, when Achill Bippart established the business, trading under the name Bippart & Co.

Mr. Bippart, who was born in Eisenach, Saxony, came to the United States when fourteen years of age, and learned his trade as a jeweler in Providence, R.I. In 1880 he took up his residence in Newark, and has since made his home here. He is a man not only of recognized business acumen, but of high moral character and integrity. He holds membership in the High Street Presbyterian Church and in the Masonic fraternity, and has the respect of all who know him.
Benjamin F. Griscom joined the company in 1893. He is a native of Philadelphia. Bennet Osborn, Jr., became a member of the company in 1897, and claims Newark as his native city. Alfred P. Hinton became associated with the enterprise in 1903. They are progressive and alert business men whom any community would be glad to claim as residents. The officers of the company as at present, are: President, Achill Bippart; vice-president, Benjamin F. Griscom; secretary, Bennet Osborn Jr., and treasurer, Alfred P. Hinton.

The company's plant is on Garden street, covering lots 2 to 8, the big, well equipped plant having 9,300 squate feet of floor space, being quite in contrast with the small quarters at 32, Marshall street, where the business originated twenty-six years ago.

The goods manufactured include fine gold jewelery, and a full line of mourning and platinum jewelery, which products are sold in all sections of the United States, in several Canadian cities and are also exported to European cities. This establishment is always considered one of the most important jewelry concerns in Newark, and one which has a most enviable record.

The employees number one hundred and twenty-five. Among them will be found the highest class of skilled workmen engaged in this line of manufacturing, and working under the supervision of men whose long experience in this line has proven the remarkable success of the firm.

The sale of these goods, which rank among the highest both in quality and workmanship, is due to the high standard of efficiency in the manufacture, and representation of them by five well trained traveling salesmen.

Source: Newark, the City of Industry: Facts and Figures Concerning the Metropolis of New Jersey - Published under auspices of Newark Board of Trade - 1912

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An image of the premises of The Art Metal Works, located at Mulberry Street, Newark:



This image is from 1912.

Among the various enterprises connected with the industrial life of our city, prominent and commendatory mention should be made of the Art Metal Works, a concern which has been in active operation many years and has earned a most excellent reputation, and is annually increasing its output and extending its trade territory.

The factory and main office of the Art Metal Works are in Mulberry street, covering lots 7, 9, II, 13 and 15. Here the spectator may see well-equipped quarters and find one of Newark's busy and prosperous establishments. The New York office is in the Everett Building, 45 E. 17th street, and the Chicago office is in the Kesner Building, Madison street and Wabash avenue. A complete line of samples of the company's output is kept on display in these salesrooms, which are visited by large numbers of persons.

Among the products manufactured by this house, the recognized leaders in art metal novelties, are clocks, jewel cases, desk articles, smokers' articles, toilet novelties, vases, candelabra, electric portables, ink wells, calendars, religious and church goods, frames, statuettes, thermometers, etc. The entire list includes more than ten thousand numbers.

As the company has unequalled facilities for buying raw material and turning out finished stock, its products are not equalled for richness of design, beauty of finish, quality or price. All this cannot be gained in a year or two, but has come as a result of more than thirty years of constant effort to produce the best, to keep the price at a reasonable figure, and to give the purchaser goods in every respect as represented in the catalogue.

The man whose energy, enterprise and business acumen has developed this business is Louis V. Aronson. a prominent citizen of Newark, and a gentleman whose public service to the play-ground commission has been favorably commented upon by the local press. He is thoroughly identified with Newark and the city's progress, and is one of the citizens who stands ready to help forward the various movements for the city's good. Mr. Aronson's business career extends over a period of more than thirty years, and the success he has gained in his own work, makes clear his ability as a leader and if opportunity affords he can doubtless prove to the public his qualifications for successfully filling other and more important offices than that of Commissioner. The Art Metal Works, of which Mr. Aronson is president, is capitalized at $150,000. and was incorporated in 1896. The secretary of the company is Alexander Harris, and the employees number from one hundred and fifty to two hundred persons. Fully 100,000 square feet of floor space is used.

Source: Newark, the City of Industry: Facts and Figures Concerning the Metropolis of New Jersey - Published under auspices of Newark Board of Trade - 1912

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The premises of Schnefel Brothers, located at 684-688, South Seventeenth Street, Newark:



This image is from 1912.

There are thousands of articles on the market in our big cities, which our forefathers never heard of, but which in this age serve a very useful and necessary purpose. Among such articles are the very pretty and well made manicure implements, of unrivaled and beautiful designs being manufactured from season to season by the firm of Schnefel Brothers. These goods are constructed along the most modern lines and their large and growing demand proves that they are highly desirable and fully up to the standard required by the public. These manicure implements, made in various designs and in several grades, are sold to retailers through jobbing houses in all sections of the country.

This business was established in September, 1903. by A. Hinkel and Max Schnefel, the location at that time being 60 Arlington street. The present address is 684 to 688 South Seventeenth street. and the present owners of the enterprise are Max Schnefel. Charles Schnefel and Otto Schnefel, the latter two gentlemen having entered into the business during the year of 1905.

These brothers were all brought up in the cutlery line, having been born and raised in the old cutlery center. Solingen. Germany, and are fully qualified in every branch of the business.

They give employment to about twenty-five persons, and the factory is a busy and prosperous place, The main building is two and one-half stories in height, thirty-six feet frontage and fifty-two feet depth, and in addition to this there is a forge shop thirty by thirty-two feet. A good stock of raw material is carried; all finished articles are carefully inspected before packing, and all orders are filled with care and accuracy, goods in all cases being found by purchaser to be entirely satisfactory and never misrepresented.

Source: Newark, the City of Industry: Facts and Figures Concerning the Metropolis of New Jersey - Published under auspices of Newark Board of Trade - 1912

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The premises of the Queen City Watch Case Mfg.Co., located in the Lion Building on the corner of 5th and Elm Streets, Cincinnati:



This image is from 1899.

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The premises of the electro platers, John F. Brady, located on the corner of Garnet and Friendship Streets, Providence R.I.:



This image is from 1917.

John F. Brady's business was established in 1893. They had a New York office at the Silversmith's Building, 15, Maiden Lane.

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Tiffany & Co.'s Plated Wares Works, located at Forest Hill, Newark, N.J.:



This image is from 1893.

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The premises of The Wadsworth Watch Case Co., located at Dayton, Kentucky:



This image is from 1902.

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The premises of the United States Watch Company (Giles, Wales & Co.) at Marion, New Jersey:



This image is from 1870.

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An interior image of the premises of the jewellery manufacturer, Morris, Mann & Reilly at 70, Ship Street, Providence, Rhode Island:



This image is from 1913.


JEWELRY FACTORY for
MORRIS, MANN & REILLY

Morris, Mann & Reilly Open Factory at Providence, R. I., for the Production of High-class Gold and Sterling Silver Plated Jewelry

A brand new jewelry factory for Morris, Mann & Reilly. This news has been heralded throughout the novelty goods and jewelry trade during the past few weeks, but now the plant is completed, fully equipped and in full operation. The new factory is located at 70 Ship St., Providence. R. I., among others in the city, which has been made famous for its jewelry manufacturing industries.

This new Morris, Mann & Reilly enterprise adds another, and while it is not the largest, the growth of this Chicago concern warrants the belief that it will soon take rank among the bigger and more successful factories of the East.

The factory will be under the management and supervision of Louis Goldstein, a jewelry manufacturer with many years experience, who for eleven years was in charge of the large manufacturing plant of L. Davidsburg & Co., Providence and New York. He has full charge of the manufacturing of the new Morris, Mann & Reilly factory and has in his employ about 30 to 50 skilled workers at the present time.

The machinery and all other equipment of the factory is entirely new and of the latest construction. Everything is strictly modern in every respect, and arranged for the convenience of the employes.

In this new factory nothing of the ordinary jewelry jobbing lines will be made. Everything here will be of the high-grade kind for the highest grade department store and jewelry trade, including gold and silver plated jewelry, that in appearance, rivals the solid gold and sterling silver articles found in the exclusive shops. The idea will be to make better jewelry to sell at prices which are better than they could give their trade under ordinary conditions as jobbers of these goods.

The creation of new lines and new patterns in gold and silver jewelry produced in the Providence factory will be under the direction of Mr. Harry Morris and Mr. Louis Goldstein. And, the creation of new and original designs on which the firm will have exclusive control, will be a main feature of the output of the new factory. The entire output will be distributed by the firm, and no goods will be manufactured for outside concerns.

The completion of this new factory is an important factor in the business of Morris, Mann & Reilly, in that it will shorten the journey between the maker and retailer, and give the retailer exclusiveness that he would not otherwise get.

At present vanity purses, coin receptacles and jewelry novelties of this character are foremost with the manufacturers and distributors of novelty jewelry, especially of the character that is finding its distribution through the channels of the popular department store. Silver and gold plated vanity novelties are the chief article of production in the Morris, Mann & Reilly jewelry factory at the present time. The factory is equipped with a complete plating plant, a feature of which many older manufacturing jewelers cannot boast.

The line is of wide variety in clever and unique designs of hand etched, as well as pressed designs. Orders are being taken on these, and while it is but a few weeks since the first article was turned out of the factory, a large amount of the new goods have been distributed.

The concern of Morris, Mann & Reilly was established twelve years ago with a total of seven employes, three of whom were partners. The business has had a steady and substantial growth, and the business placed on a progressive basis. They claim credit for being the first concern in the market known as a jewelry jobbing house, to engage in the manufacture of the goods they sold.

The establishment of this new factory in the heart of the jewelry manufacturing district sets at rest, to a certain extent, the long felt need and the desire of the company to establish a high class jewelry factory of their own where they could create and develop their own ideas that their trade might have the advantage of exclusiveness and individuality.

This fond hope has been realized, and now as a stir is created among jewelry trade circles, following this announceemnt, the firm launches forth from now on as high grade jewelry manufacturers and distributors in the strictest sense of the word.

Source: The Dry Goods Reporter - 1913

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An image of the gold and silver refiners and assayers, L. Lelong & Bro., situated on the corner of Halsey and Marshall streets, Newark, New Jersey:



This image is from 1917.

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An image of the premises of the Attleboro Mfg.Co. located at Hazel Street, Attleboro:



This image is from 1902.

Prior to their new factory opening in 1902, the Attleboro Mfg.Co. were located in the Makepeace factory on Pine Street, Attleboro.

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An image of the premises of the Hess & Culbertson Jewelry Co., located at the corner of 9th and Olive Streets, St. Louis:






The New Quarters of the Hess & Culbertson Jewelry Co., St. Louis, Mo.

Illustrated herewith is a picture of the new building which will be occupied by the Hess & Culbertson Jewelry Co., St. Louis, Mo., about Feb. 15. The store will be located at the corner of 9th and Olive Sts. Upon removing to the new location this well known jewelry concern will celebrate its 40th business anniversary.

The new quarters will be remodeled into what is expected to be one of the best equipped and arranged jewelry establishments in the United States. Fixtures, arrangement, lighting, accessibility, stock display and other details will be the result of exhaustive study and research among the leading jewelry stores of America. For the collection of ideas to be embodied in the new store, George J. Hess, president, Leo Vogt, vice-president, and N. P. Logan. Arnold Appel and James V. Dunbar, directors, visited many cities.

The company was organized in 1883 by George J. Hess and Stephen D. Culbertson. first location being at 22 North Fourth St. A few years later the company removed to 216 North Sixth St. The next move, owing to increased business and the shopping trend, was to the northeast corner of Sixth and Locust Sts.

Factory quarters were obtained at the southeast corner of the same streets and subsequently the store was removed to that corner.

In 1909 the company removed to its present location, Seventh and St. Charles Sts., where it occupies three floors and basement.

The firm has been under personal control of its founders until late in 1921, when Culbertson died. Hess has retained active executive control of the business since its birth. Two sons of Culbertson, S. Roy and Linn, are active department managers and directors in the company.

At Ninth and Olive Sts. the store will have a dominating window frontage on both these thoroughfares and there will be entrances on both. The interior fixtures, wall cases, show cases, etc., will be in light mahogany. There will be six central double "horseshoe" display cases through the center of the store, from the Olive St. entrance south. Each of these will be divided laterally so that customers may pass through them from aisle to aisle. The corners of all cases will be rounded so as to allow ready access. Diamond jewelry, as usual, will be given the place of prominence in the display, being placed at the front, in the central cases, at the Olive entrance. In the other cases will be displayed watches and gold jewelry.

There will be two private inspection rooms in which customers may view diamond jewelry or loose diamonds under the most advantageous lighting conditions.

On the 9th St. side will be located the watch repair, optical goods and stationery departments, the watch department being near the 9th St. entrance.

In the rear of the store will be the general jewelery repair department and vaults. This department, one of the busiest of the modern jewelery store, will be designed for easy accessibility. The vaults for storage of jewelery stocks and jewelery held for customers, running in excess of $1,000,000, are to be at the rear of the store, and will be fire- and burglar-proof.

On the east side of the store will be one of the most imposing solid silver, Sheffield silver plate and gift departments in the United States. It will be 60 feet in depth, backed by magnificent wall cases, equipped with lighting systems of unusual efficiency for displaying the merchandise to best advantage. Comfortable, wide aisles, with chairs for customers, facing display tables, will be features of this department. Art goods, clocks and toilet ware, together with exclusive Tiffany Favile glass and bronze, will also be included in this section.

A pneumatic case-carrier system will be installed, linking every department and assuring quick service. Running ice water and a modern cooling system will aid in making the store pleasant for summer shoppers.

On the balcony will be located the general offices, president's and directors' rooms, buying rooms, advertising department, engravers, jewelry manufactory, watch repairers, etc. Daylight will flood these departments, where highest skill and exactitude are required. The factory will be devoted to the making of special order jewelry, remounting of customers' jewelry, emblem goods manufacture, etc.

Shipping, receiving and polishing and buffing departments will be in the basement.

The location of this old-established house marks another step in the westward trend of the retail district, which has followed in the footsteps of the wholesale district. The choice of the new location was made after thorough study of all available sites in the shopping district, including several further east.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 29th November 1922

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An image of the premises of the goldsmith and jeweler, George W. Webb, located on the corner of Balitimore and Light streets, Baltimore:





This image is from 1864.

George W. Webb established his business in 1850. Around 1865 the firm was restyled to Webb & Company, the partners being G.W. Webb, A. Remick and W.H. Sexton. In 1877 the name was changed again to G.W. Webb & Co.

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An image of the new premises of Enos Richardson & Co., situated at Columbia and Green Streets, Newark, New Jersey:



This image is from 1899.

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An image of the premises of W.J. Braitsch & Co., located at Providence, Rhode Island:





This image is from 1897.

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An image of the showrooms of Shreve & Co. located at San Francisco:





This image is from 1893.

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A window display at the premises of Shreve, Crump & Low Co. of Boston:





This image is from 1899.

The picture above represents the window of the Shreve, Crump & Low Co., 147 Tremont St.. Boston, Mass., while the sword presented to Major-General Joseph Wheeler by the Edward Kinsley Post, G. A. R., of Boston, was on exhibition. A full length illustration of the sword itself forms the frontispiece of this issue of The Circular. The above picture is presented as a suggestion in window dressing, when the jeweler has a similar opportunity. It may serve not only for the exhibition of a sword, but also for the exhibition of any trophy or presentation piece of national interest. In the center of the window is the sword, the sword belt and the case. In the rear is a bronze figure representing "Wheeler's Rough Riders." while back and above is a bust picture of General Wheeler himself. To the right is a three-quarter length picture of the General with the bronze "Gloria Victus." To the left of the sword is a bronze figure. "The Salute to Caesar" inscribed "We who are about to die salute thee," also a photograph entitled "The Blue and the Gray," showing General Wheeler with a committee of the G. A. R. In either corner is a photograph of the General's daughters, who were nurses during our late war with Spain. So while the whole exhibit bears distinctly upon the General and his achievements, it also is emblematic of glorious war.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular and Horological Review - 2nd August 1899

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An image of the jewellery store of Geo. Borgfeldt & Co., situated at 18-20-22, Washington Place, on the corner of Greene Street, New York:





This image is from 1893.

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An image of the workshop of the Juergens & Andersen Company, situated on the third floor of the Stewart Building, Chicago:





This image is from 1899.


WORKSHOP OF THE JUERGENS & ANDERSEN CO., CHICAGO
Our cut shows a recently taken picture of the busy shop of an old established and well-known Chicago house of manufacturing jewelers, the Juergens & Andersen Company, situated on the third floor of the Stewart Building. From a force of workmen, consisting in the early days of the Juergens, father and son, and Sebastian Andersen, the number of workmen employed has grown with an increasing business, until now some eighty hands work at the benches there.

The power for the score or more machines in use in the shop is furnished by an electric motor. Windows on the south and west sides of the large room give ample light to the men at the benches, and at the turning and polishing lathes. A very complete blower system carries off all the light dust from the lathes, the main receiver, running the length of the polishing table. From it spurs run out to each lathe and by this means the dust, instead of rising and settling everywhere, is sucked up and carried to the refining room. When enough has accumulated–and it takes but a fortnight to gather a bushel or more-–it is burned and the valuable metal extracted. The refining room is a model of what such a room should be, containing as it does every late improvement and valuable device. The crucibles are heated by gas exclusively and every care is taken to guard against fire. In one part of the shop a little dynamo generates the electric current necessary for the plating processes. The settling tanks present a novel design, with an excellent arrangement for draining off the water. Of the hands some four or five are women who are engaged in polishing. Each worker is held responsible for the piece of work in hand and for the raw material used. Every night all material is gathered up and placed in the large vault, and diamonds and other precious stones, for greater safety, are placed in a strong safe within the vault. Business has been so good this year that Mr. Will Meyer, foreman and presiding genius of the shop, has continued the ten-hour work day necessary in the busy Christmas trade rush. The cut shows a part only of this model shop, but gives a good idea of the whole.

Source: The Jewelers Review - 28th June 1899

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