Hess & Culbertson of St. Louis

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Hess & Culbertson of St. Louis

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A topic for recording information regarding Hess & Culbertson of St. Louis.

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Hess & Culbertson - St. Louis - 1886

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

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Re: Information Regarding Hess & Culbertson of St. Louis

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St. Louis, Mo. — George Gambrill, Paramount exploiteer in this territory, sent to Governor Samuel Baker an unique invitation to attend the showing of “The Pony Express” at the Gem theatre, Jefferson City, Mo. It was a 3½-inch brass shell on which the Hess & Culbertson Jewelry Company engraved the words, “Pass Governor Baker and party to see ‘The Pony Express’ at the Gem theatre.” The shell was on display in the jewelers’ show window for four days prior to the day on which it was sent to the governor.

Source: Exhibitors Herald - 28th November 1925

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Re: Hess & Culbertson of St. Louis

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Hess & Culbertson - St. Louis - 1974

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Re: Hess & Culbertson of St. Louis

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From the Book of St Louisans A N Marquis & Co Chicago 1912 Second Edition:

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Re: Hess & Culbertson of St. Louis

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Marcellus H. Becker, Otto Kortkamp, Jr., and Clemens M. Wolff were elected directors of the Hess & Culbertson Jewelry Co., St. Louis, Mo., at the annual stockholders' meeting of the firm held on May 15.

Becker, who is past president of the Associated Retail Credit Men of St. Louis, has been with the firm since 1917.

Kortkamp has been with the firm since 1929 and holds the title of Certified Gemologist, American Gem Society. He is past president of the Missouri Retail Jewelers Association and the Downtown Lions' Club.

Wolff, a past president of the Missouri State Horological Association, has been with the firm since 1930 and holds the title of Registered Jeweler, American Gem Society. He is also chairman of the St. Louis Chapter of the Knights of Columbus.


Source: Jewelers' Circular Keystone - July 1950

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Re: Hess & Culbertson of St. Louis

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Hess & Culbertson - St. Louis - 1891

'THE VEILED PROPHET'

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Re: Hess & Culbertson of St. Louis

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George F. Lyman, of the Mermod, Jaccard & King Jewelry Co., won the prize of $500 offered by the St. Louis Star,, for the best design for the Star’s St. Louis cup, to be awarded on Christmas day to the St. Louisan who has rendered the greatest service to the city during the current year, as determined by a popular vote. B. A. Rainwater, of the Hess & Culbertson Jewelry Co., gave Mr. Lyman such a close race that the committee of three deliberated an hour before deciding between the two. The committee, composed of Mayor F. H. Kreismann, Edward L. Preetorius, president of the St. Louis Times, and Julian Zolnay, sculptor and artist, did not know the identity of the competing designers until after the award had been made. Mr. Lyman conceived and executed his cup along the lines of the city’s modern development. Mr. Rainwater treated the subject from a historical and an allegorical standpoint. The cup is to be made of solid sterling silver, finished in gold, and is to cost $1,000.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 27th October 1909

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Re: Hess & Culbertson of St. Louis

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An illustration of Hess & Culbertson's Alton Square branch, Alton, Illinois, that opened in 1978:

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Re: Hess & Culbertson of St. Louis

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The wife of J. C. O’Brien, of the Hess & Culbertson Jewelry Co., is critically ill at the family home.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 11th January 1911

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Re: Hess & Culbertson of St. Louis

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Edward E. Hoeller has gone from the Hess & Culbertson Jewelry Co. to the Mermod, Jaccard & King Jewelry Co.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 11th January 1911

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Re: Hess & Culbertson of St. Louis

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A. O. Grimes, formerly for 12 years with the Mermod, Jaccard & King Jewelry Co., is now with the Hess & Culbertson Jewelry Co.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 11th January 1911

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Re: Hess & Culbertson of St. Louis

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J. E. Kantrowe, formerly head watchmaker with C. G. Derleth, East St. Louis, Ill., has taken a position with the Hess & Culbertson Jewelry Co.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 11th January 1911

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Re: Hess & Culbertson of St. Louis

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Burchard Hess, son of George J. Hess, president of the Hess & Culbertson Jewelry Co., has returned to Culver Military Academy, Culver, Ind., after spending the holidays at his home.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 11th January 1911

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Re: Hess & Culbertson of St. Louis

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Leo J. Vogt, of the Hess & Culbertson Jewelry Co., accompanied by his wife. spent a part of the Christmas holidays visiting his father, A. Vogt, head of the firm of A. Vogt & Son, at Montgomery City, and other relatives.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 11th January 1911

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Re: Hess & Culbertson of St. Louis

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Hess and Culbertson Jewelry Co. - St. Louis - 1918

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Re: Hess & Culbertson of St. Louis

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St. Louis Gem and Mineral Society on November 1 heard Mr. Cortkamp, President of the Hess Culbertson Jewelry Company. discuss “The History and Romance of Diamonds” Mr. Hess also displayed a lovely collection of diamonds.

Source: Earth Science - November/December 1957

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Re: Hess & Culbertson of St. Louis

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R. A. Meyer of the Hess & Culbertson Jewelry Co. died Friday night at his home, 5828 Theodosia Ave. Death was due to heart disease.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 29th March 1916

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Re: Hess & Culbertson of St. Louis

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The Hess & Culbertson Jewelry Co. is manufacturing a bronze plaque 33 by 25 inches in size, donated by the St. Louis Advertising Club to be presented to one of the Associated Advertising Clubs of the World that renders the most valuable service to the Government between July 1, 1918, and July 1, 1919. The shield is to be mounted on a mahogany base.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 10th July 1918

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Re: Hess & Culbertson of St. Louis

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N. P. Logan, silver buyer for the Hess & Culbertson Jewelry Co., St. Louis, motored to Chicago last week to spend a couple of weeks here visiting relatives.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 22nd July 1925

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Re: Hess & Culbertson of St. Louis

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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:


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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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