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The Snippet - Past News of the Silver Trade
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dognose
Re: The Daily Snippet - Past News of the Silver Trade
Postby dognose » Fri Dec 06, 2019 6:04 am
ROBINSON SILVER Co.
The business of the Robinson Silver Co., manufacturer of gold, silver and leather goods, was incorporated at Albany, N. Y., last week, with a capital of $10,000. The incorporators are J. L. and B. Robinson.
Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 19th July 1922
Postby dognose » Sat Dec 07, 2019 4:27 am
A MONKEY SHOPLIFTER
ARREST IN A JEWELLER'S SHOP
One of the most singular captures ever effected by the Paris police was made on the afternoon of February 16 when they took into custody an acrobat named Miguel Androval, who is attached to a travelling circus in the outskirts on the city.
It had been remarked that Androval went shopping constantly in Paris, without, however, making any purchases. He was suspected of being a thief, and finally two detectives were told off to watch him.
In a large establishment the man requested to be shown some jewellery. While he was examining it the detectives observed the head of a tiny monkey emerge from the Androval's coat pocket. Then the monkey's paw shot out, and while the shopman's attention was diverted the animal seized several valuable rings and withdrew to its hiding place. Its owner then remarked that he did not see anything which suited him, and left.
In a shop a few yards further on, he was shown a variety of costly lace. The trick was repeated. The monkey snatched a piece of lace and dived into Androval's pocket. The detectives immediately placed the acrobat under arrest.
Source: The Maitland Daily Mercury - 30th March 1909
Postby dognose » Sun Dec 08, 2019 5:10 am
REVIVAL IN THE SALE OF AND USE OF SNUFF-BOXES
One of the unaccustomed forms that the Christmas gift took in London last season is attributable to the influenza epidemic, and jewellers and antique dealers noted a considerable revival in the demand for snuff-boxes, while tobacconists reported a widespread renewal of the snuff-taking habit.
During the height of the epidemic many elderly and middle-aged men conceived the idea, which was not without some encouragement from medical men, that a good hearty, explosive sneeze such as is produced by a pinch of snuff not only cleared the nostrils and freed the air passages generally, but would also expel any lurking influenza germs.
The notion spread with great rapidity: A customer for cigars, cigarettes, or smoking mixture having made his purchase would ask the shopman to oblige him with a pinch of snuff, and this being accorded as one of the traditional courtesies of the tobacconist trade, would then out a resounding "atchoo!" followed by a vigorous trumpet solo with the aid of the handkerchief.
The eleemosynary pinch quickly developed into the habit of carrying a snuff-box. Snuff-taking is not a revived fashion that is likely to endure. It may not be discouraged by doctors, many of whom, like barristers, are habitual snuffers, but it is viewed as a horrid and filthy practice by women, even though they have abandoned their ancient prejudices against smoking in the house, and many even enjoy an occasional cigarette themselves.
But for the present snuff is being sold in larger quantities than for many years past, and there is a great sale for pocket snuff-boxes as presents from men to their cronies, to business friends and to themselves.
Source: Press - 3rd April 1919
Postby dognose » Mon Dec 09, 2019 3:40 am
THE INTERESTING THOUGHTS OF A HOTEL OWNER
A comment from Simon Ward of the Grand Union Hotel:
It should be a fundamental principle with hotel men never to let a guest escape unsatisfied. Should you inadvertently chance upon a guest in the act of absorbing some trifling article of silverware or bric-a-brac, or an eight-day clock, or a pair of blankets, with true delicacy turn your back and affect not to have seen him, lest he be embarrassed, bearing in mind that many travelers take an innocent delight in gathering about them little souvenirs to serve as pleasant reminders of their visits to hotels. It is always a source of gratification to me when I reflect upon the hundreds of happy homes which I have helped to beautify, and the many festive boards throughout the land which are adorned with linen and flashing with silver inscribed with the beautiful motto; " Grand Union Hotel, Ford & Co."
Source: The Furniture Trade Review - 10th March 1895
Postby dognose » Tue Dec 10, 2019 4:36 am
NEWTON DEXTER DEAD
New Haven, Conn., Jan. 12— Newton Dexter, editor and publisher of the Goldsmith and Silversmith, a trade journal, died at his home here, aged 64. Largely through his influence most of the silver stamping laws of many states were passed. He also was active in securing legislation prohibiting false advertising.
Source: The Brunswick News - 13th January 1914
Postby dognose » Wed Dec 11, 2019 5:24 am
MAN DECAMPS WITH RINGS
A day or two since a well-dressed young man called at at a jeweller's shop in Ludgate-hill. He made some remarks upon the remarkable change in the weather and the warmth of the day, and took off his hat, placing it, together with a handsome cane, upon the counter. He then asked to be shown some diamond rings. Some were produced, and he put three upon his finger to compare their quality. The shop was rather dark, and the intending purchaser moved towards the window apparently to get a better light, but he suddenly opened the door and ran away, leaving his hat and stick. He did not return, and as the articles he left behind him were not equal to the value of the rings, the police have been asked to look out for him, and jewellers in general are advised to be prepared in case he should pay them a visit.
Source: The Cardiff and Merthyr Guardian - 1st February 1867
Postby dognose » Thu Dec 12, 2019 5:33 am
A REPORT THAT'S HARD TO SWALLOW
A Leicester workman named Mason has died in Leicester Infirmary as a result of swallowing an ordinary table fork. He was removed to the institution as soon as possible after the accident, but it was impossible to recover the fork, and the man died in agony.
Source: The Aberdare Leader - 3rd September 1904
A MOST RECKLESS ACT
London - 20-5-25 - Frederick Austin, 23 years of age, a jeweller's asslstant, was fined £2 for wantonly discharging a revolver in the street when pursuing a jewel thief.
The magistrate stigmatised it as a most reckless act, as he might have killed someone. He ordered the revolver to be impounded.
Austin fired a fusillade of shots from his revolver at a thief, who had grabbed a bag of jewels from a motor car and bolted down a side street. The shots narrowly missed a woman and riddled a dozen pairs of trousers, which were hanging in a shop. The thief dropped the jewels and escaped.
Source: The Evening News - 21st May 1925
ASSIGNMENT OF THE LEDIG Mfg. Co.
Philadelphia., May 12.—The Ledig Mfg. Co., with an office at 248 N. 8th St., have assigned to the secretary of the company, John W. Flanagan. The deed is dated May 2, 1896, and conveys no real estate. Mr. Flanagan said that the failure was due to the depression in business and to the refusal of the banks to carry the company's paper at a time when such accommodation would be most helpful. He could give no estimate of the liabilities or assets of the company.
The company manufacture silver, nickel, brass, copper and bronze goods. The officers are: Dr. Berthold Trautman, president; Charles W. Ledig, vice-president and general manager; J. W. Flanagan, secretary, and H. A. Newman, treasurer. The directors are J. G. Donoghue, George Honey, M. M. Newman, Dr. B. Trautman, C. W. Ledig, Oscar Wollheim and W. J. Burdett. The company organized in 1872 and incorporated in 1892. Their authorized capital is $100,000 and the capital paid in $68,500.
Source: The Jewelers' Circular and Horological Review - 20th May 1896
FLORENCE SILVER PLATE Co.
A site has been purchased at Lombard and Sutton Sts. Baltimore, Md., by the Florence Silver Plate Co., of that city, now located at 530 North Gay St. A new factory for the manufacture of silver plated goods will be built.
Source: The Brass World and Platers' Guide - October 1909
GOLD AND SILVER PIGS
The new thing in Paris is a little gold or silver pig, worn by actresses as a trinket on their watch chains The jewel is looked upon as talismanic counter charm, which brings good luck to the wearer it is an old Roman knick-knack, which has been made popular by recent lectures of a learned professor, who has been discoursing on the worship of the goddess Fortune twenty centuries ago by the people of Italy. They made offerings to her of fat pigs, and gold and silver rings were made to represent them by votaries.
Source: The Trader - August 1880
DEATH OF CHARLES CASPER
New Rochelle, New York
Charles Casper, aged sixty-four, died at his home in New Rochelle, N. Y., Saturday as the result of an operation for appendicitis. He did not regain consciousness. Mr. Casper was for many years president of the Meriden Silver Plate Co, now the Barbour Silver Co., or, Factory A, International Silver Co. He was at his office in New York a week ago, attending to business as usual. He was taken ill Tuesday at his home there. The operation was performed on Thursday. He leaves a widow and three sons, Fred, and David, who are traveling salesmen, and Louis, who has been in the insurance business with his father. The funeral services will be held this morning, conducted by the Mt. Vernon Knights Templar. The burial will be In the Mt. Kensico cemetery, near New Rochelle, which Mr. Casper and others recently laid out. His will be the first grave in it. The deceased was a native of Prussia, but lived in Manchester, England, for years. in his boyhood with his uncles, who, educated him. He came to America when twenty years of age and located in glass cutlery business in Boston, and later started a small silver plate shop in Brooklyn, N. Y. Soon after this he became acquainted with the late Horace C. Wilcox of Merlden, and as a result formed, In 1866, the Parker & Caspar Co, and came to Meriden to live. The Parker & Casper Co. was absorbed by the Wilcox Silver Plate Co. Mr. Casper then formed the Meriden Silver Plate Co. with the late William R. Mackay and Isaac Carmalt, and Mr. Casper was president of the company for years and until control of the company was secured by the Meriden Brittanla Co. Later Mr. Casper for two years conducted a silverware store in New York. For the last few years he was general agent for the Equitable Insurance Co, of New York. He was a member of many prominent clubs.
Source: New Haven Morning Journal and Courier - 9th August 1904
VIOLENT DEATH OF WATCHMAN - WORKMEN'S GRIM DISCOVERY
Sydney, Thursday. - Everything pointed to brutal murder this morning after a badly injured nlghtwatchman had been found dying at his place of
employment, but hurried inquiries by detectives proved that he had come by his Injuries accidentally.
The watchman, Alexander Jeffers, 55, of Howard-street, Randwlck, died In Sydney Hospital after doctors had tried to revive him sufficiently to make a statement to the police.
Jeffers had performed his ordinary duties during the night and early morning at the Regal Silver Plating Co., Bishop-lane, Ultimo, and It was after employees had arrived at the building that his plight was discovered.
Michael Paxton found him lying on the cement floor of a room in a pool of blood. There was a severe head wound, and Jeffers was unconscious.
Police and the Central Ambulance hurriedly responded to the call, and Jeffers was taken to Sydney Hospital, where he died without regaining consciousness.
A note in Jeffers's pocket supplied the police with the first clue as to the manner in which he had met his death. They had thought that he had been attacked by burglars. The note Indicated that he was a sufferer from a heart complaint, and medical opinion convinced them that he had had a seizure, fallen and struck his head on the floor.
Source: The Newcastle Sun - 12th September 1935
WHITE HOUSE STATE DINNERS
The cost of a state dinner at the White House runs from five hundred to a thousand dollars, according to the price of wines furnished. State dinners, as a rule, are uninteresting, aside from their picturesqueness. The scene, however, is one of beauty and sumptuousness in effect. The walls of the large dining-room are banked with tropical flowers and plants. The table is gorgeous with gold and silver plate. The center of the table, which accommodates thirty-eight persons, is adorned by a large mirror, representing a miniature lake, which is surrounded by a bank of flowers. The mirror has a golden frame, and was purchased by Dolly Madison. At either end of the table are golden candelabra. With additions the table accommodates sixty persons.
The President's place is at the center of the north side, the length of which extends from east to west. The wife of the chief executive of the nation is seated opposite to her husband upon these occasions. The wives of recent presidents have obtained large grants from Congress for the purchase of costly table furnishings. The spoons and forks are of pure gold, and some of the china is almost priceless. The cups, for instance, could not be duplicated for $100 each.
Source: The Jewish South - 2nd April 1897
THE CARDIFF EXHIBITION
This is praise from a visitor. Mr. John H. Buck, late of Devonshire, who has been with the Gorham Manufacturing Company, silversmiths, of New York, visited the Exhibition some few weeks ago, and took advantage of the first wet day to write to the curator thus:—"I was very much pleased with your Cardiff Exhibition, especially the fine arts and antiquities, which you so kindly aided us in seeing. Mr. C. J. Jackson's collection of silver is very fine and interesting. 'The Berry Cup' is referred to in 'Corporation Plate' by L. Jewitt and St. John Hope, Vol. I. With regard to the silver teapot with Chinese figures Cripps' 'Old English Plate' writes: —'The mania for Chinese porcelain which prevailed for a few years in the reign of William III. has been immortalised by the satirists of the day. It did not die out before the goldsmiths first, and the potters following them, had covered their wares with Chinese designs. A vast quantity of plate was decorated in this way in the years 1682-3-4, up to 1690, but not much later.' The teapot referred to is said to be the oldest silver teapot in existence. It belongs to Mr. Morgan Williams, of Aberpergwm, and is chased with Chinese figures. It is in the case with Mr. Jackson's plate.
Source: Evening Express - 29th July 1896
COLLECTS WATCH AFTER NEARLY THIRTY YEARS
Kingston, Ont., Jan. 13.—A few days ago a man entered the store of Smith Bros., jewelers, and asked if his watch was ready, adding that it ought to be as it had been there long enough. He was asked when it had been left, and replied, "The year before the Chicago fire, and that happened in 1871." He was asked his name, whereupon Mr. Smith looked up his books of 1870, learned the number and description of the watch, which had been carefully laid away, and returned it to its owner, who was very much pleased to receive his old timepiece. It transpired that shortly after leaving the watch for repairs the owner moved to Chicago, where he has since resided. A short time ago he was burned out, losing everything. Returning to Kingston, he went to see if the jewelers still had his timepiece, not expecting they had kept it, and was surprised and pleased to have it returned.
Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 18th January 1899
DOM CARLOS GOES SHOPPING
Entirely unattended, says the London "Daily News," the King of Portugal strolled across the Green Park to Piccadilly shortly after nine o'clock on a shopping expedition in the West-end. According to Court etiquette a Royal Sovereign is only supposed to go shopping when away from home, so Dom Carlos took advantage of this custom directly after breakfast, and visited many of the principal houses of business in Piccadilly, Bond-street, and Regent-street. He bought many costly-presents and souvenirs some of which he intends to take hack to Portugal.
One of his first calls was upon Messrs. Philip Morris and Co., the well-known Bond-street tobacconists, where he purchased a number, of presents in the shape of briar and meerschaum pipes and cigars.
Clad in mufti, his Majesty strolled into the shop in quite a casual way, and his identity was not revealed till be ordered the goods to be sent to Buckingham Palace.
King Carlos is spoken of as a particularly pleasing customer, who makes his purchases, in a homely and agreeable manner. Naturally sunny of aspect, he generally enters a shop humming some tune, and smiles the whole time he is being served. "He is an ideal customer", said a prominent tradesman.
His Majesty's numerous visits to West-end shops included a forty minutes' ramble round the premises of Messrs. Asprey and Co; the large goldsmiths and leather workers of Bond-street. The evening previous to his visit he drove up in a hansom, but as he was going to the opera that evening he said he would call again in the morning, "as there are several things I should like to look at."
Accordingly, he walked in, unattended by an equerry, about ten o'clock the next morning, and was received in a showroom, where distinguished visitors can make their purchases unobserved, and which has an exit into Albemarle-street. His Majesty bought a considerable number of silver and leather goods, fancy articles, etc., including a present for Queen Amelia., He took one small parcel away with him, and ordered the others to be sent on. The bill came to two or three hundred pounds, the lowest item being £8. His Majesty also visited Mr. J. C. Vickery, jeweller and silversmith, of Regent-street, and made extensive purchases.
In many cases the King of Portugal passed unrecognised through the different streets, and he seemed to enjoy the informality of his shopping-expedition as keenly as King Edward when doing the round of the shops in Paris.
Source: The W.A. Record - 21st January 1905
BRIDGEPORT SILVER PLATING Co.
The factory of the Bridgeport Silver Plating Co. at Bridgeport was destroyed by fire on Sunday night. Loss $50,000, fully insured.
Source: Connecticut Western News - 10th February 1898
FOSTER & BAILEY
New York, Dec. 29, Charles Slate, of New Rochelle, found a man in his hay loft yesterday morning who said he was Leander Briggs, bookkeeper for Foster & Bailey, jewelers, Providence, R. I., and that he was a defaulter to the extent of $30,000. He was tired of being a fugitive from justice and wanted to be sent back. Slate, who is constable, took the man into custody and telegraphed Foster & Bailey, who replied that Brlggs had gone away with the keys of the firm and about $500 that he had collected and retained. An officer left at once with Briggs.
Source: The Indian Chieftain - 2nd January 1890
Dr. ADALBERT JOHANN VOLCK
Dr. A. J. Volck is working on a terrapin set in silver, of which the ladle has the bowl fashioned like an oyster shell, while small diamond-back terrapin climb over the handle amid masses of seaweed. He does his own casting and smelting by a process discovered in Paris, recently, and introduced in this country. By this process the design issues complete from the mold without further finishing touches. Dr. Volck is an assiduous and versatile workman, notwithstanding his age and the fact that he uses crutches. In beaten silver or repousse work he depicts scenes from fairyland, folklore, poetry, animal heads, and the like, wreathed in silver of exquisite design.
Source: The Jewelers' Circular - 25th August 1909
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