The Jewelry Circular first mentioned the name of Charles Rothman, a wholesale jeweler and a salesman of pearls, in 1916. Charles Rothman founded the firm under his own name in 1920. Located on 56 Washington Street, Providence, Charles Rothman Co., was a retail jewelry firm.

In July 1923, the Chas Rothman Mfg. Co. was incorporated with a capital stock of $40,000. The founders were Charles Rothman, his wife, Jessie K. Rothman, and Henry D. Bellin, all of Providence. In 1924 Charles Rothman Co., Inc., moved to 187 Westminster Street.
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In the middle of the last century the name of jewelry designer Lee H Pelzman (1919 – 1977) was well-known. He established his first jewelry firm Shelba Co., 220 Fifth Avenue, New York in 1944. Shelba handcrafted sterling silver jewelry and fittings for other jewelry companies for about 10 years.

In 1954, Pelzman founded the Lee Pelzman Co in New York City, and opened a subsidiary, Leru, in Providence, Rhode Island. Providence’s finest jewelers created costume jewelry under the Leru brand, which became the alternative name for Lee Pelzman Co..
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