The Brier family, consisting of a father, mother, their four sons, and a daughter, immigrants from Austria, arrived in the United States in the early 1900s. The eldest son, Samuel Brier (1884 – 1962), who worked for several years as a foreman at the Majestic Mfg Co, founded Brier Mfg Co, at 268 Weybosset Street, Providence, in 1912.

Samuel Brier’s co-founders were his younger brothers Harry Brier (1893 – 1953), Benjamin Brier (1897 – 1986), and Charles Brier (1899 – 1959). Started as a jobbing house, Brier also manufactured a large line of goods for five, 10 and 25-cent houses.

The year 1913 brought many changes and became a landmark year for the Brier jewelry company. Samuel’s younger sister, Rose Brier, married Samuel Michel Magid (1881 – 1964) in 1913. Prior to that, Samuel Magid was one of the owners of the Boston jewelry company Cashner & Magid.

Incorporated in 1913 with the capital stock is $20,000, Brier Mfg Co occupied a shop in the new Doran building, at 70 Ship Street, Providence. The incorporators were Samuel Brier, Benjamin Brier and Samuel Magid. In addition to Brier, Benjamin Brier, Charles Brier and Samuel Magid established the Little Nemo Manufacturing Company to manufacture imitation diamond jewelry.

Samuel Brier

That same year, Samuel Brier sold his stake to start his own business. He purchased the plant formerly conducted by Max Deutz and started in the manufacture of a line of white stone plated jewelry at 26 Fountain St., under the name of S. Brier & Co. However, a fire that occurred in early 1914 destroyed the factory.

Despite this incident, Samuel Brier subsequently founded and sold jewelry companies several times. So, in 1914 it was the Royal Mfg Co, 122 Clifford Street. Then, in 1917, he started in business at 220 Eddy St., Providence, R. I. as the Universal Metal Co. In 1923 he established The Gardner Novelty Co at 270 Richmond Street for the manufacture of gold filled jewelry and novelties.

Benjamin Brier, president of the corporation

In 1941, President of Brier Mfg Co Benjamin F. Brier, was elected vice-president of the New England Manufacturing Jewelers and Silversmiths Association. In 1942 he became president of NEMJ&SA.

His brothers and brother-in-law, under the leadership of Benjamin Brier, successfully ran the Brier Corporation and the Little Nemo. The address of both firms was the same – 70 Ship Street, Providence. Since 1917 both companies had the office at 37 Maiden lane, New York, headed by A. H. Rosenbaum.

In 1928 the Brief Mfg Co and the Little Nemo Ring Co moved from 10 Ship Street to the new Brier factory building, 222 Richmond Street.

During the Second World War, in 1941, the Brier Manufacturing Co was awarded an Army contract for 85,000 gold plated collar insignia. The same year Harry Brier, one of the founders of the Brier Mfg Co, retired.

Milton Brier

Son of Benjamin Brier, Milton Brier, a Brown University graduate, joined the family business in the early 1950s. According to the Providence Business Directories of the 1960s, Milton Brier served as the company’s vice president, and Isadore Paisner (1912 – 1989) was secretary and treasurer. After Benjamin Brier’s retirement in 1972, Milton took over the business.

Brier manufactured costume jewelry under “Nemo”, “Little Nemo”, and “Jewels by Venus” trademarks.
Both companies, the Little Nemo Manufacturing Company and the Brier Mfg Co continued activity until the late 1970s.

Brier and Little Nemo Vintage Costume Jewelry