New Jersey resident, Harry Clifford Schick (1894-1937) began his career in the jewelry business as secretary and treasurer of C Lemaitre & Co. Located at 105 Chestnut Street in Newark, New Jersey, Lemaitre was a well-known manufacturer of chains and jewelry fittings.

Harry Schick sold his interest in Lemaitre in 1919, and in partnership with James Wordley, also New Jersey resident, founded the Schick Company. Initially, they hired one employee, doing most of the work themselves, and the entire business was located in a small attic space, just large enough for an office desk and a few small machines.

Located at 95 Chestnut street, the company manufactured jewelry fittings, costume jewelry, and novelties. In March 1919, Schick and Wordley’s company became a corporation – Harry C Schick, Inc, with a capital stock of $125,000. The founders were Harry Schick, his wife Adela, James E Wordley and Nellie V Wordley, residing at 5 Harvard Street in East Orange.

Subsidiaries and offices

Expanding rapidly ever since, the company immediately began opening branches. Thus, as early as October 1920, Schick opened an office in New York City at 303 Fifth Avenue. The New York office was in charge of Charles Hirsch and Sidney Rothschild.

In early 1922, Schick opened its headquarters in San Francisco, where John S Adler served as the company’s representative. They also opened a Canadian office at 13 King Street in West Toronto. In July 1922, Sidney H Israel assumed control of Harry C Schick, Inc, located at 31 North State Street in Chicago.

Harry C Schick firm also produced a line of fine gold jewelry and focused on emerging fashion trends both domestically and internationally. The company had branches not only in the United States but also in London. Export trade was an important area of ​​activity.

Schicksnap clasps

At its founding, the company specialized in faux pearl necklace clasps, which were then fashionable. Initially, the clasp was simple and unadorned, but later they made clasps, which ranged in price from one cent each to $250 wholesale. They used metals, nickel-plated silver and brass as well as platinum and gold, set with diamonds and other precious stones.

In the spring of 1936, Wordley retired from the firm, and Harry Schick became president. However, already in 1937 Harry Schick suddenly passed away. He was a Freemason and a member of the prestigious 24Karat Jewelry Club in New York City, and president of the Madison Golf Club.

Robert W Schick

Harry’s son, Robert W Schick, was actively involved with the firm for several years. At the time of his father’s death, Robert was the company’s secretary-treasurer. He ran Harry C Schick, Inc as president for more than twenty years. Noteworthy, the last mention of the company dates back to 1960s.

The firm’s employees

1939 photo of Dick Blake, Sr, who had been a jewelry salesman for 29 years, and covered New England and the Middle Atlantic States. His son Dick Blake Jr, prior to going on the road, underwent a training course at the Schick factory which gave him a basic technical knowledge of jewelry manufacturing.

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