Born in Newport, Rhode Island, John Hathway Peckham (1856 – 1941) was one of the veteran manufacturing jewelers of North Attleboro. He came to North Attleboro in August 1874 and was apprenticed to the plate makers (FB and CF Richards) for 3 years. Peckham worked for E Ira Richards and Co for a total of 18 years, with an 18 month break when he worked for the EF Franklin Co making medallions.

John Peckham and Harriet E Blanchard (1858 – 1930) got married in North Attleboro, Bristol, Massachusetts on December 24, 1878. Born to John and Hattie children motivated him to start his own business and earn more income. Therefore, he left E Ira Richards and Co in 1893 to start his own business.

To begin with, he bought the bankrupt silver jewelry company Sandland Palmer and Co for $10,000. Some time later, he also acquired the business of French and Franklin and began making jewelry for the small wholesale market. After 8 years, his company J H Peckham & Co, which employed 48 craftsmen, became quite famous.

However, it was during this period that the former owners of French and Franklin were able to return the company to themselves, leaving John Peckham only the name J H Peckham & Co.

John H Peckham and his sons

On April 15, 1901, John re-founded the family business “John H Peckham and Sons” where his grown-up sons Charles, William, Harry and John Peckham Jr helped their father.

First, his eldest son Charles Sherman Peckham (1880 – 1935) joined the firm after leaving school in Bristol, MA. For seventeen years he was western salesman for J H Peckham & Co and took over the business in 1918.

William Blanchard Peckham (1882–1948) was New York representative of J H Peckham & Sons. Harry T Peckham (1888 – 1919) was in charge of J H Peckham & Co’s New York office during the absence of William Peckham. Since 1913 he took the position of the foreman of the firm.

John Hathway Peckham retired in 1925 and handed over control of the company to his sons, who continued the business of J H Peckham & Co.

J.H. Peckham & Sons, Inc.

In January 1928 J H Peckham & Son was incorporated under the laws of Massachusetts, to conduct a manufacturing jewelry business with an authorized capital of $200,000. The officers of the corporation were as follows: President, William B Peckham; Treasurer, Charles S Peckham, and Secretary, John H Peckham, who composed the directors.

Charles Sherman Peckham died in 1935, the year when the company ceased to exist.

J H Peckham & Son, Inc identified all products of their manufacture with the initials J. H.P. According to the ads published in the Jeweler’s Circular since 1930, Peckham Jewelry first appeared in platinum and fine gems. Then, Peckham simulated it for that wider market known as “popular.”

Peckham Jewelry had even the appearance of real platinum, beautiful adaptations of the genuine. Beautiful fine pierced designs, many trimmed in green and red solid gold, and finished in the brilliant white “Everadiant” (rhodium) finish, gave Peckham Jewelry strong sales appeal.

JHP John Peckham Antique Jewelry