Spaulding-Gorham Jewelry Company History
Henry Abiram Spaulding (1839 – 1904) at one time one of the best known retail jewelers in the United States and Europe. His rise from a hard working boyhood to such an eminent position in the trade is noteworthy. Born in New York, he moved with his parents to Aurora, Illinois, when he was a very small boy.
Having received his education in Aurora, he went to Chicago and obtained employment in the dry goods store. Soon, young Spaulding decided to try his fortune in New York. His first job was at Black, Starr & Frost (then Ball, Black & Co.) where he had worked for a number of years. Then he started his own business Browne & Spaulding at Prince Street and Broadway, New York.
However, in 1871 he dissolved the firm and joined Tiffany & Co. A year later, Spaulding, with all his knowledge of all branches of the retail trade, moved to France to take charge of the Paris branch of Tiffany & Co. Henry A. Spaulding made his firm known to all of the crowned heads of Europe. Notably, he became the personal friend of King Edward, who was then the Prince of Wales, and through him obtained personal introductions to the various rulers.
Henry Spaulding
Having obtained enough prestige to embark in business on his own account, he sold out his stock in Tiffany & Co. and founded the firm of Spaulding & Co., in 1888 in Chicago. A year later he opened a branch next to Tiffany & Co. in Paris. However, in 1894 Henry Spaulding sold out his holdings in Spaulding & Co. and retired.
Henry Spaulding was a member of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Historical Society of Chicago. Also, the Chamber of Commerce, New York, the American Fine Arts Society, and the Republican Club of New York.
Edward Holbrook – president
On February 14, 1894 there was the annual meeting of the stockholder of Spaulding & Co. The stockholders elected Edward Holbrook president, Charles F. Green – vice-president, Henry C. Tilden – secretary, and Lloyd Milner – treasurer.
At the annual meeting held on February 16, 1907, Joseph Leiter was elected chairman of the board of directors, and Charles F. Green president of the corporation. The other elected officers included Benjamin Allen, vice-president and treasurer; Henry C. Tilden, secretary.
Henry C. Tilden
In 1912 Henry C. Tilden (1872 – 1948) became president of Spaulding & Co, 332 S. Michigan Avenue, Chicago. Noteworthy, his father Henry A. Tilden was founder and president of Tilden-Thurber Co., Providence, for many years. Among the notable jewellers of Spaulding & Co was John Adams (1845 – 1921), who worked for Spaulding for 25 years until his death at the age of 76.
In 1929 Gorham, Inc., of New York merged with Black, Starr & Frost and with Spaulding & Co. in Chicago, the local house becoming Spaulding-Gorham, Inc. Henry C. Tilden, for many years head of Spaulding-Gorham, Inc., and its predecessors, the Spaulding Co., resigned as president and director in 1933.
Gordon Lang, previously director of sales development of the Gorham Co and former vice-president of the Spaulding concern, became president to succeed Henry Tilden in 1933.
Spaulding Fine Jewelry
According to the Jeweler’s Circular Keystone, 1934, Spaulding-Gorham, Inc., moved from their location on Michigan Ave., at the corner of Van Buren St., to new quarters in the Drake Hotel on Michigan and Lake Shore Drive. The firm occupied both first and second floor space, fronting on Michigan Ave. More than $70,000 was spent to make it the most magnificent jewelry store in the country.
Gordon Lang
As the sole owner and president of the concern, Gordon Lang changed Spaulding-Gorham name to original Spaulding & Co. in 1943.
In 1950 he appointed Isabelle Joyce as vice president in charge of merchandising, advertising and sales. In 1954 Gordon Lang purchased The Loring Andrews Co., 148-year-old Cincinnati jewelry firm and ran both firms.
The same year jewelry by Spaulding-Gorham graced the cover of November 1954 Jewelers’ Circular, among other winners of awards from the 1954 Diamonds USA. Top upper left hand corner, reading clockwise: Spaulding & Co. of Chicago; Nadja Buckley; Tiffany; Seaman Schepps; Nat Koslow; Tiffany; Raymond Abrahams; and Elgin National Watch Co.
In 1959 Gordon Lang purchased the two stores of Tatman, Inc. Tatman store, 625 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago; and 1636 Orrington Ave., Evanston, Illinois specialized in fine silver, china and crystal. The same year Gordon Lang died, and Spaulding & Co ceased to exist.
