Franklin Oliver Udall (1865–1952) and his brother-in-law, Herbert Ralph Ballou (1858–1907), founded the jewelry firm Udall & Ballou, Inc., in 1888 at Newport, Rhode Island. A year later, they opened their headquarters at 499 Fifth Avenue in New York City and a store at 574 Fifth Ave. Their partnership dissolved with the death of Herbert Ballou in 1907.

Frederick William Barthman (1842-1914), who worked for the firm, bought out Herbert Ballou’s share. His sons also served in the management of Udall & Ballou. Frederick Barthman dedicated his entire life to the jewelry business, which he held for over 50 years. Born in Hamburg, Germany, Frederick Barthman became one of the leading retailers in downtown New York City.

Fine jewelry created by master jewelers like Oscar Heyman made Udall & Ballou synonymous with quality and sophistication. Frank Udall opened branches in Palm Beach; Bar Harbor, Maine; Waterville, Maine; Lenox, Massachusetts; and Newport, Rhode Island.

In 1924, Frank Udall left the corporation, selling his shares and subsequently establishing a jewelry business under his own name. Udall & Ballou moved to a new address at 734 Fifth Avenue, on the corner of 57th Street. In addition to the Newport store, the company had a branch in Palm Beach, Florida.

William Grace Doelker (1887–1954)

In the early 1930s, William Grace Doelker took over the New York branch of Udall & Ballou on Fifth Avenue and 57th Street. W. Waters Schwab served as vice president and treasurer of Udall & Ballou. Notably, Udall & Ballou in Newport, Rhode Island, was William Doelker’s first venture into the jewelry business. In 1942, Doelker founded his own business.

In 1941, Gordon Bros., a Boston, Massachusetts firm, acquired Udall & Ballou, whose assets exceeded $1 million. The Gordon brothers continued to operate the firm under its original name.

Closure of Udall & Ballou

In February 1950, Jewelers’ Circular published a notice announcing the closure of Udall & Ballou. According to the notice, Udall & Ballou made its last sale on December 24, 1949. The company’s most senior employee, 65-year-old Fred Bailey, said the company “sold jewelry to practically everyone who had ever been in the gossip columns.”

Despite repeated changes of ownership, the company’s reputation only grew. Advertisements for Udall & Ballou jewelry could be seen in the most prestigious fashion magazines of the time, including Palm Beach Life, Harper’s Bazaar, Vogue, and others. Also, in April 1940, Udall & Ballou men’s jewelry appeared on the cover of Jewelers’ Circular magazine.

Unique jewelry advertising

Begun during the Great Depression, Udall & Ballou’s unique jewelry advertising from 1929 to 1940 became a trademark. Refined elegance, femininity, and mystery, embodied in white plaster busts, served as a backdrop for the jewelry. These ads captured the timeless connection between beauty and art.

According to Vogue April 1930 ad, “the brilliance of jewels and the beauty of a woman have belonged to each other since the dawn of time”.

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