UC-NRLF $B 3^ 3'^^ iiiiii'i:'i;iu:i:iM),| THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRESENTED BY PROF. CHARLES A. KOFOID AND MRS. PRUDENCE W. KOFOID Digitized by the Internet Archive in 20Q7 with funding from Microsoft Corporation http://www.archive.org/details/charlesltiffanyhOOtiffrich Tiffany & Co. Union Square, New-York. 1893. US'iTS In this brief sketch of Mr. Charles L. Tiffany, and of the house which he foimded and still directs , the days of earlier New-York, for half a century past, are briefly traced, and events in the history of the tiatiofi are inci- dentally noted. The house of Tiffatiy &^ Co. occupies a unique position in its relation to the development of the fine arts and beautiful creations of our natioti and century. The inseparable ties that associate it with the growth of the country, and the interest manifested in its early history and in the various stages of its career, are such that the following pages have been written in deference to the wish of many old friends and patrons of the house for an authentic review. The writer hopes that he has gathered from an ex- tensive mass of material fnatiy things of sufficient inter- est to reward the reader for the time spoil in the perusal of these pages. GEORGE FREDERIC HEYDT. ivi358806 PAGE Charles L. Tiffany at 8i ; from a photograph by Pach of New- York, taken March 3, 1893 6 Tiffany & Young, 259 Broadway, corner Warren Street, New- York; from an old print of the original store in 1837 lO Charles L. Tiffany at 28 ; from a painting by Wil- liam Henry Powell, made in 1840, and called by Mrs. C. L. Tiffany and Mr. Tiffany's mother an excellent likeness 12 Tiffany, Young & Ellis, 271 Broadway, corner Chambers Street, New- York ; from an old print show- ing the next stage of development and removal in 1847 16 Charles L. Tiffany at 41 ; from a photograph taken in 1853 20 Tiffany & Co., 550 Broadway, New-York, showing deco- rations and illumination during the telegraphic jubilee, September i, 1858; from "Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper," September 11, 1858 22 Tiffany & Co., Union Square, New-York, present location of salesrooms and general business 29 Tiffany & Co., Forest Hill, Newark, N. J. New works of the Electro-silver-plated Ware Factory 31 The Tiffany Pavilion in the Facade of the United States Section, Manufactures and Liberal Arts Build- ing, at the World's Columbian Exposition, Chicago, 1893 34 P I Charles Lewis Tiffany, founder of the UeneaiOgy. ^^^^^ ^^ Tiffany & Co., is a descendant, in the sixth generation, of Squire Humphrey Tiffany of England. His great-great-grandfather, great-grandfather, and grand- father were natives of Massachusetts. Squire Humphrey Tiffany, the original ancestor, was killed by a stroke of light- ning on July 15, 1685, while on the road to Boston. Comfort Tiffany, the father of Charles L. Tiffany, was born in Attle- boro, Mass., and, after marrying Chloe Draper, daughter of Isaac Draper of that town, he removed to Danielsonville, Windham County, Conn., where he embarked in the manu- facture of cotton goods. Comfort Tiffany established his home on the Killingly side of the Quinebaug River, and here on February 15, 1812, Charles L. Tiffany, the eldest son, was born. Early School=Days, The boy was brought up in the town of his birth, and received his primary education in the " Httle red schoolhouse " at Danielsonville, — a typical New England district school, — and later spent two years at the Plainfield (Conn.) Acad- emy, about ten miles from his home. This was at that time a noted educational institute, presided over by John Witter, a graduate and tutor of Yale. Charles L. Tiffany and the While young Tiffany was at the Plainfield Academy, his father, Comfort Tiffany, who had already been engaged in the manufacture of cotton goods in Danielsonville for about twenty years, formed a new company for the same purpose. They bought half of the water privilege of the Quinebaug River, on the Brooklyn side, and began opera- tions under the name of the " Brooklyn Manufacturing Co." While building the new mill, Comfort Tiffany opened a little country store, and gave his son Charles, then but fif- teen years old, full charge ; and in this inconspicuous way Charles L. Tiffany made his entree into the commercial world. He kept the books of the store, and when the business had become firmly established he made frequent trips to New-York for supplies. About a year after the opening of the new mill. Comfort Tiffany established his home over on the Brooklyn side of Danielsonville, and some time later bought out the interests of his other partners in the *' Brooklyn Manufacturing Co.," and operated the plant under the name of '*C. Tiffany & Son." After the business of the Httle country store had de- veloped, and the elder Tiffany had erected a more commo- dious store for its purposes, the additional help required afforded young Charles L. an opportunity to take up his studies again, and with several short terms at the Brooklyn school he finally finished his education. o^ m \9kAn '^^^ y^^'^ ^^^'^ ^^^ ^^ turning-point in his ^' T-/" jjfg^ From the little Connecticut village he ventured out into the maelstrom of metropolitan life. New- York was then a city of over 200,000 inhabitants, and pro- portionately as crowded with business enterprises as it is to-day. Young Tiffany's business venture was not an acci- dent, — it was born of a deliberate purpose, the result of his conclusion that the future of the cotton industry in Con- House of Tiffany df Co. 9 necticut offered nothing to satisfy his ambition. Hence he determined to seek a wider field of activity. His neighbor, friend, and schoohnate, John B. Young, had gone to New-York six months before him, and was employed in a stationery and fancy-goods store. Mr. Tif- fany followed early in September of 1837. New- York was then in the throes of perhaps the greatest commercial crisis of its history. Many well-estabUshed concerns were on the verge of ruin. Mr. Tiffany's ambition, however, was not to be daunted by this grave state of affairs. He and his former schoolmate went carefully over the field together, and con- cluded to unite Mr. Young's limited stock of experience with whatever capital could be advanced by Mr. Tiffany's father, and to open a fancy-goods and stationery store. The elder Tiffany being appealed to, he consented to loan the young men a thousand dollars, $500 to be assumed by each partner. nusTonx Tiffany & Young. The young men entered into a partnership under the firm-name of " Tiffany & Young," and thus was laid the foundation of the present house of Tiffany & Co. The difficulties which they encountered in finding a desirable location which should come within their limited means, in running the chances of success without any knowledge of metropolitan business methods, in starting out in the very face of the worst commercial depression in the history of the country at that time — these and other obstacles, which to most men would have seemed insurmountable, were overcome by this young firm in a manner that augured well for their future success. A suitable site for their first venture was finally found in an old-fashioned double dwelling-house at 259 Broadway. Half of the lower part was already occupied by Mme. N. Scheltema, a fashionable modiste ; the other half, with a frontage of fifteen feet, was obtainable at a moderate rental; the only serious objection urged against the premises being that they were too far up-town. Marquand & Co. , the leading jewelers of those days, were located at 181 Broadway, near Cortlandt Street, and within a few blocks of them were clus- tered all the jewelers and dealers in high-class fancy articles who had any prominence at that time. 12 Charles L. Tiffany and the House of Tiffany &" Co. 13 It was A. T. Stewart who perhaps unconsciously turned the balance in favor of No. 259. Mr. Stewart, already a successful merchant of ten years' standing, had his own store next door to Mme. Scheltema's, and belief in the sagacity of the future dry-goods king led the young men to decide upon this up-town location. This perplexing question dis- posed of, there followed the problem of how to open busi- ness with a stock sufficiently unique and choice to attract custom to a new house. One of Mr. Tiffany's most noted traits, and one that has distinguished the house in its entire career, is an instinctive avoidance of beaten paths. He was ever devising original methods and seeking unique objects. The store was stocked with salable merchandise. Choice and novel objects in bric- a-brac; Chinese goods, then very popular; Japanese /^/zVr- mdche and terra-cotta wares ; umbrellas, walking-sticks, desks, dressing-cases, cabinets, fans, fine stationery, pottery, fancy articles, and curiosities of every description, — these things soon became marked features of the store of Tiffany & Young. T^i^„A. r>^^\» i:> I The little store was opened to the First Cash-Book. ^^^^^^ „„ ^^^ ^^^^J^ ^^ s^p^^^. ber 18, 1837. The total sales for the first three days amounted to only $4.98; with this they opened their first cash-book. The next day $2.77 was added. But the high character of the stock soon became generally known; patronage increased, and new features were added. On the day preceding Christmas of the same year, the sales footed up $236, and on New Year's Eve the receipts amounted to $675. New Year's Day, according to old Knickerbocker usage, was then the approved occasion for the interchange of gifts, as Christmas is now. The following year marked a steady though uneventful growth ; but on the morning of January i, 1839, the young 14 Charles Z. Tiffany and the firm was robbed of nearly all it possessed. The thieves, who carried away almost everything portable of value, had also evidently calculated upon appropriating the largest single week's receipts of the year; but luckily the two partners had taken the precaution to empty the cash-drawer and carry the contents home with them. Their loss amounted to nearly $4000; but they quickly recovered themselves, and the business continued to prosper to such an extent that early in 1841 it was found necessary to rent the adjoining corner store. No. 260. This gave them a frontage of forty-five feet on Broadway and a window run- ning down on Warren street. With the increased space at their disposal, the scope of the business was rapidly en- larged. Bohemian glassware, French and Dresden porce- lain, cutlery, clocks, and fancy Parisian jewelry were added in the order named. T«»iic ^7 ff r^n» The year 1841 was in Tiffany, Young & Ellis. ^„,, l^^^^,^ ^^^^ „„, , memorable one in the history of the young firm. The first important step during the spring of the year was the ad- mittance of another partner, Mr. J. L. Ellis ; the firm-name becoming "Tiffany, Young & Ellis." The business had now grown to such proportions that the disadvantages of importing stock without a thorough per- sonal knowledge of what the European markets afforded were daily growing more evident. After the addition to the firm, it was decided that one of the members should go abroad in search of novelties for their exclusive trade. This method of Mr. Tiffany's for obtaining choice selections for retailing at first hand was a unique one fifty years ago, Mr. Young was selected to make the trip, and being well supplied with letters of introduction from prominent person- ages, he had an entree to all the leading European houses. House of Tiffany 6^* Co. 1 5 He returned home with the choicest examples of the novelties to be found abroad. ikK rrK'jfjf n nm • THIS year of successes Mr. Tiffany's Marriage. ^i3„ J^^ed the happiest turning-point in Mr. Tiffany's career. Just before the holi- days he took another step the wisdom of which has been proved by over fifty years of uninterrupted domestic hap- piness. On November 30, 1841, he was married to Miss Harriet Olivia Avery Young, sister of his partner, and daughter of Judge Ebenezer Young of Killingly, Connecti- cut. This union brought them six children. Four are living and reside, some in the house of their parents, others in homes of their own, near by. Charles Lewis, Jr., the first- born, died at the age of four, and Henry Charles, the third child, died at the age of one. Mr. Tiffany's family now consists of his wife, Mrs. Charles L. Tiffany, and children, Annie Olivia (Mrs. Alfred Mitchell), Louis Comfort, Louise Harriet, and Burnett Young Tiffany. Manufacture of Reverting to Mr. Tiffany's business career, the success of the first jour- JCWGiry. ney abroad warranted annual visits to the European markets, and led to the introduction of useful and fancy articles of a higher order of taste, beauty, and richness than had ever been seen before in New- York. The house had now established for itself a reputation which made it the resort of all who were in search of rich and costly articles of luxury. Shortly the cheap grades of jewelry from France, Hanau and Frankfort, Germany, gave way to abetter quality of English jewelry, and this in turn was followed by Italian or Roman jewelry. During this tin^e the mosaic i6 Charles L. Tiffany and the ^ House of Tiffajiy b' Co. 17 work from Florence and Rome, and the finer jewelry from Paris, enjoyed a period of popular favor running over many- years. Gradually, however, American jewelry encroached upon the field to such a degree that when in 1848 the firm began the manufacture of gold jewelry, it quickly became one of the rrfost important branches of their business. No. 271 Broadway, ^^^""""l *" ^'"=<= °; .*^ ^''' '™ ' •^ years the contmued mcrease ne- cessitated another removal, which took place in 1847. A much larger and more modern store was secured at 271 Broadway, corner of Chambers Street, and the business rapidly expanded in every direction. Diamond jewelry, watches, clocks, silverware, and bronzes became the leading features of a stock which had how grown so complete in arti- cles of luxury that the house issued an annual catalogue for the convenience of their patrons. The Revolution ^^^ political disturbances of 1848 in -ff ft ft Paris afforded many opportunities for 1040, shrewd investments. In the panic that followed, diamonds declined about fifty per cent. Mr. Tif- fany and his partner, Mr. J. B. Young, A^ere quick to grasp the situation, and immediately decided to invest all the available resources of the firm in these precious gems. Mr. Young, accompanied by Mr. Thomas Crane Banks, who conducted the jewelry department for the house, had just arrived in Paris, prepared to make large purchases of jewelry and European novelties; but instead of searching for the latter, they directed their whole attention and resources to the purchase of diamonds. In spite of suffering arrest as suspects, and encountering numerous other unpleasant ex- 1 8 Charles L. Tiffany and the periences in the panic-stricken city, they yet fulfilled their mission so successfully as to raise the firm of Tiffany, Young & Ellis to the front rank of diamond merchants. Historic Qems. ?"^'' ^f}^'^^ p"^''^ "^ ^Z" tf followed by many others. Notable among these were the investments in historic gems, of which Tiffany & Co. have probably been among the largest pur- chasers in the world. Among the most famous gems which passed into their possession was the zone of diamonds worn by the ill-starred Marie Antoinette. This zone was bought by the house in Paris about forty years ago. At the great sale of diamonds of the famous Hungarian Prince Esterhazy, some years later, Tiffany & Co.'s purchases amounted to over $100,000. But the largest investment ever made by them in historic gems was in 1887. At the sale of the crown jewels by the French government, Tiffany & Co. purchased 24 lots of the stones — over one third of the entire amount — at a cost of 2,285,700 francs (about $500,000) : a larger amount than the total purchases of the nine next largest buyers. T^ * T^ 1^ o In 1850 Mr. Gideon F. T. Reed, Pans Branch, 1850. ^^^^^^ „f Lincoln, Reed & Co., the leading jewelers of Boston, was admitted into partnership. Immediately after, the first branch house was estabhshed at 79 Rue Richelieu, Paris, Mr. Reed be- coming the resident partner in Paris, where the house was conducted under the firm-name of Tiffany, Reed & Co. This branch house proved an invaluable acquisition to the firm, Mr. Reed's residence abroad enabling him to take advantage of all the fluctuations in the European markets. House of Tiffany ^s' Co. 19 Like the New-York house, the Paris branch developed rapidly. From the Uttle office in Rue Richelieu, it re- moved to 57 Rue du Cardinal Fesch, afterward named Rue de Chateaudun. At the present time it occupies very spacious quarters at Avenue de I'Opera 36 bis. Since the retirement of the late Mr. Reed, the foreign branch has been continued under the name of Tiffany & Co. Americans resident or traveling abroad have for many years largely patronized the Paris house, and to-day the stock to be seen there includes the choicest features of the Union Square estabhshment. _ J. ^,j One of the first innovations made by Sterling bllVer. xififany & Co. was that of using the highest practical grade of silver in all their productions. Up to this time, old Spanish and Mexican coins contributed largely to the supply of metal used ; but in these coins there was no uniformity of standard. Tiffany & Co. introduced the English standard of sterling silver — t\nfo fine. Their example was immediately followed by all the other leading silversmiths of that period, and the standard, which Great Britain found necessary to protect with a ''hall mark," soon became established in this coun- ■^"^^ \xy upon the reputation of an individual firm. What the house has since accomplished in developing American art in metal-work is matter of history. At the Paris Expo- sition in 1867 Tiffany & Co.'s productions won for Ameri- can silverware the first award of merit from a foreign jury, and at the International Expositions of 1878 and 1889 the firm received the Grand Prix and a special decoration of the Legion of Honor. The honors bestowed upon the house at the Centennial Exhibition of 1876, and the World's Co- lumbian Exposition of 1893, are touched upon elsewhere. 20 Charles L. Tiffany aftd the House of Tiffany &' Co. 21 Manufacture of when the late p. T. Bamum brought ^ilvAi-w5if^ J^^'^'y ^^"^^ ^° ^^'^ country in 1850, famous singer was Tiffany's. Mr. Tiffany recalls with pleasure the first order he executed for her. It was a costly silver tankard, made for presentation to the cap- tain of the ship which had brought her over. This testi- monial — one of the first silver pieces of note made by the firm — was a masterpiece of ideas which, even in these days of advanced art, it would be difficult to excel. Its decora- tions were thoroughly nautical, from the graceful handle — a mermaid rising out of a billowy sea — to the Triton emerg- ing from the cover. Part of the decoration on the tankard represented a rainbow, which marked an incident of the trip which the famous singer desired to remember. The improvement in the manufacture of silverware, both in form and decoration, had by this time (1851) become recognized, and with the recognition came rapidly increasing demands for special presentation pieces and household arti- cles. The productions of John C. Moore, who made silver- ware for Marquand & Co. , and also for their successors. Ball, Tompkins & Black, were then attracting considerable atten- tion for their solidity and artistic conception. Mr. Tiffany observed in the general character of Mr. Moore's work a strength and individuality wholly different from those of any other manufacturer. It was the quality he had always sought for, and his discovery proved of mutual advantage, for an arrangement was made with Mr. Moore whereby the latter was to manufacture solely for Tiffany & Co. Upon the retirement of the elder Mr. Moore, he was suc- ceeded by his son, the late Edward C. Moore, who had learned the trade in his father's factory. The skill he had acquired under the tuition of his father, with the resources of Tiffany & Co. and their rapidly growing business, de- veloped the little shop with its handful of employees into an industry of extraordinary proportions, covering to-day almost Sept. 11, 1858.1 FRANK LESLIE'S ILLUS TIFFANY i CO.'S JEWELLERY STORE. 550 BROADWAY, NEW YOllK. A> IT AI'I'L \!IKI) IN THt ILLLMi- .NATION UliBlNG IHE TCLU3BAPU1C JUBILEE, SiiMtMiiKK 1, ISoS. of the chastest specimens of aro)"'tpoture '" TBroadway, wi= To-i-.made^lothin? for whole House of Tiffany &" Co. 23 an entire block in Prince Street, and giving employment to a force of about 500 men. T'-ff jC» C '^^^ ^^^^ ^^^^ marked an- linany OC CO., ^^^^^ important change in 550 Broadway, the composition of the firm. On May i, Messrs. J. B. Young and J. L. Ellis retired, and with the admission of new partners the business was from that day continued under the present firm-name of Tiffany & Co. The change resulted in materially broadening the scope of the business, and the continued increase of the business made another removal necessary in 1854. A new building was erected for their accommodation at No. 550 Broadway, between Spring and Prince streets. This location was then considered so far above the business ter- ritory of Broadway, that many questioned the wisdom of the change. The firm took possession of their new quarters on May i, 1854, and before long the former critics of Mr. Tiffany com- mended him for his keen foresight. The firm remained upon this site for sixteen years, the most eventful of their existence, marked by an immense growth in their business, and by many historic incidents. In 1861 they added the ad- joining building, No. 552 Broadway, which afforded facilities for meeting the pressure of business incidental to the war,, and otherwise enlarging their field of activity. Upon completion of the first great At- AtlantiC Cable, lantic caWe m 1858, Mr. Tiffany made a clever stroke by purchasing the remaining cable, many miles in all, and cutting it up into souvenirs of the event, making paper-weights, cane, umbrella, and whip handles, bracelets, seals and other watch-charms, festoons, and coils for ornamenting parlors and offices. When the articles were 24 Charles L. Tiffany and the put on sale, policemen were required to maintain order among the crowds who were eager to buy the souvenirs. The following advertisement from "Frank Leslie's Weekly" of September ii, 1858, may be of interest: \ idlbCEL %A^EOVS, rr\l7T^:sY & CO,, Ko. 5uO BsoADwAT, Xew Yokk, Riiiioimce tliat they ItaT.e secure the eutire balance of the ATLANHG TELEGRAPH SUBMARINE CABLE, , Now on bostrfj the U. S;-StiB*sr FskaAT3E Nugarju In order to pUc«* It witbiQ the r«&ch of all classes, sne OiMe into, pieces of:io«r inches m length, and mount them aeaSly wi h brass ferules. Each piece wilt be accompanied with a copyrighted &C' gimile ceriifica^e of ; • CYRUS W. FIELD, Esq., that it is cut from the genuine Cable. Iwenty miles of it have been actuaily.submeiged and takea up from the 1)0 torn oi the Ocean. I'hts »»;il be first sold in precisely the cunriitio') iu which the gieat Cable now Ues ia the bed of the AtUptic, • Orders will bo received from dealers and ot£»*»rs for not l<»h8 than JW> p trcwi at a time, at %2h per hundred. Retail price, 50 c«-ni« each. , Each ordfr njust bo accompanied by the money, Jn fucds cuTcut in New York, a^i ji will not be possible to open ac- count;*. A rt^gla'ttr Will bek«;pt o!" the ordfr.-* na they are rec*;i«red, wbich will Ue liiiea iu turii wiihous iav'-r or par- lia.uy. A brpe p'-rlion of the Bp*ciiD< ns vil Ic ' ■ i.6jy it is cs- pC5 ^>i, lor de.iivery wilbiaa «<>IE£' . JUTD -CHlLBJaEN'S 1 ? coa 00 the; i recf 1 ?(. :?* Se Se- Civil War, 1861 = 64 Between the period of the first Atlantic Cable Jubilee in 1858 and the celebration in 1866 of its final success, came the Civil War. While others, uncertain as to what attitude they House of Tiffany ^ Co. 25 should assume, were wavering in their duty, Mr. Tiffany's patriotism and prudence once more asserted themselves. Foreseeing a prolonged struggle, he promptly made ar- rangement with his partners to devote the capital and facilities of the house to the support of the Government. He was the first to submit to the Quartermaster-General a complete model of the equipments of the French army. The elegant show-rooms where the arts that wait on peace and plenty had formerly held full sway, were transformed into a depot for military supplies. Orders for all manner of supplies came in from all over the country — French rifles, ambulances and army shoes, cavalry, army and navy swords and equipments of every kind. Twenty thousand badges were made for the State of Ohio alone, while non-commissioned officers' swords, caps, rifles, army shoes, medals, and corps badges were manufactured and shipped by thousands. A commentary upon the thoughts uppermost in men's minds in those days of '61 is found in the following gruesome advertisement reproduced from the war files of" Frank Leslie's Weekly '* : 313-3SO No. 6 MaMe To Army and Havy Officers. TIFFANY & CO., 550 and 552 Broadway, have in store, and are receiving bv every steamer, Swords " warranted to cut wrought iron," from Sr>li«j^cn Passants. Cap Ornaments nnd other l<:rabroideric8 from Paris- Grold Epaulettes and Navy Laces, etc., from IrOndon. Orders by mail promptly tilled, and Goods forwarded to all parts of be Loyal states. 313- 15o t <5xr^TrxrT>^— -' 4^ar^, andj During the draft riots in 1863, when the mob was moving down Broadway and word came that they were intent upon storming Tiffany & Co.'s store and other business houses, 26 Charles L. Tiffany atid the Mr. Tiffany barricaded the doors of his store, filled bombs, and charged hand-grenades himself, and with his employees stood ready to defend the firm's property. Fortunately, however, the army of rioters did not get beyond Bleecker Street before they were headed off by the police. . . . Soon after the Atlantic Pans Exposition, 1867. cable jubilee in 1866, Tif- fany & Co. again became conspicuous, — this time at the Paris Exposition of 1867. They wisely made no attempt to rival the productions of old-established houses abroad, or the elaborate masterpieces of European art, but confined them- selves almost exclusively to a display of the plainer patterns of domestic plate. The grace and beauty of these designs, together with their delicacy of workmanship and solidity of construction, called forth the encomiums of the Euro- pean press, and resulted in the house receiving the first award ever offered to a foreigner. In commenting upon the above, the London " Spectator" said: " We confess we were surprised and ashamed to find at the Paris Exposition that a New- York firm. Tiffany & Co., had beaten the Old Country and the Old World in domestic silver-plate." The reputation established by Tiffany & Co. during the war for promptly executing great orders, as well as the laurels won at the Paris Exposition for the superiority of their productions, gave the firm an impetus which placed them in the front rank of the world's jewelers. Their store, already one of the largest of its kind, was once more inade- quate for their business. The firm was incorporated as lnCOrpOra.tlOn, loOO. a manufacturing company un- der the laws of the State of New-York in 1868, with Mr. Tiffany as president and treasurer; Gideon F. T. Reed, House of Tiffany ^^ Co. 27 vice-president; Charles T. Cook, general superintendent and assistant treasurer; and George McClure, secretary. Upon Mr. Reed's retirement in 1875 from active participa- tion in the management of the business, Mr. Charles T. Cook succeeded him as vice-president. Mr. Cook's connection with the house of which he is now the vice president dates back to 1848, and the circumstances which led to his employment were not in any essential par- ticulars different from the surroundings that daily mark the experiences of thousands of others entering upon a business career. Since the incorporation of the business he has shared with Mr. Tiffany the responsibility of its general management. Mr. Cook's work has brought him in touch with most of Tiffany & Co.'s patrons during the last twenty-five years; and to his executive abilities, and the judgment which he exercised, Mr. Tiffany attributes much of the success that has come to the house. The incorporation of the house as a manufacturing com- pany was followed by a general expansion of the business, including the manufacture of watches, clocks, etc.^ The silver- works in Prince Street were united to the commercial depart- ment and considerably enlarged, and then Mr. Edward C. Moore became a director in the company and manager of its manufacturing interest. London Branch, 1868. ^t about the same time a branch house was estab- lished in London, England, with an office at 29 Argyll Street ; but soon more spacious quarters were needed, and a removal was made to 5 Argyll Place. At present the London house occupies a handsome store at 221 and 221 A Regent Street, where a large assortment of Tiffany & Co.'s produc- tions are always kept in stock. The establishment of the London branch was followed 28 Charles L. Tiffany a?id the by the construction of a large plant for the manufacture of watches in Geneva. This was the largest factory ever erected in Switzerland for that purpose. Arrangements were made to unite the best European skill with the latest mechanical improvements and labor-saving methods that American ingenuity could devise. It was a unique experi- ment, and to it the house directed the lavish resources and energies at its command. The first Geneva office was established in 1868 at 7 Rue Leverrier, and a salesroom for watches, jewelry, and dia- monds was opened a few years later at 10 Grand Quai, pending the completion of their watch-factory. This was erected at the Place Cornavin — where it still stands — in 1872, but after a thorough trial the conditions surrounding European labor were found to be wholly inapplicable to American methods. Better results were obtainable by turn- ing both patterns and patents over to a watch-company to operate and manufacture the superior timepieces required by the firm. . T . >-, o As an immediate result of the Union Square, 1870. incorporation, steps were taken to provide more adequate quarters for the business, which had entirely outgrown the facilities of 550 and 552 Broadway. Upon the corner of Union Square and 15th Street, the present site of Tiffany & Co.'s establishment, stood Dr. Cheever's ivy-covered "Church of the Puritans," which during the war became famous through Dr. Cheever's fierce onslaughts upon slavery. The church had just been vacated, and the property, with a frontage of 78 feet on Broadway and 140 feet on 15th Street, was offered to Tiffany & Co. The picturesque Square and other advantages led to a quick decision, although the con- ditions of sale necessitated the purchase of the church with all its fittings, including organ, pews, etc. Plans were im- House of Tiffany 6^ Co. 29 Tiffany & Co., Union Square, New-York. 30 Charles L. Tiffafiy and the mediately drawn for an absolutely fire-proof building ; and the present five-story structure was one of the first strictly fire-proof buildings erected in the city. The building was completed late in the fall of 1870, and on November loth formal possession was taken. The old Spingler House adjoined the new store, while all around the Square were mostly private residences, nor was a busi- ness house within sight on West 14th Street. It was origi- nally designed that the second and third floors should be rented out; but before desirable tenants could be found the business had increased so rapidly that the use of the entire three floors was required ; and a few years later a large extension was added on 15 th Street. Departments and ^^™ ^^^ removal to union W7 1 V% Square, many new departments WorKSnOpS. ^^^^ 2.^^^^. While at 550-552 Broadway, Tiffany & Co. had gratuitously stored many val- uables for their patrons; they now portioned off half of the entire basement for a storage department with burglar- proof vaults. Every facility was provided for the proper care and protection of family silverware, jewels, heirlooms, and valuables of every description. As with most of the other departments, this one has since been twice enlarged. The first floor was divided up between the silver, dia- mond, jewelry, watch, fancy-goods, leather-goods, umbrella, stationery, plated-ware, watch -repairing, and jewelry and silverware repairing departments, with offices in the rear; while the entire second floor, with the exception of a portion in the rear, reserved for the executive and bookkeepers' offices, was devoted to the display of art works in bronzes, statuary, bric-a-brac, clocks, mantel sets, lamps, curios, re- productions of ancient armor, and ornamental objects for home decoration. House of Tiffany b' Co. 31 32 Charles L. Tiffany and the The limited stock at the old store of a few choice pieces of fancy porcelain and glassware was now enlarged to a special department for high-class pottery and cut glass. This collection occupies the third floor, and here every- thing in that line required for the proper furnishing of a household could be obtained, while special attention was given to securing choice specimens of antique glass and pottery, and examples of the most beautiful of modern products to be found in the European markets. The two upper floors afforded ample facilities for organ- izing new shops and enlarging the old ones. These are located at present as follows : Third floor extension, Watch and Fan Shops ; Fourth floor. Engraving and Art Depart- ment, Stationery, Printing and Stamping, Silver-polishing, and Clock Shops; Fifth floor, Jewelry, Diamond cutting and polishing, Case and Leather-work shops. Since the removal to Union Square, the manufacture of electro-silver-plated ware has been added to the business. From a small shop in Newark, N. J., this branch of their manufactures has so expanded that a year ago a seven- acre plot was purchased at Forest Hill, a suburb of Newark, N. J., and the erection of a large plant begun, which has recently been completed ; the new works at present occupy 45,000 square feet, and are so designed that additional wings and stories can be added to meet further requirements. The many improvements in the processes of manufactur- ing, both in machinery and methods, the employment of larger forces of skilled mechanics, and other advantages possible with the increased facihties, will afford this depart- ment opportunities for further expansion which it has here- tofore not enjoyed. House of Tiffany