JE Caldwell and Co
With intricate and refined artistry, the jewelers at J.E.Caldwell & Co. have been handcrafting illustrious watches and adornments — including cocktail rings, engagement rings and link bracelets — for nearly two centuries. The American firm, which is among the oldest silver and jewelry companies in the United States, has found acclaim with collectors and buyers worldwide.
Born in Poughkeepsie, New York, J.E. Caldwell & Co. founder James Emmott Caldwell (1813–81) apprenticed as a silversmith and subsequently trained in watchmaking under the esteemed watchmaker Samuel Ward Benedict in New York City. Following his apprenticeships, Caldwell sought work in Philadelphia, initially securing a position with a wholesale jeweler before importing watches for a jewelry manufacturer. In the late 1830s, he established a storefront of his own, in a stately marble building on Chestnut street. Caldwell partnered with James M. Bennett thereafter in order to launch a jewelry shop nearby that they called Bennett & Caldwell. With the passing of Bennett, Caldwell partnered with a former employer, John C. Farr, and changed the company name, establishing the J.E. Caldwell & Co. of today.
In 1876, Philadelphia hosted the first World’s Fair held in the United States. Alongside the Gorham Manufacturing Company — a legendary but largely overlooked American silver firm — J.E. Caldwell showcased an array of stunning jewelry and silver objects at the event’s Centennial International Exhibition. In the early 1900s, J.E. Caldwell was contracted to fashion a presentation silver tea service — more than 160 pieces — for a newly commissioned battleship, the U.S.S. Pennsylvania. The brand’s exquisite silver wares traveled at sea aboard this battleship — and later, on the U.S.S. Valley Forge — for decades.
J.E. Caldwell & Co. became known for exquisite Art Nouveau and Art Deco jewelry. Ownership of the firm passed through the family over the years before changing hands to business interests outside of the family. Today a J.E. Caldwell & Co. retail location continues to operate in Philadelphia.
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1930s American Vintage JE Caldwell and Co
Stone, Lapis Lazuli, Sterling Silver
Early 20th Century American Art Nouveau JE Caldwell and Co
Silver, Sterling Silver
20th Century JE Caldwell and Co
Crystal, Sterling Silver
1930s Swiss Art Deco Vintage JE Caldwell and Co
Enamel
1930s Swiss Art Deco Vintage JE Caldwell and Co
Gold, Enamel
20th Century JE Caldwell and Co
Sterling Silver
1910s American Edwardian Vintage JE Caldwell and Co
Sterling Silver
20th Century American Art Deco JE Caldwell and Co
Enamel
1910s American Neoclassical Revival Vintage JE Caldwell and Co
Sterling Silver
Early 20th Century American Rococo Revival JE Caldwell and Co
Sterling Silver
20th Century American JE Caldwell and Co
Sterling Silver
Early 20th Century American Art Nouveau JE Caldwell and Co
Silver, Sterling Silver
20th Century English Belle Époque JE Caldwell and Co
Porcelain
Early 20th Century American Edwardian JE Caldwell and Co
Sterling Silver
1890s American Victorian Antique JE Caldwell and Co
Sterling Silver
Mid-19th Century American Antique JE Caldwell and Co
Bronze
Early 20th Century Victorian JE Caldwell and Co
Sterling Silver
Early 20th Century JE Caldwell and Co
Ormolu
20th Century American JE Caldwell and Co
Silver, Sterling Silver
Early 20th Century American Art Nouveau JE Caldwell and Co
Silver, Sterling Silver
1890s American Victorian Antique JE Caldwell and Co
Sterling Silver
Early 20th Century French JE Caldwell and Co
Porcelain
Early 20th Century French JE Caldwell and Co
Porcelain
1850s American Antique JE Caldwell and Co
Silver
1910s American Edwardian Vintage JE Caldwell and Co
Sterling Silver
1940s English Vintage JE Caldwell and Co
Porcelain
Early 20th Century English JE Caldwell and Co
Porcelain
1940s North American Regency Vintage JE Caldwell and Co
Bronze
Early 20th Century American Edwardian JE Caldwell and Co
Sterling Silver
Mid-19th Century American American Classical Antique JE Caldwell and Co
Silver
Early 20th Century American Art Nouveau JE Caldwell and Co
Crystal, Sterling Silver
1920s American Art Deco Vintage JE Caldwell and Co
Sterling Silver
20th Century JE Caldwell and Co
Sterling Silver
Early 20th Century American JE Caldwell and Co
Sterling Silver
1880s Antique JE Caldwell and Co
Silver
1940s American Art Deco Vintage JE Caldwell and Co
Sterling Silver
Early 1900s American Art Nouveau Antique JE Caldwell and Co
Sterling Silver
Early 1900s American Antique JE Caldwell and Co
Sterling Silver
1940s American Vintage JE Caldwell and Co
Sterling Silver
Early 1900s American Art Nouveau Antique JE Caldwell and Co
Sterling Silver