J.E. Caldwell & Co. Dinner Plates
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.
Find antique and vintage J.E. Caldwell & Co. jewelry on 1stDibs.
1910s English Vintage J.E. Caldwell & Co. Dinner Plates
Porcelain
Early 20th Century French J.E. Caldwell & Co. Dinner Plates
Porcelain
19th Century French Antique J.E. Caldwell & Co. Dinner Plates
Porcelain
19th Century French Louis XVI Antique J.E. Caldwell & Co. Dinner Plates
Porcelain
1950s French Chinoiserie Vintage J.E. Caldwell & Co. Dinner Plates
Porcelain
1870s French Antique J.E. Caldwell & Co. Dinner Plates
Porcelain
Early 20th Century English Aesthetic Movement J.E. Caldwell & Co. Dinner Plates
Porcelain
Early 20th Century English Belle Époque J.E. Caldwell & Co. Dinner Plates
Porcelain
1950s American Vintage J.E. Caldwell & Co. Dinner Plates
Porcelain
20th Century German Neoclassical J.E. Caldwell & Co. Dinner Plates
Ceramic
Early 20th Century French J.E. Caldwell & Co. Dinner Plates
Porcelain
Early 1900s French Antique J.E. Caldwell & Co. Dinner Plates
Gold, Enamel
Early 1900s French Aesthetic Movement Antique J.E. Caldwell & Co. Dinner Plates
Porcelain
1870s French Chinoiserie Antique J.E. Caldwell & Co. Dinner Plates
Porcelain
20th Century English Belle Époque J.E. Caldwell & Co. Dinner Plates
Porcelain
Early 20th Century American Edwardian J.E. Caldwell & Co. Dinner Plates
Sterling Silver