J.E. Caldwell Co. Barware
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 American Edwardian Vintage J.E. Caldwell Co. Barware
Silver, Sterling Silver
Early 20th Century American Edwardian J.E. Caldwell Co. Barware
Sterling Silver
19th Century British Victorian Antique J.E. Caldwell Co. Barware
Glass
1930s English Vintage J.E. Caldwell Co. Barware
Sterling Silver
Late 19th Century American Antique J.E. Caldwell Co. Barware
Silver
1930s Art Deco Vintage J.E. Caldwell Co. Barware
Silver Plate
20th Century American J.E. Caldwell Co. Barware
Sterling Silver
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern J.E. Caldwell Co. Barware
Silver Plate
1920s English Art Deco Vintage J.E. Caldwell Co. Barware
Metal, Sterling Silver
1910s English Edwardian Vintage J.E. Caldwell Co. Barware
Sterling Silver
Early 20th Century American Art Deco J.E. Caldwell Co. Barware
Sterling Silver
Early 20th Century American J.E. Caldwell Co. Barware
Sterling Silver
Early 20th Century American Art Deco J.E. Caldwell Co. Barware
Silver, Sterling Silver, Enamel
Late 20th Century Modern J.E. Caldwell Co. Barware
Brass
Mid-20th Century American Colonial Revival J.E. Caldwell Co. Barware
Sterling Silver
Early 1900s American Antique J.E. Caldwell Co. Barware
Sterling Silver
19th Century American Antique J.E. Caldwell Co. Barware
Crystal, Sterling Silver
