J.E. Caldwell Co. Serving Pieces
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.
20th Century J.E. Caldwell Co. Serving Pieces
Silver
20th Century North American Modern J.E. Caldwell Co. Serving Pieces
Silver
Mid-20th Century Danish Art Deco J.E. Caldwell Co. Serving Pieces
Sterling Silver
1920s English Art Deco Vintage J.E. Caldwell Co. Serving Pieces
Metal, Silver, Silver Plate, Sterling Silver
19th Century European Antique J.E. Caldwell Co. Serving Pieces
Silver
19th Century European Antique J.E. Caldwell Co. Serving Pieces
Silver
19th Century European Antique J.E. Caldwell Co. Serving Pieces
Silver
Early 19th Century Scottish Georgian Antique J.E. Caldwell Co. Serving Pieces
Sterling Silver
2010s French J.E. Caldwell Co. Serving Pieces
Bronze
Early 18th Century European Antique J.E. Caldwell Co. Serving Pieces
Silver
Early 1900s English Edwardian Antique J.E. Caldwell Co. Serving Pieces
Sterling Silver
19th Century European Antique J.E. Caldwell Co. Serving Pieces
Silver
20th Century European J.E. Caldwell Co. Serving Pieces
Silver
1870s American Aesthetic Movement Antique J.E. Caldwell Co. Serving Pieces
Gold, Sterling Silver
1930s American Regency Vintage J.E. Caldwell Co. Serving Pieces
Sterling Silver
