posted 11-24-2006 08:01 AM            

This appears to be a web page [now a PDF] you generated. I am wondering what source you used for the list of companies? Why some companies and not others? Why you made the effort? I see you have done a similar page for MB and appreciate that you didn't the provide the link because it supports your auctions. FYI, some of the links are broken or not complete.

posted 11-24-2006 11:04 PM            

What is your source for the Rockford Silver Co? Over the years I met a number of people who claimed to have bought their Rockford flatware after 1945. The patterns were always the Rockford standbys, but they claimed these were post war. Which is why the claims about flatware puzzle me.

The relationship between Rockford and the Jeweler's Crown Guild is also a murky subject. I have encountered numerous old jewelers who had slightly different takes on this. One idea was that Rockford formed the JCG as a marketing ploy, having JCG patterns and non JCG ones. Another was that this was a jeweler's guild that Rockford supplied. Always wondered which it was.

Lastly, have you found any links between Rockford and the other two northern Illinois makers, Associated Silver's Yourex and Aurora?

posted 11-25-2006 02:24 PM            

When I first started dealing in silver, some 30 years ago, I was involved in closing a few old time jewelry stores. One of them AIR still had the JCG sign in the store. He told me that when Rockford neared its end, a group of Northern Illinois jewelers got together, placed a very large order for the more popular items and stockpiled. They continued to draw done this merchandise for over 30 years, using the JCG as a selling tool. Wish I had been more research oriented back then, but did not think to ask more. But that is what I remember.

On Yourex, the Chicago silver book lists Yourex at 4400 West Ravenswood. The only Ravenswood I knew in Chicago runs north, along the CNW train tracks. That would place the factory between Montrose and Lawrence. Which would make it about one mile south of the Naken silver chest factory. And it would have been in the Swedish neighborhood which ran pretty much from Belmont to Devon, which also would have been the most likely place for many of the Chicago silversmiths to have lived.

Anyway, Ken Diebel told me he had always suspected a connection of some sort between Rockford and Yourex. But neither he nor Fredna ever had any luck in finding out about the companies. Both disapered during the war and depression. And by now, pretty much everyone involved has moved on.

On Aurora, at the same time I met members of the Aurora Historical Society who were looking for Aurora plated wares. They were finding quite a bit of it. AIR they had found very little documentation about the company. Their educated guess was that the factory being on an island had flooded frequently. And finally just gave up. Rainwater has tracked the end to 1915-22, which is a big span. They also had one mystery, a photo from the local railroad showing a dining car filled with Aurora serving pieces and flatware. They could not find a single piece of this. Maybe they have made more progress since then. The man I remember was named Dick Hausman (?) who was leading the research.

posted 12-03-2006 06:47 AM            

quote:

---

Can't help you much. Can only offer a few bits of information and a couple of opinions. Do not know if they were a legal entity.

In my first attached scan I have one of Rockford Silver Plate's ads from 1904. They make it clear they don't sell to department stores. Back then department stores were new and small retailers viewed them in much the same way retailers of today view Walmart. Maybe the Crown Guild was just a trademark of theirs. It's in keeping with their marketing strategy of only selling to small concerns.

The second scan is an ad from 1902 that shows the Rockford Silver Plate Company had branch offices in New York and San Francisco. This disputes what you may have read about them selling only to the Mid-west states.

One last piece of information that might help you on your research. Michael Freeman was the superintendent of the Racine Silver Plate Company when the plant burned on May 5, 1882. He went to Rockford and continued as superintendent. Before he became superintendent in Racine Wisconsin he lived in Aurora Illinois for a few years.

Hope this info helps.

---

posted 12-03-2006 07:54 AM            

On 11-24-2006 08:01 AM, in this thread I made an inquiry.... Did I miss your reply?

posted 12-03-2006 01:45 PM            

It is not clear if Rockford maintained offices or had manufacturer's representatives in NY and SF. It is still common practice for companies to claim offices all over the place when what they have is representatives. Who are capable of representing the company in any and all dealings. But are not direct employees of the company. Wonder if this is the case here. Back when telegrams were the main method of quick communication, it was desirable to have someone on the scene to deal with business. But probably not possible to oversee their work. And how would a firm in Rockford IL negotiate leases, pay rent, furnish offices, hire people, cut paychecks over thousands of miles. This can be a difficult proposition today with the interet and jets. Imagine doing so with trains and telegraphs. Interesting issue.

I really would like to learn more about how the silver businesses operated as businesses. How did they get the product from factory to retailer. How did they find their retailers in the first place. What mutual agreements did they have with their dealers. What restraints and conditions came along with the product. Does anyone know sources for this topic?