Object Literature
Born in Poughkeepsie, New York in 1813, James Emmot Caldwell moved to New York City aged 14 to hone his skills as a silversmith apprentice, eventually gaining the status of Master Silversmith in 1835.
After settling in Philadelphia, J.E. Caldwell & Co. was incorporated in 1868, and would eventually go on to become the landmark jeweller of the city. Known for offering styles that reflected and complimented the fashions of the era, J.E Caldwell’s collections included jewellery, silver, and objets d’art in the European style his American buyers had a penchant for.
Remaining a family-run business after the death of the founder, J.E. Caldwell began to establish themselves as a name offering some of the most significant examples of American Art Nouveau and Belle Epoque jewellery. The opulent designs were elegant, romantic and highly decorative as people sought to display their newfound wealth in their jewellery and fashion choices.
During the Art Deco period, J.E. Caldwell flourished further, celebrating geometric lines, diamonds, and bold colour contrasts. They were known to work with Oscar Heyman (known as the jeweller’s jeweller) to manufacture some of their finest designs; a coming together of two highly celebrated American jewellery names.
