J.E. Caldwell & Co. Tea Sets
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.
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20th Century J.E. Caldwell & Co. Tea Sets
Silver
Early 20th Century American J.E. Caldwell & Co. Tea Sets
Silver, Sterling Silver
1870s English Victorian Antique J.E. Caldwell & Co. Tea Sets
Sterling Silver
1870s British Victorian Antique J.E. Caldwell & Co. Tea Sets
Silver
Early 20th Century English Art Deco J.E. Caldwell & Co. Tea Sets
Silver Plate
1950s English Queen Anne Vintage J.E. Caldwell & Co. Tea Sets
Silver Plate
1910s American Classical Vintage J.E. Caldwell & Co. Tea Sets
Sterling Silver
Early 20th Century French Neoclassical J.E. Caldwell & Co. Tea Sets
Sterling Silver
Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern J.E. Caldwell & Co. Tea Sets
Stainless Steel
1960s Art Deco Vintage J.E. Caldwell & Co. Tea Sets
Silver Plate
Early 20th Century American Edwardian J.E. Caldwell & Co. Tea Sets
Sterling Silver
Mid-19th Century British Victorian Antique J.E. Caldwell & Co. Tea Sets
Silver
1920s American Rococo Revival Vintage J.E. Caldwell & Co. Tea Sets
Sterling Silver
20th Century Mexican Neoclassical Revival J.E. Caldwell & Co. Tea Sets
Sterling Silver
20th Century American J.E. Caldwell & Co. Tea Sets
Sterling Silver
