Shreve, Crump & Low
Encyclopedia
Shreve, Crump & Low, a Boston, Massachusetts business in its third century of operation, is the oldest jeweler in North America
and has built such prestigious trophies as the Davis Cup
and the Cy Young Award
.
and silversmith
John McFarlane, who opened a workshop across the street from Paul Revere
. In the 1800s, the firm changed its name to Shreve's and grew in its prestige. In 1869 the consolidation of firms that created the name Shreve, Crump & Low was complete.
Shreve, Crump & Low remained at their original location until their property was destroyed in the Great Boston Fire of 1872
. Its new location at 225 Washington Street pioneered the use of plate glass and artificial lighting
in a retail establishment. This Italianate building had showcases of black walnut
trimmed with holly
and ebony
.
A relocation in 1891 brought Shreve, Crump & Low to its largest building, a six stories high Italian Renaissance
style edifice of limestone
and marble
. In 1929, Shreve, Crump & Low moved to 330 Boylston Street, one of the earliest examples of art deco
architecture
in New England
. In 2006, they celebrated a new chapter in their rich history, introducing new ownership by the venerated local jeweler, David Walker, and opening an exquisitely renovated flagship store in Boston’s Back Bay at the corner of Boylston and Berkeley Streets.
At various points in its history, Shreve's has also sold antiques, imported fine linen
and stationery
, and exhibited artifacts
from Ancient Greece
and Rome
. With an enduring reputation for service and expertise, Shreve, Crump & Low is renowned for classic fine jewelry and timepieces, tableware, and a distinctive collection of Boston-themed gifts, many exclusive to Shreve, Crump & Low.
In 1974, Shreve, Crump & Low opened a second location at The Mall at Chestnut Hill
. In 2009, Shreve, Crump & Low consolidated the mall store into their Boston store and a year later opened a store on Nantucket Island, Massachusetts.
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
and has built such prestigious trophies as the Davis Cup
Davis Cup
The Davis Cup is the premier international team event in men's tennis. It is run by the International Tennis Federation and is contested between teams of players from competing countries in a knock-out format. The competition began in 1900 as a challenge between Britain and the United States. By...
and the Cy Young Award
Cy Young Award
The Cy Young Award is an honor given annually in baseball to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball , one each for the American League and National League . The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in 1955...
.
History
The present-day Shreve, Crump & Low is the last of a line of firms that began in 1796 with watchmakerWatchmaker
A watchmaker is an artisan who makes and repairs watches. Since virtually all watches are now factory made, most modern watchmakers solely repair watches. However, originally they were master craftsmen who built watches, including all their parts, by hand...
and silversmith
Silversmith
A silversmith is a craftsperson who makes objects from silver or gold. The terms 'silversmith' and 'goldsmith' are not synonyms as the techniques, training, history, and guilds are or were largely the same but the end product varies greatly as does the scale of objects created.Silversmithing is the...
John McFarlane, who opened a workshop across the street from Paul Revere
Paul Revere
Paul Revere was an American silversmith and a patriot in the American Revolution. He is most famous for alerting Colonial militia of approaching British forces before the battles of Lexington and Concord, as dramatized in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem, Paul Revere's Ride...
. In the 1800s, the firm changed its name to Shreve's and grew in its prestige. In 1869 the consolidation of firms that created the name Shreve, Crump & Low was complete.
Shreve, Crump & Low remained at their original location until their property was destroyed in the Great Boston Fire of 1872
Great Boston Fire of 1872
The Great Boston Fire of 1872 was Boston's largest urban fire, and still ranks as one of the most costly fire-related property losses in American history. The conflagration began at 7:20 p.m. on November 9, 1872, in the basement of a commercial warehouse at 83—87 Summer Street in Boston,...
. Its new location at 225 Washington Street pioneered the use of plate glass and artificial lighting
Incandescent light bulb
The incandescent light bulb, incandescent lamp or incandescent light globe makes light by heating a metal filament wire to a high temperature until it glows. The hot filament is protected from air by a glass bulb that is filled with inert gas or evacuated. In a halogen lamp, a chemical process...
in a retail establishment. This Italianate building had showcases of black walnut
Black Walnut
Juglans nigra, the Eastern Black walnut, is a species of flowering tree in the hickory family, Juglandaceae, that is native to eastern North America. It grows mostly in riparian zones, from southern Ontario, west to southeast South Dakota, south to Georgia, northern Florida and southwest to central...
trimmed with holly
Holly
Ilex) is a genus of 400 to 600 species of flowering plants in the family Aquifoliaceae, and the only living genus in that family. The species are evergreen and deciduous trees, shrubs, and climbers from tropics to temperate zones world wide....
and ebony
Ebony
Ebony is a dense black wood, most commonly yielded by several species in the genus Diospyros, but ebony may also refer to other heavy, black woods from unrelated species. Ebony is dense enough to sink in water. Its fine texture, and very smooth finish when polished, make it valuable as an...
.
A relocation in 1891 brought Shreve, Crump & Low to its largest building, a six stories high Italian Renaissance
Italian Renaissance
The Italian Renaissance began the opening phase of the Renaissance, a period of great cultural change and achievement in Europe that spanned the period from the end of the 13th century to about 1600, marking the transition between Medieval and Early Modern Europe...
style edifice of limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
and marble
Marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite.Geologists use the term "marble" to refer to metamorphosed limestone; however stonemasons use the term more broadly to encompass unmetamorphosed limestone.Marble is commonly used for...
. In 1929, Shreve, Crump & Low moved to 330 Boylston Street, one of the earliest examples of art deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
in New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
. In 2006, they celebrated a new chapter in their rich history, introducing new ownership by the venerated local jeweler, David Walker, and opening an exquisitely renovated flagship store in Boston’s Back Bay at the corner of Boylston and Berkeley Streets.
At various points in its history, Shreve's has also sold antiques, imported fine linen
Linen
Linen is a textile made from the fibers of the flax plant, Linum usitatissimum. Linen is labor-intensive to manufacture, but when it is made into garments, it is valued for its exceptional coolness and freshness in hot weather....
and stationery
Stationery
Stationery has historically meant a wide gamut of materials: paper and office supplies, writing implements, greeting cards, glue, pencil case etc.-History of stationery:...
, and exhibited artifacts
Artifact (archaeology)
An artifact or artefact is "something made or given shape by man, such as a tool or a work of art, esp an object of archaeological interest"...
from Ancient Greece
Ancient Greece
Ancient Greece is a civilization belonging to a period of Greek history that lasted from the Archaic period of the 8th to 6th centuries BC to the end of antiquity. Immediately following this period was the beginning of the Early Middle Ages and the Byzantine era. Included in Ancient Greece is the...
and Rome
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
. With an enduring reputation for service and expertise, Shreve, Crump & Low is renowned for classic fine jewelry and timepieces, tableware, and a distinctive collection of Boston-themed gifts, many exclusive to Shreve, Crump & Low.
In 1974, Shreve, Crump & Low opened a second location at The Mall at Chestnut Hill
The Mall at Chestnut Hill
The Mall at Chestnut Hill is an upscale, two-level enclosed shopping mall, located in the Chestnut Hill section of Newton, Massachusetts on Boylston Street...
. In 2009, Shreve, Crump & Low consolidated the mall store into their Boston store and a year later opened a store on Nantucket Island, Massachusetts.
Notable commissions
- In 1835, orator and Massachusetts State Senator Daniel WebsterDaniel WebsterDaniel Webster was a leading American statesman and senator from Massachusetts during the period leading up to the Civil War. He first rose to regional prominence through his defense of New England shipping interests...
was presented with a 400-ounce silver vase from this firm that was later donated to the Boston Public LibraryBoston Public LibraryThe Boston Public Library is a municipal public library system in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It was the first publicly supported municipal library in the United States, the first large library open to the public in the United States, and the first public library to allow people to...
. - In 1840, Samuel CunardSamuel CunardSir Samuel Cunard, 1st Baronet was a British shipping magnate, born at Halifax, Nova Scotia, who founded the Cunard Line...
was given a 30-inch Shreve's cup for helping to finance the RMS BritanniaRMS BritanniaThe RMS Britannia was an ocean liner of the British and North American Royal Mail Steam Packet Company, later known as Cunard Steamship Company. She was launched on 5 February 1840, at the yard of Robert Duncan & Company in Greenock, Scotland...
, the first steamship to travel between LiverpoolLiverpoolLiverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
and Boston. - In 1848, trustees of the Massachusetts General HospitalMassachusetts General HospitalMassachusetts General Hospital is a teaching hospital and biomedical research facility in the West End neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts...
presented William Thomas Green Morton with a Shreve's silver box for discovering anesthetic etherEtherEthers are a class of organic compounds that contain an ether group — an oxygen atom connected to two alkyl or aryl groups — of general formula R–O–R'. A typical example is the solvent and anesthetic diethyl ether, commonly referred to simply as "ether"...
. - In 1863, General George B. McClellanGeorge B. McClellanGeorge Brinton McClellan was a major general during the American Civil War. He organized the famous Army of the Potomac and served briefly as the general-in-chief of the Union Army. Early in the war, McClellan played an important role in raising a well-trained and organized army for the Union...
received a silver Shreve's pitcher for his efforts in the American Civil WarAmerican Civil WarThe American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. - In the 1870s, Shreve, Crump & Low began working in semi-precious metals and created the chandelierChandelierA chandelier is a branched decorative ceiling-mounted light fixture with two or more arms bearing lights. Chandeliers are often ornate, containing dozens of lamps and complex arrays of glass or crystal prisms to illuminate a room with refracted light...
and sounding boardSounding boardA sound board, or soundboard, is the surface of a string instrument that the strings vibrate against, usually via some sort of bridge. The resonant properties of the sound board and the interior of the instrument greatly increase loudness over the string alone.The sound board operates by the...
for Trinity Church, BostonTrinity Church, BostonTrinity Church in the City of Boston, located in the Back Bay of Boston, Massachusetts, is a parish of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts. The congregation, currently standing at approximately 3,000 households, was founded in 1733. The current rector is The Reverend Anne Bonnyman...
and lighting for the Old South Church and the Parker House Hotel. - In the 1880s, the firm provided lighting fixtures for patrons outside of Boston including the city hallCity hallIn local government, a city hall, town hall or a municipal building or civic centre, is the chief administrative building of a city...
in Providence, Rhode IslandProvidence, Rhode IslandProvidence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
and King Kalakaua's Iolani Palace in Honolulu. - In 1899, a Harvard UniversityHarvard UniversityHarvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
tennisTennisTennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
player named Dwight F. DavisDwight F. DavisDwight Filley Davis was an American tennis player and politician. He is best remembered as the founder of the Davis Cup international tennis competition.-Biography:...
purchased a huge trophy from Shreve's to be awarded to the winner of a tournament to which they challenged a team from the United KingdomUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The prize is now known as the Davis Cup. - In 1908, Shreve's created an elaborate silver cup to honor Boston Red SoxBoston Red SoxThe Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
hero Cy YoungCy YoungDenton True "Cy" Young was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. During his 22-year baseball career , he pitched for five different teams. Young was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1937...
. After the pitcherPitcherIn baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
's death in 1955 this became the Cy Young Award.