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The Encyclopedia of Horology

Chicago, United States

Spaulding & Co.

Partially verified

Luxury jewelry, silver holloware, and high-end imported goods

History

Henry Abiram Spaulding founded the firm in 1888 in Chicago after purchasing the business of N. Matson & Co.

Previously, Spaulding had spent eighteen years serving as the general representative for Tiffany & Co. in Europe. The firm established a reputation for importing high-quality luxury items from the Continent to the Midwest. Between the late 1920s and 1943, the company was owned by Gorham and operated under the name Spaulding-Gorham.

The business underwent several location changes, including moves to the McCormick Building, the Drake Hotel, and finally closing in 1989 after being acquired by Stewart S. Peacock.

The extended history summarises the open references listed under Sources; each statement was checked against the cited passage. Confirm key dates in period documents before relying on them.

Current watchmaking & later fate

  • The firm ceased operations as an independent jeweler in 1989.

As stated in the references listed under Sources, retrieved 2026-11-03. Ownership and collections change; check the maker's own announcements for the latest position.

Known markings

  • The company marked its high-end goods with the name Spaulding & Co.

Serial numbers

No serial-number system for this maker is recorded in the cited references.

Collecting significance

The catalogued pieces listed on this page show the kinds of objects auction houses, dealers and museums attribute to this maker; each attribution is the source's own.

In the object catalogue

2 catalogued objects are recorded under Spaulding & Co. Attributions are as given by each source and are not independent authentication.

  • Oblique view of the silver desk compendium alongside its fitted black case
  • Front view of the portico-style electric clock with engraved presentation plate and Roman numeral dial

Sources & references

  1. The Collection, glessnerhouse.org, retrieved 2026-11-03 (paraphrased; text © the publisher)
  2. The Leadhead's Pencil Blog: Spaulding & Co., leadheadpencils.blogspot.com, retrieved 2026-11-03 (paraphrased; text © the publisher)
  3. Sinclair Mfg. Co., sterlingflatwarefashions.com, retrieved 2026-11-03 (paraphrased; text © the publisher)

Where sources disagree, the disagreement is stated rather than resolved silently.