J. C. Boardman & Co. and predecessors - design catalogues and historical information

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artdesigncafé - design | Design Meriden | 30 September 2020 | Updated 25 February 2021
LINK: J. C. Boardman & Co. and predecessors designs in collections, at auction, and in exhibitions

"The name Boardman has long been associated with the finest in silver and pewter. In fact, Burton Boardman, president of today’s J. C. Boardman & Co., is a descendant of J. C. Boardman, who produced silver and pewter goods in Hartford in 1828, and Luther Boardman, who made metal goods in East Haddam [Connecticut] in 1839.

Burton Boardman is also the son of Joseph C. Boardman, who carried on this fine tradition by opening J. C. Boardman & Co. in 1949 for the manufacture of sterling, pewter, silverplate, and brass hollowware...

In 1985 [J. C. Boardman & Co.] acquired the Manchester Silver Co. of Providence. Rhode Island ... [and] F. P. Rogers, a plating company in Taunton, Massachusetts... Both these businesses have been moved to Wallingford... " — Vumbaco, Brenda J. (1988). Meriden - Connecticut crossroads: An illustrated history, (p. 136). For more information, see entry listed below.



J. C. Boardman & Co. and predecessors - design catalogues and historical information (by year)

J. C. Boardman & Co.; successor: Boardman Silversmiths, Inc.

Identified predecessors: Thomas Danforth Boardman, Hartford, CT (1784-1873); Sherman Boardman, Hartford, CT (1787-1861); Timothy Boardman and Company, New York (1822-25); J. D. Boardman, Hartford, CT (c. 1828); Boardman & Hart, New York (1828-53); Luther Boardman, East Haddam, CT (1812-87); Henry S. Boardman, Hartford, CT (1841-60); Boardman & Hall Co. (1844-53). In 1985, acquired Manchester Silver Co. Providence, RI ... [and] F. P. Rogers, Taunton, Massachusetts.

This resource webpage is in development.

Material status: = online
= link to more info
= completely offline


1798-

Various newspapers, magazines and other sources

(c. 1800s). Various newspapers, magazines and other sources - search engines.


1870s

1870 - design catalogue

Luther Boardman & Son. (East Haddam, CT) (predecessor). (1870). Catalogue and price list of goods manufactured by L. Boardman & Son. 54 pp. (Viewed 4 October 2020. C00208-01; E01671).

1873 - price list

Luther Boardman & Son (predecessor). (September 16, 1873). Price list / of Luther Boardman & Son’s Britannia and silver plated Britannia spoons, also, revised price list of nickel silver, tinned goods… 4 pp. East Haddam, CT. (Viewed 4 October 2020. C00014-34).

  • Offline - Connecticut Historical Society, Hartford, CT, call no. 974.62 E115b#5.

1874 - directory listing

(1874). Listing: "Spoon manufacturers... Boardman L. & Son" [predecessor], (p. 304). (Search directory for other possible listings.) In The Connecticut Business Directory for 1874. Briggs & Co.: Boston. (Viewed 19 October 2020. F01535; F01551).


1880s

1883 - design catalogue

Luther Boardman & Son (predecessor). (1883). Illustrated catalogue and price list / of Luther Boardman & Son, electro-plated table ware, nickel silver and britannia spoons, 36 pp. (Viewed 5 October 2020. E01674).

1884 - design catalogue supplement

Luther Boardman & Son (predecessor). (1884). Supplement to July ’83 catalogue / of Luther Boardman & Son, electro-plated table ware, nickel silver and britannia spoons, 9 pp. New York. (Viewed 5 October 2020. E01673).

1885 - design brochure / catalogue

Luther Boardman & Son (predecessor). (1885). Catalogue and price list of britannia spoons and nickel silver spoons, forks, etc. 17 pp. East Haddam, CT. (Viewed 4 October 2020. C00014-49).

  • Offline - Connecticut Historical Society, Hartford, CT, call no. CHS 974.62 E115b.

1887 - design catalogue

Luther Boardman & Son (predecessor). (1887). Illustrated catalogue and price list of nickel, silver and Britannia spoons, etc. [Also, electro-silver plated goods.] Number of pages unknown. East Haddam, CT. (Viewed 4 October 2020. C00014-50).

  • Offline - Connecticut Historical Society, Hartford, CT, call no. CHS 974.62 E115b.


1890s

c. 1890 - design catalogue

Luther Boardman & Son (predecessor). (c. 1890). Special net price list, catalogue "D" / of Luther Boardman & Son. 36 pp. East Haddam, CT. (Viewed 4 October 2020. E01669).

1894 or earlier - design catalogue (missing)

L. Boardman & Son (predecessor). (1894 or earlier). [Catalogue / price list]. Number of pages unknown. (Viewed 4 October 2020. G00543).

1894 - six advertisements

L. Boardman & Son (predecessor). (October-November 1894). Advertisements: "If you want the best silver plated spoons forks etc. ...Send to ... for catalogue & prices... " Hardware. (Viewed 4 October 2020. G00543; G00548; G00559; G00567; G00574; G00581.)

19th c. - design catalogue

Luther Boardman & Sons (predecessor). (19th century). Catalogue "D" of Luther Boardman & Sons manufacturers of silver plated and nickel silver, flat table ware. Number of pages unknown. (Accession no. 50.544.2. Viewed 4 October 2020. E01668).


1900s

c. 1900 - price list

Luther Boardman & Son. (c. 1900). [Special net price list, "Catalogue B"]. 31 pp. East Haddam, CT. “Reprint” in Trade catalogues at Winterthur (microform), (v. 1) (1984). Clearwater Pub. Co.: New York. (Viewed 5 October 2020. A00518; A00902; A00904; A00946). [1]

c. 1905 - price list

Luther Boardman & Son. (c. 1905). Silver plated ware [Catalogue D, special net price list]. 36 pp. East Haddam, CT. “Reprint” in Trade catalogues at Winterthur (microform), (v. 1) (1984). Clearwater Pub. Co.: New York. (Viewed 5 October 2020. A00518; A00902; A00946). [1]


1980s

1981 - encyclopedic book entry

Laughlin, Ledlie Irwin. (1981). Mentions: "Thomas D. and Sherman Boardman", (predecessors, pp. 128-30, vol. I). (Search book for other mentions.) In Laughlin’s (1981). Pewter in America: Its makers and their marks (three volumes in one). American Legacy Press: New York. (Viewed 18 October 2020. F01515; F01527).

"In the history of American pewter by all odds the largest single enterprise was that of the Boardmans of Hartford..." (Excerpt from above.)


1981 - encyclopedic book entry

Laughlin, Ledlie Irwin. (1981). Entry: "J. D. Boardman" [predecessor, c. 1828, with mention of Thomas and Sherman Boardman], (p. 97, vol. II). (Search book for possible other mentions.) In Laughlin’s (1981). Pewter in America: Its makers and their marks (three volumes in one). American Legacy Press: New York. (Viewed 18 October 2020. F01515; F01526).

1988 - article in book

Vumbaco, Brenda J. (1988). Profile of J. C. Boardman & Co. [with photos of two trophies, one award to tennis player, Chris Evert Lloyd], (p. 136). (See excerpt at top of page.) In Meriden - Connecticut crossroads: An illustrated history. Windsor Publications: Northridge, CA. (Viewed 4 October 2020. DM.)


2000s

2007 - article mention

Turano, Andrew F. and Smith, Robert G. (Summer 2007). Isaac Chauncy Lewis, britannia worker [with mention of the Boardmans]. The Bulletin (Pewter Collector’s Club of America), vol. 13, no. 7, pp. 3-18. (Viewed 25 February 2021. R01341).


n. d.

n. d. - historical manuscript

Kayhoe, William F. (undated). Luther Boardman [predecessor] the Connecticut spoonmaker. Presumably unpublished manuscript. Number of pages unknown. (Viewed 4 October 2020. E01670).



Click the following link to see designs and documentation for other historical companies from the Meriden area, and those that were connected to the International Silver Company; go to the historical Meriden design overview page and scroll down to section D: "ISC, predecessors & divisions" and E: "Other featured companies".



Footnote:
[1] McKinstry, E. Richard / Winterthur Museum. (1984). Trade catalogues at Winterthur: A guide to the literature of merchandising, 1750 to 1980. [Entry nos. 1635 & 1636, p. 285]. Garland Publishing: New York and London.



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