Vintage silver plated collectible St. Louis Missouri tray Hess & Culbertson

Description

Measuring 12" across is this very nice collectible tray manufactured by Hess & Culbertson St. Louis...It is silver-plated with the hallmark Sheridan on the back and it depicts in an overlay of I believe silver-plate on faux wood metal background the old Busch Stadium...Old Courthouse...St Louis Gateway Arch and other iconic buildings familiar to Missourians. Hess and Culbertson have their own storied history in St. Louis.
The company was organized in 1883 by George J. Hess and Stephen D. Culbertson. first location being at 22 North Fourth St. A few years later the company removed to 216 North Sixth St. The next move, owing to increased business and the shopping trend, was to the northeast corner of Sixth and Locust Sts.
Factory quarters were obtained at the southeast corner of the same streets and subsequently the store was removed to that corner.
In 1909 the company removed to its present location, Seventh and St. Charles Sts., where it occupies three floors and basement.
The firm has been under personal control of its founders until late in 1921, when Culbertson died. Hess has retained active executive control of the business since its birth. Two sons of Culbertson, S. Roy and Linn, are active department managers and directors in the company.
At Ninth and Olive Sts. the store will have a dominating window frontage on both these thoroughfares and there will be entrances on both. The interior fixtures, wall cases, show cases, etc., will be in light mahogany. There will be six central double "horseshoe" display cases through the center of the store, from the Olive St. entrance south. Each of these will be divided laterally so that customers may pass through them from aisle to aisle. The corners of all cases will be rounded so as to allow ready access. Diamond jewelry, as usual, will be given the place of prominence in the display, being placed at the front, in the central cases, at the Olive entrance. In the other cases will be displayed watches and gold jewelry.
There will be two private inspection rooms in which customers may view diamond jewelry or loose diamonds under the most advantageous lighting conditions.
On the 9th St. side will be located the watch repair, optical goods and stationery departments, the watch department being near the 9th St. entrance.
In the rear of the store will be the general jewelery repair department and vaults. This department, one of the busiest of the modern jewelery store, will be designed for easy accessibility. The vaults for storage of jewelery stocks and jewelery held for customers, running in excess of ,000,000, are to be at the rear of the store, and will be fire- and burglar-proof.
On the east side of the store will be one of the most imposing solid silver, Sheffield silver plate and gift departments in the United States. It will be 60 feet in depth, backed by magnificent wall cases, equipped with lighting systems of unusual efficiency for displaying the merchandise to best advantage. Comfortable, wide aisles, with chairs for customers, facing display tables, will be features of this department. Art goods, clocks and toilet ware, together with exclusive Tiffany Favile glass and bronze, will also be included in this section.
A pneumatic case-carrier system will be installed, linking every department and assuring quick service. Running ice water and a modern cooling system will aid in making the store pleasant for summer shoppers.
On the balcony will be located the general offices, president's and directors' rooms, buying rooms, advertising department, engravers, jewelry manufactory, watch repairers, etc. Daylight will flood these departments, where highest skill and exactitude are required. The factory will be devoted to the making of special order jewelry, remounting of customers' jewelry, emblem goods manufacture, etc.
Shipping, receiving and polishing and buffing departments will be in the basement.
The location of this old-established house marks another step in the westward trend of the retail district, which has followed in the footsteps of the wholesale district. The choice of the new location was made after thorough study of all available sites in the shopping district, including several further east.
Source:
The Jewelers' Circular
- 29th November 1922
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