Carl Schon Inc., records

A biographical sketch of Carl Schon is a sketch of the firm of Carl Schon Inc., because Schon himself died in 1923 and the firm and name were bought from his estate. Carl Schon was a jeweler who lived and had a shop at 109 W. Saratoga street from 1915 to 1923, according to the Baltimore city directories. Before 1915, Schon was a manufacturer of metallurgic novelties in Catonsville (Metallurgic Art Company, Eden Terrace). He was at this location as far back as the 1895 city directories.



In 1924, the entry in the directory says Carl Schon (estate of), jeweler. From 1925 on, the firm is still called by Schon's name, but incorporated with a president, vice president, and treasurer-secretary. The President in the 1920's is Emmett White, who is also the person who did the European purchasing in person in 1927-29. John Frech is vice-president at this time. By the mid 1930's, John W. Frech is president, Grace Frech is vice president, and Carl Frech is secretary-treasurer.



French continued as president until the business was sold in 1970. It is never stated who did the actual jewelry manufacturing. French himself answered correspondence and told the customers whether their ideas were feasible, and sometimes included a sketch. Whether this indicated that he was a jeweler himself or not cannot be determined from these business records. French may have just acted as business manager. The shop was rented from someone named White (perhaps Emmet White) who lived in North Carolina. When the rent was raised, Frech told him he would not pay the increase and that the shop was moving to 111 West Saratoga.



John French gave up the business or died in 1970 or before and the business was sold to B. D. Nuitz, Jewelers, of 507 N. Charles Street. The business records were given to the Maryland Historical Society, and the business must have been absorbed by the Nuitz firm. Today there is no jewelry firm listed under B. D. Nuitz.