Black, Starr & Frost

Black, Starr & Frost is one of the oldest jewellers in the U.S.A., founded in 1801 as Marquand & Paulding in Savannah, Georgia. Isaac Marquand  moved in 1810 to New York where he opened a small shop on Broadway. In 1851 the company was one of the few American jewellers who participated at the Crystal Palace Exposiion in London.  Several times the firm added and lost partners.During the 1860s new partnerships were brought about and the company name changed to Ball, Black & Company, one of the most illustrious jewellery houses in New York. Several European royal fmilies belonged to their clientele.In 1876  Mr. Black formed a partnership with C. Starr and A. Frost and  consequently the name was changed to Black, Starr & Frost. In 1920 another partner joined the company and the name was changed to Black, Starr & Gorham. Nine years later merged with Gorham CO the company became known as Black, Starr & Frost-Gorham Inc. In 1962 there was another merger, this time with Marcus & Co. The firm was bought by Alfredo Molina in 2006. To-day the company is located in Costa Mesa, California.