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| Add Photo — Add Link — Add Commentary — Correct this page — Print | | San Francisco in San Francisco City and County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal) |
Shreve & Co.
A San Francisco Institution since 1852.
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By Andrew Ruppenstein, July 12, 2008 | |
| | | 1. Shreve & Co. Marker | | |
Inscription. From the time of the Gold Rush, Shreve & Co. has been the premier jeweler in the city, first making its home in this building in March 1906. This was one of the only structures to survive The Great Earthquake of April 18, 1906.
It was here that Shreve & Co. exhibited the 720 carat Yonkers diamond, the jewelry of Catherine the Great of Russia and created the State of California’s coronation gift to Queen Elizabeth II of England.
And it is here that this unique history lives on today—a San Francisco landmark where high standards are traditional.
Erected by Shreve & Co.
Location. 37° 47.327′ N, 122° 24.323′ W. Marker is in San Francisco, California, in San Francisco City and County. Marker is at the intersection of Post Street and Grant Avenue on Post Street. Click for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 200 Post Street, San Francisco CA 94108, United States of America.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Dewey Monument (about 700 feet away, in a direct line); Robert Louis Stevenson (approx. 0.2 miles away); The Montgomery (approx. 0.3 miles away); Site of Old St. Mary’s (approx. 0.3 miles away); Site of First California State Fair (approx. 0.3 miles away); San Francisco Bay Shore Line Marker (approx. 0.4 miles away); Site of First U.S. Branch Mint (approx. 0.4 miles away); Robert Lee Frost (approx. 0.6 miles away). Click for a list of all markers in San Francisco. | | | | 
By Andrew Ruppenstein, July 12, 2008 | |
| | | 2. Shreve & Co. - street level view | | Marker is visible to the right of the door beneath the building awning. | | |
Regarding Shreve & Co.. George and Samuel Shreve opened the doors of their first jewelry store in San Francisco in 1852, specializing in high quality silver of their own crafting. At some later point they located their store on Market Street, opposite the Grand Palace Hotel. In March 1906, they located to the present location in a building especially designed and built for the company. Fortunately, the building incorporated relatively advanced (for the time) anti-quake engineering technology, which allowed the 9-story building to survive the April 1906 earthquake.
The great fire subequent to the quake hit the area hard, incinerating much of the surviving building. Fortunately, between the quake and the fire, quick-witted store employees had put all of the the store's stock in the building vault. The vault and its contents survived the fire, and consequently, so did the company.
The company temporarily relocated to Oakland for two years while their building was rebuilt. During WW I, the company's silversmiths switched production from luxury goods to making airplane parts for the US government, although after the war they | | | | 
By Andrew Ruppenstein, July 12, 2008 | |
| | | 3. Shreve & Co. Building | | Completed in early 1906, its anti-quake engineering allowed it to survive the Great Earthquake and Fire of April 18, 1906. | | |
returned to their former trade. The firm ceased being family-owned in 1967, when the company was sold to the Dayton-Hudson Corporation. Silver manufacturing stopped then, although the company continues today in the retailing of fine jewelry.
Also see . . . Shreve & Co. History. Shreve & Co. provides history and photographs of their company and building. The post-quake photos are particularly interesting. (Submitted on July 14, 2008.)
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Collection of Milton S. Ray | |
| | | 4. Salvaging the Vaults | The caption reads: "Salvaging operations after the fire. Opening the vaults of Shreve & Company, jewelers, before the ruins of their store at Post Street and Grant Avenue."
From the book San Fransisco Since 1872, A Pictorial History of Seven Decades by Oscar Lewis with photographs from the collection of Milton S. Ray (Published by the Ray Oil Burner Company, San Francisco, 1946) | | |
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| Credits. This page originally submitted on July 14, 2008, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Sacramento, California. This page has been viewed 1,346 times since then. This page was the Marker of the Week July 20, 2008. Photos: 1, 2, 3. Submitted on July 14, 2008, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Sacramento, California. 4. Submitted on September 20, 2008, by Kevin W. of Stafford, Virginia. • Kevin W. was the editor who published this page. | | Add Photo — Add Link — Add Commentary — Correct this page — Print |
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