Upcoming Event: Newark, King of Jewelry

On Sunday, October 27, Maplewood resident and Newark Museum curator Ulysses Dietz will speak on Newark’s emergence as the greatest center of fine gold jewelry production in the USA between 1830 and 1850. Newark, King of Jewelry: the Rise and Fall of a Great Industry, 1850 - 1950 will focus on Newark's then booming jewelry trade. As the industry grew, up to the onset of the Great Depression, it developed into a complex network of businessmen, craftsmen, and designers.

James Madison Durand, who grew up in the Durand-Hedden House, became one of the city’s most successful jewelry manufacturers. Mr. Dietz’s talk, beginning at 1:30 pm, is based on an exhibition and book produced at the Newark Museum in 1997. The Museum has the most important collection of Newark-made jewelry and precious metal objects in the nation.

As Maplewood’s historical society, the Durand-Hedden House and Garden Association is dedicated to telling the story of the development of Maplewood and the surrounding area in new and engaging ways. Please be sure to follow Durand-Hedden on Facebook and on Twitter for regular updates.

This upcoming program will take place at Burgdorff Center, 10 Durand Road, Maplewood. The side door near the Community Room will open at 1:00 p.m., and the talk will begin at 1:30 p.m. Afterward light refreshments will be served and “The Glitter and The Gold” catalog and Country Store items will be available for sale. The event is free; donations are appreciated.  For more information, call 973-763-7712.