Bailey Banks & Biddle

Bailey Banks & Biddle

Company type	Private (after 2010 relaunch)
Industry	Jewelry retail
Founded	September 20, 1832 (1832-09-20) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Founder	Joseph Trowbridge Bailey and Andrew B. Kitchen
Fate	Filed for bankruptcy (2009 and 2019); brand relaunched in 2010; website redirects to Finlay as of 2023
Headquarters	Philadelphia , United States
Area served	United States
Products	Jewelry, official United States medals including Medal of Honor, Silver Star, Bronze Star, Spanish Campaign Medal, Purple Heart, class rings for West Point and Annapolis
Parent	Zale Corporation (1962–2007), Finlay Enterprises (2007–2009)
Website	www.finlay.com

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File:USPresidentialSeal1915PrintCrop.jpg

A circa 1915 print of the presidential seal, believed to have been acquired by Woodrow Wilson from Bailey Banks & Biddle

Bailey Banks & Biddle was a Philadelphia-based jewelry retailer and designer of official United States medals, established in 1832.

History

Originally established as Bailey & Kitchen at 136 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, on September 20, 1832, the company was founded by Joseph Trowbridge Bailey (1806–1854) and Andrew B. Kitchen (deceased 1850). The original partnership ended in November 1846. Before this, a reorganization occurred in 1841 under the name Bailey & Co.. Later, on March 1, 1878, the business was again reconstituted as Bailey Banks & Biddle. From approximately 1852 to 1862, the firm produced its own silver goods; prior to 1852, their primary supplier was Taylor and Lawrie, and between roughly 1862 and 1870, silver was sourced mainly from George B. Sharp. After 1870, the company shifted to retailing silver items manufactured by various producers.

Around the start of the 20th century, Bailey Banks & Biddle received a government commission to modernize the Great Seal of the United States, with their rendition still serving as the official seal today. The firm also crafted numerous military decorations that remain in use, including the Medal of Honor, Silver Star, Bronze Star, Spanish Campaign Medal, and the initial batch of 40,000 Purple Heart medals awarded. Additionally, they produced class rings for both West Point and Annapolis.

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Potomac Mills outlet, one of nine Bailey Banks & Biddle retail locations in 2012

In 1962, Bailey Banks & Biddle became part of the Zale Corporation, which expanded the brand by opening numerous stores nationwide. In 2007, Zale Corporation divested the jewelry chain comprising 65 stores to Finlay Enterprises. Following this acquisition, Finlay Enterprises filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in August 2009. Subsequently, in spring 2010, new ownership relaunched Bailey Banks & Biddle as a private entity, acquiring the brand name and eight original store locations. However, warranties on items purchased prior to this change were not honored as all previous guarantees were voided upon Finlay’s dissolution. The company operating under the Bailey Banks & Biddle name filed for bankruptcy again in November 2019; by then it had been reduced to a single Houston, Texas location. Inventory remaining at that store was seized due to unpaid taxes, interest, and penalties and sold at auction in June 2020. As of March 2023, visiting Bailey Banks & Biddle’s website redirects to Finlay’s site with a copyright date of 2020.

Bailey Buildings

The structure formerly housing the Bailey Banks & Biddle flagship store, where the company was the primary tenant, is located at 1218 Chestnut Street near Philadelphia City Hall. Currently, this property functions as a multi-tenant office space under the ownership of Thylan Associates. It shares a rear boundary with the adjacent former factory building on Sansom Street.

Situated at 1217 Sansom Street in Center City, Philadelphia, the Bailey & Co. factory building has been transformed into the Biddle Building as of 2019. This renovated office space accommodates a diverse range of tenants from creative and technology sectors.

External links

• File:Commons-logo.svg Media related to at Wikimedia Commons
• Template:Cite archival metadata
• Bailey Banks & Biddle - Fine Jewelers at the Wayback Machine (archived April 24, 2019)