Black, Starr & Frost

Blurred Origins

Black, Starr and Frost has been claiming to have been established since 1810 for over a century. Unfortunately for Black, Starr and Frost that claim does not add up historically.

In 1802 Isaac Marquand and Cornelius Paulding establish Marquand & Paulding, in Savannah, GA. Then in 1810 they partner with one of their employees, Josiah Penfield, and rename the business as Marquand, Paulding & Penfield, based out of Savannah, GA. The business had three main branches, Marquand & Paulding in New York City run by Isaac Marquand, a jewelry store in Savannah jointly run by Paulding and Penfield, and C. Paulding & Co. in New Orleans run by Paulding. This was a complicated business arrangment which eventually ended in 1815 when the business was mutally dissolved on 15 November 1815.

In 1810 Frederick Marquand, the son of Isaac Marquand, had not even begun to apprentice as a silversmith. This is not to say that he had not made any jewelry, but in the early 1800's it is highly unlikely he was "established" before he apprenticed. The claim is that Isaac Marquand and Erastus Barton started a business named E. Barton & Co., or possibly Marquand & Barton near New York’s Broadway and Maiden Lane. Isaac Marquand was running Marquand & Paulding during this time as well.

What complicates and goes contrary to most of the claims is that in January of 1820 Frederick Marquand and Josiah Penfield Marquand established J. Penfield & Co., in Savannah, GA. This was not a second location, but a separate venture from his father, Isaac Marquand.

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The claim, made by Black, Starr and Frost in their marketing materials, "[In 1810,] Isaac Marquand originates the legacy of Black, Starr & Frost at 164 Broadway in New York." This is worded in a manner so as to have truth, but it is deceptively used as marketing.

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In 1825, while Frederick is in Georgia, his father, Isaac begins training Henry Ball and William Black as silversmiths.

In 1826 Frederick Marquand returns to New York and established a new business in New York, NY, at 166 Broadway. Then in 1830 or 1831 the name is changed to Marquand & Brother, still at the 166 Broadway address. In 1832 or 1833 Marquand & Brother pluralizes it's name to Marquand & Brothers. In 1833 Marquand & Brothers moves from 166 Broadway to 181 Broadway and changes it's name to Marquand & Co..

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The claims, made by Black, Starr and Frost in their marketing materials, "[In 1833,] Black, Starr & Frost is the first to use plate-glass windows to display merchandise to luxury-loving pedestrians, innovating the well-known New York City pastime of window shopping[,]" and "Black, Starr & Frost is the first firm to use the American Eagle as its logo. Clients knew the firm was [']at the sign of the golden eagle.[']" These are both false. If any business were to take credit for these it would be either Marquand & Brothers or Marquand & Co., as Black, Starr & Frost did not yet exist in 1833.

The claim, made by Black, Starr and Frost in their marketing materials, "[In 1837,] the company creates the first class ring for the United States Military Academy at West Point." This is worded in a manner so as to have truth, but it is deceptively used as marketing. "The Company" here would have been Marquand & Co., not Black, Starr and Frost.

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It is around this time that Frederick Marquand experiences some personal hardships. On 24 November 1838 Isaac Marquand, Frederick's father, passes away in Brooklyn, NY. A year later, in 1839, Marquand & Co. is sold to Ball, Tompkins & Black, and the name remains Ball, Tompkins & Black. Then, in 1851, a new business was established as Ball, Black & Co.. At this point, the company that was established in 1826 by Frederick Marquand ceases to exist.

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The claim, made by Black, Starr and Frost in their marketing materials, "[In 1851,] the company makes headlines at the London Crystal Palace Exhibition, displaying an exquisite four-piece tea service made of pure gold." This is worded in a manner so as to have truth, but it is deceptively used as marketing. "The Company" here would have been Ball, Black & Co.. The image used by Black, Starr and Frost on their website is of a page from "Gleason's Pictorial Drawing-Room Companion, page 213. This piece was most likely made at 247 Broadway (address of Ball, Tompkins & Black, then Ball, Black & Co.). "The Company" here does not refer to Black, Starr and Frost.

The claim, made by Black, Starr and Frost in their marketing materials, "[In 1860,] the company builds the finest business structure and most famous shop of its time on Broadway and Prince Street. The first fireproof building in New York, it is constructed of white marble, and in its vaults the modern safe deposit system is fashioned. Southern clients demonstrate the ultimate act of client trust by bringing their valuables to the store for safekeeping during the Civil War." This is also worded in a manner so as to have truth, but it is deceptively used as marketing. "The Company" here refers to Ball, Black & Co.. This does not refer to Black, Starr and Frost.

The claim, made by Black, Starr and Frost in their marketing materials, "[In 1860,] Black, Starr & Frost coined the phrase, the "Carriage Trade" as it's known today." This is false. Black, Starr and Frost did not exist in 1860. Ball, Black & Co. would be the correct company to take credit for this.

The claim, made by Black, Starr and Frost in their marketing materials, "[In 1863,] the Gillmore Medal, created by Ball, Black & Co., is issued on October 28, 1863 by Major General Quincy A. Gillmore, Commander of Union troops. Given to those who served valiantly during the Fort Sumter battle, the medal was among the first to recognize honor on the battlefield. Only about 400 were issued." This openly states that Ball, Black & Co. is the business which correctly takes credit for this. This was not a Black, Starr and Frost milestone or historical event as Black, Starr and Frost did not exist in 1863.

The claim, made by Black, Starr and Frost in their marketing materials, "[In 1863,] the company creates the Kearny Cross for acts of valor in war." This is worded in a manner so as to have truth, but it is deceptively used as marketing. "The Company" which deserves the credit here is Ball, Black & Co., not Black, Starr and Frost.

The claim, made by Black, Starr and Frost in their marketing materials, "[In 1865,] Mary Todd Lincoln owed $64,000 to the firm at the time her husband was assassinated, which represents $11 million today." This claim is false. Any claims that Abraham Lincoln was a Client of Black, Starr and Frost is easily dismissed when looking at an accurate timeline. As mentioned, in 1851 Ball, Black & Co. was established as a completely new business. Abraham Lincoln was inaugurated as the 16th President of the United States on March 4, 1861. President Licoln was assassinated April 14, 1865. It was not until 1874 that William D. Black, Cortlandt W. Starr, and Frost established Black, Starr and Frost.

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Black, Starr and Frost claiming to have been established in 1810 could only point to Marquand, Paulding & Penfield, however that business was dissolved in 1815. If Black, Starr and Frost wanted to claim any year as their origin, it would be 1826, but that business ended in 1851.

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If a company is created, registered, and conducts operations, then it is established at that time. There are several options for that company to exist through changes in leadership and owners.

One method is that the owners transfer their ownership in pieces, or in whole, while the same registered business continues to operate.

Another method would be if the company is purchased, and the name or brand remains constant.

It could possibly be argued that if the owners change, and the name changes, and the employees, factories, or manufacturing sites remain the same then the company continues to exist, but this is a very weak argument. A modern day example of this are telecom merger and acquisitions. Telecoms seem to be in constant merger & acquisition mode. One interesting telecom that traces its origin to 1911 is QWest Communications. Originally established 17 July 1911 in Colorado as, "The Mountain States Telephone and Telegraph Company." Interesting enough, they do not try to make the claim they were established 1879, when the "Denver Telephone Dispatch Company" was founded, and later sold by one of it's founders, Frederick O. Vaille, to the "Colorado Telephone Company," and on 20 July 1911 acquired by the newly merged Colorado Telephone and Tri-State Telephone entity, The Mountain States Telephone and Telegraph Company, or QWest. QWest can show where the originally founded entity, "The Mountain States Telephone and Telegraph Company" went through various owners, mergers, acquisitions, and even name changes, all while remaining the same entity founded on 17 July 1911.

If the owners change, the name changes, and a new entity is established then the old company ceases to exist and a new company is established.

In the case of Isaac Marquand's business, E. Barton & Co., there is no known record of it being sold, but instead it just ceased to exist. If we say it merged with Frederick Marquand's business in 1826 which would eventually become Marquand & Co., that business ceased to exist when Ball, Tompkins & Black absorbed it into their own business in 1839.

To further separate any current business from the 1810, 1826, or even 1839, in 1851 the business was started anew as Ball, Black & Co.. Then, in 1874 yet another new business was formed as Black, Starr & Frost. At this point, the original registered business no longer exists, the original owners do not exist, the owners are not even from the same family any longer though Mr. Black was an Apprentice of Isaac Marquand's, and the name of the business has changed over and over again.

Any claims to 1810, 1826, 1839 or 1851 would be false. If Black, Starr & Frost could trace it's rich history to any year of establishment, it would arguably be 1874.

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