Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-16
Splendid Record Of the House
of Gait & Bro, Jewellers.
ITS FAMOUS PATRONS
ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF UN-
DIMINISHED PROSPERITY.
Interesting History of the Progress of
This Reliable Old Bust
ness House.

cry mouse, now OWUeQ ny NIL. 1Soi II Sdll
and conducted under the firm name of Gait
& Brother, was established, and, like the
rock of ages" it has remained and re-
tanned it's solidity and business integrity.
The record of this house is part Of the
history of Washington and forms one of its
most interesting chapters. Early in the past
century Mr. James Gait, the son Of a west
ern Maryland farmer, was sent from his
home in Carroll county to relative in
Baltimore to be taught, for consideration,
''the art and science of matchmaking" He
arrived at maturity in 1900. and decided to
make Washington his future home, the city
then being almost a barren waste. He
came to Georgetown, wnere he remained
short time, and then went to Alexandria,
which was at that time a thriving, busting
city and a part of the District of Columbia
There Mr.. James Gait established, in 1902, a
business which has been handed down from
father to son without interruption for a
full century.
He served as a volunteer in the war OF
1872 and was attached to General Young's
brigade during the invasion Of Washing
ton, and was at the white House." on the
Potomac at the time Of the attack on the
British fleet by Commodore Porter, who,
with his seamen, was acting in conjunction
with the military.
The business was moved from Alexandria
to Washington in 1926, where he continued
1t until his death, in 1917.
After his death the business was con-
Quoted by his sons, Messrs M. w. and
William Gait, the style of the firm being
then as it is now, Gait & Brother William
Gait withdrew from the firm in 1879 and M.
w Gait in 1892, and both have since died.
as have also Charles E. Gait and w. A.
Gait brothers of Norman Gait. The splendid
careers of NJ. w. and William Gait are too
well known to need mention here The
business being now continued by the sole
owner, Mr.. Norman Calf the son Of the late
NJ. W. Gait and nephew of the late William
Gait, who is celebrating the Tooth anniver-
sary of the founding of the house.
Mr.. Henry C. Bergheimer, who has been
connected with the firm for twenty-five
years, and who is SO well known to all the
patrons of the house is Mr. Galt's conf
Dental and right-hand man, and he is as
sisted in the mana cement Of the business
by the following corps Of four experienced
employees Mr.. George A. Green. Mr.. w. H
Groverman Mr.. w. H. Wright and Miss
Maud Harper, all of whom share in meas
ure with Mr.. Gait the responsibilities and
profits of the business. Mr.. Benedetto Con-
stantini the head matchmaker studied
horology in Milan Italy, and for four years
in Paris and has been with the firm since
1870
Their head engraver, Mr.. John T. Warde.
mastered the study OF heraldy and engrav-
ing with the old firm Of Starr & Marcus,
New York, and since 1876 has been with
Messrs. Gait & Brother.
Incidentally 1t may be mentioned that
promotion and advancement of the various
employees rests with the record they them
selves make, and this record is never over
looked.
During the long stretch of years this firm
has been in existence 1t has numbered
among it's patrons nearly every President
Of the United States. from Thomas Jeffer-
son to Theodore Roosevelt, and nearly all
the other great men whose names are
prominent in American history.
The list Of distinguished men and women
who have been regular patrons OF the
house, as shown by the age-yellowed books
Of the old firm, is long one including cabi-
net officers, justices of the Supreme Court
senators, representatives and members Of
the diplomatic corps, representing nearly
every creed and nation under the sun.
In many instances the patrons represent
an unbroken line of distinguished ancestry
extending back to the time this country was
in It's infancy
Owing to the fact that the weather ee-
ment in Washington is decidedly cosmopoli-
tan, Messrs. Gait & Brother have found it
necessary to carry large and varied stock
of goods in order to suit the different fan
cies of their customers from every quarter
of the globe. This idea was neatly express
ed by Mr. Norman Gait, who said: When
you cater to Washington you cater to the
world
The imprint of this firm appears on a
vast number of valuable articles Of great
historic interest, many of which have be-
come relics Of bygone days and bygone
and distinguished men. Such, for instance,
as silver presentation pieces, family silver,
gold-mounted swords, pistols medals and
other testimonials presented to persons high
in political. social, military, naval and civil
life These extend back to the war Of 1912.
One of the unvarying rules of Messrs. Gait
& Brother is that uniform courtesy and
respect shall be shown to all customers,
whether they be of high or low degree.
The establishment has been on Pennsyl-
vania avenue for the past seventysix years.
since its removal from Alexandria, and In
it's present location, 1107 Pennsylvania
nue., since 1865 and is a monument to bust
ness integrity and worth In 1892, owing
to their marked increase in trade, the firm
was compelled to remodel and occupy the
entire building and increase its accommoda-
stfons. The structure is now complete in all
its equipments, and in every way adapted
to meet the requirements of a constantly
expanding business. 81
Inside are veritable treasures of the gold
smiths art, sparkling and cleaning
cushions of velvet or in the highly polished
cases and cabinets. The interior surround
ings are artistic; the displays beautiful, evil
dencing the excellent taste of the firm,
whose house has been given the appellation,
1.-The Tiffany's of Washington" To state
that an article was purchased at Galts is
sufficient guarantee of its value and gen
uineneSS. =
The show rooms of Gait & Brothers estab-
lishment are models of beauty, with pol
ished oak floor, oriental rugs and rosewood
show cases filled in with polished plate
glass. The wall cases are of walnut and
have sliding plateglass doors. There is
harmony OF colors in the ceiling and wall
decorations, and general air of enchant-
| ment about the pretty interior.
The stock of goods is always fresh and
embraces all the novelties and the best
products OF the jewelers. art to be found in
the markets of the world.
There Is not a jewelry house in, the
United States with such record that
of Gait & Brother. 1t is one they may well
feel proud of.
1t is coincidence that the fiftieth ami
versary OF The Star is the Tooth anniversary
OF the establishment Of the firm of Gait &
Brother.
Tersely expressed the history of the firm
Is follows: