Hardy Brothers
TypePrivate Company
IndustryRetail
Founded1853, Sydney, Australia
FounderJohn Hardy
Headquarters
Brisbane
,
Australia
Area served
Sydney
Brisbane
Melbourne
Perth
ProductsJewellery, timepieces and decorative arts
WebsiteOfficial website

Hardy Brothers is a specialty retailer and private company of fine jewellery, timepieces and decorative arts in Australia. Its historic products are now highly collectible[1] and are held in state and national collections.[2] It is the only Australian jewellery business to hold a royal warrant and since 1980 until has produced the Melbourne Cup.[3]

History

Former Hardy Brothers Building, Queen Street, Brisbane, 2014

Hardy Brothers was founded in 1853 by Jeweller John Hardy, an Englishman newly arrived in Sydney, NSW, Australia.[4] In 1855, the business moved to Hunter Street, Sydney, NSW and remained there until 1935.[5] In 1894, the business expanded to Queensland with the opening of a store in Queen Street, Brisbane (now heritage-listed as the Hardy Brothers Building).[6]

A store was opened in Collins Street, Melbourne, in 1918.[2] In 1929, Hardy Brothers were appointed jewellers by royal warrant to His Majesty King George V. The business remained in family control until 1974 and was then taken over in 1980 by Qintex and controlled by that company until 1988. It was then bought by the McKinney family[7] and lastly by Wallace Bishop in 1997. Wallace Bishop is a family owned jewellery company established in 1917 and now run by the fourth generation. Stuart Bishop is the current CEO.[8][9]

Managing directors

The Collins Street Melbourne Store
  • John Hardy[4]
  • Walter Hardy[4]
  • Percy Hardy[4]
  • Richard Hardy[4]

Chief executives

Top hat from Hardy Brothers.

Stores

See also

References

  1. ↑ Carter's price guide to antiques
  2. 1 2 Powerhouse Museum
  3. ↑ "The loving cup trophy". Archived from the original on 22 October 2014. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 By Appointment (Gail Franzmann – The Macmillan Company of Australia, 1980)
  5. ↑ "Hardy Brothers". The Sydney Morning Herald. 17 December 1898. p. 12. Retrieved 1 May 2013 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ↑ "Hardy Brothers (entry 600138)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
  7. ↑ "McKinney's – Timeline". Archived from the original on 19 April 2013. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
  8. ↑ The Courier-Mail Queensland jewellers Wallace Group still prospering after four generations
  9. ↑ ""By Appointment to The Queen"". The Australian Women's Weekly. 26 November 1980. p. 16. Retrieved 30 April 2013 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. ↑ John McKinney reminisces about his history in the jewellery business, The Courier-Mail
  11. ↑ Diamond Guide
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