Hardy Brothers

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 has produced the Melbourne Cup.[3]

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

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