Hofman Jewelry Company
Information from Wholesale, Retail, and Manufacturer’s Catalogs
1909-1910 The Hofman Jewelry Company Catalogue No. 27
The Hofman Jewelry Company was located at 78 North High Street in Columbus, Ohio. They sold a full range of gold jewelry, and silver flatware, hand painted China, cut glass, bric-a-brac, toilet ware, leather goods, candlesticks, clocks, watches, and lamps.
Republic U.S.A. is a private label in Seth Thomas 18-size Model 12 and Model 13, and 6-size Model 18, Model 19, and Model 24. The Pocket Watch Data reports that Seth Thomas was one of the manufactures making Republic U.S.A. movements for the Illinois Watch Case Company. Republic U.S.A. pocket watches were sold in the catalogs of N. Shure Company, Butler Brothers, J.M. Smyth, Hofman Jewelry Company, and others.
The advertisements on the top row all appeared in the Columbus Dispatch. The top-left advertisement appeared on Friday June 25, 1909, on page 6. The top-center advertisement appeared on Monday June 7, 1909, on page 19. The top-right advertisement appeared on Wednesday June 9, 1909, on page 9. The article on the bottom appeared in the Springfield News-Sun on Wednesday April 27, 1910, on page 5.
1913 Hofman Jewelry Company Catalogue No. 28
These catalog pages from the 1913 Hofman Jewelry Company’s catalog are advertising pocket watch cases manufactured by the Illinois Watch Case Company. The Illinois Watch Case Company contracted the Seth Thomas Watch Company to manufacture private label Republic U.S.A. pocket watches for them. Republic U.S.A. movements were manufactured in Seth Thomas 18-size Model 12 and Model 13, and 6-size Model 18, Model 19, and Model 24.
