Product Description
Wolf Designs Queens Court Honey Jewel Roll: Watches. Mrs. Our story, the ‘Wolf Story,’ is something we take great pride in sharing. Not just because the business bears our family name, but also because this is our family. This is what the Wolf family has done for five generations. BEGINNINGS ON FAIRY TALE ROAD The Wolf Designs legacy begins like the Deutsche Marchensrasse (Fairytale Road) in Hanau, Germany in 1834. It was in Hanau that Philip Wolf I, a silversmith by trade, began to produce leather-covered presentation cases for his silver products. His rationale was clear: it is only logical to protect one’s investment in fine silver by storing and safeguarding it in a fine quality case. Presentation and storage cases for jewelry were not unique, however, covering the case in rich leather was something that Philip I would be credited with inventing. The process of cutting and stitching leather panels together was a laborious task. The leather was fastened onto the frame and inspected with care to ensure that every piece met Philip’s high standards. INCREASING VALUE In 1836, Philip was selling more presentation and jewelry boxes than silver so he moved away from making silver and concentrated on honing his skills making leather boxes. His business continued to grow as many local silver and goldsmiths discovered that their products held greater value when offered in a case made by Philip Wolf. Philip Wolf II was born in 1869. He would come to take over the family business, but only after years of apprenticeship. By 1905, the Wolf family had immigrated to Malmö, Sweden. Visiting the region on holiday, Philip II met a beautiful woman. He decided he liked the country and chose to stay. SEEING IT THROUGH If there were anyone who could personify the steadfast determination of the Wolf family, it would be a woman named Ida Wilhemina. Born of Swedish descent in 1889, she married Philip II in 1910. Ida was known for her extraordinary resourcefulness, courage, and drive to see her family and the family business persevere, even though difficult circumstances. In 1926, Philip Wolf II fell ill with a lung ailment, leaving him unable to work and support his family. Ida Wilhemina Wolf was faced with the prospect of watching the family business, and their sole means of support, dwindle away. She could not let this happen. After successfully taking over the management of the Wolf business, she also took on sales. Ida understood that Wolf Designs needed its customers and customers needed Wolf Designs, so she set off on the road. Though her means of transportation were vastly different from that of today’s sales representatives, the job she performed was not much different. Her primary methods of travel were horse-drawn cart and railroad car, stopping in each city, town, and village to sell Wolf Designs jewel cases. To conserve money she would stay in train stations, renting a blanket for 0.50 krona per night, and occasionally accept an invitation into the home of a customer. THE FAMILY’S BUSINESS During this time, Mrs. Wolf looked to her sons Philip III and Ernst. They were both in their early teens when they began working full-time for the company. Though this was not unusual for young men of this time, it was unique that they were immediately placed in roles of significant responsibility. Wolf would be gone for up to three months at a time, carrying one suitcase for personal items and another for sample products.
Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
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