Wallet
Object number2018.58.2
Manufacturer
Prince A. Gardner Jr.
MediumLeather; Diamond; Paint
Credit LineGift of Al K. DeRoy
DescriptionBlack leather wallet. Rounded rectangular, folded in half along viewer's left edge. Textured black leather. Front's bottom right corner (viewer's) has diamond and silver metal text mounted at an angle. Interior has two wide pockets at the back for currency and two front pockets on each side. DimensionsHeight x Width x Depth: 3.5 x 4.375 x 0.75 in. (8.9 x 11.1 x 1.9 cm)InscriptionsFront has, in the viewer's bottom right corner, diamond and silver metal text "ALJDER".
Interior's front pocket on viewer's right side has gold text "AL J. DE ROY".
MarksInterior's bottom right corner (viewer's) has gold text "PRINCE / GARDNER".
Interior's front wide currency pocket has text inside near center: gold text "GENUINE PIN SEAL" and imprinted text "PAT. NOS. / 1,865,626 / 1,964,461".
Historical NotesPart of a collection of materials that belonged to Al J. DeRoy, although some passed as heirlooms to his son and grandson. Al DeRoy ran his father's jewelry store, Jos. DeRoy & Sons, that was located in downtown Pittsburgh. The business then passed to his son Albert J. DeRoy and then to his grandson Ralph L. DeRoy. The donor is his great-grandson Al K. DeRoy who worked at the University of Pittsburgh for most of his career. The wallet was made using “five-dollar diamonds,” an industry colloquialism for the unusable diamond crumbs left behind while making jewelry. The DeRoy family is one of the oldest Jewish families in Pittsburgh. Abraham and Saartje DeRoy immigrated to the city from Amsterdam in the 1850s with their seven children. His sons Joseph DeRoy and Israel DeRoy started out as pawnbrokers and opened DeRoy Brothers on Smithfield Street about 1871. They eventually parted ways, each opening a downtown jewelry store: Jos. DeRoy & Sons and Israel DeRoy & Son.
Previous owner
Al J. DeRoy
Related institution
Joseph DeRoy and Sons
Terms
On View
Not on view
1931-1957
2000-2007
1941-1953
