Gump's
Encyclopedia
Gump’s is a luxury
American home furnishings and home décor retailer. Gump’s was founded in 1861 in San Francisco, California
.
.
The business flourished and eventually and was passed first to Solomon’s son Alfred Livingston Gump. The fire following the 1906 Earthquake
destroyed the store and all of the merchandise, but thanks to Dodie Valencia, A.L. received $17,000 for one of his paintings, which allowed funding for the rebuilding and restocking of the store. A.L. was fueled by his passion for Oriental art and began selling his exotic collectibles from the Far East. He sent his buyers to Japan
and China, bringing back exotic rugs, porcelains, silks, bronzes and jades to California's new millionaires.
Richard Gump, one of A.L.’s three children, eventually became president of Gump’s after his father’s death in 1947. He continued the family legacy, running the company's overall operations until his retirement in 1975. Gump's was sold to publisher Crowell Collier, which after further mergers became the media giant Macmillan Publishers
. By June 1989, Gump's had again been sold, this time to an investment group including Japan's Tobu Department Store, and the Charterhouse Group
. Catalog company Hanover Direct bought Gump's in 1993 and sold it to an investment group in 2005.
, precious gemstones, and cultured freshwater pearls to products from luxury designers such as Hermès
and Buccellati.
The store has had several locations within San Francisco and currently is located near Union Square. A Qing Dynasty
gilded wood Buddha
, carved for a summer palace in Northern China
, is located in the store. It was carved in the Northern Manchurian Province of Jehol, the summer capital of the Ch'ing Emperors in the early 19th Century. The piece, the largest of its kind outside a museum, is the only item in the store that is not for sale.
Luxury good
Luxury goods are products and services that are not considered essential and associated with affluence.The concept of luxury has been present in various forms since the beginning of civilization. Its role was just as important in ancient western and eastern empires as it is in modern societies...
American home furnishings and home décor retailer. Gump’s was founded in 1861 in San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
.
History
S & G Gump was founded in 1861 as a mirror and frame shop by Solomon Gump and his brother, Gustav. It later sold moldings, gilded cornices and European artwork to those recently made wealthy from the California Gold RushCalifornia Gold Rush
The California Gold Rush began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The first to hear confirmed information of the gold rush were the people in Oregon, the Sandwich Islands , and Latin America, who were the first to start flocking to...
.
The business flourished and eventually and was passed first to Solomon’s son Alfred Livingston Gump. The fire following the 1906 Earthquake
1906 San Francisco earthquake
The San Francisco earthquake of 1906 was a major earthquake that struck San Francisco, California, and the coast of Northern California at 5:12 a.m. on Wednesday, April 18, 1906. The most widely accepted estimate for the magnitude of the earthquake is a moment magnitude of 7.9; however, other...
destroyed the store and all of the merchandise, but thanks to Dodie Valencia, A.L. received $17,000 for one of his paintings, which allowed funding for the rebuilding and restocking of the store. A.L. was fueled by his passion for Oriental art and began selling his exotic collectibles from the Far East. He sent his buyers to Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and China, bringing back exotic rugs, porcelains, silks, bronzes and jades to California's new millionaires.
Richard Gump, one of A.L.’s three children, eventually became president of Gump’s after his father’s death in 1947. He continued the family legacy, running the company's overall operations until his retirement in 1975. Gump's was sold to publisher Crowell Collier, which after further mergers became the media giant Macmillan Publishers
Macmillan Publishers (United States)
Macmillan Publishers USA, also known as Macmillan Publishing, is a privately held American publishing company owned by the Georg von Holtzbrinck Publishing Group. It has offices in 41 countries worldwide and operates in more than 30 others....
. By June 1989, Gump's had again been sold, this time to an investment group including Japan's Tobu Department Store, and the Charterhouse Group
Charterhouse Group
Charterhouse Group is private equity firm focused on leveraged buyout investments in the US.The firm, which is based in New York City, was founded in 1973 and is one of the oldest buyout firms in the US...
. Catalog company Hanover Direct bought Gump's in 1993 and sold it to an investment group in 2005.
Current
Gump's continues to operate a store in San Francisco as well as a catalog and website. The retailer's product offering ranges from jewelry made from jadeJade
Jade is an ornamental stone.The term jade is applied to two different metamorphic rocks that are made up of different silicate minerals:...
, precious gemstones, and cultured freshwater pearls to products from luxury designers such as Hermès
Hermès
Hermès International S.A., or simply Hermès is a French high fashion house established in 1837, today specializing in leather, lifestyle accessories, perfumery, luxury goods, and ready-to-wear...
and Buccellati.
The store has had several locations within San Francisco and currently is located near Union Square. A Qing Dynasty
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
gilded wood Buddha
Buddha
In Buddhism, buddhahood is the state of perfect enlightenment attained by a buddha .In Buddhism, the term buddha usually refers to one who has become enlightened...
, carved for a summer palace in Northern China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, is located in the store. It was carved in the Northern Manchurian Province of Jehol, the summer capital of the Ch'ing Emperors in the early 19th Century. The piece, the largest of its kind outside a museum, is the only item in the store that is not for sale.