Dieges & Clust Explained

Dieges & Clust were jewellers established in New York[1] in 1898 by Col. Charles Joseph Dieges (b. Oct. 26, 1865-d. Sept. 14, 1953) and Prosper Clust (b. Sept. 26, 1873-d. Mar. 28, 1933).[2] [3]

History

The firm was founded in 1898 as a partnership between Charles Joseph Dieges and Prosper Clust. The partnership was converted to a company in 1908 with Dieges as president and director, and with Clust as secretary-treasurer and director.

The firm was located at 20 John Street, New York, New York, expanding to have offices in Boston, Pittsburgh, and Chicago.[4] [5]

The firm was sold to Herff Jones (a division of Carnation) on January 1, 1980.

Major works

They produced many medals, including the Spanish–American War Medal, the 1904 Olympic Medal, the Eagle Scout medal (from 1916 to 1920),[6] New York State World War I Service Medal, the Medal of Honour, and the Titanic-Carpathia Medals (at the request of "The Unsinkable" Mrs. Molly Brown). They made baseball's first Most Valuable Player Awards and many Baseball Press Pins as well as Lou Gehrig's farewell plaque. They also cast the Heisman Trophy (in New York and later Providence, Rhode Island) from its inception in 1935 through late 1979 when the company was sold to Herff Jones (a division of Carnation) on January 1, 1980.[7]

Perhaps the height of Dieges & Clust's production were the 1920s trophies known in sports collecting circles as "The Five Figural Spalding Baseball Trophies". The various trophies depict a baseball player pitching, catching, batting, playing first base, or playing in the outfield. The proportions of the figures and the detail (of the faces, fingers, stitching in the baseball gloves and shoelaces) are remarkable. They fetch up to $5,000 at auction, relatively high for a silver-plated trophy on a wooden base.

The company produced the Martin J. Sheridan Medal for Valor for the New York City Police Department (NYPD) that was established in honor of Detective Martin J. Sheridan – the Irish-American Athletic Club's star U.S. Olympic champion who died in 1918 of the influenza pandemic. The medal was first presented in 1922 and regularly awarded until discontinued in 1975. The medal was initially paid for through a trust fund established by the Martin J. Sheridan Memorial Committee, with New York State Supreme Court Justice Daniel F. Cohalan serving as chairman.[8]

A 1936 New York Yankees World Series ring cast by Dieges & Clust and owned by Lou Gehrig held the record sale price for such a ring at $17,500.[9]

In 1999, Sotheby's sold what was believed to be Lou Gehrig's 1927 ring for $96,000.

Staff

Charles Joseph Dieges

Charles Dieges, president and director of the company after 1908, served in the US 22nd Regiment in World War I and participated on the US Olympics team.

Memberships

Prosper Clust

Prosper was a manufacturing jeweler who learned the trade from his father Ernest Clust, who emigrated from France in 1872. He was secretary-treasurer and director of the company after 1908.[16]

Constanzo Luini

Constanzo was a medalist with Dieges & Clust who specialized patriotic and religious themes. He was born in 1886 and a descendant of Bernardino Luini, a fresco painter and student of Leonardo da Vinci. Costanzo immigrated to the United States at the turn of the century.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Dieges and Clust . . February 10, 2017.
  2. Book: Alan S. Katchen. Annual Report of the Adjutant-General of the State of New York For the Year 1907, Vol II . 12 July 2020. 21 December 1907. State of New York. 424–.
  3. Book: Alan S. Katchen. Abel Kiviat, National Champion: Twentieth-Century Track & Field and the Melting Pot. 13 September 2012. 1 April 2009. Syracuse University Press. 978-0-8156-0939-1. 167–.
  4. Web site: Antique New York State Spanish American War Medal Dieges & Clust Original Box. 12 July 2020. Dieges & Clust.
  5. Web site: Photos of US Spanish American War, New York Numbered Service Medal, Matching Number Box. 12 July 2020. Dieges & Clust.
  6. Web site: Dieges and Clust 1916-1919 . eaglescoutbadge.com . September 13, 2012.
  7. Web site: Beating the field - Herff Jones, maker of the Heisman Trophy, thrives on class-ring sales . https://archive.today/20130131175731/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/projo/access/780374871.html?dids=780374871:780374871&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jan+16,+2005&author=DONALD+D.+BREED+Special+to+the+Journal&pub=The+Providence+Journal&desc=Beating+the+field+-+Herff+Jones,+maker+of+the+Heisman+Trophy,+thrives+on+class-ring+sales&pqatl=google . dead . January 31, 2013 . Providence Journal . January 16, 2005 . September 14, 2012 . Breed, Donald .
  8. Web site: Recipients of the New York City Police Department's Martin J. Sheridan Medal for Valor . Ian McGowan . June 18, 2020.
  9. Web site: Providence firm gets contracts for '87 service academy rings Herff Jones Co. sweeps the competition . https://archive.today/20130131144550/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/projo/access/601908351.html?dids=601908351:601908351&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Apr+22,+1986&author=FROMA+JOSELOW+Journal-Bulletin+Business+Writer&pub=The+Providence+Journal&desc=Providence+firm+gets+contracts+for+'87+service+academy+rings+Herff+Jones+Co.+sweeps+the+competition&pqatl=google . dead . January 31, 2013 . Providence Journal . April 22, 1986 . September 13, 2012 . Joselow, Froma.
  10. Web site: Annual Report of the Adjutant-General of the State of New York For the Year 1909 Vol II . New York State . 31 December 1909 . 12 July 2020.
  11. Web site: Annual Report of the Adjutant-General of the State of New York For the Year 1916 . New York State . 9 May 1917 . 12 July 2020.
  12. Web site: Charles Dieges . International Olympic Committee . 12 July 2020.
  13. Web site: Proceedings of the American Numismatic Society, 63rd Annual Meeting . American Numismatic Society . January 8, 1921 . 12 July 2020.
  14. Web site: The National Guard Magazine . The Edward T. Miller Company . July 1911 . 12 July 2020.
  15. Web site: DIEGES'S BIRTHDAY PARTY.; Old Friends of Athlete Give Him a "Beefsteak" at Murray's . The New York Times . October 27, 1915 . 12 July 2020.
  16. Web site: Encyclopedia of Pennsylvania Biography: Illustrated, Volume 3 . Lewis Historical Publishing Company . 1914 . 12 July 2020.

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