Emanuel Gattle
Emanuel M. Gattle was born on December 11, 1858 in Plattsburg, New York. At 19 years old he headed to New York City to work for a few different jewelers in the city. In 1881 he opened his shop at Broadway and Twenty-seventh Street. In 1900 he moved to 420 Fifth Avenue before moving to 630 Fifth Avenue. Times were good from 1900 to around 1907. In fact so good that Gattle offered $350,000 for the hope diamond in 1902 but his offer was refused by Simon Frankel. He wanted half a million dollars for the stone but in 1907 the economy changed and a decline effected many. Frankel approached Gattle but sold the Hope in 1908 to a wealthy Turkish diamond collector for $400,000. Many jewelers folded under the financial pressure of the times however Gattle survived and in 1909 was doing business just as before the market bumps now producing his own catalog which doubled as an advertisement for his company for remounts, as well as repair services. In 1926 he moved for the final time into the St. Regis Hotel. Emanuel Gattle passed away in 1933 suddenly of a heart attack but company continued to survive for another seven years. The firm finally closed in 1940.
