McGill Libraries
McLennan Library Building3459 rue McTavish
Montreal, Quebec
H3A 0C9
Identity area
Type of entity
Person
Authorized form of name
Babcock, J. A.
Parallel form(s) of name
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Other form(s) of name
Identifiers for corporate bodies
Description area
Dates of existence
1831-1912
History
James Augustus Babcock was born on May 16, 1831, in New Haven, Connecticut. However, he spent most of his life in New York City where he was in the silver-plating business. His company, J. A. Babcock & Co., was located at 22 John Street and was renowned for manufacturing plated ware. The firm was established in 1861 and traded for many years, but eventually closed in 1894. Knickerbocker Mfg. Co. succeeded the brand. Babcock's hallmark was a "B" within a templar Cross, usually with text indicating that the product was quadruple plated. He used two other marks less frequently, which were the deer/fox head and a plain print of his name. The hallmark also included model numbers. Babcock's silver plate work remains collectible for its intricate Victorian aesthetic, which often depicted floral motifs in tea and coffee services.
In 1866, he married Ida Amelia Gates (1844–1911). He died in January 1912 in New York City, New York.