Metz & Co

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Logo and slogan of Metz & Co

Metz & Co is an exclusive department store in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, founded in 1740 by Mozes Samuels who sold his company to his three sons in 1794. Metz & Co. has the right to display the Dutch royal coat of arms with the legend 'By Royal Warrant Purveyor to the Royal Household' since 1815. To celebrate its 150th anniversary in 1890 the store moved to a new location on the Leidsestraat, where the company is still located. The distinctive cupola on the store's roof was built in the 1930s and designed by Dutch artist Gerrit T. Rietveld. Metz & Co celebrated its 250th anniversary in 1990 by launching its own fragrance. The roof of the store doubles as an exclusive location for wedding ceremonies.

[edit] History

Display window of the Metz & Co store in the Leidsestraat in Amsterdam (2008)

1740 Founding of Metz & Co. by Mozes Samuels.
1794 Mozes Samuel 'Metz' sold his company to his three sons.
1815 The designation 'Purveyor to the Royal Household' was instituted in 1815 by King William I. The Queen may grant businesses the right to display the royal coat of arms with the legend By Royal Warrant Purveyor to the Royal Household.
1817 The oldest creditors list showing 353 suppliers in France, Germany, England and Italy proves the international importance of the company.
1840 William I abdicated and was succeeded by his eldest son William II, whose marriage to Anna Paulovna (1795–1865), daughter of the Tsar, gave rise to close relations with Russia. The second King of the Netherlands re-confirmed the right to display the royal coat of arms with the legend 'By Royal Warrant Purveyor to the Royal Household' to Metz & Co.
1849 After his dead his eldest son and successor, William III (1817–1890). In 1879, the King married in its 2nd wife Emma of Waldeck-Pyrmont (1858–1934). The only daughter born of this marriage later became Queen Wilhelmina (1880–1962). On William's death in 1890, Queen Emma acted as regent until her daughter came of age in 1898. Over all these years Metz&Co was able to obtain the rights to display the royal coat of arms with the legend 'By Royal Warrant Purveyor to the Royal Household'.
1890 The 150th birthday celebration in a complete new building the former head office of the New York Life Insurance Company in the Leidsestraat where the company is still located.
1902 Metz & Co. became the exclusive agent for Liberty of London for the Netherlands, the continent and its overseas country's.
1930 Gerrit T. Rietveld created his famous cupola on the roof of the Metz-building and created a furniture collections still to be found in museums over the world and in the present collection of the company. In that period Metz became famous for its designs by Gerrit Rietveld, Bart van der Leck, Sonia Delauny and Alvar Aalto.
1940 200th Birthday was not celebrated because of the 2nd world war.
1948 When Queen Wilhelmina abdicated in 1948. Her only daughter Princes Juliana became the queen of The Netherlands and the Royal warrants where confirmed to the company.
1952 Sir Terence Conran who became later famous with his Conran' shops developed in the basement of the Metz & Co building the kitchen and tableware department.
1985 The highest floor of the Metz & Co. building directly under Rietveld's famous cupola is reshaped into M l Café and restaurant overlooking the old centre and canals of Amsterdam. Metz&Co lounged its first award winning fragrance fragrance. Forbidden.