1844
A Family Legacy Begins
Jacob F. Schoellkopf, our founder Austin's great-great-great grandfather, establishes his first American business, beginning a family legacy of enterprise that would span manufacturing, energy, finance, and beyond.
Abbott & Oaks is the latest chapter in a six-generation family history shaped by collecting, craftsmanship, and entrepreneurship. From early businesses in leather, milling, and hydroelectric power to Austin Schoellkopf's beginnings in antique silver, the timeline below traces the legacy that ultimately led to Abbott & Oaks.
1844
Jacob F. Schoellkopf, our founder Austin's great-great-great grandfather, establishes his first American business, beginning a family legacy of enterprise that would span manufacturing, energy, finance, and beyond.
1877
Jacob F. Schoellkopf acquires the hydraulic canal at Niagara Falls and helps pioneer the commercial use of hydroelectric power, transforming the force of the falls into energy for American industry.
1882
Following their marriage, Jacob F. Schoellkopf II and Wilhelmena Spring begin assembling a remarkable collection of art, antiques, books, and decorative objects through their travels. Their passion for collecting establishes a tradition that would shape generations of the Schoellkopf family.
1905
Seeheim is established as the Schoellkopf family’s summer estate in Lake View, NY. Home to five generations, it becomes the setting for the family’s growing collection of art and antiques, and decades later, the place where Austin’s own fascination with collecting begins.
1965
Austin's mother, Spring, spends three months traveling through Europe and Asia with her family, purchasing art, antiques, and decorative objects along the way. Her mother teaches her to recognize craftsmanship and objects of lasting significance, many of which would later fill Seeheim.
1998
By the time Austin is born, collecting has become part of the family's identity. His earliest memories are of Seeheim's library, where generations of art, antiques, and objects were displayed. Guided by the discerning eye passed from his grandmother to his mother, he begins learning to recognize the details that make an object exceptional.
2009
At age eleven, Austin and his mother established a company called the Silver Trade Route, buying and selling antique silver found at auctions and antique shows. In high school, his love of silver earns him the nickname "Spoons."
2019
Austin establishes New England Antique Exchange, expanding beyond antique silver and laying the foundation for a broader vision. His growing passion for gold, gemstones, and exceptional jewelry sets the stage for Abbott & Oaks.
2023
Abbott & Oaks launches on that same conviction: that individuality, craftsmanship, and character deserve to be preserved and passed on to the next generation of collectors.
Today
For nearly two centuries, the Schoellkopfs have helped shape American industry while cultivating a family tradition of collecting. Inspired by generations of entrepreneurs and collectors, and a passion first shared with his mother, Austin now carries that legacy forward through Abbott & Oaks, preserving exceptional vintage and antique jewelry for future generations.
