The building in Providence’s Elmwood neighborhood dates to 1892.
Braitsch was a silversmith, whose company manufactured silver umbrella and cane heads.
Historical preservation consultant Ned Connors says from a young age Braitsch had a knack for silver chasing — a design technique that pushes metal instead of chipping at it.
“At the age of like 17 he’s already a chaser in New York City working for Tiffany and taking an evening course at this newly established school, Cooper Union,” said Connors. “He’d won two awards from Tiffany by the time he was 20 years old.”
Sarah Zurrier from the Rhode Island Historical Preservation and Heritage Commission says Braitsch was ahead of his time when it came to his knack for business.
“Braitsch understood that people weren’t buying silver cane-heads into the 20th century, and so he started renting out parts of the factory to other local industries. So this was one of these original incubator spaces,” Zurrier said.
Buildings on the National Register of Historic Places are eligible for financial incentives to preserve the structures. The Braitsch Plant was chosen as an example of the evolution of the silversmith trade from small-scale artisanry to large-scale manufacturing.
