12" coalhole cover	14" coalhole cover
1855 Invoice to Paul D. Wallis of Boston
1880 Invoice to E. D. Peters
1882 Invoice to Boston & Providence R.R.
1894 Invoice to G. M. Rogers
1900 Invoice to Estate of G. M. Rogers
Undated Trade Card · Historic New England

Location:

• Nos. 125, 127, and 129 Albany Street, Boston, Massachusetts

Timeline:

History:

• "UNIVERSAL IRON WORKS. (Formerly 57 Devonshire Street.)"
• "SUCCESSORS TO D. SAFFORD & CO."
• Uses Hyatt's 1845 patent
• "LOVETT, JOSEPH, the veteran iron manufacturer, was born in Beverly, Mass., June 24, 1813. He came to Boston in 1827, and learned his trade with Daniel Safford, who had an iron foundry here which he had established in 1813, the same year that Mr. Lovett was born. Mr. Safford took a partner shortly after Mr. Lovett's arrival, and the firm became Safford & Lowe. Albert W. Smith was subsequently admitted, and the name was changed to D. Safford & Co. In 1840 Mr. Lovett became a member of the firm. In 1845 Mr. Safford died, and Mr. Lovett and Mr. Smith succeeded to the business, under the firm name of Smith & Lovett. In 1855 Mr. Smith retired, and his nephew, Ammi Smith, was admitted to partnership. Mr. Ammi Smith died in 1876, and Mr. Lovett has continued under the old firm name of Smith & Lovett to date. Two of his sons, George E. and Joseph W. Lovett, and his grandson, James R. Lovett, son of Joseph W., are now with him—three generations in one house. Mr. Lovett was never in any other business, devoting himself exclusively to the manufacture of all kinds of ironwork for buildings. He has furnished the iron for such buildings as the Quincy Market, the North Market and South Market street blocks, the Old State House, the original iron-work on the Common (fences, etc.), the Charlestown State Prison, the Taunton Prison, the tower and other work in Forest Hills Cemetery, the Women's Prison in Framingham, the Winthrop Square Building before the fire of 1872, and many after that fire within the burnt district. The manufacture of architectural iron-work has always been his great specialty, and as a matter of interest it is recalled that when he was working for Mr. Safford, he made the first iron bed-stead ever made in this country. His eldest son, Joseph W., was born in Boston in 1837, and his youngest son, George E., was born here in 1846. He latter is well known to many as the captain of "The Tigers" for a number of years. Mr. Lovett's works were formerly on Devonshire street, between Milk and Water streets, but when the Post-office building was begun they were removed to No. 127 Albany street, where they have been for about twenty years. It is the oldest iron-concern in Boston. Mr. Lovett has been with the works since 1827, and has never been absent over one month at a time during the whole period of nearly sixty-five years, either from sickness or vacation; he has always personally been present to attend to business. Daily at his post, in active management of his large interests, Mr. Lovett is a striking example of what nature accords to a man in return for a strict observance of her laws and the living of a correct and industrious life. Mr. Lovett is an active member of the Master Builders' and the Massachusetts Charitable Mechanic Associations." —Boston of To-day, 1892

Paper:

• Smith & Lovett Invoice · Wallis · 1855
• Smith & Lovett Invoice · Peters · 1880
• Smith & Lovett Invoice · Rogers · 1894
• Smith & Lovett Invoice · Rogers · 1900

Errata:

• "Established 1813. / SMITH & LOVETT / Manufacturers and Dealers in all kinds of / IRON WORK FOR BUILDINGS, / Store Fronts, Hyatt Lights, Stable Work, ELEVATORS, HOISTING MACHINES / Slaters' and Masons' Tools, Builders' Hardware, Store Trucks of all kinds. / JOBBING A SPECIALTY. ESTIMATES GIVEN. / 125, 127 and 129 Albany St., Boston." —The Boston almanac and business directory, 1885
• "ESTABLISHED 1813 / SMITH & LOVETT, / Blacksmiths and Machinists, / IRON-WORK FOR BUILDINGS. FIRE-ESCAPES, ELEVATORS, HOISTING-MACHINES. / BUILDERS' HARDWARE, STORE TRUCKS, ETC. / 125, 127, AND 129 ALBANY STREET - BOSTON." —Catalogue of the architectural exhibition held in the new public library building, Oct. 28 to Nov. 4, Boston Society of Architects, 1891