{{short description|Australian retailer of jewellery, watches etc}} {{About|jewellery retailer||The Hardy Boys (disambiguation)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2023}} {{Use Australian English|date=April 2013}} {{Infobox company | name = Hardy Brothers | logo = Hardy Brothers Logo.svg | logo_size = | type = Private | traded_as = | foundation = 1853, Sydney, Australia | founder = John Hardy | location_city = Brisbane | location_country = Australia | location = | key_people = | area_served = {{Unbulleted list|Sydney|Brisbane|Melbourne|Perth|Gold Coast}} | industry = Retail | face = | products = Jewellery, timepieces and decorative arts | services = | revenue = | operating_income = | net_income = | equity = | num_employees = | parent = | divisions = | subsid = | owner = | homepage = [https://www.hardybrothers.com.au/ Official website] | dissolved = | footnotes = }}

'''Hardy Brothers''' is a specialty retailer and private company of fine jewellery, timepieces and decorative arts in Australia. Its historic products are now highly collectible<ref>[http://www.carters.com.au/index.cfm/index/3407-hardy-bros-silver-silver-plate-and-decorative-items/ Carter's price guide to antiques]</ref> and are held in state and national collections.<ref name="Powerhouse Museum">[http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/158241405?q=Charles+Ulm&exactPhrase=Hardy+Brothers&anyWords&notWords&l-textSearchScope=*ignore*%7C*ignore*&fromdd&frommm&fromyyyy&todd&tomm&toyyyy&l-word=*ignore*%7C*ignore*&sortby&c=picture&versionId=172483570 Powerhouse Museum]</ref> It is the only Australian jewellery business to hold a royal warrant and since 1980 until has produced the Melbourne Cup.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://melbournecup.com/racing/history-of-the-cup/the-loving-cup-trophy/ |title=The loving cup trophy |access-date=2 May 2013 |archive-date=22 October 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141022124143/http://www.melbournecup.com/racing/history-of-the-cup/the-loving-cup-trophy/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==History== thumb|upright|Former Hardy Brothers Building, Queen Street, Brisbane, 2014 [[File:Kingtupoucropped.jpg|thumb|left|150px|Crown of Tonga made by the Hardy Brothers in 1873, as worn by King Tupou VI at his coronation (2015)]] Hardy Brothers was founded in 1853 by Jeweller John Hardy, an Englishman newly arrived in Sydney, NSW, Australia.<ref name="Hardy">By Appointment (Gail Franzmann – The Macmillan Company of Australia, 1980)</ref> In 1855, the business moved to Hunter Street, Sydney, NSW and remained there until 1935.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article14190716 |title=Hardy Brothers |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=17 December 1898 |access-date=1 May 2013 |page=12 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> In 1894, the business expanded to Queensland with the opening of a store in Queen Street, Brisbane (now heritage-listed as the Hardy Brothers Building).<ref name="qhr">{{cite QHR|14913|Hardy Brothers|600138|access-date=1 August 2014}}</ref>

A store was opened in Collins Street, Melbourne, in 1918.<ref name="Powerhouse Museum" /> In 1929, Hardy Brothers were appointed jewellers by royal warrant to His Majesty King George V. The business remained in family control until 1974 and was then taken over in 1980 by Qintex and controlled by that company until 1988. It was then bought by the McKinney family<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.mckinneys.com.au/about/timeline/ |title=McKinney's – Timeline |access-date=2 May 2013 |archive-date=19 April 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130419161137/http://www.mckinneys.com.au/about/timeline/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> and lastly by Wallace Bishop in 1997. Wallace Bishop is a family owned jewellery company established in 1917 and now run by the fourth generation. Stuart Bishop is the current CEO.<ref>[http://www.couriermail.com.au/business/queensland-jewellers-wallace-group-still-prospering-after-four-generations/story-fnfli675-1226504880487]The Courier-Mail Queensland jewellers Wallace Group still prospering after four generations</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article51589271 |title="By Appointment to The Queen". |newspaper=The Australian Women's Weekly | date=26 November 1980 |access-date=30 April 2013 |page=16 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref> [[File:Top hat - Hardy Brothers (1).jpg|thumb|right|Top hat from Hardy Brothers.]]

==Managing directors== right|thumb|upright|The Collins Street Melbourne Store * John Hardy<ref name="Hardy"/> * Walter Hardy<ref name="Hardy"/> * Percy Hardy<ref name="Hardy"/> * Richard Hardy<ref name="Hardy"/>

==Chief executives==

* Jack Leckie<ref name="Hardy"/> * Harry Quayle<ref name="Hardy"/> * Arthur Sims<ref name="Hardy"/> * John McKinney<ref>[http://www.couriermail.com.au/spike/columnists/john-mckinney-reminisces-about-his-history-in-the-jewellery-business/story-e6frerex-1225877047084 John McKinney reminisces about his history in the jewellery business], ''The Courier-Mail''</ref> * Stuart Bishop<ref>[https://archive.today/20130627212629/http://diamondguide.com.au/all-listings/1379-hardy-brothers Diamond Guide]</ref>

==Stores== * 189 Edward Street, Brisbane * 60 Castlereagh Street, Sydney * 338 Collins Street, Melbourne * Shop T16-18, Raine Square, Perth * Shop 2707 Pacific Fair, Gold Coast

==References== {{Reflist}}

== External links == * {{Official website|https://www.hardybrothers.com.au/}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Companies based in Brisbane Category:Retail companies established in 1853 Category:Jewellery companies Category:Luxury brands Category:British royal warrant holders Category:Jewellery retailers of Australia Category:Jewellery companies of Australia Category:1853 establishments in Australia

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