History

Auguste Kretly’s Paris firm has been in business for well over a century and is always associated with superb quality. It grew out of the passementerie and ribbon firm owned by C.-Hy. Letellier. In 1855, Kretly self-designated as a jeweller and five years later as a “fabricant d’ordres.” He became a purveyor of “plusieures cour etrangeres” by 1870. He was succeeded by the widow of Michaut just before 1880. However, the name and traditions of the house were kept alive. She was then succeeded by Mme Forceville sometime between 1900 to 1904. There is little known about the firm after the 1970s.

Kretly is known to have manufactured orders and insignia for countries around the world. A few include: the Collar of the Order of the Imperial Mexican Eagle, the Venezuelan orders, the Baden Military Karl Friedrich and Prussian Black Eagle Orders, the Rumanian Star Order, the Bulgarian St. Alexander, and all of the Kingdom of Hawaii orders from 1881-1893.

The first address was 46 Galerie Montpensier, Palais Royal between 1847 to 1925 (between 1848 to 1853, Palais National). The most recent address is considered 5 Avenue de l’Opera.