If Paris has Le Bon Marché and London has Harrods, it can be said that San Francisco has Gump's. And while Harrods has become a distant commercial relic of its former self, and Le Bon Marché has been deeply subsumed by the LVHM Group, Gump's maintains its proud independence and specialty-focus. It remains a bold and varied select collection of objets d'art that is unparalleled, drawing collectors from around the world. For many Americans, the refined scale of Olympian emporium embodies the apotheosis of good taste.

In the late 1940s, Frank Lloyd Wright, then working on plans for the Guggenheim in New York, went on a visit to San Francisco where he took a brief stop at Gump's. When asked what he thought of the store, Wright famously declared that Gump's, as a cultural institution, would "be built into the litany of culture" of the California psyche. The specialty store's history is tied closely with the wild early mythology of the city of San Francisco. The California Gold Rush of 1848-49 rapidly transformed the city from a sleepy outpost of the Mexican frontier to an internationally flavored boom town. San Francisco became an American city, quite literally, founded upon gold.

Long known for its jewelry collection, particularly its jade and pearl creations, the company has expanded over the last century and a half and the selection now includes works by Buccellati, one of the world's preeminent marques in jewelry. The family-run Buccellati creates bold pieces that are shaped and polished utilizing a variety of engraving techniques in which carved emeralds, rubies and rose-cut diamonds are finely set in a variety of mixed precious metals; piercing techniques recreate the multidimensional look of honeycomb, lace or webbing resulting in creations that are instantly recognizable. Of more local extraction is Aaron Henry, a master jeweler and gemologist who brings three generations of craftsmanship to the fore with innovative design techniques that create pieces that are elegant and sophisticated. Many gemstones are found in his work, particularly sapphires, (a favorite of Henry's), which blends craftsmanship with tradition, passion, and imagination. His pieces are unique enough to make a vivid statement, yet personal enough to wear everyday. Drawing inspiration from nature and the elements his pieces demonstrate a confident emotional use of unusual color combinations that simultaneously dazzle and attract the eye. Gump's signature designer, Lynn Nakamura has brought a sleek, ultra modern palette to the store with her jewelry. Her hand-finished designs are organically streamlined creations, which fuse precious materials such as black jade and fresh water pearls together in distinctive yet refined designs. This harmony, balance and sensual eastern minimalism translates into enduring designs.

For those with more esoteric aesthetic sensibilities, Gump's carries select items of Robert Kuo's wide variety of decorative objects -from small tabletop pieces to furniture and large landscaping elements that bring together ancient Chinese traditions with 21st century sensibilities. Using the ancient technique of repoussé - the art of carefully hammering decorative relief into metal - Kuo creates pieces that have stunningly textured surfaces. Giant copper animal and plant forms serving as nesting tables blur the line between form and function, and can provide a visual respite from the mundane. His furniture utilizes the playful lines of art nouveau and streamlined art deco accents to soften sharp angles and the visual impact of geometric shapes. Thanks to generous donations, Kuo's works can be viewed at museums, including the Smithsonian, but are also available for purchase at Gump's.

More sensual commodities include the wide array fragrances. New to the line-up is Baroque Pearl. Designed by world-class Perfumer Oliver Gillotin of Givaudan. It is not the aroma of a sweet naif, but rather a scent that pays homage to a sophisticated and confident worldly woman. Taking inspiration from the shimmering luster of its namesake, Baroque Pearl possesses a flowery bouquet of orange blossom with sublime blended notes of mandarin and bergamot and undertones of sandalwood. The heritage of Gump's nexus of East and West is celebrated with Gump's launch of three new signature scents: Majestic, Opulent and Treasured. Each luxurious scent evokes different facets of Gump's rich history. Majestic with notes of sea-air, jasmine, eucalyptus, bay laurel and redwood evoke the San Francisco Bay Area and like the city, it is ephemeral, romantic, straight forward, measured, audacious, smart, and unselfconscious. Opulent evokes the formal gardens, cut flowers, and grandeur of haute monde Europe. Treasured commemorates the company's Far Eastern roots with a blissful expression of rare simplicity, sophistication, spontaneity, and originality. Each of the scents from the range are available in a diffuser, a room spray that can actually be worn as a cologne, candle, or in scented stone (amber resin) form and all are crafted as a scented narrative of the company's rich tradition.

For almost 150 years Gump's has remained an iconic San Francisco institution. Firmly rooted in the past, it has diversified and is well positioned to remain a bastion of timeless urbane sophistication. It is a unique and unapologetic assemblage of art for art's sake. As Solomon's grandson warned: "We do not deal here with trends, cycles of popularity, or attempt to predict the vogue or fashion, but point out that certain designs were, are, and always will be good, good looking, and in good taste."

- Aaron Kirby-Alford