Vickery, Atkins & Torrey
William began his art business by opening a little kiosk against the wall of the Palace Hotel on Market Street in San Francisco. As the business became established and grew, his nephew Henry Atkins joined in 1888 and Frederic Cheever Torrey (1864–1935) in 1891 or so. In 1900 the company became Vickery, Atkins & Torrey.
In March 1891, and again in 1893 and 1895, William Vickery supervised a series of loan exhibitions that introduced Impressionism to California. These exhibitions included paintings by Monet, Eugene Boudin, Camille Pissarro, Pierre Renoir, and Edgar Degas.
Vickery, Atkins & Torrey survived both the Panic of 1893 and the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, due in part to the resourcefulness of William Vickery.
In the Panic of 1893, people were just not buying fine art for Christmas presents. Vickery suggested to his customers, “why not remember them with a lovely Christmas card?” He got his Haddan nieces (who lived next door) to mount up as Christmas cards a large collection of post cards from the Museo San Marco of Florence, Italy. The cards were of Fra Angelico angels in gorgeous color. These were the first Christmas cards in San Francisco.
When the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire hit, the store was at 236 Post Street. His youngest son, Robert, recounted rushing (by ferry boat) with his father to San Francisco and the store. Had a pair of very valuable Chinese porcelain jars on the mantel survived? Yes, they had fallen off the mantel and rolled under a couch unharmed. General Funston of the Presidio sent a wagon to help save the store’s treasures. While the store survived the earthquake, it was dynamited to help stop the great fire. The store relocated temporarily to 1744 California Street. The new store was at 550 Sutter Street. It had a charming courtyard, fountain, and wrought iron gate. It still stands.
William Vickery retired from the business in 1912.
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