[JORNAL DE CASA (HOME NEWSPAPER) – Belo Horizonte, 18th to 24th of February of 1979 – pgs. 9 and 10]
[pg. 9:]
[photographies and captions]
To speak of jewels in Belo Horizonte – the Capital of a State so rich in precious gemstones like Minas – it is necessary also to speak of a jeweller that conquered with his talent, the beauty and the quality of his work, a place of prominence in the history of the city. The house of Theodomiro Cruz, in the very center of town, where today is the building Helena Passig, made fame inside and outside of the State and, if it has finished, by not having a continuator of the work, remains as an alive part of the memory of Beagá [nickname for BH, initials of Belo Horizonte].
The elders, with certainty, still remember of one of the oldest and most famous houses of jewels of Belo Horizonte, which became part of the life and of the history of the city, after operating for many years running just in the Praça Sete [Seventh (of September) Square], in the place where today is raised the Edifice Helena Passig. Right in the Corner of Afonso Pena and Rio de Janeiro, it was there that functioned the Jewellery Store Theodomiro Cruz, bringing in each jewel and in each accomplished business the unconfoundable mark of its founder.
Of "sabarense" [related to the town of Sabará, MG, Brazil] origin, Theodomiro was, overall a tranquil man, linked to the letters and to knowledge. Eldest son of a numerous family, the father, goldsmíth, since early teached him the secrets of his craft. When his father died, Theodomiro, being about fourteen years old, passed to assuming the duties of the family, becoming himself its main supporter. He ceased attending the school in regime of day-school, to dedicate himself exclusively to his craft.
He founded, in the year of 1894, the Joalheria e Oficina de Jóias Theodomiro Cruz [Jewellery Store and Workshop of Jewels Theodomiro Cruz], at the Rua do Kaquende [Kakende Street], in Sabará. It is told that since the beginning of his activities, Theodomiro imposed himself by high standard of honesty and of quality of the work. At this time, they started from Sabará, travellers and "tropeiros" [mule troop conductors], passing through all the States of Minas an of Goiás, selling his jewels, that stayed, since then, enough known, due, mainly, to the quality of the gold and to the artistic sensibility of the craftsman.
In 1906, then being 38 years old, married with Elisa Vianna, also a "sabarense", and member of a traditional family, with whom he had seven children: América, Isaura, Cícero, Celso, Miltom [sic], Odilon, and Lúcia. Among the seven, two were died and only three still live in Belo Horizonte.
In 1910, he moved to here. About his coming it is the brother-in-law João Batista [John the Baptist] who remembers: «Theodomiro came by imposition of circumstances. Soon after his marriage, his business suffered a certain stagnation, and this due to his good temper, to his small ambition. He was prevailed by false friends, finished up the brother-in-law, which, taking advantage of the pretext of the friendship, they meddled with his businesses, seized upon the secrets of his jewellery and set up an unfair competition».
Settled here, first occupied a building at Rua dos Caetés [Caetés Street], after at Av. Amazonas [Amazon Avenue], and, finally, at Av. Afonso Pena [Afonso Pena Avenue] with Rio de Janeiro, where also resided with the family. After the construction of the Edifice Helena Passig, there is about 20 years ago, the sons, Miltom [sic], and Celso, which proceeded with the business, continued to occupying, till November of 78, some stores of that building.
«Nevertheless, remembers João Batista Vianna [John the Baptist Vianna] – fellow citizen, contemporanian, and friend – what he precisely wanted, it was to being a literate, a poet.» And, perhaps exactly because of that, his relations became close with those ex-colleagues of the day-school which embraced the literature, distinguishing among them, Luís Cassiano, Arthur Xeres, and Avelino Fosco.
By this time, Theodomiro, influenced by works of French masters, was of a fierce anticlericalism. Later on, when taking contact with the Kardecism [doctrine of Allan Kardek], mainly through the «Livro dos Espíritas» [«Book of Spiritists»], converted himself to the spiritualism.
However, the poesy remained present, having, inclusive, published a book of poems, «Veras» [«Truths»], that merited even the attention of Osório Duque Estrada. At this time, Estrada was considered as one of the more respected critics of the country, through his work in the Correio da Manhã [Morning Newspaper], and also by the rigor of his opinions. Such a rigor, inclusive, made that Augusto de Lima had come to defend Theodomiro in public, of the pitiless considerations of Duque Estrada.
[pag. 10:]
– «The city, remembers yet João Batista [John the Baptist], was small when Theodomiro came. To one to have an idea, in 1920 I needed to reform a building at Rua Espírito Santo [Holy Spirit Street]. In the Prefecture, the new plant was the only one registered since the foundation of the city, there was nothing else, not a single new construction, not a single reform, nothing». With that the competition was little and Theodomiro could prosper in peace.
Soon his house became famous and well-frequented, having as habitual clients Manoel Pena, Francisco Guimarães, Delfim Moreira, Bias Fortes, Israel Pinheiro, Arthur Bernardes, and many others. The commerce was intense, and the confidence reciprocal. One tell that many of them didn´t close a business that involved gold or gemstones, without before consulting with Theodomiro and having his favorable opinion.
– «One was accustomed to present as a gift a lot with jewels, as a tradition and investment, remembers Gerson Dias, fellow citizen and ex-neighbor of Theodomiro. Special dates, like wedding and engagement, debuts, birthdays, where all marked with one ring, one brooch, one bracelet, or ear-rings, and the jewels were very fine, besides of exclusive.» And he adds: «It was not like nowadays, when the own women prefer to using the reproductions in cheep and durable material. Formerly, what was not gold soon became black, rusted, not today; sometimes it is even very difficult to distinguish what is false from what is truthful».
Of the seven sons of Theodomiro, only two were themselves interested in giving continuation to the businesses of the father, Miltom [sic] and Celso. The remaining either married themseves, moving themselves from Belo Horizonte, as it were the cases of América and Cícero, that transferred residence to Rio de Janeiro, or embraced profissions so diverse, as the one of dentist or of engineer. Of the two sons which continued him in his work, Celso became, inclusive, distinguished connaisseur of precious stones, both also, so respected as the old Theodomiro.
Theodomiro Cruz died in 1936, of arteriosclerosis, his wife, Eliza [sic] Vianna, em 1963. Some years later, died Miltom [sic], and, soon after, Celso. In November of 1978, in the absence of someone to give it continuity, it is closed the Joalheria Theodomiro Cruz [Jewellery Store Theodomiro Cruz], being maintained alive, however, in the memory of Belo Horizonte, remembrance of a house that has been distinguished mainly by honesty and capacity of work.
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