Diamond Jim Brady ~ 1914
If you made your living selling photographs of
personalities and celebrities you often built a bank
of photos, a library of sorts, to be used when the
timing and price for the photo were at their highest.
Wherever a paparazzo went (singular of paparazzi)
their camera was always at the ready—and they
had to know who was a “money shot” out of the
thousands of people they saw on a daily basis.
This candid photo of the famous ‘Diamond Jim’
Brady was taken when Eddie Jackson visited Belmont
Park race track in 1914.
James Buchanan Brady—Diamond Jim, as he was
often called, was a salesman’s salesman who never took 'no’ for an answer. His penchant for jewels, especially diamonds and a large, perhaps gaudy, ring that he always wore gave him the nickname “Diamond Jim.” Born in New York City on August 12, 1856, he began work as a bell boy and messenger boy when a teen and then was employed by the New York Central railroad as a junior assistant when he was 21. Two years later Jim went to work for Manning, Maxwell and Moore, a railroad supply company and became a very successful salesman of their products. Investing his money wisely he soon amassed great wealth as a businessman. Brady had an enormous appetite for both life and food. It was not unusual for him to
frequent the best restaurants and stay all night. As one restaurateur described Brady as “the best 25 customers I ever had.” Brady never married but had a long relationship with famed singer Lillian Russell, who, it is rumored, liked to eat as much as Jim. When he died in 1917 he jewels and diamonds alone were worth, adjusted for 2007 dollars, over $60 million.
Close-up of ‘Diamond Jim’s’ fabled ring. If you look close, you
can see the image of a running horse (inverted) in the center of a
field of large diamonds
‘Diamond Jim’ Brady loved to bet on the ponies.
This photo was taken at Belmont Park race track
in 1914.
Richard Harding Davis
Sir Thomas Lipton
