Alexander Macrae was the founder of the firm that went on to be C J Vander Ltd. He is recorded at 32 Bow Street, Covent Garden WC on 22 September 1856. He was joined in partnership by Martin Goldstein c. 1870, whereupon the style of the firm was changed to Macrae & Goldstein - first listed in 1871 as a silversmith. Alexander Macrae supplied many of the great firms at that time such as Elkington, Harry Emanuel and Hunt & Roskell.