Alan “Butch” Fried (pictured), a well-known 47th Street estate jewelry dealer renowned for his love of bold, larger-than-life jewelry, died on June 22 in Texas. He was 86.
Fried started his career on the Bowery in New York City, before joining his father, Morris, on 47th Street.
After moving uptown, Fried became a mainstay of the Diamond District, known for not only buying “over-the-top” jewelry but also for wearing it.
“One jeweler told me if someone had a huge garish piece that no one on 47th Street could sell, they would say, ‘Show it to Butch, he’ll buy it,’ ” says son Adam, now director of sales development for ALink.
Adam remembers simply walking down 47th Street with his father could be time-consuming: “It would literally take us hours to walk one block, as everyone had to say hello and show him pieces to buy.”
Fried also spent a lot of time on the road, traveling 35 weeks a year to promote his business.
In later years, Fried moved his business to Dallas—to be closer, some thought, to his beloved Dallas Cowboys.
Fried’s business will continue to be run by son Malcolm.
Alan Fried is survived by sons Adam and Malcolm, and two daughters, Amanda and Michelle; four grandchildren; and one great-grandchild. A celebration of his life is planned for Sept. 28.
Photo courtesy of Adam Fried
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