Museum Artifact: Savoy Cocoa Tins, c. 1920s
Made By: Steele-Wedeles Company, 312-22 N Dearborn St., Chicago, IL
In 1925—back when these Savoy brand cocoa tins from our museum collection were still sitting shiny and new in someone’s kitchen cabinet—the wholesale grocer that produced them, the Steele-Wedeles Company, made a major announcement.
After more than 50 years at its post-fire headquarters on the corner of South Water and LaSalle Street,
Museum Artifact: The Original Flavour Chicken Bones (Tin), 1927
Made By: Flavour Candy Co., 3922 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Museum Artifact: Crown Baking Powder Container, c. 1900s
Made By: The J.P. Dieter Company, 60 Waldo Place (Randolph and Desplaines St.), Chicago, IL
Unlike his Chicago contemporaries and rivals over at the Calumet Baking Powder Co., J.P. Dieter’s successful food products company didn’t survive long into the 20th century. This tin of Crown Baking Powder, however, still looks vibrant in its fire-hydrant-red more than 100 years after it was made.
Museum Artifact: Peerless Maid Peermints Tin, c. 1930s
Made By: Peerless Confection Company, 1250 W Schubert Avenue, Chicago, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Museum Artifact: Ferndell Brand Crystallized Ginger Tin, c. 1920s
Made By: Sprague, Warner & Company, 600 W. Erie Street, Chicago, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Museum Artifact: Wrigley Spearmint Gum Pack, 1932
Made By: William Wrigley Jr. Company, 3535 S. Ashland Ave., Chicago, IL
The most remarkable thing about this nearly 90 year-old pack of chewing gum cannot be gleaned from any photograph—it’s the scent! And no, it’s not the musty smell of old packaging. It’s the shockingly vibrant fragrance of the mint in these unopened sticks of Depression era Wrigley Spearmint,
Museum Artifact: Northwestern Beverage Co. Shipping Crate, c. 1960s
Made By: Northwestern Beverage Co., 3691 W. Grand Ave., Chicago, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Archived Reader Comments:
“Northwestern Beverage Company was in business from approximately 1930 through 1985. It was a family-owned soft drink bottling company featuring 30 different varieties of soda pop.
Museum Artifact: California Club Seltzer Water Bottle, c. 1930s
Made By: California Ale & Beverage Company, 3006-3030 West Fillmore Street, Chicago, IL
The vintage seltzer bottle above was personally donated to the collection by Marc Schulman, a man known to many Chicagoans as the president of Eli’s Cheesecake and the son of one of the city’s great restaurateurs, the late Eli Schulman.
Museum Artifact: Dainty Luxury Bread Sign, c. 1916
Made By: Schulze Baking Co. / Schulze Advertising Service, 40 E. Garfield Blvd., Chicago, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Museum Artifact: Peter Pan Peanut Butter Tin, 1920s
Made By: E.K. Pond Company / Derby Foods, Inc., 517 W. 24th Street, Chicago, IL
In 1929, the Scottish novelist and playwright J.M. Barrie made a charitable contribution the likes of which we may never see again in the modern age of intellectual property. And it didn’t have anything to do with peanut butter.
Having already enjoyed international acclaim for his various tales of Peter Pan,
Museum Artifact: Millar’s Nut-Brown Brand Coffee Just-Rite Tin, c. 1930s
Made By: E.B. Millar and Company, 426 W. Grand Ave., Chicago, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Museum Artifact: Silver Cup Brand Coffee Tin, c. 1930s
Made By: Central Wholesale Grocers, Inc., 1001 S. California Ave., Chicago, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Museum Artifact: Reed’s Butter Scotch Patties Tin, c. 1920s
Made By: Reed Candy Company, 1245 W. Fletcher St., Chicago, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Archived Reader Comments:
“I maybe able to help you. My great grandmother was Mildred Reed. I have pictures of my father and uncle at the Reed factory.
Museum Artifact: Monarch Cocoa Tin, 1920s
Made By: Reid, Murdoch & Co., 325 N. LaSalle St., Chicago, IL
“When a Chicago business attains dimensions which overshadow those with which it may be compared, it becomes in the broadest sense a Chicago institution and belongs in a manner to every Chicagoan. It stands for Chicago pluck, Chicago brains and Chicago energy.”— Frank H.
Museum Artifact: Kraft Cream Cheese Wood Cartons, c. 1930s
Made By: Kraft Foods Company, 505 N Sacramento Blvd., Chicago, IL , Factory at 500 Peshtigo Court
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Museum Artifact: Liberty Dairy Milk Bottle, c. 1920s
Made By: Liberty Dairy Products Co., 851 N. California Ave., Chicago, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Museum Artifacts: Peter Hand “Old Chicago” Dark Beer & “Old German” Style Beer Cans, c. 1970
Made By: Peter Hand Brewing Co., 1000 W. North Ave., Chicago, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Museum Artifact: Bremner Wafers Tin, 1960s
Made By: Bremner Biscuit Company, 901 W. Arthington St., Chicago, IL
The Bremner Biscuit Company was once about as authentically Chicagoan as deep dish pizza and the blues. Unfortunately, the 1980s showed little mercy for such cherished local institutions (even a lot of blues men started recording with synthesized harmonicas), as Bremner abruptly ended its century-long tenure in the city and relocated to Denver—still the company headquarters today.
