Museum Artifact: Edison Rotary Mimeograph No. 75, c. 1905
Made by: A.B. Dick Company, 163 / 738 W Jackson Blvd., Chicago, IL
Thomas Edison’s reputation has taken a few stiff punches to the gut in recent years, as the once canonized “Wizard of Menlo Park” has slowly given way to a somewhat less admirable character—one skilled at the arts of patent poaching and monopoly-building at the occasional expense of scientific fellowship.
Museum Artifact: “Improved Own Make” Cornet, c. 1919
Made By: Lyon & Healy, 4100 W. Fullerton Ave., Chicago, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Museum Artifact: VAL-A Egg Scale, c. 1930s
Made By: VAL-A Company, 700 W. Root St., Chicago, IL
Weighing a hundred eggs one-by-one on a galvanized metal doohickey might seem crazily inefficient, if not entirely unnecessary. But for any humble farmer / chicken coop owner of the early to mid 20th century, egg scales like this one were must-have tools of the trade. Today, they can pass for intriguing modern art pieces.
Museum Artifact: “Wonder Wand” Industrial Safety Lamp, c. 1970
Made By: Manufacturing & Trading Company “VO”, 904 N. Campbell Ave., Chicago, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Museum Artifact: “Skill-Flight” Electronic Board Game, c. 1960s
Made By: Sidney A. Tarrson Compant, aka Tarco Toys, 518 S. Racine Ave., Chicago, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Museum Artifact: Presto DeLuxe Stapler and No. 165 Presto Staples, c. 1940
Made By: Metal Specialties Manufacturing Company / Loren Speciality MFG Co., 3200 W. Carroll Ave,, Chicago, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Museum Artifact: Wooster College Felt Pennant, c. 1940s
Made By: Chicago Pennant Co., aka ChiPenCo, 6542 S. Cottage Grove Ave., Chicago, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Museum Artifact: Metal Sink Drain Cover, c. 1910s
Made By: L. Wolff Manufacturing Company, 325 N. Hoyne Ave., Chicago, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Museum Artifact: Sonja Henie Paper Dolls Cut-Out Book, 1939
Made By: Merrill Publishing Company, 14 N. Peoria St., Chicago, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Museum Artifact: Butler Gum Stimulator, c. 1960s
Made By: The John O. Butler Company / GUM, 540 N. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Museum Artifact: Lady Esther Face Powder Boxes, c. 1950s
Made By: Lady Esther, Ltd., 7171 W. 65th St., Chicago, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Museum Artifact: Edelweiss Maltine Bottle, c. 1900s
Made By: The Peter Schoenhofen Brewing Company, Canalport Avenue & West 18th Street, Chicago, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Museum Artifact: 8″ Steel Pipe Monkey Wrench, c. 1920s
Made By: Armstrong Bros. Tool Co., 317-357 N. Francisco Ave., Chicago, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Museum Artifact: Bowman Cottage Cheese container, c. 1950s
Made By: Bowman Dairy Company, 140 W. Ontario Street, Chicago, IL + Numerous plant locations
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Museum Artifact: Standard Brewery “OaKay” Export Beer Bottle, c. 1910
Made By: The Standard Brewery, W . Roosevelt Rd. and S. Campbell Ave., Chicago, IL
It might seem like we’re currently living in the golden era of the regional micro-brewery, what with upwards of 3,000 “craft beer” producers now in operation in the U.S., and about 70 inside the Chicago city limits alone. The “brew-pub” phenomenon,
Museum Artifact: Charlie Chaplin Collectible Postcard, Essanay No. 1 , 1915
Made By: Essanay Film MFG Co. / Essanay Studios, 1333 W. Argyle St., Chicago, IL
On a quiet, tree-lined street in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood, just north of the old St. Boniface Cemetery and around the corner from the Green Mill jazz club and the long-shuttered Uptown Theatre (once one of the world’s great movie palaces),
Museum Artifact: Holloway’s Milk Duds, 5-cent box, c. 1940s
Made By: M. J. Holloway & Co., 308 W. Ontario St., Chicago, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Museum Artifact: Thor Speed Drill, type 201, c. 1956
Made By: Speedway Manufacturing Co. (division of Thor Power Tool Co.), 1834-1875 S. 52nd Ave. (Laramie Ave.)., Cicero, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Museum Artifact: Century of Progress Playing Cards, 1933
Made By: Arrco / Arrow Playing Card Co., 734-54 Mather Street (W Lexington St.), Chicago, IL
A promotional tie-in with Chicago’s “Century of Progress” World’s Fair in 1933-34 also marked a major point of progress for the city’s Arrow Playing Card Co., as it introduced its new identity as ARRCO—a name that would soon be familiar to amateur magicians,
Museum Artifact: 8-Pack of Orange Crush (with 6 Glass Bottles), c. 1965
Made By: Crush International, Inc. / Orange Crush Company, 2201 Main Street, Evanston, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Museum Artifact: Mall Electric Drill model no. 380, 1940s
Made By: Mall Tool Company, 7740 S. South Chicago Ave., Chicago, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Museum Artifact: Annell’ Typewriter, Model No. 3A, 1922-23
Made By: Annell Typewriter Company, 230 E. Ohio Street, Chicago, IL
Donated By: Chris Patterson
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Museum Artifact: Marrow’s Mar-O-Oil Shampoo, 1928
Made By: Marrow’s, Inc. / Marrow MFG Co., 3037 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
