Museum Artifact: Wood Candies 3LB Tin, 1920s
Made By: Wood Candy Co., 930 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Andrew Clayman
Claire MFG Co., est. 1913
Museum Artifacts: Jinx Cleaner (c. 1920s) and Moth Crystal Vaporizer (c. 1960s)
Made By: Claire MFG Co., 6742 S. Yale Avenue, Chicago, IL
In 1927, Chicago municipal court judge Theodore F. Ehler—presiding during the height of mob warfare and corruption—made headlines for the unusual sentences he started imposing on a less romanticized element of the city’s criminal underbelly: deadbeat husbands.
Rather than sending these sad sacks off to jail,
Green River Corporation, est. 1919
Museum Artifact: Green River Soda Carton with 6 Bottles, c. 1950s
Made By: Green River Corporation, 4554 N. Broadway, Chicago, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Calumet Baking Powder Company, est. 1889
Museum Artifact: Calumet Baking Powder Tin, c. 1913
Made By: Calumet Baking Powder Co., 4100 W Fillmore St., Chicago, IL
This five-pound canister of Calumet Baking Powder might seem like a cute artifact from a old-timey diner or a small town general store, but make no mistake, you’re looking at a relic from a war . . . the Baking Powder War.
Russell Electric Co., est. 1914
Museum Artifact: No. 45 “Hold Heet” Marcel Waver Curling Iron, c. 1920
Made By: Russell Electric Company, 340 W. Huron Street, Chicago, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
M. Klein & Sons, est. 1857
Museum Artifact: Lineman’s Pliers, 1942
Made By: M. Klein & Sons / Klein Tools, 3200 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Leaf Gum Company, est. 1940
Museum Artifact: Leaf Spearmint Chewing Gum Stick, c. 1948
Made By: Leaf Gum Company, 1155 N. Cicero Ave., Chicago, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
White Eagle Rawhide MFG Co., est. 1924
Museum Artifact: Werco Tambourine, c. 1960s
Made By: WERCO, aka White Eagle Rawhide MFG Co., 1652 N. Throop St., Chicago, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
White Cap Company, est. 1926
Museum Artifact: Vapor-Vacuum Jar Cap Opener, 1950s
Made By: White Cap Company, 1819 N. Major Ave., Chicago, IL
If you want to start a successful business, invent a solution to one of mankind’s great conundrums. If you want to stay in business, be ready to fix all the new problems your solution creates.
Back in 1930, a small Goose Island start-up called the White Cap Company introduced its “Vapor Vacuum” lid sealing system—a revolutionary new steam-based method for preserving the freshness and flavor of bottled commercial foods.
J. P. Seeburg Corp., est. 1902
Museum Artifact: Seeburg Music System “Wall-O-Matic” Selector Jukebox, Type WI-L56, c. 1947
Made By: J. P. Seeburg Corp., 1500 N. Dayton St., Chicago, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Dad’s Root Beer Co., est. 1937
Museum Artifact: Unopened Dad’s Root Beer “Mama” Bottle, 1960s
Made By: Dad’s Root Beer Co., 2800 N. Talman Avenue, Chicago, IL
“It’s a completely new idea! Genuine draft root beer in bottles!”
When Dad’s Root Beer creators Ely Klapman and Barney Berns rolled out their first big national ad campaign in 1941, they did so with an immediate contradiction in terms—a “completely new” thing was also promoted as the “old fashioned” root beer.
Automatic Pencil Sharpener Co., est. 1905
Museum Artifacts: (1) “U.S. Automatic” Pencil Sharpener, 1908; (1) “Giant,” (1) ‘Gem,” (2) “Chicago” (1920s), and (4) “Dexter” sharpeners, 1930s
Made By: Automatic Pencil Sharpener Co. / Spengler-Loomis MFG Co., 58 E. Washington St., Chicago, IL . Factory: 2415 Kishwaukee Street, Rockford, IL.
For many of us, the sight of an old desk-mounted, mechanical pencil sharpener brings back some sensory-charged childhood memories—the thrilling turn of the crank,
Bersted Manufacturing Co., est. 1924
Museum Artifact: Bersted Electric Toaster No. 74, c. 1932
Made By: Bersted MFG Co., 5201 W. 65th St., Chicago, IL
The toaster of the future! The toaster for all times! The apex of toasterdom!
Looking like a miniaturized attraction from the “Century of Progress” World’s Fair, this majestic creation by Chicago’s Bersted MFG Company was actually a bargain basement brand for its day;
Automatic Electric Company, est. 1901
Museum Artifact: Monophone 1A – Desktop Rotary Telephone, c. 1930s
Made By: Automatic Electric Company, 1001 W. Van Buren St., Chicago, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Oliver Typewriter Company, est. 1896
Museum Artifact: Oliver Typewriter No. 9, model year: 1917
Made By: Oliver Typewriter Co., 159 N. Dearborn St., Chicago, IL / Factory: Woodstock, IL
“Simplicity, durability, speed, manifolding power, and visible writing are conceded to be the five great essentials in a typewriting machine. We present to the public THE OLIVER as the most striking embodiment of these features, and the most radical departure from other methods of construction.”
DeMet’s Inc., est. 1898
Museum Artifact: Turtles Candy Tin, c. 1960s
Made By: DeMet’s, Inc., 177 N. Franklin St., Chicago, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Bell & Howell Co., est. 1907
Museum Artifacts: Bell & Howell 8mm Magazine Movie Camera 172 (c. 1950), Filmo Auto Load 16mm Movie Camera (1940s), Filmosound 179 16mm Film Projector (1940s), Filmo Projector 57 Model GG (c. 1930s)
Made By: Bell & Howell Co., 1801 W. Larchmont Ave., Chicago, IL
“When you buy a roll of film, it is worth just what you pay for it, and no more.
Republic Molding Corp., est. 1946
Museum Artifact: Polly Flex Tumblers / Plastic Cups, c. 1950s
Made By: Republic Molding Corporation, 6465 N. Avondale Ave., Chicago, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Scholl MFG Co., est. 1906
Museum Artifact: Scholl’s Arch Fitter, 1910
Made By: The Scholl MFG Co. / Dr. Scholl’s, 213 W. Schiller St., Chicago, IL
The rather intimidating metal clamping device pictured above was manufactured around 1910, and represents one of the earliest inventions of a young Chicago podiatrist turned entrepreneur named William Mathias Scholl.
Now wait a minute . . . Does this mean that the ubiquitous pharmacy icon “Dr.
A. C. Rehberger Co., est. 1912
Museum Artifact: Novelty Lion Paperweight / Statuette, 1919
Made By: Rehberger Manufacturing Company / A. C. Rehberger Co., 1217 W. Webster Ave., Chicago, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Signode Steel Strapping Co., est. 1913
Museum Artifact: Signode No. 1 Rawhide Mallet, c. 1940s
Made By: Signode Steel Strapping Co., 2618 N. Western Ave., Chicago, IL
Despite its century-long history and former Fortune 500 status, Signode has never quite become a household name—nor has the firm ever concerned itself much with the household. The company’s natural ecosystem, instead, has always been the warehouse; the docks; the receiving departments—any industrial landscape where they could wrap themselves around the cargo.
F.H. Smith MFG Co., est. 1892
Museum Artifact: “The Universal” Cast Iron Rivet Setter, c. 1910s
Made By: F. H. Smith MFG Co., 3017-47 W. Carroll Ave, Chicago, IL
Half a century before Rosie the Riveter turned a once tedious trade into a patriotic call-to-arms, Chicago inventor and businessman Fred Herbert Smith was already ahead of the curve, if only lacking in proto-feminist iconography.
Smith (1858-1908) grew up near Boston,
Walgreen Co., est. 1901
Museum Artifact: Justrite Cleaning Fluid, c. 1930
Made By: Walgreen Company, 4720 S. St. Louis Ave., Chicago, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.