1960s

Johnson Products Company, est. 1954

Museum Artifact: Ultra Sheen Conditioner & Hair Dress – 8oz Jar, c. 1970s

Made By: Johnson Products Company, Inc., 8522 S. Lafayette Ave., Chicago, IL

Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.

Jays Foods Inc., est. 1927

Museum Artifact: Jays Potato Chip Tin, 1950s

Made By: Jays Foods, Inc., 825 E. 99th Street, Chicago, IL

For over 75 years, Chicagoans have voraciously chomped away on handfuls of Jays Potato Chips—sharing in the communal assumption that some guy named Jay must have invented the salty snack for them back in the proverbial day. If you give it a closer look, however, the familiar Jays logo—with its conspicuous lack of an apostrophe—raises some questions.

Sun Electric Corporation, est. 1931

Museum Artifact: Sun Volts-Ignition Tester + Sun 504 Distributor Tester Sign, c. 1960s

Made By: Sun Electric Corporation, 6323 N. Avondale Ave., Chicago, IL

Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.

Jensen MFG Co., est. 1927

Museum Artifact: Jensen Alnico Tweeters / Treble Speakers, 1962

Made By: Jensen Manufacturing Company, 6601 S. Laramie 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.

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.

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.

Vee-Jay Records, est. 1953

Museum Artifact: “Introducing The Beatles” Vinyl LP, 1964

Made By: Vee-Jay Records, Inc., 1449 S. Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL

To a serious record collector, the copy of Introducing… The Beatles in our museum collection probably wouldn’t appear all that special. It is, after all, a non-mint example of the second and considerably more common version of the album,

Filbert’s Root Beer & Bottling Co., est. 1926

Museum Artifact: Filbert’s Old Time Root Beer Bottles, c. 1965-1975

Made By: Filbert’s Root Beer & Bottling Co., 3033 S. Archer Ave., Chicago, IL

Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.

Maher Printing Co. – DownBeat, est. 1936

Museum Artifact: 8 Issues of DownBeat Magazine, 1964-1968

Made By: Maher Printing Co. / Maher Publications, 205 W. Monroe St., Chicago, IL

Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.

Wilbac MFG Co., est 1940s

Museum Artifact: Expando Grand Slam Baseball Cap, c. 1960s

Made By: Wilbac MFG Co., 913 W. Van Buren St., Chicago, IL

Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.

Manufacturing & Trading Co., est. 1952

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.

Sidney A. Tarrson Co., est. 1948

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.

John O. Butler Co., est. 1923

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.

Orange Crush Co., est. 1911

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.

Gunk Laboratories, Inc., est. 1959

Museum Artifact: Gunk S-C Degreaser Can, c. 1960s

Made By: Gunk Laboratories, Inc. / Gunk Chicago Co., 5829 W. 66th Street, Chicago, IL

Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.

Weber-Stephen Products Co., est. 1893

Museum Artifact: Weber Barbecue Accessories Starter Set 8801, 1970s

Made By: Weber-Stephen Products Co., 100 N. Hickory St., Arlington Heights, IL

Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.

Solo Cup Company, est. 1936

Museum Artifact: “Dairy Treat” Paper Cups, 1967

Made by: Solo Cup Company, 1501 E. 96th Street, Chicago, IL

Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.

Andes Candies, est. 1921

Museum Artifact: Andes Candies Tin, c. 1960s

Made By: Andes Candies, Inc., 4430 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL

Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.

Chess Producing Corp., est. 1947

Museum Artifact: Chicago Cubs “Pennant Fever” 7-inch Record, 1969

Made By: Chess Producing Corp., 320 E. 21st Street, Chicago, IL

Long before the Chicago Bears awkwardly rapped their way to a certified gold record with “The Super Bowl Shuffle,” the precedent for a singing sports team had already been set—albeit with substantially less commercial and cultural impact—by the baby bears over at Clark and Addison.

Oscar Mayer & Co., est. 1883

Museum Artifact: “Little Oscar & The Bandit” Coloring Book, 1962

Made By: Oscar Mayer & Co., Inc., 1241 N. Sedgwick St., Chicago, IL

Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.

Johnson Publishing Co., est. 1942

Museum Artifact: Jet Magazine MLK Memorial Issue, 1968

Made By: Johnson Publishing Co. Inc., 1820 S. Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL

Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.