Pines Winterfront Co., est. 1916

Museum Artifact: Pines Automatic Winterfront Radiator Shutter, c. 1920s

Made By: Pines Winterfront Company, 1135 N. Cicero Ave., Chicago, IL

“Winterfront is a necessity for winter driving because it regulates the inflow of cold, thereby maintaining the motor at highest efficiency. It is an important factor in keeping thousands of cars in operation during the winter and has been of big help in bringing about the ’12-month motor car.’” —Pines Winterfront advertisement,

Van Cleef Bros., est. 1910

Museum Artifact: Dutch Brand Friction Tape Counter Display and Dutch Brand Grinding Compound, c. 1920s

Made By: Van Cleef Bros., Inc., 7800 Woodlawn Ave, Chicago, IL

“This orange and blue package on a dealer’s counter will remind you to buy this useful little servant, DUTCH BRAND Friction Tape. Use it for automobiles, bicycles and electrical work; for home, store or shop; for mending tools,

Stewart-Warner Corp., est. 1905

Museum Artifact: Cadet Bicycle Speedometer and Stewart-Warner Television + Stand, 1950s

Made By: Stewart-Warner Corp., 1826 W. Diversey Pkwy, Chicago, IL

“The ‘Cadet’ Bike Speedometer is not a toy! It’s a precision instrument, just like the one on your Dad’s car! It’s made by famous Stewart-Warner, the same company that has made millions of speedometers for cars, trucks, buses and motorcycles.” —Stewart-Warner advertisement,

Monark Silver King, Inc., est. 1934

Museum Artifact: Monark Silver King “Roadster” Girls Bicycle, 1950s

Made By: Monark Silver King, Inc., 6501 W. Grand Ave.

“Now—An Aluminum Bicycle! The same metal which made possible present-day high-speed trains and airplanes, makes the frame of the new-type SILVER KING bicycle. Aluminum alloy—much lighter than steel, but with 3 times the tensile strength, weight for weight. Gives faster speed, greater strength, and snappier appearance.” —advertisement for the first Monark Silver King bicycle,

Turtle Wax, Inc., est. 1941

Museum Artifact: Turtle Wax “Hard Shell Finish” Auto Polish and Turtle Wax Furniture Polish Set, 1950s

Made By: Plastone Company / Turtle Wax, Inc., 4100 W. Grand Ave. and 1800 N. Clybourn Ave.

On June 4, 1956—just five years after the first bottles of Turtle Wax “Miracle Auto Polish” hit the consumer market—Chicago workmen began installing a new, ludicrously enormous advertisement for the product,

Adams & Westlake Company, est. 1857

Museum Artifact: Adlake Truck Lamp, c. 1910s

Made by: Adams & Westlake Co., 320 W. Ohio St. / 319 W. Ontario St., Chicago, IL

Much like one of today’s showbiz power couples, the partnership of Chicago railroad supply magnates John McGregor Adams and William Westlake produced its own linguistic portmanteau in the late 1800s, as the name “ADLAKE” (combining ADams and WestLAKE) soon evolved into their company’s primary identity.

TootsieToy & the Dowst MFG Co., est. 1876

Museum Artifacts: TootsieToy Die-Cast Cars: No. 4655 Ford Model A Coupe and No. 4629 Sedan, c. 1928

Made By: Dowst Brothers / Dowst Manufacturing Co., 4537 W. Fulton St., Chicago, IL

Chicago-based brothers Charles and Samuel Dowst were arguably as foundational to the toy car industry as Henry Ford was to the real thing. It was work on a significantly smaller scale,

Lubri-Gas International, est. 1917

Museum Artifact: Lubri-Gas 1 Gallon Can, c. 1950s

Made By: Lubri-Gas International, Inc., 221 N. LaSalle St., Chicago, IL

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

C. Cretors & Co., est. 1885

Museum Artifacts: Cretors Popcorn Wagon Steam Engine, 1908, and Pop Corn Carton, 1920s

Made By: C. Cretors & Company, 600 W. Cermak Road, Chicago, IL

“Cretors’ Pop Corn is the most pleasing of any in the world. No other novelty gives such a degree of enjoyment and satisfaction for the money. Relished by all, young or old—rich and poor alike, during all seasons of the year—it wins instant success everywhere,

Crane Packing Co., est. 1917

Museum Artifact: John Crane Metallic Water Pump Packing, Style 112, c. 1920s

Made By: Crane Packing Company, 1800 W. Cuyler Avenue, Chicago, IL

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

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.

Gold Eagle Products Co., est. 1932

Museum Artifact: Gold Eagle Radiator Seal, c. 1940s

Made By: Gold Eagle Products Co., 1050 W. Kinzie Street, Chicago, IL

In the early 1990s, when a lot of Chicago’s remaining “mom and pop” manufacturing businesses were reluctantly cashing in their chips, the family-owned Gold Eagle Company was bucking the trends—50% annual revenue growth, to be specific, with tailwinds into the 21st century.

George W. Borg Corp., est. 1927

Museum Artifact: Oldsmobile F36 Glove Box Clock 6V, 1936

Made By: Geo. W. Borg Corporation, 469 E. Ohio Street, Chicago, IL

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

Do-Ray Lamp Co., est. 1920

Museum Artifact: Tiger-Ey No. 100-0 Plastic Truck Reflector, c. 1950s

Made by: Do-Ray Lamp Company, 1458 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago, 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.

Unity MFG Co., est. 1918

Museum Artifact: Unity Model S-3 Safety Light, c. 1940

Made By: Unity Manufacturing Company, 2909 S. Indiana Ave., Chicago, IL

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

International Harvester / McCormick-Deering, est. 1902

Museum Artifact: Deering Cast Iron Tractor Seat, c. 1920s

Made By: International Harvester Company, Deering Works, Clybourn and Fullerton Avenue, Chicago, IL

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

Arnold, Schwinn & Co., est. 1895

Museum Artifact: Schwinn “Hollywood” Bicycle, c. 1970

Made By: Arnold, Schwinn & Co. / Schwinn Bicycle Company, 1718-1740 N. Kildare & 1856 N. Kostner Ave., Chicago, IL

The last Chicago-built Schwinn bicycle rolled off the assembly line in 1982, and while the brand name is still embossed on the badges of various Chinese imports, anybody who buys a new one is bound to hear the inevitable cranky lament from a passerby: “they don’t make ‘em like they used to.”

The Schwinn in our own collection is a “campus green” Hollywood model,

Wm. E. Pratt MFG Co., est. 1893

Museum Artifact: “Little Giant” Ratcheting Screw Jack, c. 1917

Made By: William E. Pratt Manufacturing Co., 35 W. Lake St., & 190 N. State St., Chicago, IL , Foundry in Joliet, IL

On the great Venn diagram of Chicago industry, at the sliver-sized intersection of Model T Fords, decoy ducks, and the atomic bomb, you can find the unique domain of the Wm.

Damon MFG Co., est. 1914

Museum Artifact: 999 Polish for Automobiles, Pianos & Furniture, 1920s

Made By: Damon MFG Co., 325 W. Ohio Street, Chicago, IL

“Oxidation, it is pointed out by the manufacturer of Damon’s 999 automobile and furniture polish, is the reason for loss of luster and deadened appearance in any varnish finish. It is claimed 999 polish keeps the surface waterproof and airtight with pure wax,

Motorola Inc., est. 1928

Museum Artifact: Motorola Volumatic AM Car Radio, 1956

Made By: Motorola Inc. / Galvin MFG Corp., 4545 W. Augusta Blvd., Chicago, IL

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

Schwinn Majestic Bicycle Head Badge by Arnold, Schwinn & Co., 1940s

Arnold, Schwinn & Co. / Schwinn Bicycle Company, 1718 N. Kildare & 1856 N. Kostner Ave., Chicago, IL

These days, a head badge on the front of a bicycle is basically just an identification tag—a flat plastic hood ornament for lazy brand recognition. As you can tell by this flashy metal Schwinn “Majestic” badge from the deco era, however, even a small, functionally irrelevant bike part used to get the full VIP treatment down at the Arnold,

The Simoniz Company, est. 1910

Museum Artifact: Simoniz Car Wax Tin, 1940s

Made By: Simoniz Company, 2100 S. Indiana Avenue, Chicago, IL

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