Pepsodent Company, est. 1915

Museum Artifact: Pepsodent Antiseptic Bottle, c. 1930s

Made By: The Pepsodent Co., 6901 W. 65th Street, Chicago, IL

“Pepsodent Mouth Wash kills the stubborn germs in the fastest time it is possible for science to record . . . This remarkable discovery is a new and powerful weapon in fighting germ infections and diseases. It combats instantly the social evil of bad breath.” —Pepsodent Antiseptic advertisement,

Martin & Martin / E-Z Polish, est. 1882

Museum Artifact: E-Z Stove Polish Bottle, c. 1910s

Made By: Martin & Martin, 3005 W. Carroll Ave., Chicago, IL

“There are so many things in every home that ‘E-Z’ Polishes will brighten that you will wonder how you ever did without them before. They do it so quickly, so easily, so perfectly, that it’s just like saying ‘Presto-Change-O’ and having the work done for you.” —E-Z Polish 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,

Associated Silver Co., est. 1904

Museum Artifact: Yourex “Silver Saver” Silverware Protector, c. 1920s

Made By: Associated Silver Company, 4450 N. Ravenswood Ave., Chicago, IL

“Ladies, did you ever get your nice silverware out to use for company and find it was badly tarnished, and that you had to rub and rub and rub to get it to look right? There is another way! We have just received a shipment of the marvelous Yourex Silver Saver.

B. Heller & Co., est. 1894

Museum Artifact: $1000 Guaranteed Moth Killer, 1928

Made By: B. Heller & Co. / Chicago Insecticide Laboratory, S. Calumet Ave. and E. 40th St., Chicago, IL

“We guarantee that $1,000.00 Guaranteed Moth Killer will kill clothes moths—and carpet beetles and their eggs and larvae—when it is thoroughly sprayed upon them, and agree to forfeit $1,000.00 to anyone proving to us that it cannot do this.” —Chicago Insecticide Company,

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,

Surety MFG Co., est 1923

Museum Artifact: Surety Powdered Hand Soap, c. 1920s

Made By: Surety Manufacturing Company, 607 N. Wells St., Chicago, IL

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

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.

J. C. Paul & Co., est. 1885

Museum Artifact: Burnishine Metal Polish, c. 1900

Made By: J. C. Paul & Company., 59 Dearborn St., Chicago, IL

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

Sanford Ink Company, est. 1857

Museum Artifact: Sanford’s Ink Eraser by Sanford MFG Co., c. 1910s

Made By: Sanford MFG Co. / Sanford Ink Company, 846-854 W. Congress Street, Chicago, IL

“Have you handled Sanford’s ink eraser yet? Every office needs it and every stationer should carry it in stock. It does the work of erasing ink from paper and stains from cloth perfectly. It is put up in a handsome round corner package and is made by the Sanford Manufacturing Company,

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.

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.

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,

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.

Franco-American Hygienic Co., est. 1889

Museum Artifact: Hygienic Dermacura Medicinal Soap, c. 1910s

Made By: Franco-American Hygienic Company, 1300 S. Indiana Ave., Chicago, IL

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

Sure Seal Products Co., est. 1949

Museum Artifact: Lichten’s Sure Seal Products “Lick Rust” Can, c. 1952

Made By: Lichten Company / Sure Seal Products Co., 1210 N. Hoyne Ave., Chicago, IL

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

James S. Kirk & Company, est. 1839

Museum Artifact: Box of 3 “Violet” Perfumed Soaps, c. 1910s

Made By: James S. Kirk & Company, 320 East North Water Street, Chicago, IL

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

Grossman MFG Co., est. 1914

Museum Artifact: Universal Polish Mop, 1920s

Made By: Grossman MFG Co. / Western Steel & Chemical Co., Inc., 4000 S. Cottage Grove Ave., Chicago, IL

No it’s not a Polish mop as “in the style of Poland,” but ’tis instead a polish mop, as in to clean and polish one’s floors. Pre-treated cedar oil mops were routinely sold in tins like this one during the early 20th century,

J. F. Kerns Company, est. 1951

Museum Artifact: Liquisan Paint and Varnish Stripper, 1950s

Made By: J. F. Kerns Company, 350 W. Ontario Street, 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.

Marrow’s Inc., est. 1919

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.

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.

Morrison-Atlas Products, Inc., est. 1932

Museum Artifact: Atlas Shoe Polish – Tan, c. 1930s

Made By: Morrison-Atlas Products, Inc., 10160 Franklin Ave., Franklin Park, IL

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