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.
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,
Museum Artifact: Computer for Heat-Treated Hexagon Head Cap Screws, 1957
Made for: The Chicago Screw Company, div. of Standard Screw Co., Bellwood, 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: 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: 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: Twinplex Stropper / Razor Blade Sharpener, c. 1940s
Made By: Twinplex Manufacturing Company, 1800 W. Roscoe St., Chicago, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Museum Artifact: OVB No. 2 Kerosene Lantern, c. 1920s
Made By: Hibbard Spencer Bartlett & Co., 211 E. North Water Street
“Hardware seems to those who sell it to be more human than any other kind of business.” That’s how journalist Fred C. Kelly sized up the stock and trade of Hibbard, Spencer & Bartlett in 1930, on the occasion of the wholesale company’s 75th anniversary.
Hibbard Spencer Bartlett & Co., State Street Bridge
The Made-in-Chicago Museum has a couple different relics from the warehouses of Hibbard, Spencer, Bartlett & Co.—the hardware dealer that became one of the country’s wholesale giants for the better part of a century. You can read the full company history over on our main Hibbard, Spencer & Bartlett page (which features an old Hibbard railroad lantern),
Museum Artifact: Hansen Tacker / Stapler, c. 1940s
Made by: A. L. Hansen MFG Co., 5037 N. Ravenswood Ave., Chicago, IL
The vintage Hansen Tacker pictured above looks and functions much like the manual staple guns of today—it’s spring-loaded, uses tough wire staples (also made by Hansen), and has an upturned squeeze-trigger handle for one-handed efficiency. It was used for the same sorts of handyman tasks,
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.
Museum Artifact: The Universal No. 134 Washboard, c. 1920s
Made By: National Washboard Co., 72 W. Adams Street, Chicago, IL
Long before “upcycling” and “repurposing” became part of the antiquing lexicon, it was the washboard that practically invented re-invention—evolving from a contrivance of laborious laundering practices into a peppy and versatile musical instrument.
The artifact in our own museum collection,
Museum Artifact: 3-in-1 Closet Spud Wrench, c. 1960s
Made By: Chicago Specialty MFG Co., 2954 W. Lawrence Ave., Chicago, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Museum Artifact: S-K Tools Socket Set, c. 1940s
Made By: S-K Hand Tools / Sherman-Klove Company, 3535 W. 47th St., Chicago, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Museum Artifact: Ritz Stick Foot Measure, c. 1920s
Made by: American Automatic Devices Co. / King Bee MFG Co, 500-530 S. Throop St., Chicago, IL
When a stick of any kind becomes culturally relevant enough to have its own name, we tend to ascribe it a simple, self-descriptive one: match stick, hockey stick, joy stick. A rare exception is the Ritz Stick,
Indestro MFG Co., 2649 N. Kildare Ave., Chicago, IL
This vintage hammer was kindly donated to the museum by Carol Wagner, from her late grandfather’s collection.
Research is underway and a write-up on this specific item will be forthcoming. Meanwhile, you can still check out the full history of Indestro Manufacturing and its sister company Duro Metal Products on our Indestro Bottle Capper page.
Museum Artifact: Turner-White “Hot Blast” Blow Torch, c. 1905
Made By: Turner Brass Works, N. Franklin St & Michigan Street (now 225 W. Hubbard St.), Chicago, IL
“A pint torch for general light work, constructed with our improved automatic brass pump in the tank. The burner is of heavy bronze, strong and durable. For electricians, painters, etc., we guarantee it to give perfect satisfaction.”—description of the White No.
Museum Artifact: Sargent Metal Clamp, c. 1910s
Made By: E.H. Sargent and Company, 165 E. Superior St., Chicago, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Burke & James, Inc., 240-258 E. Ontario St., Chicago, IL
The Ingento No. 7 was Burke & James’ custom-made guillotine / trimming board for 5×7″ photographic prints. The “Ingento” brand, like the “Rexo” and others, was used liberally across a lot of the Burke & James product lines, including some of the actual cameras themselves. As the advertisement below indicates, there were at least seven other Ingento paper cutters by 1919,
Museum Artifact: Simonsen Metal Toolbox / Tackle Box, c. 1950s
Made By: Simonsen Metal Products Co., 4444 W. Chicago Ave., Chicago, IL
Edward H. Simonsen was born in Racine, Wisconsin, in 1891, the son of Danish immigrants. From there, his life unfolded in typical “American Dream” fashion—or at least that’s the nuts and bolts version we’re left to infer. He moved to Chicago in his youth,
