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.
Platt Luggage, Inc., est. 1921
Museum Artifact: Platt “Airess” Train Case, c. 1940s
Made By: Platt Luggage, Inc., 2001 N. Elston Ave., Chicago, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Indestro MFG Co. & Duro Metal Products, est. 1917
Museum Artifact: Indestro Bottle Capper, 1920s
Made By: Indestro MFG Co., 3429 W. 47th St. / Duro Metal Products, 2649 N. Kildare Ave.
When Gertrude McNaught Odlum died in 1992, aged 96, she was widely remembered as an award-winning breeder of dairy cows, owning a pair of multi-million dollar farms in the Chicago suburbs (“Rolling Acres” and “Odlum Farm”). Far less publicized,
G. Felsenthal & Sons, est. 1898
Museum Artifact: Altitude Correction Computer, c. 1945
Made By: G. Felsenthal & Sons, 4100 W. Grand Ave., Chicago, IL
“No sign posts on the mountains . . . no concrete highways in the soup . . . no rocky peak so kind it steps aside to let a plane go by. Yet, with the navigational instruments precision made by Felsenthal, in Felsenthal Plastics,
Bear Brand Hosiery Co., est. 1894
Museum Artifact: Bear Brand Hosiery Box – Women’s Hose 103 Biscayne, c. 1920s
Made By: Bear Brand Hosiery Company (formerly Paramount Knitting Co.), 337 W. Madison St., Chicago, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Kay Musical Instrument Co., est. 1931
Museum Artifact: Kay Ukulele, c. 1960
Made By: Kay Musical Instrument Company, 1640 W. Walnut St., Chicago, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Jefferson Electric Company, est. 1915
Museum Artifact: “Golden Hour” Mystery Clock, c. 1950s
Made By: Jefferson Electric Company, 840 S. 25th Avenue, Bellwood, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Bauer & Black, est. 1893
Museum Artifact: Blue Jay Bunion Plasters, c. 1910s
Made By: Bauer & Black, 2500 S. 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,
Electro MFG Corp., est. 1930
Museum Artifact: Portable Lamp, c. 1940s
Made By: Electro Manufacturing Corporation, 2000 W. Fulton Street, Chicago, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Thordarson Electric MFG Co., est. 1895
Museum Artifact: Thordarson Amplifying Transformer, c. 1920s
Made By: Thordarson Electric Manufacturing Co., 500 W. Huron St., Chicago, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Meyercord Company, est. 1896
Museum Artifact: Decal Borders, c. 1950s
Made By: Meyercord Co., 5323 West Lake St., Chicago, IL
Donated By: Jeff Levine
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
American Family Scale Co., est. 1928
Museum Artifact: 25 LB Kitchen Scale, c. 1950s
Made by: American Family Scale Co., 515 S. Laflin St., Chicago, IL
A television metaphor might not be entirely apropos for the time period, but when the American Family Scale Company was established in 1928, it was essentially a “spin-off” of Chicago’s venerable American Cutlery Company. In fact, all the classic hallmarks of a TV spin-off were there:
1—The original,
Adjustable Clamp Company, est. 1903
Museum Artifact: Jorgensen Hand Screw Clamps, c. 1950s
Made by: Adjustable Clamp Co., 417 N Ashland Ave., Chicago, IL
Back in 2015, when the Made In Chicago Museum was in its developmental stages, the Adjustable Clamp Company stood out as the rare “feel good” story amidst a sea of shuttered factories, outmoded merchandise, and forgotten dreams. The respected tool manufacturer, which changed its name to Pony Tools in 2013 (adopting the title of one of its’ long-running brands),
Kling Bros. & Co., est. 1897
Museum Artifact: Tailor’s Measuring Tape, c. 1930s
Made By: Kling Bros. & Co. Inc., 2300 W. Wabansia Ave, Chicago, IL
“Garments that combine character and charm with lines that are clean cut, comfortable, and correct. . . . Are you one of the ten thousand dealers who know the immeasurable satisfaction to be found in KLING-MADE clothing specialties?”—1920 ad for Kling Bros.
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,
Acme-Lite MFG Co., est. 1935
Museum Artifact: Mov-E-Lite Portable Flood Light Bar, c. 1950s
Made By: Acme-Lite Manufacturing Co., 401 N. Wood St., Chicago, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
S&C Electric Company, est. 1911
Museum Artifact: SM-4 Power Fuse Refill Unit, 1960s
Made By: S&C Electric Co., 6601 N. Ridge Blvd., Chicago, IL
In 2012, shortly after Chicago’s S&C Electric Company marked its 100th anniversary, the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) awarded the business special recognition for one of the “milestone” achievements in electrical engineering history—the 1909 invention of the liquid power fuse. During a special dedication ceremony at S&C’s Rogers Park headquarters,
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.
John B. Canepa Company, est. 1860
Museum Artifact: “Red Cross” Spaghetti Box, c. 1920s
Made By: The John B. Canepa Company, 302-310 W. Grand Ave., Chicago, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Chicago Printed String Company, est. 1915
Museum Artifact: Ribbonette Ribbon Spool Dispenser, c. 1940s
Made By: Chicago Printed String Co., 2300 W. Logan Blvd, Chicago, IL
“In the decorative wrapping and ribbon business, you can’t find any larger than Chicago Printed String.” —Chicago Tribune, August 5, 1960
While the name would certainly suggest a homegrown original, the Chicago Printed String Company could actually trace its beginnings about 4,500 miles to the east,
American Bird Products, Inc., est. 1926
Museum Artifact: American 3 Vees Bird Nesting, c. 1940s
Made by: American Bird Products, Inc., 2610 W. 25th Place, Chicago, IL
Starting with the pet canary craze of the ‘20s and ‘30s up through the post-war budgie boom, Chicago’s American Bird Products, Inc. (aka the American Bird Food MFG Co. and American Bird Corp.) established a nice niche for itself—evolving from a mere seed supplier into something more like a lifestyle brand for the feathered set.
Carl Goldberg Models, Inc., est. 1955
Museum Artifact: Stunt Man 23 Model Airplane Kit, c. 1970
Made By: Carl Goldberg Models, Inc., 4734 W. Chicago Ave., Chicago, IL
Unless you’ve been a model airplane enthusiast at some point in your life, the name Carl Goldberg might not mean much to you. For several generations of young, aspiring aeronautical engineers, however, his work probably mattered more than anything Charles Lindbergh ever did.