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October 31, 2021
Mitchell, Vance and Company
It was in 1854 with John Shelton Mitchell (1817-1875) opened Mitchell, Bailey, and Company in his home state of Connecticut. Samuel B. H. Vance (1814-1890) had been involved with several gas fixture firms including with Mitchell Bailey. In 1860 he became co-partner and the Mitchell, Vance, and Company was created.
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April 18, 2021
William Henry Rand and Andrew McNally Map the Country
In 1858, Andrew McNally walked into Rand’s printing shop and asked for work. Andrew was born in Armagh, Ireland, and had come to the the United States through New York City in 1857. McNally was also a printer by trade, and with his expertise he quickly went from printer, to foreman, to partner. By 1859, Rand and McNally were running all of the Chicago Tribune's printing. After the Civil War was over, William Henry sold his interest in the Chicago Tribune and focused on his growing business. Rand, McNally and Company was officially incorporated in 1868.
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March 22, 2021
Bernhard Gloecker and the Science of Hanging Meat
The Bernard Gloekler Company was literally in the nuts and bolts of the business, designing and manufacturing latches, locks, and hinges to refrigerators for all kinds of end users including florists and bakers. Still, that brings the story to 1887 and Charles Gloekler’s hanging meat rack featuring ornate additions to the wall-mounted brackets to help distribute/cushion the weight of a full rack.
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March 08, 2021
The Lit History of Electric Hair Dryers
Allied Beauty Products Manufacturing Company produced beauty products and were known for their wave-creating machine, one of their “Fifth Avenue Product” line. Working in association with a fellow Chicago metal company Aridor (a subsidiary of Ball Brothers jar company) they manufactured these hair dryer beauties.
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February 22, 2021
Sign Collector - James T. Polk & The First American Milk Pasteurization
James T. Polk lived a life that was quite an adventure down to the very end. From canning to milking to constructing a milk-bottle shaped factory, Polk was "Always Ahead".
