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page 29 -- Hubbard & Norton, Edwin C. Burt & Co., Columbia Bicycle, Hartford Chemical Works, Ayer's Sarsaparilla

updated 28 May 2018
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published by Major & Knapp Engraving, Manufacturing & Lithographic Co.
Hubbard & Norton, 185 Main St., New Britain CT
 According to Wikipedia, "Edwin C. Burt (July 1818 – May 23, 1884) was the owner of Edwin C. Burt & Co., a manufacturer of shoes, and director of the Hanover Insurance Company."

The Wikipedia article presents another famous Burt card:


Additional info is on page 171 of the Earl J. Arnold Advertising Card Collection.
Edwin C. Burt & Co. was located at 287 Fulton St., Brooklyn NY
Nolan Bros. of San Francisco was a wholesaler of a fairly well-known line of women's shoes. Evidently, they were waterproof with accessories.

Google Books reproduces a document concerning a change of ownership at Nolan Bros. that gives us some insight into the business:




Boarding the trolley. Market St., San Francisco CA
near the site of Nolan Bros.
Google Street View July 2009







While it's still possible to purchase a Columbia bike in 2015 (Columbia Manufacturing Inc. • One Cycle Street • Westfield, MA 01085 • Phone: (413) 562-3664 • Fax: (413) 568-5345), it's the beginnings of Columbia that is commemorated on the trade cards in the Earl J. Arnold Advertising Card Collection. The type of bike (60" high wheel) on this card probably dates from the founding of the Pope Manufacturing Company in 1877. Here's a summary of what the Columbia history page has to say about this period of company history:

1877 - Pope Manufacturing Co. organized by Albert Pope, 45 High Street Boston.

1878 - New salesrooms at 87 Summer St., Boston MA; production of 60" high wheelers 
begins at Weed Sewing Machine Co., Hartford, CT.

Columbia Manufacturing, Google Street View, July 2013
     Clark's (see index for more info) take on the "highwheeler" bicycle could have been a promotion for bike helmets!          This card did not appear in the original scrapbook, but is a subsequent addition to the Arnold Collection.



Lavine Soap was manufactured by the Hartford Chemical Works, Hartford CT. More cards can be viewed on page 57 of the Earl J. Arnold Advertising Card Collection.

The Earl J. Arnold Advertising Card Collection was originally assembled by Emma Jane (Bailey) Arnold to catch the interest of her children. Hartford Chemical Works knew the advertising value of such a connection. They published a children's book:


Curious? View/download the entire Lavine Picture Book. (scanned by Diver @ 400dpi)

Here are some sample pages:





The back of the previous card.
(Good for sales, not so much for history!)

The New England Historical Society presents an excellent biographical summary of James Cook Ayer, who (surprise!) was more interested in advertising than medicine.

According to the Hagley Museum and Library, Ayer's Sarsaparilla "was nothing more than a simple beverage of sweetened, herb-flavored water...little different from the drink we now call root beer."

However, we have the whole story and you can judge for yourself. According to page 21 of Street, John Phillips. The Composition of Certain Patent And Proprietary Medicines. Chicago: American Medical Association, 1917, the composition of Ayers Sarsaparilla at that time was:

Note that this is a "Non-alcoholic revised formula."
Prior to the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906, alcohol might have been included.
Ayer also published an Almanac:

View/download the Ayer's Almanac for 1884. (Diver copy was missing last page.)

Here's a sample page from Ayer's Almanac:



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