The Original "True Value" Souvenir Tag...Other Relics

[soupie]

I have been out in the cornfields and beanfields digging the last few hunts...the locations where all previous homesites that are long gone...there has not been many coins,but an interesting relic or two is just as good in my book...the souvenir tag is my favorite of the bunch...I have included a history of the company it was from....Hillard Spencer Bartlett & CO.. enjoy and HH Soup







Hibbard, Spencer, Bartlett & Co.
This leading hardware dealership was the descendant of a Chicago store called Tuttle, Hibbard & Co., which took that name in 1855 when William G. Hibbard became a partner. In 1865, Hibbard was joined by Franklin F. Spencer, and the enterprise was renamed Hibbard & Spencer. By 1867, the company's annual sales of hardware had reached $1 million. When longtime company employee A. C. Bartlett became a partner in 1882, the company's name became Hibbard, Spencer & Bartlett & Co. When Spencer died in 1890, the company was already among the leading wholesalers of hardware in the United States. In 1903, the year Hibbard died, the company opened a 10-story warehouse next to State Street Bridge in downtown Chicago. In 1932, the company introduced a new line of hand tools under the brand name “True Value.” By 1948, Hibbard's annual sales reached nearly $30 million. Business slowed and profits were shrunk, however, as new hardware cooperatives began to bypass traditional wholesalers. In 1962, the company's owners, who wanted to move into the real-estate business, sold the hardware operations and the “True Value” brand to John Cotter

[daroofa]

Good stuff...like the tag/watch fob and the interesting history behind it. I wonder if the "flashlight" piece could be an eye piece from an old kaleidoscope

[treasurefiend]

Lots of great relics, that fob is AWESOME!!!!

[soupie]

Daroofa,thanks for the reply.....interesting theory,kaleidoscope? might be on to something there ....HH Soup

[etrac007]

awesome tag!

[Dirt fishing Wolf]

Interesting things Soupie.

[soupie]

Thanks for the replies all....just curious any of you Chicago guys know if True Value still resides at the State Street Bridge location? They are still headquartered in chicago....thats all I know....Soup

[Prairie Prowler]

Nice finds ..from the looks of them an old spot ..I found the exact same fob up North here .. H-Hing

[soupie]

Thanks for the reply Prairie Prowler,the homesite the tag or fob came from was established in the mid 1800's,items such as this really catch my interest,lots of history in that tag ,other items from this site,several IH have surfaced and a few wheats,tons of copper pieces and about 100 copper rivets,the best find there was made by my huntin bud MattW a couple weekends ago...he scored a CW Infantry button...lucky %$#@* ...again thanks for the reply and HH Soup

[Pocket Spill]

Nice group of vintage items!

[watercolor]

That watch fob is awesome

Lot of old stuff there

[soupie]

Thanks Watercooler

[dirtyJohn]

Excellent group of finds! Thanks for the history, it's way more interesting than coins anyday. Congrats!
HH
John