On Tuesday I went back to the site where I found the military breastplates last year, unfortunately I didn’t find any this trip. Although, I did find an 1882 glass bridle rosette, 6 Isaac Campbell Knapsack Loops and a heavy brass reins guide. The rosette has patent dates of Mar. 14, 82 & Aug. 12, 84 stamped into the back. Through online research I found this rosette was made by the Enterprise Manufacturing Company. Bridle rosettes have existed since ancient times. However, in the United States, the Enterprise Manufacturing Company owned by the Pfleuger family of Akron, Ohio produced the greatest number and types of bridle rosettes. I've also included a picture here of what some of the other rosettes looked like that Enterprise produced.
The Enterprise Manufacturing Company was founded by Earnest F. Pfleuger, an orphaned German immigrant born in 1843. At age 6, the young Pfleuger, like many children of that era was working, first in a bakery and then, between the ages of eight and 14, in a stove foundry. It was there that he apprenticed in the molder’s trade. In 1860, Pfleuger moved to Akron, Ohio and worked as a grocer. However, the grocery business was not to be the innovative Pfleuger’s only career as he spent his spare time working on inventions. Along with a horse headlight, Ernest Pfleuger invented horse harness and bridle rosettes. Eventually, he began traveling around the country selling his homemade inventions and making enough money to start the Enterprise Manufacturing Company. By 1880, the inventive Pfleuger had patents on more than 50 original devices.
As time went on, the Enterprise Manufacturing Company, which formally incorporated in 1886, started producing other items in addition to harness and bridle rosettes, such as fishing lures and tackle and springs attached to the sweat pads for horse collars. On February 18, 1891, the Enterprise Manufacturing Company was nearly completely destroyed by a fire. The fire claimed the life of Miss Nettie Cruse, a forewoman who was pouring alcohol into a pan of melted wax which ignited. It quickly spread from the second floor of the factory and destroyed all but the walls of the building.
Thanks for looking,
Dave
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