Category: Bill’s History Corner

I love any demolition pictures. You know what they say, “a picture is worth a 1000 words,” so, I will not  be saying much. It is difficult to remember what a mess this place was, added on spaces to other added  on buildings. What a mess. I’ll bet there were several places where employees could hide for a couple  hours. 

Each of these four pictures is of the area at the rear of Coppes Commons where the quilt garden is now located. Doesn’t look the same does it?

In picture No. 1 you can see a couple employee cars (remember,  the factory never shut down). They are parked in the area where Lincoln St. is now located. What you  can discern from this picture is that the buildings look unused and abandoned with trees beginning to  grow next to the buildings. There are several items you can easily make out in this picture.

A single truck loading dock with blue colored cushions to  prevent cold air blowing in to the  buildings. (How old do you think the tree growing in front of the loading dock is?). 

Also, there are two saw dust bins.  One is at the right of the picture and a  much larger “silo” model at the left. That  big toy spinning top looking thing on the  top of the silo is called a “dust cyclone”.  The cyclone allows the dust to be  separated from the fast moving air by  having the heavier particles (sawdust) spin  around the larger inside diameter of the  bin and then fall into the silo while the  clean air is blown out the exit. Early on in  the history of the company, they burned  sawdust and scrap wood cutoffs in the  boilers.

Still located next to the two  original boilers is a machine referred to as  “the Hog” that ground up scrap wood and  blew it directly into the boilers to burn.  When the company ceased burning  sawdust has not been determined. As Coppes Historian, that information is  something I would like to know. My guess  is that the company stopped burning  sawdust when they switched from steam  engine powered line shaft machines to individual electric motors on the machines.

Individual electric  motors meant less need for steam from the boilers to power the steam engine, which powered the line  shafts, which turned the machines. Wow, talk about cause and effect. I want to be clear, burning scrap  wood cutoffs and burning sawdust is different. Scrap wood will burn “better,” making more heat than sawdust.

At this time (when this silo was built) in the factory’s production, they were making more  sawdust than they wanted or needed. Basically, by then, they only needed the boilers to heat the  buildings in the winter by sending steam in the heating pipes. What I’m trying to say is that they needed to store and then eliminate the sawdust, which is the reasons for the sawdust silos. I would hope they  sold it to area farmers as animal bedding, not landfill. 

Picture No. 2 shows the first layer of debris removed, exposing some of the smaller buildings that were  behind the trees in the first picture. The sawdust silo is still there, and I can’t be sure, but it looks as if  sawdust is spilling out of a gaping hole in the silo on the lower left side. Do you see the smaller BOBCAT  excavator near the base of the silo? Also, the elevator that was used to load trucks with sawdust. Is the  big excavator operator thinking “what do I want to attack next?”

Two reference points I want to point  out: the brick corner (right side) is the outside wall where we found the Coppes, Zook & Mutschler sign  painted on the bricks. On the lower left side is the cement colored corner of the coal bin (still there).  Coppes kept coal on hand in case of emergencies, or if they needed extra heat & power from the boilers. 

Picture No. 3 shows the inside corner of the back side of Coppes Commons almost as we know it today.  Looks like the demo team has brought in equipment to begin removing the large sawdust silo. This  picture gives it a larger scale than before. New windows and doors and the place will look like new. Well,  I guess there was a little brick work to repair. On the end of the white painted brick building, you can see  two of the fire doors that were throughout the old factory. These heavy doors were hung on an angled  track, when a fire got hot enough to melt the safety chain link the door would roll closed by the force of gravity, with the idea of stopping the spread of the fire. Each of these doors are made up of metal  covered hard wood and weigh several hundred pounds each. 

As it  looked like  last week.  Big  difference,  huh?

Welcome to this week’s history Corner. Thanks for checking in on me, and seriously, I need help understanding the receipts from this company. If you have been following this site for the past months, we have been digging into boxes of old company receipts from the Coppes, Zook & Mutschler Co. Most of the paper is from around 1900 to 1910. I can picture a new office employee wondering what in the world they should do with the massive volumes of paper receipts generated during the daily business activities. Maybe they thought “I don’t want to bother my boss with this, I’ll just put these receipts in a box”. And boy, are we sure glad they did just that. A full box of paper would seem more valuable than just a couple sheets of paper, so they were stored and never thrown away. 

So, now in 2020, we are trying to make sense out of the paper that was left behind in the factory. As I read each piece of paper, most of it will make sense. Some of it I may need to think about it for a while, but it usually makes sense. This History Corner receipt I have thought long and hard about and am still stumped. Here is where I need your help. I hope someone out there may know what the reason was for the Coppes, Zook & Mutschler Co. to purchase rugs and linoleum? Certainly, the company may have wanted rugs or linoleum for some of the offices, but the quantities in this receipt is staggering.

Dated Aug. 10, 1909, this receipt is from the Hallack–Deamer Carpet Co. Kansas City, MO.

I’ve listed the first items from this receipt with a small amount of editing to make it read better.

 #5011 -Amt.- 50 Dunlap Axminster Rugs   (size) 27X60   (price)$1.57 ½        (cost) = $78.75                                                                       

              Amt.- 15 Wool Art Squares     (size) 9X12 – 180 Sq. Yds. –  $.50 sq. yd.   =        $90.00

              Amt.- 50 Pro Brussels Squares  (size) 9X12 – 600 sq. yds. – $.50 sq. yd.  =       $300.00

              Register 46961 Henderson filler       107 yds.

              Register 46875 Henderson Filler   + 101 yds.                                                                                                                                                             

208 yds.            $22 ½                 =       $46.80

So, with the first 5-line items (115 rugs & padding ) the cost amounts to $436.80

The next group on this receipt is for 5 different kinds of “GRANITE” design linoleum, 644 yards @$122.36.     I’m almost sure I know what the linoleum was intended for, but the rugs, such a huge quantity.

Then more rugs, Smith-Axminster 6X9s          Qu   5        @  $10.00  ea.  =    $50.00

Then   –    Snyrna Rugs           30X60               Qu.   100         @ $1.40ea.   =$140.00

And   –   Dobson Velvet (?)       9 X 12         Qu   5                @ $14.55      = $72.75

Are you keeping up with this?  The top section of this one receipt is for (area??) 225 rugs, 100 of one type, 50 ea. of 2 others. Mostly smaller rugs, with one rug of 600 Square yards. What is going on? I can’t imagine what the purpose was for that many rugs and GRANITE pattern Linoleum.  Can you?

The rest (Bottom section) of this receipt is for different linoleums.  Apparently, the Carpet company had the skills and ability to inlay linoleum designs or patterns into a background piece of linoleum, this was designated as Cooks “A” or Cook’s “B”, or Scotch “B” Imp. Linoleum.  

1,942 Sq. yd. of linoleum was ordered.  That is enough for a 17,000 Sq. ft. building. Wow, that is huge.

OK, here is my idea. When the Coppes, Zook & Mutschler Co. began making kitchen cabinets, the only method they knew of for making the work table portion of a kitchen cabinet was to construct it from clear straight grained (light in color) wood, with no covering. I imagine that they quickly learned this work surface did not wear well and soon became rough and impossible to keep clean. By experimentation they discovered that linoleum would work for covering the cabinet’s work surface relatively will. The period when linoleum was used is not set in stone, but generally the years 1907 thru 1909 were the linoleum years. Soon to follow was sheet zinc, then sheet aluminum (food safe???) followed by the porcelain tops we know so well. The actual dates when the company may have changed from one material to another most likely overlaps. Customers could possibly order the top with Linoleum or Zinc or Aluminum at the same time. Eventually the porcelain tops were developed and Coppes began using them exclusively. In Nappanee, the Coppes, Zook & Mutschler Co. helped bring the Vitrious Company to town for the express purpose of making porcelain tops for the Dutch Kitchenets. In Indiana I have found references to several similar companies that supplids porcelain work surfaces to other kitchen cabinet manufacturers.

Well, that was my idea, and I was going to stick with it until more evidence surfaced. Guess what I found on the back of another piece of paper? I have told you of the Coppes’s incoming material inspection team. When these rugs and linoleum arrived at the factory the inspection team went to work counting each item and putting a check mark (one check for each item) On paper as they were counted to indicate how many of the items had arrived in good condition. The back side of the company inspection sheet has some names penciled in next to some of the items. The “office” was apparently going to receive two rolls of the linoleum. Other places were listed as “A Mutschler” 3 rolls; – “J. Nley” 2 rugs;  – “N. A. Leman” 49 ½ Yd Linoleum; –  “mens club” 2 rugs; –  “ACME Co.” Rugs & Linoleum ; –  “Office” 5 rolls linoleum and 3 rugs. Clearly some of the rugs and linoleum was intended to be used as floor coverings, but there was still a huge amount to be used for something else. I still think my idea may be correct, they were intending to use the linoleum from this shipment on the work surfaces of Dutch Kitchenets. What they were planning on for the rugs? Christmas gifts for employees? I told you I needed Help with this one. All answers & suggestions welcomed. I’ve scanned this receipt and the two railroad records below. Note the weight of this shipment at 9200 pounds.

Hello, Welcome to this weeks Bill’s History Corner. Hope you are staying safe.

The WEBER CHIMNEY COMPANY from Chicago had the contract to build the chimneys at the Coppes Brothers & Zook factory and also at the flour mill. This contract between the Weber Company and the Coppes Bros. & Zook Co. is dated March 5, 1918, during the First World War.

This time period in the Coppes Bros. & Zook factory had to be one of great optimism. Kitchen cabinets were selling like hot cakes to the point where the factory was building new buildings, finding more employees, and purchasing more machines, all with the expectation that producing kitchen cabinets was going to be a very good and long-term business model.

If you are wondering where the chimney is, it was demolished during the building cleanup in approx. 2008. Like several of the factory buildings, it had become unsafe and was crumbling.

Remember, the partnership breakup of the Coppes, Zook & Mutschler Co. occurred in 1912, and afterwards the Coppes Bros. & (Harold) Zook Co. decided to concentrate on one product line, that being kitchen cabinets along with operating the flour mill and the sawmill.

The previous company’s chimneys (at the Coppes factory and flour mill) were steel and made by the C. Volkman Company, and, according to the local Newspaper, were destroyed or damaged several times by severe storms. It seems likely that the Coppes management at that time (John & Frank Coppes & Harold Zook) were thinking they needed a better and more reliable Chimney for the increased output the factory was planning for. Maybe they were thinking they could not afford the down time another broken Chimney would cause. That is just speculation on my part, but it is interesting to speculate why the company would contract for two new chimneys during the middle of America’s involvement in the First World War. Why did they contract for the chimneys in that exact time period? Inquiring minds want to know. Maybe the local news papers had a story about it. I wish we had access to the Nappanee News Papers. As I understand it, the library is planning to digitize the old newspapers.

I scanned some more important pages of the 4-page contract for you to look at. The Weber Chimney Co. must have been a huge company with sales offices in 15 North American cities, plus Tokyo, Paris, Havana, and London, England. On the back page of the contract the company boasts of having built “the HIGHEST CHIMNEY in the world” in Japan. A chimney that was 570 feet tall (almost 2 football fields long), I don’t think I would want to work on the top of that.

The proposed chimney at the Coppes factory and flour mill were only going to be 83 feet and 6 inches high. Seems tiny compared to the one in Japan. The proposed price of this work was $1550.00 for each of the chimneys. The contract was signed by an Assistant Sales Manager from the Weber Co. and Frank Coppes, Pres. Of Coppes Bros. & Zook.

This is supposed to be Bill’s History Corner. In a way, I guess it still is but I don’t feel good about it. Anyhow, welcome to this week’s history Corner, thanks for checking in on me, and seriously, I need help understanding the receipts from this company. If you have been following this site for the past months, we have been digging into boxes of old company receipts from the Coppes, Zook & Mutschler Co. Most of the paper is from around 1900 to 1910.

I can picture a new office employee wondering what in the world they should do with the massive volumes of paper receipts generated during the daily business activities. Maybe they thought “I don’t want to bother my boss with this, I’ll just put these receipts in a box”. And boy, are we sure glad they did just that. A full box of paper would seem more valuable than just a couple of sheets of paper, so they were stored and never thrown away. So now in 2020, we are trying to make sense out of the paper that was left behind in the factory. As I read each piece of paper most of it will make sense. Some of it I may need to think about it for a while, but it usually makes sense.

This History Corner receipt I have thought long and hard about, but I am still stumped. Here is where I need your help. I hope someone out there may know what the reason was for the Coppes, Zook & Mutschler Co. to purchase rugs and linoleum. Certainly, the company may have wanted rugs or linoleum for some of the offices, but the quantities in this receipt are staggering.Dated Aug. 10, 1909, this receipt is from the Hallack–Deamer Carpet Co. Kansas City, MO.I’ve listed the first items from this receipt with a small amount of editing to make it read better below the image. 

#5011

50 (amt.) Dunlap Axminster Rugs  27 X 60 (size)   $1.57 ½ (price)   = $78.75 (cost) 

15 Wool Art Squares 9X12 – 180 Sq. Yds. $.50 sq. yd.   =        $90.00                

50 Pro Brussels Squares  9X12 – 600 sq. yds. $.50 sq. yd.  =       $300.00               

Register 46961 Henderson filler       107 yds.               

Register 46875 Henderson Filler   + 101 yds

= 208 yds at $.22 1/2 (per yd. for a total cost of) $46.80

So, with the first 5-line items (115 rugs & padding ) the cost amounts to $436.80 

The next group on this receipt is for 5 different kinds of “GRANITE” design linoleum; “644 yards @$122.36.”     I’m almost sure I know what the linoleum was intended for, but the rugs, such a huge quantity. Then more rugs:

“Smith-Axminster 6X9’s          Qu   5        @  $10.00  ea.  =    $50.00” 

Then   –    “Snyrna Rugs           30X60               Qu.   100         @ $1.40ea.   =$140.00”

And   –   “Dobson Velvet       9 X 12         Qu   5                @ $14.55      = $72.75”

Are you keeping up with this?  The top section of this one receipt is for (area??) 225 rugs, 100 of one type, 50 ea. of 2 others. Mostly smaller rugs, with one rug of 600 Square yards. What is going on? I can’t imagine what the purpose was for that many rugs and GRANITE pattern Linoleum.  Can you?

The rest (Bottom section) of this receipt is for different linoleums.  Apparently, the Carpet company had the skills and ability to inlay linoleum designs or patterns into a background piece of linoleum. This was designated as Cooks “A” or Cook’s “B”, or Scotch “B” Imp. Linoleum;  1,942 Sq. yd. of linoleum was ordered.  That is enough for a 17,000 Sq. ft. building. Wow, that is huge.

OK, here is my idea. When the Coppes, Zook & Mutschler Co. began making kitchen cabinets, the only method they knew of for making the work table portion of a kitchen cabinet was to construct it from clear straight-grained (light in color) wood, with no covering. I imagine that they quickly learned this work surface did not wear well and soon became rough and impossible to keep clean. By experimentation, they discovered that linoleum would work for covering the cabinet’s work surface relatively will.

The period when linoleum was used is not set in stone, but generally, the years 1907 thru 1909 were the linoleum years. Soon to follow was sheet zinc, then sheet aluminum (food safe???) followed by the porcelain tops we know so well. The actual dates when the company may have changed from one material to another most likely overlaps. Customers could possibly order the top with Linoleum or Zinc or Aluminum at the same time. Eventually, the porcelain tops were developed and Coppes began using them exclusively.

In Nappanee, the Coppes, Zook & Mutschler Co. helped bring the Vitreous Company to town for the express purpose of making porcelain tops for the Dutch Kitchenets. In Indiana, I have found references to several similar companies that supplied Porcelain work surfaces to other kitchen cabinets manufactures. Well, that was my idea, and I was going to stick with it until more evidence surfaced. Guess what I found on the back of another piece of paper?

I have told you of the Coppes’s incoming material inspection team. When these rugs and linoleum arrived at the factory the inspection team went to work counting each item and putting a checkmark (one check for each item) on paper as they were counted to indicate how many of the items had arrived in good condition. The backside of the company inspection sheet has some names penciled in next to some of the items. The “office” was apparently going to receive two rolls of the linoleum. Other places were listed as “A Mutschler” 3 rolls; – “J. Nley” 2 rugs;  – “N. A. Leman” 49 ½ Yd Linoleum; –  “mens club” 2 rugs; –  “ACME Co.” Rugs & Linoleum ; –  “Office” 5 rolls linoleum and 3 rugs. Clearly some of the rugs and linoleum were intended to be used as floor coverings, but there was still a huge amount to be used for something else. I still think my idea may be correct, they were intending to use the linoleum from this shipment on the work surfaces of Dutch Kitchenets. What they were planning on for the rugs? Christmas gifts for employees? I told you I needed Help with this one. All answers & suggestions welcomed. I’ve scanned this receipt and the two railroad records below. Note the weight of this shipment at 9200 pounds.

Welcome to Bill’s History Corner. I’ve been working on this list for while now, thought it was time to share it with everyone. Surprising how many companies jumped on the Hoosier Cabinet bandwagon in the early part of the 20^th century. I’m still promoting Newspapers .com as a method for researching. Free trial, check it out.

Below is our (Coppes Commons) collected list of Hoosier Cabinet manufacturers as of Oct. 1st, 2020.  

Disclaimer-Names of Manufactures were found in many places, including EBAY listings, cabinets in antique stores, advertisements in magazines, newspapers, trade journals, etc. In most cases, I saw a likeness of a cabinet or an actual kitchen cabinet that was constructed in the style of Hoosier Cabinets. A date is the date of an advertisement. My definition of a Hoosier cabinet is A cabinet that is free standing, with distinct top and bottom sections, a work surface, and large amounts of storage.

Abernathy Furniture Co, Kansas City, MO

Acme Kitchen Furniture Co. Chattanooga, Tenn.  1917

Ariel Cabinet Company – Peru, Indiana ”Handyhelper”

Atchison Furniture Co.,   Atchison   KS   1902

Austell Furniture Company,  Austell, Georgia  

Baines, Mosier Company, Allegan, MICH.

Barnet kitchen Cabinet, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. 1922

Biederman Mfg. Co.  Spencerville, Ohio

Boone Kitchen Cabinet – Campbell-Smith-Ritchie Co. – Lebanon, Indian

Borden Cabinet Co. The Indiana.  Indianapolis IN.  1922

Border Kitchen Cabinet,  Bedford, In  1920

Border Queen Kitchen Cabinet,  1913-1917

Bosse kitchen Cabinets,   1909

Brownbilt kitchen cabinet,  F. K. Cox & Co.  Newmarket, Australia

California Kitchen Cabinet co.   1883

Cardinal Cabinet co. The,   Wabash, IN ,  1913

Chambers Kitchen Cabinet, The. , Maryville, TN   1896

Chatham Kitchen Cabinet,  -Manson Campbell Co, Chatham, Ont (Detroit) 1906 

Chief Keokuk, The better Kitchen Cabinet,  Akerson-Ringstrom Co. Keokuk, Iowa,

Colonial Cabinet Co.  St. Louis,   1915

Conroy’s High-Grade Kitchen Cabinet,   1909

Crawford-Bunch Furniture Co. Statesville, NC.  1915

Culinart, Frankfort, Ind.

Curtis Cabinet Co.  “Curtis woodwork”, Cabinet 1935—

Diamond Kitchen Cabinets – Shelbyville, Ind. The C.F. Schmoe Furniture Co.

Domestic Science kitchen Cabinet,   1927 

“DORCHESTER, THE”  Reg DESIGN  733539   GMWAHC

Dulin Anderson-Dulin Varnell Co. Knoxville, KY.

Easiwork Kitchen Cabinet, 242 Tottenham Court Road. LONDON, W. 1.

Elwell- Minneapolis Furniture Co. MN

Eureka Kitchen Cabinet,  1904

Falcon manufacturing Co. Big Rapids, Mich.  1918

Famous Line Borden Cabinets, BORDEN,  IND. 

Flemming Kitchen Cabinet,   Made in Vancouver, Canada

Galax Furniture & Lumber Co. Galax, VA. “MFRS. of Kitchen Cabinets, Bedroom Suites & Chiffoniers.”-          

Galox Kitchen Cabinet  (misspelling???)  1914

Glenwood kitchen Cabinet, Eastern Furniture Co.  Bangor, Maine.—1926

Globe-Bosse-World Furniture Co. “Kitchen Cabinets”. 

Greencastle – Greencastle Cabinet Co., Greencastle, Indiana

H. C. Niemann & Co. Rockwell St. Chicago, IL  

H. J. Scheirich, Louisville, KY, and Scheirich, Louisville, Kentucky.

Haire Kitchen Cabinet, The,   The Haire Kitchen Cabinet Co. Bristol, TENN

Ham Brothers Mfg. Kitchen Cabinets.  Brandford, Ont.

Harris – Brown table Co, Greenwood, Miss — Patented item? Sept 9, 1912

Harrison’s Patent Kitchen Cabinet.  1900

Hartman’s white beauty “Comfort” Kitchen Cabinet

Hastings, Hastings Cabinet Company, Hastings, Michigan. (Alme?)

Hathaway Kitchen Cabinets,  Carbondale, Pa.   1895

Haverty,   Haverty Furniture Co. Atlanta, GA. 

Helpmate Cabinet Co. The,  Little Rock Furniture Manu. Co.  Little Rock, ARK.

Hoosier Manufacturing Co.  New Castle, Indiana  

Hoover-Bond, Store brand, Hoover-Bond store, Lansing, Mich.

HOPPER Brand Kitchen Cabinet Cupboard,  Sioux City, Iowa.

Hudson Bay Company, The. Kitchen Cabinets,   1914

Hygena, Liverpool, England. 1930

Hygeno Sanitary Steel kitchen Cabinet.   1917

Ideal – Vincennes, Indiana, Vincennes Furniture Manufacturers, Vincennes Indiana.

I-X-L furniture Co (Goshen IN)  1916

JAP Sanitary Kitchen Cabinets  “made in Cinn.  “THE CINCINNATI FLY SCREEN CO.   1911

Joering and Pelchmann Co.   St Louis, MO

John Thomas, “Manufacture of Kitchen Cabinets, Galveston, Indiana”

Justrite Cupboards & Kitchen Cabinets,  Indiana Furniture Company, Evansville, IN  1915

Kelly foundry and Machine, Goshen, IN

Kemper Brothers, Founded in Feb 9, 1926 – Richmond, IN/Cincinnati, OH. —-

Keystone, Littlestown, PA Example with clock

King Mantel & Furniture Co. Knoxville, Tenn.  

Kinkead Combination Kitchen cabinet,    B.F. Kinkead, Inventor/Mfg. Emporia, KS.  1900

Kitchen Maid, Wasmuth-Endicott, Andrews, IND.

KITCHEN ola, “THA MASTER CABINET”  “THE McDOUGAL MASTERPIECE” 

Kitchen Queen,  unknown, 1930

Kitchenaid,    The H. E. Furniture Co., Limited, “Kitchenaid” ,  Milverton, Ontario 1913

KLANKE furniture co.  New Bremen, Ohio.   1908

Klemp Furniture Co. The H. W.,  Leavenworth, Kansas.  (often misspelled KEMP)

Knechtel Kitchen Kabinet Co.  Western Ontario, Ca.  1925

Kompass & Stoll Co. Niles, MI.    1905

KOZY_KITCH   The Electric Kitchenet Co. Fort Wayne, IN  1922

Kuchins Furn. Mfg. Co., St. Louis, MO “3 K Kitchen Cabinet, Keep, Kitchen, Kleen”

Lambeth Furniture Co. Thomasville, N.C.  “kitchen cabinets”  1921

Landau Cabinet Co, St Louis, Mo  1912

Leo Kahn Furniture Co. Memphis, Tenn. “Kitchen Cabinets” 1921

Little Rock Furniture Manufacturing Co., Little rock, Ark.  1915

Manson Cambell Company, The, Chatham, ONT. Detroit Mich. 

Marion Cabinet Co. The, by Dearborn Desk Manufacturing Co, Marion, IN.

Marsh – High Point, North Carolina (Marsh Furniture Company) 1924–38

McAnsh, Dwyer & Co. Chicago, IL.  1905

McClernan Metal Products Co. Dept H. 122S. Michigan Ave. Chicago, ILL

McClure. Marion, IN  1912

McDougald   different spelling  different company  ??????   1908

McDougall Co.   “Domestic Science, cabinet line made by McDougall Co.  Frankfort, Ind.

Miller’s BULT-RITE Line, Stoneville Cabinet Co, Stoneville, N.C.                                                                                                               

MONARCH   ???????? & CABINETS  (from label on cabinet) different than below?????

MONARCH BRAND,THE, L. HARBACH’S SONS CO. DES MOINES, IOWA 1928

Mother Hubbard’s New Cupboards, The Cardinal Cabinet Co. Wabash, IN.                           

Mutschler Bros. Manufacturing, Nappanee, IN.   1928

Napanee Dutch Kitchenet, Nappanee, IN (Coppes, Zook & Mutschler, Coppes Bros. & Zook, Coppes, INC.)

National” Cabinet, The National Screen & Manu. Co. Cincinnati, OH.

None Better  1911-15

Ohio State Stove & Mfg. Co. The, Columbus, Ohio (Royal Ossco all steel kitchen cabinet)

Oxford- 1930’s, Oxford, PA

Paul Manufacturing Co. Fort Wayne, IN    “goes out of kitchen cabinet Business, 1915” 

Perfection Colonial Cabinet Co. 2616 N. 15^th St. St. Louis, MO.   1915

Platter Beauty Cabinet, North Vernon, Ind.   Kitchen & bath room

Purity Kitchen Cabinet,  Louisville, KY  1924

Quaker Valley Mfg. Co.  Chicago, IL   1899

Red Wing Cabinet Co.  Red Wing, Minn.    1917

Royal Ossce, Metal Cabinet, sold in Dayton, Ohio    1916

Ruddy’s Single Step kitchen Cabinet.  Ruddy Mfg. Co. Brantford, Ont.   1926

Scheirich kitchen Cabinets “UNEXCELLED”  5 styles  1949

Schmoe, C. F., Diamond Special Kit. Cab.   Shelbyville, IN  1914

Sellers – Elwood, Indiana, had lines named Kitcheneed & Mastercraft

Showers Brothers Furniture Co. – Bloomington, Indiana

Spiegel’s kitchen cabinets.   1905

Springfield Model Kitchen Cabinet, Springfield Furniture Co., Springfield, MO

Square Rand, Chittenden & Eastman Co.   ?????on, IOWA,

Sutter kitchen cabinet,  Michigan ??? ,    1913

Tippycanoe, The, “THE TIPP BLDG. & MFG. CO. Tippycanoe City, Ohio. “Tippycanoe Kitchen Cabinets”,

Van Sciver Co. J.  B.,  Camden, N.J.  

W.B. Gifford Furniture Company? 

Wayne Cabinet, The, Sold in Dayton, Ohio. “Solid Oak”   (Store Brand ?)

White Barton Cabinet Company, ???

White House Kitchen Cabinet, The,  1914

Wilson – Grand Rapids, Michigan (sold by Sears)

Unsure of the following

Quality KIND, The,  Schmitt & Henry Mfg. Co.,  Des Moines, Iowa

Dearborn Mfg. Co.  Chicago. 1925 Newspaper ads.  used words kitchen cabinets only?

Kitchen Cabinets made by T. R. Chambers, Maryville, Tenn.  1896  

Following are possible store brands of Hoosier Style Kitchen Cabinets

“Barbara Blount”,   “our own private trademark”, Fowler Brothers Co.  Knoxville, 1933

“Kitchenola”,  Master Cabinet, The National Store, Washington D. C.  1915

“LIK-A-MAID” kitchen cabinets,   1922

Borden Kitchen Cabinet

Eagle Kitchen Cabinet,  Rhodes-Collins Furniture Co., Pensacola, FL

Ferguson Special Cabinet,  Ferguson Bros. Store, Coffeyville, KS

Gold Metal K. C.   “Mail & Breese Kitchen Cabinet Club”. Topeka, KS

Hoover-Bond,  Store brand, Hoover-Bond Furniture Store, Lansing, Mich

May-Sterns kitchen cabinets    1905

Paul Furniture Co. Fort Wayne, In   out of business 1915

Quaker kitchen cabinet    1898 – 1912

Sherman kitchen cabinets

Shryock

W. E. Kitchen Cabinet, 1914, Davis Furniture Co. Uniontown, PA

Wayne Kitchen Cabinet, From Dayton, Ohio

Related information

Kitchen Cabinet TINWARE, & HARDWARE  was  made by McCormick Bros. Co. Albany, Ind.

Ingram-Richardson Co. Frankfort, IN.  Manufactures of PORCILIRON work surfaces for Hoosier Mfg. Co.

Vitreous Products Company, Nappanee, In –  made porcelain tops for Napanee Dutch Kitchenet

Welcome to this week’s Bill’s History Corner. I’m going to be talking about dogs and hooks. It’s not at all what jumped into your mind; we are not going to be hooking dogs. I like dogs, but I like cats better.

We are still finding paper business receipts from the early days of the company, and in this History Corner, I really mean early; 1882 & 1883 are the years for these two receipts. In 1882, the business was named “J. C. Mellinger & Co.,” with John and Frank Coppes being the “& Co.” part of the name. John Mellinger was John & Frank’s older Brother-in-law who was operating the sawmill when the Coppes Brothers joined the business in 1876. By 1880, an older brother ,Samuel, also joined the business, and in 1883 the three Coppes Brothers purchased the business portion of the company owned by J. C. Mellinger. The company name then became “Coppes Bros. Co.” During this time, the (1880-1883) company operated the sawmill, selling retail and wholesale lumber. They purchased the box factory, owned by Mr. Strom, eventually moving it to the market Street site in 1884 and building a wheat elevator on the old box factory site at the railroad tracks in 1887. It was a busy time for them.

The first receipt I want to show is from REEVES & CO., Columbus, Ind.,  manufactures of the HOOSIER BOY CORN PLOW, REEVES’ STALK CUTTER, REEVES’ AUTOMATIC GATE, and a general line of farm machinery.  

The writing on this receipt appears to be very sloppy, but really that was caused by folding the paper before the ink was dry. This receipt is dated Feb. 20, 1882. The J. C. Mellinger & Co. ordered five (A. B. Reeves Pat.) “Cant Hooks” for a price of $10.00. I’ve hunted the Patent Office web site for the A. B. Reeves Pat. cant hooks but have not found it. I’m also sure that everyone knows what a CANT HOOK is, but just in case you may have forgotten, here is a drawing from an Eric Sloane book.

The Coppes sawmill workers moved 1000s of logs each year, the CANT HOOK gave the workers more leverage when attempting to move or roll heavy logs. Likely there were dozens of these tools at the sawmill and on the log wagons. I still don’t know how they loaded the huge logs onto wagons in the woods. Any thoughts about that?

As I was hunting for the cant hook patent, I did find several interesting things about the Reeves Co. In 1882, the time of this receipt, there were three members of the company management: Albert B. Reeves (remember the Patent) and his two nephews, Marshall T. Reeves and Milton M. Reeves. Among the three of them, they had more than 150 U.S. Patents, mostly for farm-related machinery. The Reeves Company grew into a huge company, producing a line of large steam engines, hit & miss engines, automobiles, and farm machinery. The Reeves Co. is also famous for producing the 8-wheel car pictured here. Wish I had one of them. Remember, these cars were made in Columbus, Ind. Makes me proud.

A second receipt I want to show is from May 11^th, 1882. J. C. Mellinger & Co. purchased 2 pair (does 2 pair mean 4? ) of Excelsior Mill Dogs at a price of $100.00. There was a 50% discount, so the total cost to Mellinger was $50.00.

Mill Dogs are the clamping part of the Saw-Mill carriage that the log rides on as it rolls past the saw blade. With each pass, a cut is made, and a board is cut off the log. The number of passes and the times the log was turned (rolled using cant hooks) on the carriage is determined by the size of lumber (boards) the sawyer wants to cut from each log.  Each time the log is turned it is then refastened with the mill dogs.

I found the patent drawing for a Knight Mill Dog, but notice the date on the patent drawing is eight months after the date on the receipt selling a patented mill dog.  The Knight’s patent mill dog apparently worked very good for the Coppes Bros. as they were promoting themselves as being agents (dealers?) for the Knight’s Patent Mill Dog in the local newspaper in 1881.

These receipts are a type of  spotlight on the business practices of the early years of the business. So far, these receipts (a box full) from 1879-1883 and some early pictures and ledgers are the only way we have of understanding the business. Other than these factual documents, there is little other information telling the day to day operation of the company. The Coppes Bros. were too busy with the day to day operations to think about their legacies. As far as I know, there are no diaries from any of the Coppes family.

I think it is safe to say, the three Coppes Bros. and their extended families greatly influenced the growth and very survival of our town. The kitchen cabinet industry has put Nappanee “on the map”.

Welcome to Bill’s History Corner. Part of my job as Historian is to find out things and answer questions. Questions usually include the words how, why, who, & when something happened. Typical questions are,

“When did the Coppes Bros. or Coppes Bros. & Zook Co. or the Coppes, Zook & Mutschler Co. begin making kitchen cabinets?”

“How many Kitchen Cabinets did Coppes make compared to the huge amount the Hoosier Mfg. Co. is reported to have made?”

One question I think I can answer with this History Corner is, “when and from whom did Coppes purchase enamelware that was supplied with cabinets as premiums or free gifts when purchasing a Coppes Napanee Cabinet?”

Selling Kitchen Cabinets in 1903-1925 was a highly completive undertaking. Cabinets were sold at that time through existing furniture stores. Each Hoosier Cabinet company that was attempting to sell cabinets needed a gimmick to get people into the stores and purchase a new kitchen cabinet. Most all cabinet companies went with the sale price of one dollar down and one dollar a week. When one company started this method, other companies needed to do the same in order to keep up.

Coppes (and other companies) also gave items with the purchase of any cabinet. Sets of dishes, sets of brushes, pots & Pans, Knife sets, Food, and enamelware, were given as gifts when a cabinet purchase was made. Often a hand mixer or a glass measuring cup with the Coppes, Zook & Mutschler, Napanee Dutch Kitchenet name was given as a gift just for coming into the store and looking at a Dutch Kitchenet. I guess the thinking was “get people into the store and see a Dutch Kitchenet and they will be an easy sell.”

This brings me to the point of this History Corner. We found receipts for enamelware in the old boxes of receipts we have been going through. Around 1902-12 Coppes, Zook & Mutschler co. was giving enamelware as a prize when the purchase of a Dutch Kitchenet was made. I am sure the cost of the enamelware was added to the price of the cabinet, but it was advertised as a gift. Below is a scan of the 1912 No. 1550 cabinet with the enamelware displayed. (clock, knife set, scales & food grinder also)

The NATIONAL ENAMELING & STAMPING CO., from Milwaukee, Wis. was the company receipt we found. In the receipt dated 1/6/11 this order was for 30 doz. # 33 COOKEY (sic) CUTTERS; 30 Doz?  # 53 1/2 D N? (what was this); and 30 Doz?  # 30 MEAS CUPS. While this receipt is unclear as to the quantity of items, it does give a clue  when it tells the weight of the order.

170 LBS of “COOKEY CUTTERS” and “MEAS CUPS” means a huge number of small light weight items in the order. While I have seen enamel measuring cups in antique stores, I do not think there is any way to identify these cups as the ones given by the C, Z & M co. However, I think I will pick up the next enamel cups I find and study then more closely.

The next receipt I want to show you is also from the National Enameling & Stamping co. Dated May 4, 1911. This order is for “1- Venetian Ware Asst” at a cost of $2.80 + $1.00 shipping. I can only guess as to what this order was. My guess is the C,Z & M Co. was searching for other pieces of enamelware that may work as prizes when a purchase of a Dutch Kitchenet was made.

Welcome to another Bill’s History Corner. Did you ever get into a situation that you thought would end soon, but it did not? This is one of those situations.  I was excited to find this information of the Coppes Inc. Company attempting to add washing machines to their product line. “This is strange and different,” I thought. “A kitchen cabinet company selling washing machines.” Does that sound strange to you? 

In the late 1920s, the Coppes Bros & Zook Co. had a cabinet line designed for apartments. This line was promoted to new apartments, in buildings of all sizes, in any city. The company named this line “SPECIALLY DESIGNED UNIT SYSTEMS FOR ALL TYPES OF BUILDINGS.” Special catalogs were created too. This cabinet line was sold through the ‘BUILDERS DIVISION” of Coppes Bros. & Zook, Inc. Some of these kitchen cabinets had built-in refrigerators, (ice boxes). 

Refrigerators and kitchen cabinets seem to go together. Washing machines and kitchen cabinets do not go together. I don’t get it. What was their thinking? Anyhow, the company seemed to go into the washing machine sales business in a large way. Having a dedicated over-the-road sales couple and advertising in a major department store is what I would say is a large attempt at selling washing machines.

I have a picture to show you and some advertising, at the end is where this History Corner takes an unexpected turn. Hang on.

I suppose they set up at County fairs and such. Or they could make personal appointments to show the Flex Washer. Life on the road, take your wife and job along.

L. S. Ayers was a huge department store chain with stores is major cities. Having this quality of store handling Coppes Washing Machines was a major coupe is the sales world. How many washers were sold and how long the connection lasted I do not know. These three newspaper advertisements were the only ones I could find.  Some of the advertising pictured the washing machines that were wrapped in white porcelain, which looked much better, while at the same time period some machines were still in the black paint.

The 3^rd advertisement is where this History Corner takes a turn in a different direction. The ad. is still promoting the Coppes Washing machine, but also in small print at the bottom is something else related to the Coppes Company.

Besides the Coppes Washing machine on sale for 454.98, this ad says “COPPES-NAPANEE Built-In KITCHEN ENSEMBLE     Factory List Price………..112.90

Anniversary Sale Priced     69.50

7 – Ft. straight – line Kitchen of fine Quality,      Coppes – Napanee construction. Includes 2 wall cupboards and all bases. Does not include sink, work top or instlation. All fine kiln dried hardwoods.

Tongue and groove construction. Choice of 18 colors, 5 of bakalike [bakelite] hardware.

8Ft Kitchen, List Price 143.80   ——  79.50

                                                                                    9ft Kitchen,  list Price 159.15   ——   89.50

This Newspaper advertisement is one of the first, if not the very first one, to promote the newer style of kitchens being developed by Coppes – Napanee. Coppes was still producing and selling the Dutch Kitchenet cabinet style in 1939 but were looking to keep up with the market place. The newer style kitchen was catching on fast with the American family. Keeping up with the marketplace may have been the reason for the washing machines added to the product line. I think we all know what became of the company as they began developing the newer “straight line” kitchens.

Here is the Coppes, Inc. choice of colors chart, made available in the late 30s. Which is your favorite?

Hello everyone, welcome to another exciting Bill’s History Corner. I think I have answered a mystery that I have been worrying about for several years. In approx. 2010 I copied any Coppes-related news item from the Nappanee News and put them in one book.

One of the unusual items that has puzzled me was this item from June 14^th, 1883.  The small news item read “Coppes Bros have placed into their box factory a machine for stamping letters on boxes. This firm spares no means to keep their work apace with the age of modern enterprise. The machine cost over $400.00.”    What did this mean: “Stamping letters on boxes?” was that letters like A, B & C? I could understand them wanting to put their name on the shipping boxes, but one letter at a time?  Why could a machine that stamped letters cost $400.00, when a workman could do the job with a hammer and set of letter punches?

Well, I can now answer that burning question. In the last box of business receipts, we found a receipt for a printing machine that printed on wood. This receipt corresponded with the date of the newspaper item, so I knew I was closing in on something meaningful.

The CROSS WOOD PRINTING CO. from Chicago advertised signs, wood printing presses and advertising specialties. Located at 23, 25, & 27 North Peoria Street. This receipt is for one “WOOD PRINTING PRESS” sold to Coppes Bros. of Napanee (note the one p) Ind. Two other receipts accompanied this one. A 2^nd receipt was for blue and red ink. Another receipt was for making  “brass Dies” (like printing stencils or printing plates) – three each for the EXCELSIOR STARCH CO. AND THE MUZZY STARCH CO.

The obvious intention was to print the starch company names onto the wooden shipping boxes that Coppes Bros. was manufacturing and selling to these two starch companies. The skeptical old man in me is thinking what the financial incentive was for printing the starch company’s names on the wood. Certainly, the printed names would make the boxes more recognizable in stores and increase sales. Did the starch companies pay extra for the printed names? Inquiring minds want to know.

I also found several receipts from the EXCELSIOR STARCH COMPANY, Elkhart, Ind. I assume the printing dies resembled this picture on the receipt. Not really sure, we are still hunting for an empty starch box from either company.

J. C. Mellinger & Co. was purchasing Gloss Starch (soap) and Corn Starch from the Excelsior Starch Co., but what they were using the soap for is everyone’s guess. Did they take it home for home laundry use, was there a use for the soap at the factory and sawmill?  A couple of the excelsior receipts have a note written on the bottom, “Starch shipped in cars” which means the boxes were placed into the empty rail road cars that were to be returned to the factory for the next load of knocked down starch boxes. Coppes Bros. had two huge box cars specially made to carry the lightweight wooden starch boxes.  I would have thought the larger box cars would have warranted a couple photographs, but so far none have surfaced. This receipt (above) is for 4 boxes of No. 1 Gloss Starch = 168 lbs. @ 6 ½ Cent/lbs., =$10.92.

And 2 boxes #1 Corn Starch, 80 Lbs. @ 6 ¾ Cents/ Lbs. =$5.40.

Free shipping, what a deal.

I hope everyone has a clean and safe week.