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Failing Optical Co. Business Card – What’s in a name?

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    Posted 10 years ago

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    rniederman
    (348 items)

    Over the years I’ve been amused with odd names of photographic equipment and makers that occasionally appear. “Failing Optical” of Buffalo, N.Y. is one of my favorites. After all, how does that name instill consumer confidence?

    Best known for spectacles and eye glasses and “everything optical,” the Failing Optical Company also sold Kodak cameras and equipment under its own name. I know of a really nice red bellows American folding plate camera with a “Failing Optical” maker’s label, but I just cannot seem to get the collector to part with it.

    Anyhow, for everyone’s enjoyment here is an original Failing Optical Co. business card (late 1890s to early 1900s). Let’s face it ... it’s a silly name worth a smile.

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    Comments

    1. Alan2310 Alan2310, 10 years ago
      Great Antique Card, graphic are awesome.
      Typical of Victorian era.
      Love it.
      Alan
    2. walksoftly walksoftly, 10 years ago
      I think they should have used Mr Gray's name!
    3. Belltown Belltown, 10 years ago
      Briefly, we took our kids to a dentist named Dr. Ow. A few years back, I went to an orthopedic surgeon whose last name is pronounced "aching"....
    4. rniederman rniederman, 10 years ago
      Thanks!
      vetraio50
      aghcollect
      Alan
    5. rniederman rniederman, 10 years ago
      Thanks!
      John
      Sean
    6. SEAN68 SEAN68, 10 years ago
      your very welcome Rob!!!
    7. rniederman rniederman, 10 years ago
      Thanks!
      Hunter
      David
    8. scottvez scottvez, 10 years ago
      It must have been really important to him to see his name on his Failing business!

      scott
    9. rniederman rniederman, 10 years ago
      Thanks!
      Manikin
      Scott
    10. rniederman rniederman, 9 years ago
      Thanks!
      pw-collector
      BinaryReflex
    11. Sstrave, 3 years ago
      I have a lovely thermometer with the Failing Optical Co logo at Main St in Buffalo.
      Got it for my wife because it had a blue fluid in the thermometer.
    12. rniederman rniederman, 3 years ago
      Hi, Sstrave. Please post the thermometer.
    13. rniederman rniederman, 3 years ago
      Thanks!
      ttomtucker
      AnythingObscure

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