Posted 13 years ago
cocacolaki…
(132 items)
To be honest... I just bought this thing because it had cool graphics, and the price couldn't be beat ($6). I don't really know where sign would be clamped to, but it's advertising Foster Ideal Beds. I think it's from the late teens to the early 20's. Anybody got a guess?
Hey CCKid give this a little read.... FOSTER, WILLIAM S., president of the Foster Brothers Manufacturing Company of Utica, was born in Durhamville, Oneida county, February 15, 1848, and is the fifth of six sons of Orson Foster, a native of Litchfield, Conn., born in June, 1809. Orson Foster lived in Clinton, N.Y., during his youthful life, and about 1835 settled in Durhamville. He was a farmer, millwright, and contractor, prominent in local affairs, and served two terms as supervisor. He died in Utica in February, 1893. He married Dulina A. Smith, of Verona, whose death occurred in 1891. Their children were Albert N., deceased, Oscar S., of Utica; Charles M., deceased; Theodore, of Utica; William S., of Utica; and Niles H., of St. Louis, Mo. William S. Foster conducted his father's farm for a time. His brother, Oscar S., had become a partner and finally sole owner of the furniture manufacturing business of C.T. Segar & Co., in Utica, which was originally established by Mr. Segar in a building on John street in 1871. In January, 1881, William S. Foster purchased a half interest in the concern under the firm name of C.S. Foster & Brother, which in 1885 was changed to Foster Brothers. In April, 1892, the establishment was incorporated with a capital of $70,000, and adopted the present style of the Foster Brothers Manufacturing Company with William S. Foster as president and Oscar S. Foster as secretary and treasurer. January 1, 1888, the concern occupied its present plant on Broad street, and in the fall of 1893 the manufacture of iron beds, brass trimmed, was commenced. Prior to that the business had been confined to the manufacture of springs and spring beds, woven wire cots, cribs, etc. Now all these articles are manufactured on a large scale and about seventy-five hands are employed, the trade extending throughout the United States. They are also interested in the Foster Brothers Manufacturing Company of Baltimore, Md., of which Oscar S. is president; the Foster Brothers Manufacturing Company of St. Louis, of which Oscar S. is president and Niles H. is secretary and treasurer; and is also interested in the Rome Metallic Bedstead Company of Rome, N.Y. (p. 304-305)
If I had to guess, I'd say the round rust rings suggest it was strapped to the top of a bed spring.
That'd be my guess as well. Cool graphics