PLEASE READ BEFORE BUYING! I sell ONLY ORIGINAL items and NOT ANY reproductions

This sale is for TWO

ADVERTISING Billheads

It is from

THE SIMMONS HARDWARE COMPANY

Located in

ST. LOUIS MISSOURI

Circa 1931

The top item is not dated, but was in a l1931 edger of billheads from the Bonham Hardware store in Bonham Texas.  The second one has a handwritten year of 1931. At the time of creating this listing, I have another similar billhead with a color logo of 

Keen Kutter. (see second image of logo)

Historical Notes found on line:

The Simmons Hardware Company was a Hardware Manufacturer based in St. Louis with location in six states. The company was founded by Edward C. Simmons in 1874 and he retired in 1898. His son, George Welch Simmons, started working in the company in 1901, first driving trucks and then becoming the general manager.  Later he became vice-president of all the warehouses.  Simmons was a Distinguished Successful Americans of his Day in 1912.

L. E. Crandall was originally working as part of the Churchill Hardware Company. After entering into a partnership with the Simmons Hardware Company, he became well known as a salesman by traveling through Illinois. Crandall became a sales manager at the St. Louis warehouse due to this reputation, later becoming General Sales Manager of all locations. His office was in New Haven Connecticut.

The company's stock consisted of many items, including ammunition, knives, mincers, wires, and even dog collars. They defined its products saying,

"If you can't eat it, and it don't pour or fold, it's hardware".

Salesmen were employed to sell either all items or specific items.  By 1880, the Simmons Hardware Company applied the name to all of the company’s top-of-the-line cutting tools including axes, hatchets, saws, knives, scythes, adzes, bill hooks, shears, scissors, files, stones & razors. By 1900, the Keen Kutter catalogue included every conceivable type of tool & hardware item needed by carpenters, mechanics, gardeners, farmers & handymen of any discipline.Keen Kutter tools were manufactured by the company, and are now collectibles. The book Keen Kutter Planes lists over 800 items from the brand.

The company had used an aggressive system of business where it aimed to buy up its suppliers so that it had the choice of best machinery and they could give priority to their needs. The company would then sell off the excess capacity in these companies. Their Keen Kutter brand advertised nationally, and the KK initials were used for several of their other brands. In 1902 they bought the Walden Knife company in Walden New York. This was of interest when the Winchester Repeating Arms Company decided to include knives among their products. They merged with the Simmons Hardware Company, and moved the Walden machinery from New York to their base in Connecticut. The Winchester and Keen Kutter brands flourished during the 1920s but in 1929 they agreed to separate and Simmons returned to their core business.  

CONDITION:  Normal letter folds, visible toning, and in good condition.  They "EBAY ITEM" thing is just a loose piece of paper that is not attached to the billhead.

Approximate size of billheads is 6 1/4" X 11".  

If you have any questions, please contact me.

TERMS & CONDITIONS:

Payment to Ebay upon purchase.  Free shipping to the continental U.S. only.  When you receive your item, PLEASE leave feedback (I will see it) and I will reciprocate feedback at that time. 

PLEASE visit my Ebay store items for related ephemera, antique documents, and paper collectibles at TexasJohnnyboy Ephemera!

THANK YOU VERY MUCH and GOOD LUCK TO YOU.