A piece of steel rope paperweight. This is a fascinating little piece of American industrial history. It is a cross section of steel rope that the company Broderick & Bascom (B & B) built their business in. These paper weights were both a form of early advertising and small functional desk accessory. A great way to keep in the mind, and eye line, of your clients, and a way to put the business in the minds of prospective ones.
The B & B factory began in Saint Louis, Missouri, in 1876 as the building of Capt. Eads bridge was undergoing construction. The pair of men teamed up with hemp rope maker William Mentz and set forward to manufacture steel rope for the bridge's construction. The process was very much by hand at the start, with the longest piece of hand made cable running a staggering four thousand feet long!
By 1951 the company owned and operated factories in St Louis, Seattle, Peoria and Houston. Branch office and warehouse stocks are also maintained in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Portland, Oregon. Distributors serving hundreds of industrial centers across the world. Due to the importation of cheaper steel, and the rise of unions the business scaled down to one plant in Sedalia, still suppling cables today to the iconic cable cars of San Francisco and rope to U.S Navy, and rather important "catch cables" on their aircraft carriers.
In 1904 the company exhibited at the Worlds Fair, held in St. Louis, at the Palace of Manufacturers, picking up an award. It is noted that by 1905 they were a pioneer in wire rope manufacturing and were employing over two hundred employees. Their products were at the core of most of the country's industrial output, in some form or another. Being used in mining, oil excavation, cable cars, construction of high rise buildings, in docks and switch ropes for the expanding railway network. Essentially, it would be fair to say, most of what drove the industrial revolution in America had a B & B cable involved somewhere along the line. Quite a remarkable story. They also contributed greatly during the War effort. During the 2nd World War B & B was awarded the Navy "E" for excellence, and presented a special flag from the Navy.
A fascinating piece, in its own right. Although not being very tall, the weight of it is quite surprising. One could only imagine what a spool of it would weigh. It has certainly seen some use over the years, but that adds to the 'industrial' charm of it. Looking at the base of the weight reveals all the cross sections of the different wires woven around the central rope column. The company name is stamped into the top steel ring, and there is a patent stamp on the side for December 10th 1895.
