"SHSI Certificate of Recognition"
"Best on the Web"


Encyclopedia Dubuque

www.encyclopediadubuque.org

"Encyclopedia Dubuque is the online authority for all things Dubuque, written by the people who know the city best.”
Marshall Cohen—researcher and producer, CNN

Affiliated with the Local History Network of the State Historical Society of Iowa, and the Iowa Museum Association.




BECKER-HAZLETON COMPANY: Difference between revisions

From Encyclopedia Dubuque
Jump to navigation Jump to search
No edit summary
No edit summary
Line 3: Line 3:
[[Image:bhchina2.jpg|left|thumb|200px|Imported cup.]]
[[Image:bhchina2.jpg|left|thumb|200px|Imported cup.]]
[[Image:bhchina.jpg|left|thumb|200px|]]
[[Image:bhchina.jpg|left|thumb|200px|]]
BECKER-HAZELTON COMPANY. C.H. Becker and H.S. Hazleton formed a crockery and glassware business in 1888, incorporated in Dubuque as the Becker-Hazleton Company in 1903. The firm grew rapidly after incorporation, importing and wholesaling its products throughout the Midwest.  
BECKER-HAZELTON COMPANY. [[C. H. LITTLE-BRUCE COMPANY]], the predecessor, was a crockeryy and glassware business organized in 1888. C.H. Becker and H.S. Hazleton the Becker-Hazleton Company in 1903. The firm grew rapidly after incorporation, importing and wholesaling its products throughout the Midwest.  


          "One of the largest commercial institutions
The company offered fine china from England, France, Japan, Germany and Austria. From England, the famous dinnerware of Johnson Bros. amounted to imports of five hundred crates annually. In the same period of time, two carloads of Haviland & Company china was imported from France. Japan accounted for annual imports of four cars while Germany exported twenty-five cars to the Dubuque firm.
          in the city is that of Becker-Hazleton Company.
          The firm imports and wholesales crockery,glassware,
          lamps and china fancy goods. A large amount of
          wares are brought from England, France, Germany,
          Austria and Japan. This firm is one of the  
          largest importers in the west, bringing the
          foreign goods, which come in bond, directly
          from the European and oriental countries.  
            (A local newspaper account)


[[File:beckerhazad.jpg|200px|thumb|left|1948 advertisement]]In 1911 the company's offices, store and warehouse were located at 537-545 Main Street. Duties on goods were paid in Dubuque, which was the port of entry, and collected at the [[DUBUQUE CUSTOM HOUSE AND POST OFFICE]]. Among the brands handled by the company were dinner ware from Johnson Brothers in England; English China from Stoke-on-Trent, England; and luncheon sets and other special service dishes. Domestic dinner ware generally came from Liverpool, Ohio where the largest potteries in America were located.
[[File:beckerhazad.jpg|200px|thumb|left|1948 advertisement]]In 1911 the company's offices, store and warehouse were located at 537-545 Main Street. Duties on goods were paid in Dubuque, which was the port of entry, and collected at the [[DUBUQUE CUSTOM HOUSE AND POST OFFICE]]. Among the brands handled by the company were dinner ware from Johnson Brothers in England; English China from Stoke-on-Trent, England; and luncheon sets and other special service dishes. Domestic dinner ware generally came from Liverpool, Ohio where the largest potteries in America were located. Crystal glassware was imported from England.


By 1914 the company had outgrown its four-story, 30,000-square-foot sales and storage building on Main Street. The partners commissioned Dubuque architect John Spencer to design a large warehouse near the tracks of the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad on Iowa Street - the former site of the Dubuque City Mills (1847; 1861) and the Key City Barrel Company (c.1880).  
By 1914 the company had outgrown its four-story, 30,000-square-foot sales and storage building on Main Street. The partners commissioned Dubuque architect John Spencer to design a large warehouse near the tracks of the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad on Iowa Street - the former site of the Dubuque City Mills (1847; 1861) and the Key City Barrel Company (c.1880).  
Line 32: Line 23:


Source:
Source:
"Iowa's Largest Importers of Chinaware Are in Dubuque," ''Telegraph Herald'', January 26, 1910, p. 1


Historic American Buildings Survey. memory.loc.gov/pnp/habshaer/ia/ia0200/ia0289/.../ia0289data.pdf
Historic American Buildings Survey. memory.loc.gov/pnp/habshaer/ia/ia0200/ia0289/.../ia0289data.pdf

Revision as of 02:43, 22 November 2014

Photo courtesy: Jim Massey
Displayed merchandise. Photo courtesy: Photographer unknown, “[Displays in the Becker Hazelton china shop],” Loras College Digital Collections, accessed April 11, 2014, https://digitalcollections.loras.edu/items/show/223.
Imported cup.
Bhchina.jpg

BECKER-HAZELTON COMPANY. C. H. LITTLE-BRUCE COMPANY, the predecessor, was a crockeryy and glassware business organized in 1888. C.H. Becker and H.S. Hazleton the Becker-Hazleton Company in 1903. The firm grew rapidly after incorporation, importing and wholesaling its products throughout the Midwest.

The company offered fine china from England, France, Japan, Germany and Austria. From England, the famous dinnerware of Johnson Bros. amounted to imports of five hundred crates annually. In the same period of time, two carloads of Haviland & Company china was imported from France. Japan accounted for annual imports of four cars while Germany exported twenty-five cars to the Dubuque firm.

1948 advertisement

In 1911 the company's offices, store and warehouse were located at 537-545 Main Street. Duties on goods were paid in Dubuque, which was the port of entry, and collected at the DUBUQUE CUSTOM HOUSE AND POST OFFICE. Among the brands handled by the company were dinner ware from Johnson Brothers in England; English China from Stoke-on-Trent, England; and luncheon sets and other special service dishes. Domestic dinner ware generally came from Liverpool, Ohio where the largest potteries in America were located. Crystal glassware was imported from England.

By 1914 the company had outgrown its four-story, 30,000-square-foot sales and storage building on Main Street. The partners commissioned Dubuque architect John Spencer to design a large warehouse near the tracks of the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad on Iowa Street - the former site of the Dubuque City Mills (1847; 1861) and the Key City Barrel Company (c.1880).

Once the plans had been completed, competitive proposals for the building's construction were solicited; low bidder among the eight respondents, prominent Dubuque contractor ANTON ZWACK INC. was awarded the contract. Zwack, who had completed the similar Dubuque Paper Company Warehouse four doors north earlier that year, began excavating for the foundations in the fall of 1914, and he completed the building for the reported cost of $70,000 the following year.

The 1939 through 1957 Dubuque City Directory listed 280 Iowa as the address.

In 1959 the Becker-Hazelton Company was purchased by G. J. Hohnecker who established HOHNECKER'S in Dubuque.

Letterhead. Photo courtesy: Bob Reding
Image courtesy of Bob Reding

---

Source:

"Iowa's Largest Importers of Chinaware Are in Dubuque," Telegraph Herald, January 26, 1910, p. 1

Historic American Buildings Survey. memory.loc.gov/pnp/habshaer/ia/ia0200/ia0289/.../ia0289data.pdf