Pairpoint Manufacturing Company

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Pairpoint Manufacturing Company

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THE PAIRPOINT MANUFACTURING COMPANY

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From the earliest ages, the art of the silversmith and goldsmith has been esteemed and honored, and the products of their genius have been purchased by kings and emperors. While, however, many beautiful specimens of these arts have been handed down to us, it has been reserved for American ingenuity to produce the most unique and splendid examples. Of all the great manufactories in the above lines none stand higher than the Pairpoint Manufacturing Company, whose plant is located at New Bedford, Massachusetts. The business was commenced in 1880 with a capital of $100,000, since increased to $400,000. The plant occupies several acres of ground, and is fitted out in the most thorough manner with every convenience and appliance that ample capital and a thorough knowledge of the requirements of business can procure. It employs some of the best designers and artists in the country, and as a consequence their goods are noted for the exceeding beauty and originality of their design. The trade, which reaches a very large annual sum total, extends all over the North American continent, South America, and even to Australia; their goods competing successfully with those of much older houses on their own ground. In the main factory over 500 hands are employed, exclusive of office help and commercial travelers. There are branch offices at 20 Maiden Lane, New York; 90-92 Wabash avenue, Chicago; and 220 Sutter street, San Francisco. The officers are all young men, but they have achieved a success which is granted to but few men in a lifetime. Manufacturing gold and silver-plated ware exclusively, they have gained an honorable position for the invariably superior quality of their goods, and the fact that they are always as represented. The home office of this enterprising company has made application for a large space to make a meritorious display of their wares at the Columbian Exposition. This display will be under the direct supervision of the Chicago branch, and it will undoubtedly attract world wide attention, for the one reason that the Pairpoint Company never do things by halves.

The San Francisco agency, located at 220 Sutter street, is under the able management of Mr. Edward Taylor, who was formerly associated with J. G. Corey, manager of the Chicago branch. Mr. Taylor is essentially a self-made man; having won his position by hard work and unceasing energy. He possesses a thorough practical knowledge of the business in all its details, and superintends in person every department of the business. Under his management the business is increasing with giant strides, and shipments are made to all points on the Pacific Coast; so that the name of " Pairpoint" is already a household word. With the rapid growth of this section, there is no limit to the advancement of this company, standing as it does, "first among its peers."


Source: Master Hands in the Affairs of the Pacific Coast - By Western Historical Publishing Company (San Francisco) - 1892

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Re: Pairpoint Manufacturing Company

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The Pairpoint Manufacturing Company, Manufacturers of Silver Plated Ware, Howland and Prospect Streets, E. D. Mandell, President.–In no branch of industry in the United States have more rapid strides been made than in the manufacture of flat and hollow silver-plated ware. For many years European manufacturers had complete control of this market but now, through the energy, skill, and abitity of American manufacturers, silver-plated ware is produced in this country quite equal, if not superior, to the finest goods made abroad. A representative and progressive house in New Bedford is that of the Pairpoint Manufacturing Company, which was incorporated under the laws of the State in 1880, with a paid-up capital of $100,000. The following gentlemen are the officers of the company, viz.: E. D. Mandell, president; Thomas A. Tripp, treasurer. The salesrooms are located at No. 20 Maiden lane, New York city, and at Nos. 90 and 92 Wabash avenue, Chicago, III. The works in New Bedford are spacious and admirably equipped with all the latest improved machinery, apparatus, and appliances necessary for the successful prosecution of this important industry. Three hundred experienced and skillful operatives are employed in the various departments and the machinery is driven by a powerful steam engine. Only artists of talent are employed in the department of design, which enables the company to produce articles in a style conforming to the highest rules of art. The stock possesses all the elements of real silver in beauty, finish, elegance, grace of form, reliability, and durability. The company manufactures largely all descriptions of useful and ornamental household goods in endless variety, which are offered to jobbers and first-class retailers a remarkably low prices. The trade of the house extends throughout all sections of the United States and Canada, while large quantities of these splendid silver plated goods are exported to the West Indies, South America, Europe, and Australia. Messrs. Mandell and Tripp are held in the highest estimation in financial and mercantile circles. The flat and hollow silver-plated ware is everywhere recognized and appreciated by the trade in this country and abroad, and has no superior in the American or European markets, always commanding a ready sale owing to its intrinsic excellence and artistic finish.

Source: Leading Manufacturers and Merchants of Eastern Massachusetts: Historical and Descriptive Review of the Industrial Enterprises of Bristol, Plymouth, Norfolk, and Middlesex Counties - International Publishing Co. - 1887

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Re: Pairpoint Manufacturing Company

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There are but two larger manufactories of silver plated ware in this country than that of the Pairpoint Manufacturing Company, located on the east side of Prospect street, south of Howland street, and the ware has no superior in the American or European market. The stock is of the best, possessing all the elements of real silver and beauty, finish, elegance, and grace of form, and the product is in a style conforming to the highest rules of art. The company manufactures all varieties of useful and ornamental household goods in great variety, including knives, forks, spoons, cake baskets, and an almost endless variety of table ware, hat, hair, clothes, and crumb brushes, candlesticks, casters, card receivers, communion ware, ice pitcher sets, epergnes, jewel, cigar, and cigarette cases, wine coolers, ash receivers, match safes, etc., etc.

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The company organized in 1880 with Edward D. Mandell as president, Alexander H. Seabury as treasurer, and T. J. Pairpoint, superintendent. The capital stock was originally $100,000, but in July, 1887, it was increased to $400,000, at which point it now stands, nearly the entire amount being held in New Bedford.

In the spring of 1880, the first building was erected. It was of brick, one hundred twenty by forty feet in area and three stories high. In 1881 a second building was added. This was of wood, three stories high, and one hundred twenty by thirty feet in area, and, finally, the following year, a four story brick building was erected, one hundred fifty by forty feet in area, so that the area of the workshops is nearly fifty thousand square feet. The company has a branch store at the corner of Maiden lane and Liberty place, New York city, established in June, 1881; a store at the corner of Wabash avenue and Washington street, Chicago, established in 1882; and a San Francisco store at No. 220 Sutter street, established in 1887.

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T. J. Pairpoint resigned as superintendent, April 1, 1885, and he was succeeded by Thomas A. Tripp. Mr. Seabury resigned as treasurer in the following May, and Mr. Tripp succeeded him also.

The present officers are:
President – Edward D. Mandell.
Treasurer and general manager– Thomas A. Tripp.
Directors – Edward D. Mandell. William J. Rotch, William Baylies. Wendell H. Cobb, and Capt. William Lewis, of New Bedford, and John A. Brown, of Providence.


The company employs about three hundred hands in the factory and nine salesmen travelling in different parts of the country. It has a large export trade, many goods being shipped as far as Australia. Nearly all the men are skilled mechanics, and it is estimated that two hundred young men from the schools of New Bedford have learned trades in this factory and become proficient workmen, many of them now having charge of departments.

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The details of the manufacture are so varied that they cannot be described intelligently in a brief article. Britannia is the base of most of the ware and this alloy is composed of tin, copper, antimony, and zinc. It is mixed and made on the premises and cast into ingots, after which it is rolled into sheets. These sheets are then pressed into blanks or bowls of various sizes, from whence they go to the spinning room. Here the blanks are placed on wooden moulds and spun into the desired form. These forms are embossed or stamped with designs, a hydraulic press, with a pressure of six hundred sixty-three tons, being employed for this purpose. The patterns are designed by skilled artists and cut on steel dies, many of which represent weeks of patient labor. These dies form an expensive stock, their value ranging from $50 to $500 each. Every ornament employed on a piece of silver ware must first be moulded in wax. A mould of plaster of paris is made from this and finally a mould of brass is made. The britannia metal is poured into these moulds and is quickly turned out again, leaving the inside of the moulded handles and ornaments hollow.

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It will be seen that a long time is consumed in making moulds and dies for the various articles manufactured, and workmen were employed nearly a year before even a limited variety of styles was put on the market. Next the various parts are soldered together and are submitted to various processes of cleaning. Then the articles go into the plating vats, where a deposit of silver is placed upon them from a solution of the cyanide of the metal, through which a current of electricity passes. Parts of many articles are further ornamented by gold plating or oxidizing by a chemical process. Finally the articles are burnished. Some parts are burnished by machinery, while others are hand burnished. The satin finish, which is very popular, is executed by means of a wire brush, constructed by a patented process. It nicks or scratches the polished surface, producing a frosted effect. There are many other processes which the article must undergo before completion, which are not named here. Many of the designs are engraved by hand instead of being stamped.

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The firm also manufactures ware from German silver. This metal is much harder to work than britannia and the process is materially different. It is in favor at hotels and on railroad and steamboat lines, where the ware is likely to receive rough usage. Most of the knives, forks, and spoons are made from German silver. The blanks are first cut and afterwards rolled by machine. In this process they become so hard that it is necessary to anneal them in a furnace. Then they are formed and the designs are stamped upon them. They are polished on wheels of walrus leather costing two dollars a pound, and are hand burnished after plating.

An idea of the expense and risk of manufacture may be gained from the fact that every new design of knife, fork, and spoon placed on the market represents an expenditure of several thousand dollars.

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A one hundred horse power steam engine is employed and there is a fire pump on the premises with a capacity for pumping five hundred gallons per minute.

The company owns an extensive wharf property.

A great deal of fancy glass ware is employed and many articles of rare beauty are displayed in the show rooms, including the largest epergne in the world. The plush boxes used for fancy ware are made at the factory. An idea of the variety of articles manufactured may be gained from the fact that the various cuts illustrating the catalogues of the company represent an expenditure of at least ten thousand dollars.


Source: New Bedford, Massachusetts: Its History, Industries, Institutions, and Attractions - George A. Hough - New Bedford Board of Trade - 1889

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Re: Pairpoint Manufacturing Company

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Pairpoint Mfg.Co. - New Bedford, Mass. - 1891

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Pairpoint Mfg. Co. - New Bedford, Mass. - 1896

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The Pairpoint Corporation - New Bedford, Mass. - 1915

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Pairpoint Mfg. Co. - New Bedford, Mass. - 1896

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Pairpoint Mfg. Co. - New Bedford, Mass. - 1897

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Re: Pairpoint Manufacturing Company

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Source: Poor's and Moody's Manual Consolidated - Part 2 - 1921

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Re: Pairpoint Manufacturing Company

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Pairpoint Mfg. Co. - New Bedford, Mass. - 1893

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Pairpoint Mfg. Co. - New Bedford, Mass. - 1894

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Pairpoint Mfg. Co. - New Bedford, Mass. - 1894

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Pairpoint Mfg. Co. - New Bedford, Mass. - 1895

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Pairpoint Mfg. Co. - New Bedford, Mass. - 1889

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Pairpoint Mfg. Co. - New Bedford, Mass. - 1893

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Pairpoint Mfg. Co. - New Bedford, Mass. - 1891

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Pairpoint Mfg. Co. - New Bedford, Mass. - 1893

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Pairpoint Mfg. Co. - New Bedford, Mass. - 1893

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Pairpoint Mfg. Co. - New Bedford, Mass. - 1893

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Re: Pairpoint Manufacturing Company

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The Pairpoint Mfg. Co. have within the past year or so, developed an entirely new industry in their works, the manufacture of fine thermometer tubing for scientific work. This is a line of work heretofore done almost entirely abroad. Such American tubing as was made was not of a sufficiently accurate calibre and size to be suitable for careful work, and scientific dealers imported what they used. But within a short time the Pairpoint Mfg. Co. have so perfected their plant that they can make and do make the most accurate of products, even in lengths of 150 feet. Recently the company filled an order for Government scientific supplies, among them a quantity of tubing which was required to be of accurate inside and outside dimensions, to be determined by calipering.

Source: The Jewelers' Circular and Horological Review - 7th July 1897

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