Bacon & Eaton, Manufacturers of Umbrellas and Parasols, No. 392 Broadway.—The prominent New York merchants have the deserved reputation, both at home and abroad, of being men of extraordinary business capacity, judgment and enterprise. The house of Bacon & Eaton is a case in point, for the lengthy career of this concern, dating back to 1850, has ever been marked by close application to business, personal supervision by the partners of their own affairs, combined with honorable dealings and thorough integrity in all transactions, forming the basis upon which they have built up their representative concern. During the thirty-four years intervening between the time of foundation and the present, this house has steadily retained a foremost position as manufacturers of umbrellas and parasols, their goods being ever maintained at the highest standard of excellence, and their trade permanently developing in every direction. The present co-partners are Mr. Zadoc M. Bacon and Mr. William J. Eaton, both gentlemen having had long practical experience in their most important branch of trade, and who have been in business under the present firm name since 1874. They occupy an unusually fine building in the best wholesale section of Broadway, between White and Walker Streets, four floors, each thirty feet by one hundred and seventy-five in dimensions, are required for their business, and where they are possessed of every facility and modern appliance for the manufacture of umbrellas and parasols upon a most extensive scale. They produce every class of these goods in all styles and qualities, etc., and also keep all kinds of umbrella and parasol materials for sale to the trade. They have constantly striven after excellence in their goods, and they are the sole manufacturers of the celebrated "1040" water-proof umbrella, believed to be the most serviceable style in the market, and which has met with a correspondingly flattering reception. They employ an average force of two hundred employees, and turn out beautiful and durable goods at the most reasonable prices. Their trade extends throughout the entire country, and the firm also exports to Europe, where the goods compete on favorable terms with old world productions. Mr. Bacon, the senior partner, was born in New Hampshire, but was raised in the neighboring State of Vermont, and has had a long and active connection with New York commercial interests. Mr. Eaton was born in Massachusetts, and is a popular and practical manufacturer.
Source: New York's Great Industries - Richard Edwards - 1884
The Sprague Umbrella Company, of Norwalk, O., have their new brass foundry in good running shape. They are using The Metal Industry receipts for mixing metals and are getting fine results.
The accompanying cut represents a few of a handsome collection of handles for the holiday season. Christmas trade in umbrellas has for the past two or three years been finding its way into the dry goods stores, and now we find in the departmental shop high-class novelties which a short time since were monopolized by the jewelery trade entirely. An immense business in this way was done last holidays, the weather being helpful as well as the growing feeling to give a useful gift, and nothing strikes the average buyer so quickly as a nice umbrella.
The collection gotten together is one of which the Irving Co. may be proud, and stamps the concern as aggressive as well as being progressive. The samples were just arriving when The Review called, the variety being sufficient to strike an ordinary person with wonder as to where the amount of different styles came from. Suggesting this, we were told that this particular lot were of Austrian make, although others were from Germany, England, France and the northern part of Italy and some from the United States. In the finer goods, stones with gold trimmings seem to predominate. We were informed, in answer to our query if they were the correct thing, that if our trade followed the best Paris and London styles they would be taken up well, as they were there the tip-top fashion. One stone worthy of notice, the crocidulite, from the beautiful shot colors - also agates, gold stones and colored pearls, nearly all with gold or silver trimmings, and all stamped with the Hall mark, beautiful china and horn combinations, with sterling mounts with naturals trimmed with silver and gold in endless variety.
Extremely small styles have disappeared from the collection, of which manufacturers will be glad, as the small styles, not having sufficient strength, are liable to breakage. Steel rods, from their neat folding appearance, are reported better sorting than the wood sticks, although trade in the lower grades strongly favors the wood shank.
Parasol and umbrella departments during August are generally quiet, and this year was no exception, but September is opening up well, and activity prevails once more.