Edwin C. Burt & Co.

Allgemeines

Name	Edwin C. Burt & Co.
Ortssitz	New York City
Straße	Duane Street 150+152
Art des Unternehmens	Schuhfabrik
Anmerkungen	Bezeichnet als "Manufacturers of Ladies', Misses' and Children's Fine Shoes".
Quellenangaben	[New Yorks great industries (1884) 406] [Bishop: History of American manufacturers 1 (1868) 690]

Unternehmensgeschichte

Zeit	Ereignis
1824	Gründung
1824	Der Vater von E. C. Burt zieht Hartford, Connecticut, und zusätzlich zum Lederhandel nimmt er die Schuhfabrikation auf. Viele Jahre hat er einen Vertrag für Gefangenenarbeit und beschäftigt in diesem Zweig 75 - 100 Gefangene.
1843	Edwin C. Burt zieht nach New York, um eine Geschäftshaus zum Verkauf der in Hartford produzierten Waren zu errichten, zu dieser Zeit feine Herrenschuhe. Firmierung unter "Burt, Sears & Burt"
1846	Umwandlung von "Burt, Sears & Burt" in "Burt Brothers". Zum Schuhgroßhandel kommt die Herstellerung feiner Damenschuhe hinzu.
1848	Edwin Burt wird nach New York geschickt, um einen Gelegenheitshandel zu gründen.
1856	Auflösung der Geschäftspartnerschaft. Burt zieht sich zurück und betreibt sein Geschäft auf eigene Rechnung.
1859	Burt macht den Versuch zur maschinellen Herstellung von Schuhen in einem dafür ausgestatten Raum in seinem Geschäftshaus und beginnt die Herstellung von Damen- und Kinderschuhen.
1862	Die Sohlennnähmaschine von Mac Kay Sole wird eingeführt, und Burt ist auf einmal in der Lage, hochwertig genähte Ware herzustellen, die für Damenbekleidung als mehr wünschenswert betrachtet wird als genagelte Schuhe. Er erreicht bald weite Anerkennung.
1867	Burt erhält auf der Weltausstellung Paris eine Silbermedaille, die höchste Auszeichnung für Damen- und Kinderschuhe.
1873	Goldmedaille auf der Weltausstellung in Wien
1876	Goldmedaille auf der Weltausstellung in Philadelphia
1878	Goldmedaille auf der Weltausstellung in Paris
1883	Tod des Gründers

Produkte

Produkt	ab	Bem.	bis	Bem.	Kommentar
Schuhe	1884	[New York's great industries (1884)]	1884	[New York's great industries (1884)]	Kinder- und Damenschuhe

Allgemeines

ZEIT	1868
THEMA	Firmenbeschreibung
TEXT	Is selected as a representative of the pioneers, who have effected a revolution in the methods of making shoes by the application of machinery. Though not a practical tanner himself, he is the son of the proprietor of the old Sandisfield tannery, in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, and from his youth to the present time, has been connected with the leather manufacture in its various forms. In 1824 his father removed to Hartford, Connecticut, and in addition to dealing in leather engaged extensively in shoe manufacturing, and for several years had the contract for the prison labor, employing in that branch seventy-five to one hundred hands. In 1843, Edwin C. Burt removed to New York to establish a house for the sale of the goods manufactured at Hartford, which at that time were principally gentlemen's fine boots. The firm was, originally, Burt, Sears & Burt, which was succeeded in 1846 by Burt Brothers, who added to their wholesale jobbing business the manufacture of ladies' fine shoes, and this branch became from that time a specialty of the firm. In 1856 the copartnership was dissolved, and Mr. Burt withdrew to engage in business on his own account. Though the firm had acquired, during this period, a fair reputation for manufacturing superior shoes, particularly fine slippers and gaiters, Mr. Burt was dissatisfied with the old methods of making them by hand, and conceived the idea that shoes could be best produced by a regular organized division of labor, with the aid of machinery. But for several years he was deterred from engaging in it, from the constantly expressed opinion, that it was impossible to produce any but inferior goods in this manner. In the year 1859 he determined to make the attempt, and fitted up a room in his warehouse for that purpose, and commenced the manufacture of ladies', misses', and children's fine channel nailed shoes; and having resolved to make only a superior article, soon found that the goods could be made, not only cheaper but better, than by the old process. In 1862 the Mac Kay Sole Sewing Machine was introduced, and being well prepared for its use, by the organized division of labor, he was enabled to produce at once very superior sewed work, which, being considered more desirable for ladies' wear than the nailed, soon gained a wide reputation. At this time Mr. Burt has a manufactory at 27 Park Bow, on the east side of City Hall Park, which gives employment to two hundred hands, and produces about three thousand pairs weekly, or one hundred and fifty thousand pairs annually, of ladies' and children's fine shoes. The workmen are selected from the best in their respective departments, and regard is had to their regularity of ha.bits, as well as to their mechanical excellence. They are paid by the piece for their labor, and earn on an average over twenty dollars per week. The system of working is by gangs or teams, consisting of laster, second laster, heeler, trimmer, burnisher and finisher. The bottom sewing is all done by the Mac Kay Sole Sewing Machine, of which there are four in this manufactory, each one of which is capable of sewing two hundred pairs of shoes daily, if driven to its full capacity, though, as excellence, rather than rapidity of workmanship, is aimed at, this rate of production is never attained in this establishment. At the Paris Exposition of 1867, Mr. Burt received a silver medal, the highest awarded, for a collection of Ladies', Misses', and Children's Fine Shoes.
QUELLE	[Bishop: History of American manufacturers 1 (1868) 690]

ZEIT	1884
THEMA	Firmendarstellung
TEXT	In our selection of representative firms we find the name of Burt inseparably connected with this industry. The firm doing business under the name and style of Edwin C. Burt & Co. is one which has occupied the foremost place in the trade for many years. The founder of this house, who passed away about one year ago, was a born leader among men. A clear apprehension of the requirements of this trade and a consciousness of a growing appreciative taste on the part of the American public for articles of superior make, led to Mr. Hurt's determination to lead in the manufacture of the best class of fine goods. Hence the national and in truth we may add the world-wide reputation of this eminently standard manufacturing establishment. New Boston, Berkshire Co., Mass., claims the birthplace of the late Mr. Edwin C. Burt. Early brought into contact with leather interests (his father being a tanner) we find his family removing to Hartford, Conn., in 1824, whereon a small scale began the manufacture of goods which are now being consumed throughout the length and breadth of the United States as also in the principal cities of Europe The elder Burt was a man of native energy and ability, traits of character transmitted through succeeding generations in his sorts and his sons' sons. In 1848 Edwin was sent to New York to open a jobbing trade as a market for the surplus stock of their active factory. A store was rented on Pearl Street, near Hanover Square, though not without misgivings as to the outcome of the enterprise. The handsome aggregate of two thousand dollars for the first day's sales removed all doubt of the success of their enterprise, and from that date to the present their name has been synonymous with the finest class of shoes made on this continent. Soon after the father retired from business and a new firm was formed by the three sons, Edwin, James and John, who were associated together until the outbreak of the war. This swept away at once their southern trade, and so disarranged commercial affairs in general that the brothers finally concluded to dissolve their partnership and return to manufacturing business, each on his own account. Each chose a specialty. Edwin, from his lengthened experience in the trade recognizing a demand for ladies' goods of superior quality, began to cultivate and gratify the demand for such. To so high a plane of perfection in manufacture have their goods been brought that in the Paris Exposition of 1878 they obtained the gold prize medal, the highest award ever given to any boot and shoe manufacturer. Similar awards were given his shoes at the Vienna Exposition in 1873, and, at the Centennial at Philadelphia in 1876. This (act, in itself, in Paris, the city of style and elegance in the matter of designs in dress of all kinds, is very significant and speaks volumes of praise. This eminent firm manufactures, as we have already intimated, the largest and finest class of ladies' fine shoes made in the United States, aqd probably in the world, in both hand and machine-made goods. They occupy the large and commodious buildings, Nos. 150 and 152 Duane Street, corner of West Broadway, in dimensions 125 by 50 feet, the same being admirably fitted up and lighted according to their special requirements. In the various departments over four hundred hands find employment, the whole being under the direct management of the firm. A number of experienced and competent salesmen are constantly on the road looking after the wants of the home trade. In addition, Messrs. Burt & Co. do an extensive direct foreign trade, and the same are attracting considerable attention in those markets. It may here be remarked that since the death of Mr. E. C. Burt the business continues uninterruptedly in every way, the partners all being identified with the business fifteen or twenty years. They are Messrs. Frank B. Burt (a son of the deceased member), Henry R. and Luther N. Curtis, the latter being a son-in-law of the late Mr. E. C. Burt. That the prestige of this successful and representative house will be preserved in a continuity of the honorable methods of dealing which has marked, its entire history we have no doubt. Active, energetic and honorable the firm of Edwin C. Burt & Co. may be classified as one of our leading and representative industries.
QUELLE	[New Yorks great industries (1884) 406]