The Beistle Company: Difference between revisions
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|founders = Martin Luther Beistle |
|founders = Martin Luther Beistle |
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|industry = |
|industry = Manufacturing<br>Distribution |
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|foundation = {{Start date and age|1900}} |
|foundation = {{Start date and age|1900}} |
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|location_city = [[Shippensburg, Pennsylvania]] |
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|location_country = U.S.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.beistle.com/ContactUs.aspx|title=Contact Us|publisher=Beistle|access-date=October 17, 2019}}</ref> |
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|location_country = United States |
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|key_people = |
|key_people = Henry E. Luhrs |
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'''The Beistle Company''', or simply '''Beistle''', is an American company known for manufacturing [[holiday]] decorations and party goods, and is particularly known for |
'''The Beistle Company''', or simply '''Beistle''', is an American company known for manufacturing [[holiday]] decorations and party goods, and is particularly known for its catalog of [[Halloween]] decorations. Beistle was founded in 1900 in [[Pennsylvania]] by Martin Luther Beistle, and is the oldest continuing manufacturer of decorations and party goods in the United States.<ref name=aboutus>{{cite web|url=http://www.beistle.com/AboutUs.aspx|title=About Us|publisher=Beistle|access-date=October 17, 2019}}</ref> |
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==History== |
==History== |
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Around 1900, Martin Luther Beistle worked as a salesperson for the Pittsburgh Art Calendar Company.<ref name=aboutus /> While in hotels showcasing his calendars, his customers commented about the lobby plants requiring water, which gave him the idea to create artificial plants made from paper, which would eliminate the need to water them.<ref name=aboutus /> During a visit to [[Heidelberg, Germany]], Beistle observed a honeycombing technique which inspired him to create a line of honeycombed [[tissue paper]] decorations and products.<ref name=aboutus /> |
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Beistle founded the Beistle Company in 1900 in [[Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania]] in the basement of his home, where he made artificial flowers and wooden products, and the company's facilities soon expanded to the small town of Oakville, Pennsylvania.<ref name=aboutus /> The company was incorporated in 1907, and its manufacturing center was moved to the second floor of a wagon shop.<ref name=aboutus /> The company then expanded further, eventually moving to larger facilities in [[Shippensburg, Pennsylvania]].<ref name=aboutus /><ref name=kiner>{{cite web|url=https://www.pennlive.com/life/2019/05/vintage-photos-of-shippensburg-in-1952.html|title=Vintage photos of Shippensburg in 1952|last=Kiner|first=Deb|date=May 14, 2019|website=[[Penn Live]]|publisher=[[The Patriot-News]]|access-date=October 17, 2019}}</ref> In 1910, Beistle imported the technology to produce honeycomb tissue—which was previously only available in Europe and Asia, with Germany serving as a popular source for such materials—to the United States.{{sfn|Gill|2012|p=61}} Beistle also acquired numerous patents, adding to the company's success.{{sfn|Gill|2012|p=61}} |
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In the 1920s, Beistle partnered with the Paper Novelty Company to create a variety of paper decorations for holidays such as [[Valentine's Day]], [[Easter]], [[Halloween]], [[Thanksgiving]], and [[Christmas]], with the Halloween decorations being the first seasonal decorations to be added to Beistle's catalog.<ref name=kiner /><ref name=redbook21>{{cite web|url=https://www.redbookmag.com/fashion/news/g3755/vintage-halloween/?slide=5|title=What Halloween Was Like the Year You Were Born - 1921|author=Country Living Staff|author-link=Country Living|date=October 7, 2016|work=[[Redbook]]|access-date=October 17, 2019}}</ref> In the late 1920s and early 1930s, the Beistle Company released [[fortune-telling]] games as entertainment for Halloween parties, and these tabletop games have since become popular with collectors.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.redbookmag.com/fashion/news/g3755/vintage-halloween/?slide=13|title=What Halloween Was Like the Year You Were Born - 1928|author=Country Living Staff|author-link=Country Living|date=October 7, 2016|work=[[Redbook]]|access-date=October 17, 2019}}</ref> Beistle has produced over 1,000 different Halloween-themed designs and decorations since the line was first introduced, and the inexpensiveness and availability of the products helped to popularize Halloween decoration in the U.S.<ref name=kiner /><ref name=redbook21 /> |
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Martin Luther Beistle died in 1935, and passed ownership of the company on to his son-and-law Henry E. Luhrs and his family.{{sfn|Gill|2012|p=61}} |
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==References== |
==References== |
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{{Reflist}} |
{{Reflist}} |
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https://www.beistle.com/AboutUs.aspx |
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===Further reading=== |
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https://www.pennlive.com/life/2019/05/vintage-photos-of-shippensburg-in-1952.html |
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* {{cite book|last=Arkins|first=Diane|year=2000|title=Halloween Romantic Art and Customs of Yesteryear|publisher=[[Pelican Publishing]]|isbn=978-1565547124|ref=harv}} |
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https://cumberlink.com/lifestyles/announcements/obituaries/lester-e-tom-walker/article_700524ba-4599-5c54-9707-340a5538e26d.html |
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* {{cite book|last=Gill|first=Paul E.|year=2012|title=Shippensburg|publisher=[[Arcadia Publishing]]|isbn=978-1531651008|ref=harv}} |
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http://www.gettysburgtimes.com/news/business/article_3ab8f1ee-5666-5f36-aa21-bd6a6dde7cfe.html |
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* {{cite book|last=Schneider|first=Stuart|year=1995|title=Halloween in America: A Collector's Guide With Prices|publisher=[[Schiffer Publishing]]|isbn=978-0887407079|ref=harv}} |
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https://www.redbookmag.com/fashion/news/g3755/vintage-halloween/ |
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https://books.google.com/books?id=ZZOdrFar69kC&pg=PA61&dq=%22beistle+company%22&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjw3MSYsZflAhWFmOAKHRPfD2IQ6AEwB3oECAkQAg#v=onepage&q=%22beistle%20company%22&f=false |
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https://books.google.com/books?id=D54sAQAAIAAJ&q=%22beistle%22+%22halloween%22&dq=%22beistle%22+%22halloween%22&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj-7c-ksZflAhXkmuAKHSJvAh8Q6AEwCXoECAkQAg |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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Revision as of 13:36, 17 October 2019
| Industry | Manufacturing Distribution |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1900 |
| Founders | Martin Luther Beistle |
| Headquarters | , U.S.[1] |
Key people | Henry E. Luhrs |
| Website | beistle.com |
The Beistle Company, or simply Beistle, is an American company known for manufacturing holiday decorations and party goods, and is particularly known for its catalog of Halloween decorations. Beistle was founded in 1900 in Pennsylvania by Martin Luther Beistle, and is the oldest continuing manufacturer of decorations and party goods in the United States.[2]
History
Around 1900, Martin Luther Beistle worked as a salesperson for the Pittsburgh Art Calendar Company.[2] While in hotels showcasing his calendars, his customers commented about the lobby plants requiring water, which gave him the idea to create artificial plants made from paper, which would eliminate the need to water them.[2] During a visit to Heidelberg, Germany, Beistle observed a honeycombing technique which inspired him to create a line of honeycombed tissue paper decorations and products.[2]
Beistle founded the Beistle Company in 1900 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in the basement of his home, where he made artificial flowers and wooden products, and the company's facilities soon expanded to the small town of Oakville, Pennsylvania.[2] The company was incorporated in 1907, and its manufacturing center was moved to the second floor of a wagon shop.[2] The company then expanded further, eventually moving to larger facilities in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania.[2][3] In 1910, Beistle imported the technology to produce honeycomb tissue—which was previously only available in Europe and Asia, with Germany serving as a popular source for such materials—to the United States.[4] Beistle also acquired numerous patents, adding to the company's success.[4]
In the 1920s, Beistle partnered with the Paper Novelty Company to create a variety of paper decorations for holidays such as Valentine's Day, Easter, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, with the Halloween decorations being the first seasonal decorations to be added to Beistle's catalog.[3][5] In the late 1920s and early 1930s, the Beistle Company released fortune-telling games as entertainment for Halloween parties, and these tabletop games have since become popular with collectors.[6] Beistle has produced over 1,000 different Halloween-themed designs and decorations since the line was first introduced, and the inexpensiveness and availability of the products helped to popularize Halloween decoration in the U.S.[3][5]
Martin Luther Beistle died in 1935, and passed ownership of the company on to his son-and-law Henry E. Luhrs and his family.[4]
References
- ^ "Contact Us". Beistle. Retrieved October 17, 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g "About Us". Beistle. Retrieved October 17, 2019.
- ^ a b c Kiner, Deb (May 14, 2019). "Vintage photos of Shippensburg in 1952". Penn Live. The Patriot-News. Retrieved October 17, 2019.
- ^ a b c Gill 2012, p. 61.
- ^ a b Country Living Staff (October 7, 2016). "What Halloween Was Like the Year You Were Born - 1921". Redbook. Retrieved October 17, 2019.
- ^ Country Living Staff (October 7, 2016). "What Halloween Was Like the Year You Were Born - 1928". Redbook. Retrieved October 17, 2019.
Further reading
- Arkins, Diane (2000). Halloween Romantic Art and Customs of Yesteryear. Pelican Publishing. ISBN 978-1565547124.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - Gill, Paul E. (2012). Shippensburg. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-1531651008.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - Schneider, Stuart (1995). Halloween in America: A Collector's Guide With Prices. Schiffer Publishing. ISBN 978-0887407079.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help)