Arcade Toys Foundry Plaque 1927 *SOLD*

Arcade Toys Foundry Plaque 1927

1927 was another expansion year for Arcade company and a new foundry was completed.  It covered one acre of ground, had a cement floor with gypsum poorer roof, and large windows in the walls that could be opened for ventilation.  The building was designed by Frank chase of Chicago and the lighting system by General Electric Company and had 300 watt lights every twenty feet.  Over 350 toys of structural steel were used in the new building.

A new cupola was installed, a No. 8 Whiting system with a pouring capacity of 14 tons per hour and the air power was delivered by a 58 horse power air compressor.  Molten iron from the cupola was delivered to 800 pound bull ladles and distributed by a 2,000 pound capacity monorail system to the moulding machines.

To mark the occasion of the foundry completion, president  C.H Morgan and Fred Bedecked superintendent decided to have a party!  Hot dogs were boiled in buckets heated in the above cupola!  Six hundred people were invited, including some that were transported into the building by a boxcar and switch engine.

Every guest received an Arcade made memento- a cast brass rectangular plaque showing the new foundry building in relief with the dates 1885-1925 on the lower edge.  On the referee side, Arcade Manufacturing Co.

AntiqueToys.com is proud to offer one of the finest of these plaques , and offer it in near mint condition.  This example must have been an early pressing, as it is a much sharper pressing than ones that have surfaced.  These just don’t get offered for sale.

A brief history of Arcade Manufacturing Company of Freeport, Illinois:

The Arcade Manufacturing Company of Freeport, Illinois was originally founded as Novelty Iron Works by Edward H. and Charles Morgan in 1868, and conducted business in two small buildings with a staff of ten people.

The company operated between the years 1868 to 1946. They began making toys and coffee mills and then moved to a new site in 1893 (after fires, financial issues, and changing their name from Novelty Iron Works). 

Arcade toy catalogs appear to start at 1902 and as late as 1939. Arcade`s toy line included over 300 toy items. Yellow Cab was their first successful toy followed by Andy Gump in 348 and Chester Gump in His Pony Cart. Arcade also made toy banks, doll house furniture, and cast-iron penny toys.