Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Farrington Manufacturing




Farrington Manufacturing produced jewelry boxes and eyeglass cases at the site of the old B.F. Sturtevant plant. They actually extended the facility over to Williams street, as shown in this 1924 map (look for the large pink colored building at the top of the page.) I don't know when Farrington closed, but I believe that the Factory Outlet store I remember from the early 1960s used the Farrington building closest to Williams street for the back section of the store. Anyone else remember the popcorn stink inside the Factory Outlet? They had a food counter in the middle of the store, and the smell of the popcorn oil pervaded the building.

Back to Farrington. The Help Wanted ads above are from 1923. My late uncle Chris worked there around the time he was graduating Jamaica Plain high school (1949), and he brought home a jewelry box as a gift for his mother. His sister - my mother - still has it on her bureau. The box is nothing special - it would probably get 50 cents at a yard sale - but it's special to us for the memories. I wonder how many of these jewelry boxes survive today.






Addendum: I've been poking around online, and it seems that Farrington was also an early manufacturer of what would later become credit cards. There are references to production of an embossed metal card in 1928 (remember when they put your card through a hand-pressed roller and printed a paper receipt?) By the 1950s, they were in Needham Heights, and involved in optical imaging of credit cards. By the early 1970s, they were in bankruptcy court.

44 comments:

  1. Well...lol I just bought one for 50 cents at a yard sale

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  2. Good to hear they're still out there.

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  3. I just bought one for 50 cents at Goodwill! But there are some that are being auctioned off for $75 or more and they are in worse condition then mine! I think I will hang onto it, you never know!!

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  4. I as well have one that I purchased in a yard sale in is very special to me!! I love it, it is burgandy with gold etching and a teal turquoise inside!! I love it! Thanks for posting this info, i was looking around to see where the jewelry boxes come from. on the bottom it says fashioned by farrington GENUINE texol?? thanks for posting

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  5. i have a small collection of farrington jewelry boxes that i've been getting from thrift stores (mostly in maryland) in various conditions, and they've all cost less than $5. I like the colors and scrollwork designs on the exterios and the pretty velvet interiors. haven't had too much luck finding out any information about the brand online until i found this!

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  6. I just found a blue one in great shape with the key. It has a medical symbol on the top. Has anyone heard of one like this before? I can send pictures. It is really of no interest to me, I was going to post it on ebay...but if anyone is a collector, I would much rather see it put with you stefanieshowell@aol.com

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  7. I just purchased my jewelry box at Goodwill for $4.99. It has the "fashioned by Farrington on the bottom." It is in mint condition with a tan cover and dark fuchsia velvet inside. I live in Florida and have never seen a box like this.
    Thanks for the info.

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  8. Hi, I live in Wisconsin and I bought my jewelry box at Goodwill. It's in mint condition with a tan cover and dark fuchsia velvet inside, AND still has the key. Thanks for posting this information. I love the box.

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  9. just bought jewelry box(farrington for $3.00 at an estate sale was wondering if there is any value genuine texol velvet and silk inside .

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  10. It was my mother's little jewlery box. It is in mint condition. The lock still works. It has a tan cover w/ gold scrolling on edge. Inside is dark fuchsia velvet and silk. What is Texol? Looks like leather. I think I'll hold on to it. Very pretty.

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  11. I too just bought a jewelry box at a flea market for .50. I didn't know anything about it, just that it was a solid piece in good condition, and it was pink. I commented to my husband that it must be old because things you buy today are such junk. What a nice surprise!

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  12. Hi,i just bought on ebay a set of krementz cufflinks and stud buttons and on the back of the case is written farrington boxzs made in usa.It is shaped like a clam shell and opens like an open clam shell.It looks old.When did farrington box company make containers for krementz jewelery?

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  13. In addition to the jewelry boxes, eye glass cases, cuff links and other items, the Farrington company at one time also held the patent for the Presidential Seal stamp.

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    1. My father was Special Projects Manager 1959-1965 in Virginia. His Team developed the credit card. Im writing a book about it. If you are related to Don Farrington please contact me at Rdecof@gmail.com. I would love your input.

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  14. I found one of these is aqua blue silk with gold embrodery in my dads old cabnits. Inside there was two tiny christmas cards, a button, and a pin with the letters SHW in gold. I asked him if he knew who it belonged to but he couldn't remember! At least now I know the production of these were in 1924

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  15. I recently found my grandfather's among my mother's things, whilst looking for a book (which I still have not found.) It was still filled with his cufflinks, tie pins, tie tacs, and the like, and my mother believed some of these things belonged to his father. I know use it for my jewelry, including these heirlooms, as well as those I have acquired over the years. There is something about heirloom pieces like these, while not intrinsically valuable, that give them a beauty and a value that things one acquires in their lifetime can never have.

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  16. I FOUND A BEAUTY A FRENCH BLUE AND GOLD CHINOISERIE FABRIC WITH BLUE SILK AND VELVET INSIDE IN EXCELLLENT CONDITION. CHINOISERIE BRASS SCROLLING ON THE SIDE TOO. WOW. SEEMS LIKE IT COULD BE WORTH SOME $. LOVE IT!

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  17. If I remember correctly, Farrington not only made the metal credit card, they made the machine. In the trivia file of my mind.
    Barb D

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    1. They did make the first credit cards, and were small metal ones that were distinguished by their color. They were called Charge-a-Plates.

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  18. What is Texol? leather? cardboard? both?

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  19. I have three wooden crates put together to make bookshelves that I'm refinishing. On the sides of each is stamped Farrington Manufacturing Co. Jamaca Plain St. Boston-30 Mass. Then on the inside it is stamped Order #781 Alligator Amt 633. Anyone have a clue about the history of these crates. Curious

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  20. My father worked at Farrington when I was very little (1950's) He was some sort of supervisor, but his cousin Gene Vogt was either an owner or top exec. I do not really know. Too little. I just bought a box also for .75. Had to preserve that little piece of family history.

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  21. iknew 2 girls worked there 52 53 talked about chris dont know last name could this be your uncle when did he pass on what cause did he leave co in early months of 53 reply requested

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  22. I was recently gifted one from my husband's grandmother. It still has the key in the envelope & a business card that reads: fashioned by Farrington, the ORIENTAL EXPRESS, STYLE 16 BLUE, $12.50.

    It's gorgeous. It also has some jewelry in it that belonged to my husband's mom & aunt. I love the earrings. The backs screwed on until the were snug against your ear. These were for non pierced ears.

    The box top is dirty from sitting in her basement for who knows how many years. The rest of the box looks great. I can't believe the condition it is in. It's simply beautiful.

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  23. In case anyone is curious, my great great grandfather held the patents for several different Farrington jewelry boxes, as well as for the credit card precursor, which was known as the Charga-Plate. I believe his son, my great grandfather, also held a patent for a Farrington jewelry box design/mechanism.

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  24. I have a yellow Farrington travel case with 5 individual slots to separate/hold the jewelry w/red velvet lining.

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  25. I just bought one and it is the original farrington, 1917 patent number was on Feb 27, 1917, number 1,217,291, it is mint condtion and beautiful with leather and copper

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  26. I have a very pretty one with gold or brass trims and flowers decorations. Inside there is a white butterfly printed on satin and the inside base in a very light aqua velvet. It was my mother in law's jewelry box. However, it looks like it came from her mother. They were both from the New Jersey area. It is very strongly made and you can tell the good quality from very detail oriented tailors and manufacturers. Impossible to find such a well made jewelry box like that today. They are all imported and cheaply made. This one says: Fashioned by Farrington. Made in U.S.A.

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  27. I just acquired a Farrington hinged double picture frame. It measures 3.5" x 4" and is in beautiful condition. Inside has brushed metal, velvet and silk embellishments. Mechanism is perfect and the object has the feel of quality. Lovely item.

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  28. I have a brand new earring box> It is in the original box with the advertising > Never Been used> Wonder how I can find out what it is worth and who would know

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  29. I have a slim (i.e. 4" tall) off white leather Farrington jewelry box. My mother and a neighbor family friend both worked at Farrinton. Ma worked PT whenever we kids we is school (BS grammar school) and the family friend worked there full time making those metal charge items. They were usely referred to as "charge plates". And we're not exactly "credit cards", which are usually issued by a financial institution and accepted for credit by many merchants. Whereas the charge plates were issued by individual stores (e.g. Sears Roebuck, Filenes, Jordan Marsh, R.H. White, Raymonda et al)
    for only their revolving credit
    accounts. Suddenly my mind's ear is clearly hearing the often heard last words as Ma was about to head out the door to go shopping in town. As she opened her pocketbook she'd mutter aloud: "Let's see if I have all of the charge plates I'll need? Now I hear the loud SNAP as she re closes that pocketbook.

    BTW - This is the 1st time I have ever contributed a comment on anything on the internet. I am too techno-challenged to have tried - until now.
    Thank you everyone for the inspiraling to at least try.

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  30. I just bought that exact jewelry box pictured today from a local antique shop for ten dollars and it looks practically brand new. It's absolutely stunning and I'm happy I stumbled on this post looking for manufacturing dates!! :)

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  31. I just recently got one of these at a rummage sale, it looked to be gold but when I got it home and started looking for any type of writing it looked to be painted gold even though you can still See the original gold detailing on the top, the only thing that led me to know it was getting Tom was the small cursive lettering on the backside. There is also the word “MEREL” on the top which I’m wondering if that was the persons name or not

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  32. My mom worked for Farrington in the 1950s in charge plate sales. She traveled all over the country; I assume she was helping department stores set up their charge plate business. She had a box of charge plates from the west coast, midwest, you name it -- now long gone, of course. Pretty sure she had some of the jewelry boxes, too -- also gone. I ran into this post today because I was cleaning out a matchbook collection from my mom's travel days and decided to do some research into Farrington. Interesting information here!

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  33. I worked for Farrington Electronics, a division of Farrington Manufacturing, they made OCR equipment. I still have 35 shares of Farrington stock. I don't think they are worth much.

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    1. My father was Special Projects Manager (1959-65) at Farrington's VA facility. His team developed the modern credit card. I'm writing a book about it. Please contact me at rdecof@gmail.com

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    2. I paid .50 for a Farmington jewelry box rough condition. The purpose was to refurbish the box. The top was tore and I pulled all the outer lining off the box...to find military grade steal used for the frame top and side tops and bottoms. Texol is the company I believe who sold lubricants for the hinges on the Jewelry Box. Maybe this information might help in finding people connected to Farmington Manufacturing.

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  34. I have a green Farrington box my Gramma used as a sewing box. I use it as one also. It still reminds me of her.

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  35. This is similar to the one I bought at goodwill. I love it! Very detailed Copper etched trim with design along sides.Has a teal velvet interior with burgundy, teal flowers on the outside. Even has the key with it! Had no idea it was so old.

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  36. I got one today at an estate sale. I just was looking it up because it had Farrington on the bottom. Mine is probably from the 60's, but I haven't finished my research.

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  37. My father was Special Projects Manager (1959-65) at Farrington's VA facility. His team developed the modern credit card. I'm writing a book about it. Please contact me at rdecof@gmail.com

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  38. My mother-in-law, who just passed at the age of 95, grew up in New Jersey and had a Farrington jewelry box that I now have. It is in great condition. What is Texol? The box has ‘genuine texol’ under the Farrington name.

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  39. I have just found one of these from my kids great grandma who passed away several years ago at the age of 101. Anyhow the key is missing. Any idea where/how to get this repaired?

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