332:
and
Beverly Hills stores closed their doors in 2005, leaving only the landmark store in New York City. In November 2013, Hammacher Schlemmer celebrated its 165th anniversary by unveiling a completely new interior at its landmark Manhattan store. Built in 1926, this reimagined space displayed their collection of the Best, the Only and the Unexpected in open, brightly lit showcases. A selection of exhibits - including a killer whale submarine and a hovercraft - were suspended from the ceiling. In 1999, the company added a store at
416:
321:. As there was no individual water supply, water was furnished by numerous wells with pumps – some in the middle of Broadway. "Choice" water was carted around in large casks by hucksters. At last an extensive "reservoir" was planned, and in 1836, a well one hundred and twelve feet deep and sixteen feet in diameter distributed water through twenty-five miles of mains to two thousand homes. It was located on 13th Street & Fourth Avenue, where Hammacher Schlemmer resided from 1904 to 1926.
27:
439:
212:
Schlemmer had been actively involved with the business since 1853, when he had moved to New York City from
Germany at age twelve and worked at the storefront. After a few years, Taaks resigned. Because Schlemmer owned a greater portion of the company, the name was changed in 1883 to the present style of Hammacher Schlemmer & Co.
461:
product which not only effectively performed the task for which it was designed but does so in a markedly unique manner; two
Enstars meant "Best of Kind", a product identified as the best performing in some specialized class within its overall category;three Enstars distinguished a product as "Best Overall" without qualification.
267:
454:
tin man figurines. In a full-page letter on the opening spread, it reaffirmed its commitment to customer service, pledging to continue "loyal, dedicated, trained: bent upon serving you. Now as in 1848, things are on the move. We are in busy-ness now as we were 125 years ago, under our policy: COMPLETE SATISTACTION GUARANTEED."
404:
331:
In the 1980s, two additional stores were added to
Hammacher Schlemmer, one in Chicago (1984), and one in Beverly Hills, California (1986). With the web-based side of Hammacher becoming such a productive aspect of the company - with online sales increasing at a rate of 30% each year - both the Chicago
453:
Hammacher
Schlemmer's 125th anniversary edition in 1973 featured an assortment of unique kitchen and entertaining products from a "provision cabinet" with clear plastic containers to a gourmet serving cart with an integrated wine rack. The signature gnomes within the catalog pages were replaced with
434:
Hammacher
Schlemmer published a 32-page brochure in 1923 to commemorate its 75th anniversary. Documenting the company's growth, as well as the corresponding expansion of New York City and the United States, the text closed with this inspiring quote by American author (and son of patriot Nathan Hale)
192:
in 1848. Owned by proprietors
Charles Tollner and Mr. R. Stern, it became one of the first national hardware stores. A few months later, Stern withdrew and Tollner continued the business until 1859, moving in 1857 to 209 Bowery. In 1859, family friend Albert Hammacher invested $ 5,000 in the company
464:
In 1998, the
Bertazzon Venetian Carousel, a full-sized fully functional carousel that seated twenty graced the cover of Hammacher Schlemmer's 150th-anniversary catalog. Evoking the charm of 18th-century Venice, this carousel offered an Old World design complete with hand-rendered scenes of Venetian
430:
In 1912, Hammacher
Schlemmer printed its largest catalog to-date. Spanning 1,112 pages and taking a total of four years to compile, the catalog confirmed Hammacher as the most complete hardware source on the East Coast. One hardbound edition remains housed in the Smithsonian's permanent collection.
274:
In 1983, J. Roderick MacArthur created the
Hammacher Schlemmer Institute as an independent but affiliated branch of the company, whose purpose is to comparatively test leading products. On December 15, 1984, MacArthur died and left the company to his heirs. By 2014, they sold Hammacher Schlemmer to
254:
Dominic Tampone, who joined the company as a stock boy at age 15, was named President of Hammacher Schlemmer in 1962. Tampone created a wholesale division, Invento Products Corporation, as a subsidiary for invention and product development. Invento evolved into a clearinghouse for novel products,
211:
During the 1860s, William Schlemmer, Tollner's nephew by marriage, gradually bought out his stake in the company. When Tollner died in 1867, 26-year-old Schlemmer entered into a partnership with Hammacher and Peter F. Taaks. As a result, the company changed its name to Hammacher & Co. William
423:
Hammacher Schlemmer published a 400-page catalog featuring tools for all trades in 1896. In keeping with its reputation for high quality and wide selection, the opening page stated, "Our tools are selected with great care and are of the best makes, and meritorious novelties will be, from time to
250:
After more than 100 years as a family-held business, Hammacher Schlemmer was sold in 1953 to a group of investors and eventually turned over to John Gerald. In 1960, Gerald sold Hammacher Schlemmer to the Kayser-Roth Corporation. During the 1960s, Hammacher Schlemmer began selling the first Home
460:
Their 1983 Fall Catalog is the first to include ratings from the newly established Hammacher Schlemmer Institute. Using an "enstar" rating system (a blue seven-point star) products were awarded one, two, or three enstars depending on The Institute's evaluation. One Enstar designated a "Unique"
246:
and portable radio in 1930. Other products included outdoor grills, several different types of coffee makers and rhinestone dog collars. In 1945, William F. Schlemmer died at the age of 67, leaving his wife, Else, in charge of the company. In 1948, Hammacher Schlemmer celebrated its 100-year
247:
anniversary with the introduction of the first automatic steam iron and the electric broom. Else did not have any children, and in 1952 she executed a will naming more than 100 Hammacher Schlemmer employees as beneficiaries. She died in 1955, leaving an estate worth approximately $ 473,000.
472:
In 2014, Hammacher Schlemmer introduced the first Augmented Reality Catalog, a new way to experience its products. Users had to scan specially marked catalog pages with their iPad to overlay a three-dimensional image of a product, spin the item 360 degrees, play videos, and more.
411:
In 1881, Hammacher Schlemmer produced its first illustrated catalogue and price list which showcased products with the same care received as in the mahogany cases of the New York store. Intricate pen and ink drawings became the hallmark of Hammacher Schlemmer's hardware catalogs.
449:
In 1931, Hammacher Schlemmer debuted its housewares supplement, the first catalog of its kind in the country, with a brightly colored, yet simply titled cover. These catalogs signaled a new era in its history as the old image of hardware and tools began to fade.
219:
Directory. Hammacher Schlemmer was also the first retailer to offer a number of products, such as the "Tourist Autokit," the pop-up toaster (1930), the electric toothbrush (1955), and the telephone answering machine (1968), in the United States.
465:
landmarks. Its six jumping horses, five rocking horses, and two chariots were all hand painted and the revolving platform is varnished, solid hardwood. Because each carousel was hand-built to order, it required five months for construction.
378:, Chris Elliott lists among an assortment of oddball luggage items, "a two-man submarine from Hammacher Schlemmer, complete with forty-amp thrusters and an air-supply system capable of maintaining up to one hundred cubic feet of oxygen."
200:, a severe coin shortage in New York City made it nearly impossible for retailers to make change for their customers. In response to this shortage, the United States government allowed merchants to mint their own coins, known as "
258:
Tampone held leadership position at Hammacher Schlemmer through two changes in corporate ownership—a 1975 sale to Conglomerate Gulf + Western Industries, Inc. in 1975, and a subsequent sale to John Roderick MacArthur's
468:
In a departure from its traditional cover presentation, the 2003 Holiday Preview catalog featured a cartoon that playfully acknowledged the retailer's reputation for offering unusual, and-on occasion-outlandish items.
328:, the modern twelve-story building has housed hardware, gifts, housewares, bath, dressing room and closet furnishings, kitchen and fireplace equipment, furniture and a variety of categories of consumer products.
223:
Hammacher Schlemmer began printing and distributing a company catalog in 1881. In 1912, it printed its largest catalog to date, spanning 1,112 pages. A hardbound copy of the 1912 catalog is housed in the
370:
255:
sourcing items from around the world and selling them under its own brand to retailers including Hammacher Schlemmer, Sears, and Neiman Marcus, generating annual sales of nearly $ 2.5 million.
239:
Hammacher resigned in 1892, leaving the whole company to Schlemmer serving as the President and Treasurer and his son William F. Schlemmer, to be named Vice President several years later.
232:
297:
By 1998, Hammacher Schlemmer launched their own website, Hammacher.com. That same year, Hammacher Schlemmer celebrated its 150th anniversary. As a tribute, Mayor
897:
446:
Hammacher Schlemmer began its "gnome" campaign in 1920 - an ad campaign that featured diligent little cartoon characters in the pages of its catalogs.
872:
892:
228:’s permanent collection. By 1926, the Hammacher Schlemmer had moved uptown to a larger space at the company's present location of East 57th Street.
887:
339:
In January 2023, Hammacher Schlemmer announced that after 96 years, they would not renew their lease and would close their 57th Street location.
324:
From there, the company moved into its present location at 147 East 57th Street, in 1926. Located on the site of the Huntington Stables and near
689:
867:
215:
Hammacher Schlemmer was among the first companies to install a telephone in their store, as well as one of the original subscribers to the
317:
plague of 1822, ascribed to impure water, desolated lower Manhattan and caused business and terrified inhabitants to move out of town to
882:
662:
514:
290:, a specialty catalog that was available in the seat back pocket of many airline until the company's bankruptcy in 2015. In 1995,
286:, the first major commercial online service in the United States. From 1991 to 2001, Hammacher Schlemmer offered products through
242:
Hammacher Schlemmer began prominently featuring new inventions in their catalog in the 1930s, beginning with the first pop-up
907:
823:
457:
In 1977, Hammacher Schlemmer printed its first full-color product catalog with a cover flanked by the ever-present gnomes.
569:
862:
815:
543:
877:
387:, the two muscle-bound characters of the German Drinking Team are named Hammacher and Schlemmer (played by
313:, where it remained from 1848 to 1859. It later moved to 209 The Bowery, remaining from 1859 to 1904. The
709:
491:
208:, began distributing its own copper coins until the government ordered Hammacher & Tollner to cease.
427:
The U.S. Navy began using the company's catalog as an equipment manual in 1904, continued until 1971.
333:
902:
763:
325:
424:
time, added to our present line, our aim being to carry a complete stock of first-class tools."
667:
635:
548:
365:
349:
216:
301:
renamed the block on 57th Street between Lexington and 3rd Avenue as Hammacher Schlemmer Way.
392:
8:
278:
In 1988, Hammacher Schlemmer became one of the first retailers to sell products over the
787:
724:
613:
499:
197:
438:
318:
260:
298:
119:
598:
201:
169:
77:
407:
The U.S. Navy used Hammacher Schlemmer as an equipment manual for over 65 years.
574:
415:
291:
266:
181:
856:
838:
825:
361:
189:
435:
Edward Everett Hale: "Look up-not down, Look out-not in, And lend a hand."
388:
314:
374:. In a fanciful account of a transatlantic voyage with his father on the
26:
225:
403:
283:
640:
354:
231:
383:
279:
750:
Daddy’s Boy: A Son’s Shocking Account of Life with a Famous Father
371:
Daddy’s Boy: A Son’s Shocking Account of Life with a Famous Father
287:
243:
663:"SkyMall Files for Bankruptcy: What About the Serenity Cat Pod?"
707:
Lee, Murphy H. (April 15, 2005). "Gadget seller grows online".
310:
309:
Hammacher Schlemmer first began as a hardware store at 221 The
185:
690:"BUSINESS PEOPLE; Change by Hammacher Aims at Catalogue Sales"
160:
140:
810:
442:
Hammacher Schlemmer launched their "gnome" campaign in 1920.
154:
134:
347:
The New York store was featured in a scene from the movie
263:
Ltd. Inc. in 1980. Tampone died in 1982 as Vice-President.
148:
193:
and the name was changed to C. Tollner and A. Hammacher.
128:
103:
816:
America's Longest Running Catalog: Hammacher Schlemmer
251:
Bowling Alley, London Taxi Cabs, and a "Nothing Box."
357:
visits the store to be outfitted for an exotic trip.
168:
is an American retailer and catalog company based in
137:
204:" or "copperheads". The store, at that point called
151:
353:(1990), during which the title character played by
294:built Hammacher Schlemmer a store on the Internet.
157:
145:
131:
125:
122:
570:"Eugene Tollner, Noted Cafe Man, Dies here at 83"
854:
788:"The Hammacher Schlemmer History Timeline: 1923"
492:"Hammacher Schlemmer Sold to Illinois Collector"
636:"Hammacher Schlemmer -- a Gadget Guys Paradise"
898:Employee-owned companies of the United States
660:
614:"The Hammacher Schlemmer History Timeline"
360:Comedic reference is made to the store in
336:in South Miami, Florida. It later closed.
184:specializing in hard-to-find tools in the
25:
873:Companies based in Cook County, Illinois
780:
752:. New York: Delacorte Press. p. 72.
713:. Vol. 28, no. 16. p. 54.
437:
414:
402:
265:
230:
893:1848 establishments in New York (state)
747:
687:
489:
888:American companies established in 1848
855:
629:
627:
633:
419:Largest Printed Catalog To Date, 1912
342:
868:Retail companies established in 1848
661:O'Neill, Lorena (January 23, 2015).
706:
688:Isadore, Barmash (April 10, 1989).
624:
13:
20:Hammacher Schlemmer & Co. Inc.
14:
919:
883:Commercial buildings in Manhattan
804:
602:. March 10, 1952. pp. 90–91.
16:American retailer founded in 1848
490:Isadore, Barmash (May 8, 1980).
304:
118:
756:
748:Elliott, Chris and Bob (1989).
741:
717:
700:
634:Whent, Robert (April 8, 2012).
578:. December 12, 1935. p. 17
235:The First Printed Catalog, 1881
180:Hammacher Schlemmer began as a
681:
654:
606:
589:
562:
536:
507:
483:
1:
764:"Edward Everett Hale: Quotes"
515:"Story of a Prosperous House"
476:
811:Hammacher Schlemmer Homepage
270:Invento Products Corporation
7:
908:Gulf and Western Industries
398:
10:
924:
175:
525:: 36–37. October 10, 1904
334:The Shops at Sunset Place
275:the company's employees.
98:
88:
72:
64:
49:
41:
33:
24:
725:"Joe Versus the Volcano"
710:Crain's Chicago Business
575:The Brooklyn Daily Eagle
206:Hammacher & Tollner
863:Shops in New York City
729:On The Set of New York
668:The Hollywood Reporter
549:National Postal Museum
443:
420:
408:
350:Joe Versus the Volcano
271:
236:
217:Bell Telephone Company
839:40.76083°N 73.96861°W
544:"Hammacher Schlemmer"
519:The Furniture Journal
441:
418:
406:
269:
234:
878:Mail-order retailers
844:40.76083; -73.96861
835: /
618:Hammacher Schlemmer
115:Hammacher Schlemmer
90:Number of locations
21:
694:The New York Times
500:The New York Times
444:
421:
409:
393:Günter Schlierkamp
343:In popular culture
272:
237:
19:
395:, respectively).
381:In the 2006 film
319:Greenwich Village
261:Bradford Exchange
112:
111:
915:
850:
849:
847:
846:
845:
840:
836:
833:
832:
831:
828:
798:
797:
795:
794:
784:
778:
777:
775:
774:
760:
754:
753:
745:
739:
738:
736:
735:
721:
715:
714:
704:
698:
697:
685:
679:
678:
676:
675:
658:
652:
651:
649:
648:
631:
622:
621:
610:
604:
603:
596:"Retail Trade".
593:
587:
586:
584:
583:
566:
560:
559:
557:
556:
540:
534:
533:
531:
530:
511:
505:
504:
496:
487:
299:Rudolph Giuliani
202:rebellion tokens
167:
166:
163:
162:
159:
156:
153:
150:
147:
143:
142:
139:
136:
133:
130:
127:
124:
108:
105:
60:
58:
29:
22:
18:
923:
922:
918:
917:
916:
914:
913:
912:
903:Niles, Illinois
853:
852:
843:
841:
837:
834:
829:
826:
824:
822:
821:
807:
802:
801:
792:
790:
786:
785:
781:
772:
770:
762:
761:
757:
746:
742:
733:
731:
723:
722:
718:
705:
701:
686:
682:
673:
671:
659:
655:
646:
644:
632:
625:
612:
611:
607:
595:
594:
590:
581:
579:
568:
567:
563:
554:
552:
542:
541:
537:
528:
526:
513:
512:
508:
494:
488:
484:
479:
401:
345:
307:
178:
170:Niles, Illinois
144:
121:
117:
102:
91:
84:
80:
78:Niles, Illinois
68:Charles Tollner
56:
54:
17:
12:
11:
5:
921:
911:
910:
905:
900:
895:
890:
885:
880:
875:
870:
865:
819:
818:
813:
806:
805:External links
803:
800:
799:
779:
755:
740:
716:
699:
680:
653:
623:
605:
588:
561:
535:
506:
481:
480:
478:
475:
400:
397:
368:’s 1989 book,
344:
341:
306:
303:
292:America Online
182:hardware store
177:
174:
110:
109:
100:
96:
95:
92:
89:
86:
85:
82:
76:
74:
70:
69:
66:
62:
61:
51:
47:
46:
43:
39:
38:
37:Employee Owned
35:
31:
30:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
920:
909:
906:
904:
901:
899:
896:
894:
891:
889:
886:
884:
881:
879:
876:
874:
871:
869:
866:
864:
861:
860:
858:
851:
848:
817:
814:
812:
809:
808:
789:
783:
769:
765:
759:
751:
744:
730:
726:
720:
712:
711:
703:
696:. p. D1.
695:
691:
684:
670:
669:
664:
657:
643:
642:
637:
630:
628:
619:
615:
609:
601:
600:
592:
577:
576:
571:
565:
551:
550:
545:
539:
524:
520:
516:
510:
503:. p. D1.
502:
501:
493:
486:
482:
474:
470:
466:
462:
458:
455:
451:
447:
440:
436:
432:
428:
425:
417:
413:
405:
396:
394:
390:
386:
385:
379:
377:
373:
372:
367:
363:
362:Chris Elliott
358:
356:
352:
351:
340:
337:
335:
329:
327:
322:
320:
316:
312:
305:Retail stores
302:
300:
295:
293:
289:
285:
281:
276:
268:
264:
262:
256:
252:
248:
245:
240:
233:
229:
227:
221:
218:
213:
209:
207:
203:
199:
196:Early in the
194:
191:
190:New York City
187:
183:
173:
171:
165:
116:
107:
101:
97:
93:
87:
83:United States
79:
75:
71:
67:
63:
52:
48:
44:
40:
36:
32:
28:
23:
820:
791:. Retrieved
782:
771:. Retrieved
767:
758:
749:
743:
732:. Retrieved
728:
719:
708:
702:
693:
683:
672:. Retrieved
666:
656:
645:. Retrieved
639:
617:
608:
597:
591:
580:. Retrieved
573:
564:
553:. Retrieved
547:
538:
527:. Retrieved
522:
518:
509:
498:
485:
471:
467:
463:
459:
456:
452:
448:
445:
433:
429:
426:
422:
410:
389:Ralf Moeller
382:
380:
376:Andrea Doria
375:
369:
359:
348:
346:
338:
330:
323:
315:yellow fever
308:
296:
277:
273:
257:
253:
249:
241:
238:
222:
214:
210:
205:
195:
188:district of
179:
114:
113:
73:Headquarters
34:Company type
842: /
366:Bob Elliott
326:Park Avenue
226:Smithsonian
857:Categories
827:40°45′39″N
793:2021-10-14
773:2021-10-14
734:2013-07-10
674:2021-10-14
647:2021-10-14
582:2021-10-14
555:2010-10-14
529:2021-10-14
477:References
284:CompuServe
53: 1848
830:73°58′7″W
768:GoodReads
641:Huff Post
355:Tom Hanks
198:Civil War
104:hammacher
399:Catalogs
384:Beerfest
280:Internet
42:Industry
288:SkyMall
244:toaster
176:History
99:Website
65:Founder
57:1848-MM
55: (
50:Founded
311:Bowery
186:Bowery
45:Retail
495:(PDF)
282:with
599:Time
391:and
364:and
106:.com
859::
766:.
727:.
692:.
665:.
638:.
626:^
616:.
572:.
546:.
523:21
521:.
517:.
497:.
172:.
161:ər
141:ər
81:,
796:.
776:.
737:.
677:.
650:.
620:.
585:.
558:.
532:.
164:/
158:m
155:ɛ
152:l
149:ʃ
146:ˈ
138:k
135:ə
132:m
129:æ
126:h
123:ˈ
120:/
94:1
59:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
