Vtg 1920s? REAL SILK Hosiery Mending Kit Real Silk Hosiery Mills Matchbook Style

Description: This beautiful vintage matchbook style hosiery mending kit was designed for a lady to carry in her purse to be able to mend a run in her silk stockings while traveling. The directions for use are printed inside the cover. It was made in the USA by Real Silk Hosiery Mills, Inc., one of Indianapolis, Indiana's most successful and well known manufacturers of yesteryear. Artistically beautiful design featuring a dove in flight above a laurel bough, on a green background. A wonderful addition to any collection! 1 1/2 in wide x 2 1/8 in tall when closed Condition: This vintage matchbook style hosiery mending kit is in nice condition considering its age. Includes a needle which has some patina, mending silk in five lovely hosiery colors, and 3 run-arrestor wands which have been detached. Appears to be missing a bit of silk thread and some run-arrestor wands. There is some writing in ink on the back, this might be the initials of the sales representative. Real Silk Company was founded in 1922 by J.A. and L.L. Goodman. The company ran knitting mills which manufactured hosiery, lingerie, and underwear. At its peak, the company's sales volume averaged more than one million dozen pairs of women's hosiery a year. In addition, Real Silk owned plants in Linton, Indiana, Georgia, and Mississippi. The company ran into financial difficulties in the early 1930s as a result of the Great Depression, and control was assumed by a bank committee. Real Silk's financial situation began to improve shortly thereafter and Gustav Efroymson assumed control of the company in 1932. Difficulties soon occurred with labor over wage increases which resulted in a strike in April and May, 1934, that included the arrests of sixteen strikers in Indianapolis. The amount of company profits declined in the early 1940s as a result of the need for silk during World War II, although the company was instrumental in the manufacturing of parachutes for bombs as well as hosiery for both male and female military personnel. After a post-war profit increase, the financial situation again declined in the early 1950s. Gustav Efroymson died in 1946, and control of the company passed to his son, Robert. Under Robert Efroymson's control, the company first closed its manufacturing operations in Indianapolis and Dalton, Georgia, and a short time later closed all other manufacturing operations as well. All the machinery was sold except that which was related to direct-to-consumer selling, and the plant, which was located at 611 N. Park was leased to a printing company. Robert Efroymson also directed the retiring of all preferred and some common stock and invested the surplus funds in securities. In 1957 Real Silk Inc. became registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an investment company, although they continued the door to door selling of hosiery, lingerie, and other clothing products on a national scale. The company continues to operate in Indianapolis at 445 N. Pennsylvania. The former plant was converted into apartments in the late 1980s. Thank you for visiting my eBay store! Please check out my other items. I am happy to combine items to save you shipping costs. Please feel free to contact me before bidding if you have questions.

Price: 30 USD

Location: Harvard, Massachusetts

End Time: 2025-01-27T19:00:29.000Z

Shipping Cost: 1.5 USD