Did Spalding Sell Other Companies' Products?

[horzverti]

In the early teens Spalding advertised only their own products in their guides. In the 1930s, both Reach and Spalding advertised each other’s products in their guides.

[Jobu]

Thanks!

[Huysmans]

Originally Posted by horzverti

In the early teens Spalding advertised only their own products in their guides. In the 1930s, both Reach and Spalding advertised each other’s products in their guides.

Despite the Reach name living-on and being continuously used, the company was purchased by Spalding around 1890. This is why you see both names utilized on products found in Spalding guides.

[Chris-Counts]

The history of manufacturers can get quite tangled. As a cap collector, I see that Spalding caps practically disappear around 1950 when McAuliffe becomes a big player in the game. It's my understanding that some sort of partnership between Tim McAullffe and the Leslie Company included taking over Spalding's cap business. Yet I have a late 50s Spalding White Sox gamer, and a mid 60s Spalding Astros cap that's probably a salesman sample. You see the same sort of relationship between Goldsmith and MacGregor.

[steve B]

And there's the question of what Spalding stuff was.
For a while they sold bicycles, branded Spalding.
The chances they actually made their own are small compared to them being simply being from one of the big manufacturers, all of them branded bikes for other companies.

I would think that some other products were produced for Spalding by someone else. And that some smaller brands of some items were actually produced by Spalding.

[bigfanNY]

Well Sports geek that I am I know a litte bit about Spaulding bikes. They did in fact make their own bikes ,very well made. They had a contract with the US army to make bikes for troops. The 43rd Mountain more famously know as Buffalo Soldiers were tasked with testing them and determining the value bikes would have in combat. This would be around the time of WW1.
I looked them up because I have a very old Spaulding pin with a bike wheel background.
Hope this helps.
J

[bgar3]

Spalding not only acquired Reach, they also acquired Wright and Ditson.

[steve B]

Originally Posted by bigfanNY

Well Sports geek that I am I know a litte bit about Spaulding bikes. They did in fact make their own bikes ,very well made. They had a contract with the US army to make bikes for troops. The 43rd Mountain more famously know as Buffalo Soldiers were tasked with testing them and determining the value bikes would have in combat. This would be around the time of WW1.
I looked them up because I have a very old Spaulding pin with a bike wheel background.
Hope this helps.
J

That's interesting.
I wonder what other names they were sold under.

Nearly every major manufacturer has sold bikes branded for other businesses. In some cases they're identical, in others they make a small change so it's not obvious.
Raleigh eventually sold probably close to 20 different brands all produced in the same factory.
Schwinn produced bikes for maybe hundreds of local hardware store chains or even independent stores.

They were rolled into Albert Popes American Bicycle Company, incorporated may 1899 along with 41 other companies. (eventually 75 total. )

[bigfanNY]

Here is link to Spaulding bikes. Spaulding also sold Christy saddles so yes Spaulding definitely sold other manufacturers goods.
Also a picture of the 25th infantry and their 41 day bike trip to prove how useful bikes could be to army.
It is my understanding that an original spaulding bike would cost over 10k today.

https://bsamuseum.wordpress.com/1896...hristy-saddle/