Krimpit

Krimp’It Paper Crimping Device
Research by

Curtis Scaglione

June 19, 2012

CHAPTER 1 - The Right People in the Right Place
CHAPTER 2 - The Right Place
CHAPTER 3 - Advertisements
CHAPTER 4 - Trademark and Patents
CHAPTER 5 - Photographs

© 2012 by Curtis Scaglione
All rights reserved. With the exception of the US Patent and Trade Mark information, which is
public record, No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any
means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior written
permission of Curtis Scaglione.

Krimp’It Paper Crimping Device

1931 - 1934

Seiders-Mather Corporation

155 E Superior St.

Chicago, Illinois

Until recently, this crimper was unknown to me and probably too many other collectors as well.
Upon acquiring my first Krimp’It, I discovered that it was manufactured under the second of
two patents. My only resource was the fastener itself. Any and all data was taken from the
fastener in hopes of discovering who was responsible and only minimal information was
available, which caused some concern. The patent provided many clues as to the players
involved with the machine and with their names research was conducted on each person.

The name Seiders - Mather Corporation was engraved into the paper table. With that
information, I was able to start my search. It wasn’t long before patent information was
presented.

It was a surprise to find that not one but two patents were issued for this machine. As the
Krimp’It is unusual, I could only wonder if my example was produced with the second patent
because the company responsible decided the first patent did not meet up to standards. It was
likely that this was the only model produced.

I was completely surprised when I found the second example. This example required some
attention, but with time, it earned its place in the collection. This model was based on the first
patent. This was becoming an even bigger challenge because until a week ago, I never knew
the Krimp’It even existed.

Reviewing the patents quickly identified the inventors and executives of the company.

CHAPTER 1 – The Right People in the Right Place

William N. Thode, Inventor – Thode was also the co-inventor of a Stock-controlled feed for
presses which was patented in 1924. No other patients were found bearing his name. It was
also stated that he was a resident of Chicago, Cook County, Illinois.

Charles C. Mason, Developed an improved model based on original model. Nothing else could
be found on Mason, but the search for information is not over.

Chas R. Koursh was listed on both patents as the witness. It would only be logical to speculate
that he was also employed by Seiders – Mather Corporation, but in what capacity has yet to be
discovered.

Charles H. Rosenfeld, President - Referred to as the Pivot man for the Seiders-Mather
Corporation, Rosenfeld was remembered as a motivator. His family left to the Chicago
University over 19.5 linear feet of materials on motivational salesmanship and sales techniques;
reports, training publications, posters, and placards on sales management and moneymaking
methods; material on sales talks, sales contests, and other promotions. His papers are
reportedly dating from 1906-1974. Oh, did I fail to mention there were also boxes on the
Krimp’It? No, Well, that is because until June of 2012, those documents were not available to
the general public. It was through contact with Mr. Rosenfeld’s family that the doors at the
University of Chicago started opening for this research project.

Born on May 29, 1886, Charles worked in sales
for nearly all of his life. Records indicated that he
was a traveling salesman from around 1917 up to
the 1920’s. From the 1920’s to the 1960 he
earned his place in various companies holding
executive positions. It was during this period that
he was brought on board with Seth Seiders to
organize the many facets the Seiders Syndicate
had acquired which included the Krimp’It
Fastener.

In 1931, Charles Rosenfeld, L. R. Fox, F. A.
Mudgett, and Wirt Hurd, all former executives of
Seiders, Inc., took over the company, renamed it
The Seiders-Mather Corporation, and patented
and sold the Krimp'It paper fastening device.

From the sources available, it was easy to establish the kind of man Charles Rosenfeld was,
He was friendly and easy to approach. His salesmanship skills came naturally and earned
him great respect in the industry. He did retire in 1960 and enjoyed 23 years of retirement
before passing away in 1983.

Seth Seiders, Born in 1883 in Paulding Ohio, Seth Seiders seems to have entered this life driven
by an intense desire to make money. It was said that he worked as a child selling magazines,
trapping animals for the pelts and he sold blackberries. Even in his youth, his goal was to make
a million dollars.

Before long, he had grown into “a big, well-dressed, blonde-headed man with an arresting gray
eye,” as he was described in 1926. Seiders started a short-lived business, sold advertising for a
newspaper, traveled the country selling door to door, married a businesswoman, and ultimately
did make a million dollars

How he made that money, though, is a matter of some debate. After moving to Chicago, he
founded and presided over Seth Seiders Incorporated, and built a tiny empire selling printed
pep talks and motivational sales booklets.

During the same years of the first half of the 1920s that Seiders was building his business in
Chicago, Al Capone was taking over the Chicago underworld—making millions every year off
liquor and gambling and prostitution—bribing and threatening and striking deals with countless
lawmen and politicians and businessmen. The rumors were that Seth Seiders and Al Capone
had mutual business interest.

In 1924, Seiders left Chicago for New Mexico, for the Jemez Mountains, but continued to spend
at least half of every year in Illinois. He bought a large piece of property in the Jemez
Mountains’ Cebolla Valley, built a house, a dancehall, an exclusive and technically illegal bar, a
little store, and numerous outbuildings. Stables held horses for his guests to ride, hop plants
grew around a mysteriously locked building, and there was more than enough room for friendly
local girls, banquets, and slot machines. The property became known as the Rancho Rea, after
Seiders’ wife, Rhea, and Seiders’ friends and associates would come west from Chicago and the
East Coast just to see it. One of those people that spent time at the ranch was Al Capone.

Wirt W. Hurd, Mr. Hurd was the Treasurer for the Seiders – Mather Company. Unfortunately
nothing has been found on this individual.

CHAPTER 2 – The Right Place

Chicago, Illinois was the place to be at the turn of the 20th century. The mechanical revolution
was alive and well and living in Chicago. Several of the stapler and fastener companies were
established in the city and everyone knew everyone.

The Seiders – Mather Corporation occupied offices at 155 -165 East Superior Street, Chicago,
Illinois. The building is still occupied today and was for a period of time the offices of E. H.
Sargent & Company, the Archdiocese of Chicago and the Northwestern Campus of the
University of Chicago.

CHAPTER 3 – Advertisements

It is hard to believe hours were spent looking for any advertisements associated with the
Krimp’It and nothing was found. The following ads were found in the papers donated to the
University of Chicago.

What these documents do is confirm that the machine was produced in numbers and marketed
to the public. Also, that the Seiders – Mather Corporation employed men to sell their product
throughout the county. It was because of the lack of examples and the lack of any
advertisements that one may consider the machine was not sold nationally. But now is does
appear salesmen were moving the fastener. Perhaps not in large numbers.







CHAPTER 4 – Trademark and Patents

(Trademark)



(Original Patent)







(Assignment of Patent by William N. Thode)

(Patent Improvements)







(Assignment of Patent Improvements by Charles C. Mason)

CHAPTER 5 – Photographs

(Original Model)
(Improved Model)

This is the paper table with trademark and Seiders-Mather Corporation logo.

From the plate, it would appear that the company produced these fasteners before the patent
was approved.