Inventors and Patents From the City of Franklin Lakes

Franklin Lakes, Indiana, is a small city located in the U.S., so it should be no surprise that we are home to a number of inventors. Some of these people created mail-order catalogs, teapots, and stoves.

Inventors of teapots

The City of Franklin Lakes has long been known for producing a high-quality line of teapots and coffeepots. These pieces are made from patinated copper. They were introduced in 1881 and continued to be produced until 1885. These pots were made in response to the growing interest in Japanese metalwork. After establishing trade relations with Japan in 1854, American companies began incorporating Japanese-style metalwork into their products. The coffeepot, in particular, was designed to resemble the Turkish ewer, which would have been used to serve Turkish coffee.

Inventors of mail-order catalogs

The first mail-order catalog was published in 1874. It described a comprehensive range of 163 different products. By 1875, the company had bought out its partners and began selling directly to customers. Farmers were the primary market for the catalog.

The invention of mail-order catalogs has deep roots in the city of Franklin Lakes, which was named after its first resident, Benjamin Franklin. The city was the birthplace of mail-order catalogs in the late eighteenth century. During the late eighteenth century, Hammacher Schlemmer and Quill Corporation produced catalogs that sold hundreds of millions of dollars in office supplies and equipment. Even when the advent of the electronic catalogs came to the fore, the city remained a leading hub for this industry.

Aaron Montgomery Ward’s mail order catalog company was a success, and his inventions paved the way for the development of other industries, such as telemarketing and social media. Today, the mail order catalogue industry generates over two trillion dollars in incremental sales and supports more than a million jobs.

Inventors of stoves

The City of Franklin Lakes was home to two of the most famous inventors of stoves in history. The Franklin stove was a metal-lined fireplace that stood in the center of a room. It had a baffle in the back for improved air flow and provided more heat than an open fireplace. Unlike an open fireplace, the Franklin stove also used less wood. Its cast-iron furnace radiates heat throughout the room. This stove also features a U-shaped duct in the floor.