Library Bureau Sole Makers Industrial Factory 8 Drawer Steel File Cabinet c.1940

ABOUT

A very solidly built 8 drawer file cabinet with brass pulls, brass card holders, brass lock and the original label. The drawers glide open smoothly and close properly. This piece is very solidly built and has retained its original finish with some minor structural damage.

• CREATOR Library Bureau Sole Makers Inc.
  
• DATE OF MANUFACTURE c.1940-1950.
  
• MATERIALS AND TECHNIQUES Metal, Steel, Brass.
  
• CONDITION Good. Wear consistent with age and use. Minor wear on the body. No key.
  
• DIMENSIONS H 51.25 in. W 12.25 in. D 25.5 in., Drawer Interior: H 4.75 in. W 10 in. D 19 in
  

HISTORY

The Library Bureau was a business founded by Melville Dewey in 1876 to provide supplies and equipment to libraries. The Library Bureau quickly became a one-stop vendor for supplies and equipment a library might need. By 1900, its lengthy, well illustrated catalog was widely distributed.

During the late 1800s and early 1900s, the Library Bureau supplied furniture, equipment, supplies, and services to many of the new Carnegie Libraries being built. The Bureau prospered. It opened a number of large factories to provide furniture and supplies. It sold merchandise and services through a network of sales offices and distributors in the United States, England, France, and Belgium.