Sandwich Manufacturing Company Sheller Catalog, 1896

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Part of the Sandwich Manufacturing Story

Forty First Annual Catalogue

Image restored by Herk Schmidt

Machines That Helped Build Agricultural America

By 1896, the Sandwich Manufacturing Company of Sandwich, Illinois, had become one of the best known and respected names in American farm machinery.

What started in the 1850s as a growing prairie town manufacturer had evolved into a company selling shellers, feed grinders, hay presses, elevators, barrel carts, attachments, and horse power equipment across the United States, and even internationally.

The 1896 Sheller Catalog offers a remarkable look into that world.

Its pages were filled with detailed illustrations, prices, testimonials, technical descriptions, and proud declarations about the quality of “Genuine Sandwich Shellers.” Farmers from Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska, and beyond wrote in describing machines that shelled thousands of bushels of corn with speed and reliability.

And the company wasn’t shy about its reputation.

One page boldly declared:

“Genuine Sandwich Shellers are still ahead.”

Looking through the catalog today, it’s easy to understand why the Sandwich Manufacturing Company became such an important part of Sandwich’s industrial story.

More Than Just Shellers

Although remembered primarily for corn shellers, the 1896 catalog shows the company producing a wide range of agricultural equipment.

Among the featured machinery were:

Horse Powered Shellers

The catalog offered shellers in multiple sizes and configurations:

Junior shellers
Four hole shellers
Six hole shellers
Eight hole “Ironsides” shellers
Mounted and portable rigs
Hand fed and self feeding models

Some were designed for smaller farms, while others were massive horse-powered machines capable of handling large custom shelling operations.

The catalog carefully listed:

horsepower requirements
wagon configurations
mounting styles
weights
elevator options
cob stackers
attachments
replacement parts

These weren’t simple hand tools.
They were serious industrial farm machines.

“Samson” Horse Powers

One of the most impressive sections of the catalog featured the company’s “Samson” horse power units.

These large geared systems transferred the power of teams of horses into rotating mechanical energy used to run shellers and other machinery.

The illustrations show elaborate mounted rigs traveling farm to farm by wagon.

For many farmers in the late 1800s, this represented advanced agricultural technology.

Hay Presses, Feed Grinders & Barrel Carts

The catalog also demonstrates how far Sandwich Manufacturing Company had expanded beyond shellers.

Additional products included:

hay presses
feed grinders
feed cutters
saw rigs
elevators
attachments
wagon box elevators
barrel carts

One simple listing for a “Sandwich Barrel Cart” quietly reminds modern readers that the company supplied practical everyday farm equipment alongside its larger machinery.

Farmers Spoke Highly of the Machines

One of the most fascinating parts of the 1896 catalog is the testimonial section.

Farmers from across the country wrote directly to the company describing how the machines performed in actual use.

Many focused on speed, reliability, and clean shelling.

A farmer from Odebolt, Iowa wrote:

“I have used your Four-Hole Sheller for custom work for many years… shelling as high as 100,000 bushels in a single year.”

Another customer from Minonk, Illinois reported:

“I shelled for my crop, cleaning corn for market and fast shelling.”

A testimonial from Wenona, Illinois praised the machine’s durability:

“I get a number of outside jobs on account of being able to clean the corn better than others with other makes of shellers.”

And perhaps most impressive was a testimonial from New Zealand:

“It is a splendid article and there is no other capable of competing with it either for quality or quantity of work.”

These testimonials reveal something larger than machinery sales.

By the 1890s, Sandwich Manufacturing Company had built a reputation that stretched far beyond northern Illinois.

A Window Into Industrial Sandwich

Today, the catalog survives as more than an equipment guide.

It serves as a snapshot of:

late 19th century farm life
mechanical innovation
rural commerce
transportation
advertising
manufacturing pride

It also reminds us that Sandwich, Illinois was once home to one of America’s important agricultural machinery manufacturers.

Long before modern combines and tractors dominated the countryside, horse powered Sandwich shellers traveled dusty rural roads helping farmers process the corn harvest.

And many collectors across the country still search for surviving examples today.

Facts At A Glance

Title: Forty First Annual Sheller Catalogue
Company: Sandwich Manufacturing Company
Year: 1896
Established: 1856
Primary Products: Corn shellers, horse power systems, elevators, attachments
Market Reach: United States and international (including New Zealand)
Key Theme: Integrated agricultural systems and established brand leadership

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