“Still Ahead”: How Sandwich Marketed Its Machines

Home › Businesses & Industry › Sandwich Manufacturing Company › “Still Ahead”: How Sandwich Marketed Its Machines

Part of the Sandwich Manufacturing Company Series

Branding, Competition, and Confidence in the 1896 Sheller Catalog

By 1896, the Sandwich Manufacturing Company was no longer simply trying to introduce itself to farmers.

It was defending a reputation.

One of the strongest messages running throughout the company’s Forty First Annual Sheller Catalog was confidence, sometimes bordering on outright challenge. The catalog repeatedly promoted the idea that “Genuine Sandwich Shellers” remained superior to competing machines entering the market during the late 19th century.

One page stated it plainly:

“Genuine Sandwich Shellers Still Ahead.”

It was more than a slogan.

It was a warning to competitors and a reassurance to customers.

A Competitive Market

By the 1890s, agricultural machinery had become big business across the Midwest.

Farmers could choose from numerous manufacturers offering:

shellers
hay presses
feed grinders
horse powers
elevators
and other farm equipment

Competition was fierce.

Companies fought for customers through:

newspaper advertising
traveling salesmen
catalogs
testimonials
demonstrations
and reputation

The Sandwich Manufacturing Company clearly understood this.

Throughout the catalog, the company emphasized not just performance, but authenticity.

“Genuine Sandwich Shellers”

The repeated use of the word “genuine” is especially telling.

The company wanted buyers to know they were purchasing authentic Sandwich machinery, not imitation products built to resemble them.

The catalog warned customers about:

cheaply made competitors
inferior workmanship
poorly designed machines
low cost imitations

Instead, Sandwich Manufacturing Company promoted:

durability
heavy construction
clean shelling
long service life
proven field performance

For many customers, the Sandwich name itself had become part of the selling point.

Built for Hard Use

The catalog consistently emphasized the rugged nature of the company’s machinery.

This mattered because these machines worked under brutal conditions:

long harvest days
rough roads
dust
weather
vibration
constant seasonal use

Custom shellers often traveled from farm to farm throughout harvest season. A breakdown could delay work, reduce profits, and damage a machine owner’s reputation.

The company’s advertising leaned heavily into reliability because reliability was money.

Testimonials as Marketing

One of the company’s strongest marketing tools was the testimonial section.

Rather than relying only on company claims, the catalog featured letters from actual users describing their experiences with Sandwich machinery.

Farmers praised:

speed
durability
clean shelling
heavy capacity
low maintenance

One Iowa operator reported shelling:

“100,000 bushels in a single year.”

Another customer wrote:

“I would not be without it.”

And a user from New Zealand declared:

“There is no other capable of competing with it.”

These testimonials helped transform ordinary customers into salesmen for the company.

Selling More Than Machinery

Looking through the catalog today, it becomes clear that Sandwich Manufacturing Company was not simply selling farm equipment.

It was selling:

efficiency
reliability
reputation
and confidence

The illustrations showed organized farm operations running smoothly with Sandwich machinery at the center.

The testimonials reinforced the idea that successful farmers trusted Sandwich products.

And the repeated branding language reminded buyers that they were investing in machines backed by decades of experience.

By 1896, the company proudly traced its origins back to 1856, forty one years earlier.

That history itself had become part of the marketing.

A Brand That Survived

Today, many surviving Sandwich shellers and horse powers remain highly recognizable to collectors and antique machinery enthusiasts.

Part of that recognition comes from the machines themselves:

massive iron wheels
elaborate gearing
distinctive construction

But part of it also comes from branding.

Even more than a century later, phrases like:

“Genuine Sandwich Shellers Still Ahead”

still carry weight among collectors familiar with the company’s history.

Facts at a Glance

The 1896 catalog repeatedly promoted “Genuine Sandwich Shellers”
Sandwich Manufacturing Company emphasized durability and reliability
The catalog warned customers about inferior or imitation machines
Testimonials played a major role in the company’s marketing strategy
By 1896, the company proudly referenced its 1856 origins
Branding and reputation became central selling points for Sandwich machinery

Continue the Story

Research & Sources

Sandwich Manufacturing Company Sheller Catalog, 1896
Historic Sandwich Manufacturing Company advertising and illustrations
Customer testimonials published by Sandwich Manufacturing Company