Blue Ribbon Factory
Title
Blue Ribbon Factory (p. 1)
Description
[page 1]
[corresponds to cover of The Columbus Dispatch Sunday Magazine, July 12, 1959]
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Sunday MAGAZINE July 12, 1959
WHERE THOSE PRIZE RIBBONS COME FROM
(SEE PAGE 6)
BLUE RIBBON FACTORY
Little Ashley Firm's Prize Symbols
Used Far and Wide at Fairs and Hobby Shows
By BOB WALDRON Photos by Jack Hutton
[corresponds to cover of The Columbus Dispatch Sunday Magazine, July 12, 1959]
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Sunday MAGAZINE July 12, 1959
WHERE THOSE PRIZE RIBBONS COME FROM
(SEE PAGE 6)
BLUE RIBBON FACTORY
Little Ashley Firm's Prize Symbols
Used Far and Wide at Fairs and Hobby Shows
By BOB WALDRON Photos by Jack Hutton
Title
Blue Ribbon Factory (p. 2)
Description
[page 2]
[corresponds to page 6 of The Columbus Dispatch Sunday Magazine, July 12, 1959]
[photo: Engravings of state seals and organization insigne are kept on
hand for reproduction in gold on the prize ribbons and badges.]
WHEN the chips are down and the judge steps for-
ward to hand out the blue ribbon for first prize--whether
it be at the county fair or a school track meet or a beauty
contest--chances are the colorful award with its all-
important gold legend is a product of the quiet town of
Ashley, Ohio, in upper Delaware County.
From a sturdy old two-story brick schoolhouse, long
since abandoned as a seat of learning, the R.B. Powers
Company now supplies prize ribbons by the hundreds of
thousands for events of every description all over the
United States and halfway around the world.
"Our firm was one of the first in the country to pro-
duce printed ribbons as awards," says the present owner,
A.F. Powers. "The business was started back in 1880 by
the late R.B. Powers, who first got the idea of supplying
ribbon prizes at the Ashley Independent Fair, which in its
day was known for its early opening date--the first one
in Ohio every summer.
"The plant was a one-man operation in its early days,
and was down to three during World War II, but now in
peak summer periods employment climbs to about 50,
including a number of college students home on vacation.
Regular employes are mostly local people, many of whom
have been with us for years and are expert technicians in
their phase of the work. Foreman Webb Welch, for in-
stance, is a 25-year veteran.
"We are one of the four largest companies in this
business in the United States. Every year we supply award
ribbons to 70 per cent of the county fairs in Ohio, we
have been the winning bidder for the Ohio State Fair's
business for the past several years, and we have good cov-
[corresponds to page 6 of The Columbus Dispatch Sunday Magazine, July 12, 1959]
[photo: Engravings of state seals and organization insigne are kept on
hand for reproduction in gold on the prize ribbons and badges.]
WHEN the chips are down and the judge steps for-
ward to hand out the blue ribbon for first prize--whether
it be at the county fair or a school track meet or a beauty
contest--chances are the colorful award with its all-
important gold legend is a product of the quiet town of
Ashley, Ohio, in upper Delaware County.
From a sturdy old two-story brick schoolhouse, long
since abandoned as a seat of learning, the R.B. Powers
Company now supplies prize ribbons by the hundreds of
thousands for events of every description all over the
United States and halfway around the world.
"Our firm was one of the first in the country to pro-
duce printed ribbons as awards," says the present owner,
A.F. Powers. "The business was started back in 1880 by
the late R.B. Powers, who first got the idea of supplying
ribbon prizes at the Ashley Independent Fair, which in its
day was known for its early opening date--the first one
in Ohio every summer.
"The plant was a one-man operation in its early days,
and was down to three during World War II, but now in
peak summer periods employment climbs to about 50,
including a number of college students home on vacation.
Regular employes are mostly local people, many of whom
have been with us for years and are expert technicians in
their phase of the work. Foreman Webb Welch, for in-
stance, is a 25-year veteran.
"We are one of the four largest companies in this
business in the United States. Every year we supply award
ribbons to 70 per cent of the county fairs in Ohio, we
have been the winning bidder for the Ohio State Fair's
business for the past several years, and we have good cov-
Title
Blue Ribbon Factory (p. 3)
Description
[page 3]
[corresponds to page 7 of The Columbus Dispatch Sunday Magazine, July 12, 1959]
[photo: A.F. Powers, owner
of the Ashley concern, looks
over the stockroom where
large supplies of ribbons are kept.]
erage in Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky and Pennsylvania,
where our sales representatives operate directly from the
local plant.
"California, too, has become a major market for us,
and we ship to Alaska, the Dominican Republic, and as
far away as the Philippines. We can't do much in Canada
or Great Britain because of their high tariffs. Spanish let-
tering for ribbons going to the Dominican Republic give
us a little trouble sometimes, and we keep a dictionary
handy to check the spelling.
"We use over a million yards of ribbon a year. I think
it is safe to say our employes handle two to three times
that many different pieces of varying widths and lengths
in a year's time. Satin and a combination of satin and
silk are used for the bulk of our orders, but there are a
few customers who demand pure silk.
"Beside fairs, such events as horse, dog and cat shows,
hobbies, stamps, antiques, flowers, live stock, track meets,
school science fairs and bathing beauty competitions help
make prize-ribbons manufacturing a year-around business.
Twenty years ago rabbit shows were very popular, and
made us a good winter business, but these have died out,
and we keep looking for something else to take their place.
Our production is at lowest ebb from November through
March, picking up then as fairs open in southern states
and hitting a peak in mid-July."
In the process of making award ribbons, the desired
wordage first is hand-set in brass or bronze type, which is
in itself quite expensive--some of the pieces being worth
as much as $1.50 each. The type is placed in either an
automatic machine or hand operated press, depending on
(Continued)
[photo: Rosettes, which adorn
the more elaborate prize ribbons,
require a special sewing
machine on which ribbon is pleated.]
[corresponds to page 7 of The Columbus Dispatch Sunday Magazine, July 12, 1959]
[photo: A.F. Powers, owner
of the Ashley concern, looks
over the stockroom where
large supplies of ribbons are kept.]
erage in Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky and Pennsylvania,
where our sales representatives operate directly from the
local plant.
"California, too, has become a major market for us,
and we ship to Alaska, the Dominican Republic, and as
far away as the Philippines. We can't do much in Canada
or Great Britain because of their high tariffs. Spanish let-
tering for ribbons going to the Dominican Republic give
us a little trouble sometimes, and we keep a dictionary
handy to check the spelling.
"We use over a million yards of ribbon a year. I think
it is safe to say our employes handle two to three times
that many different pieces of varying widths and lengths
in a year's time. Satin and a combination of satin and
silk are used for the bulk of our orders, but there are a
few customers who demand pure silk.
"Beside fairs, such events as horse, dog and cat shows,
hobbies, stamps, antiques, flowers, live stock, track meets,
school science fairs and bathing beauty competitions help
make prize-ribbons manufacturing a year-around business.
Twenty years ago rabbit shows were very popular, and
made us a good winter business, but these have died out,
and we keep looking for something else to take their place.
Our production is at lowest ebb from November through
March, picking up then as fairs open in southern states
and hitting a peak in mid-July."
In the process of making award ribbons, the desired
wordage first is hand-set in brass or bronze type, which is
in itself quite expensive--some of the pieces being worth
as much as $1.50 each. The type is placed in either an
automatic machine or hand operated press, depending on
(Continued)
[photo: Rosettes, which adorn
the more elaborate prize ribbons,
require a special sewing
machine on which ribbon is pleated.]
Title
Blue Ribbon Factory (p. 4)
Description
[page 4]
[corresponds to page 8 of The Columbus Dispatch Sunday Magazine, July 12, 1959]
The Columbus Dispatch Magazine--July 12, 1959
RIBBONS, continued
the size of the order, and gold-leaf lettering is pressed on
the abric with the aid of heat, which helps to make it
adhere properly.
Since many prize ribbons are a one-of-a-kind proposi-
tion, necessitating frequent changes in legend and color
of fabric, the gas heated tipple, or tip, presses get plenty
of use. On the machines used in turning out larger orders,
both the ribbon and gold leaf move into position over the
type automatically.
Actually, "gold" leaf is somewhat of a misnomer, for
on most jobs a composition leaf is employed quite satis-
factorily and at lower cost to the customer. Where pure
gold leaf is required, all unused portions are carefully
saved and returned to the manufacturer for salvage and
credit.
Several of the machines used int he Powers plant have
been adapted to the ribbon business from other industries
such as shoe manufacturing, bookbinding and automobile
brake-band cutting.
After printing, flat ribbons go to the sewing room for
hemming and pressing.
Rosettes, which are enjoying great popularity, are a
special art. They require a special sewing machine for
pleating the ribbon, and as high as 78 different hand and
machine operations are required in making some of the
most complicated designs.
To meet the varied requirements of their many clients,
the Powers company has added convention badges, ban-
ners and silk screen posters to its production, besides
handling a line of trophies. Another natural forward step
would be the ticket business, Powers believes.
Competition has many rewards. Every time a prize
ribbon is handed out, there are two winners--the fellow
who gets the award, and the ribbon maker in Asley, Ohio.
(The End)
[corresponds to page 8 of The Columbus Dispatch Sunday Magazine, July 12, 1959]
The Columbus Dispatch Magazine--July 12, 1959
RIBBONS, continued
the size of the order, and gold-leaf lettering is pressed on
the abric with the aid of heat, which helps to make it
adhere properly.
Since many prize ribbons are a one-of-a-kind proposi-
tion, necessitating frequent changes in legend and color
of fabric, the gas heated tipple, or tip, presses get plenty
of use. On the machines used in turning out larger orders,
both the ribbon and gold leaf move into position over the
type automatically.
Actually, "gold" leaf is somewhat of a misnomer, for
on most jobs a composition leaf is employed quite satis-
factorily and at lower cost to the customer. Where pure
gold leaf is required, all unused portions are carefully
saved and returned to the manufacturer for salvage and
credit.
Several of the machines used int he Powers plant have
been adapted to the ribbon business from other industries
such as shoe manufacturing, bookbinding and automobile
brake-band cutting.
After printing, flat ribbons go to the sewing room for
hemming and pressing.
Rosettes, which are enjoying great popularity, are a
special art. They require a special sewing machine for
pleating the ribbon, and as high as 78 different hand and
machine operations are required in making some of the
most complicated designs.
To meet the varied requirements of their many clients,
the Powers company has added convention badges, ban-
ners and silk screen posters to its production, besides
handling a line of trophies. Another natural forward step
would be the ticket business, Powers believes.
Competition has many rewards. Every time a prize
ribbon is handed out, there are two winners--the fellow
who gets the award, and the ribbon maker in Asley, Ohio.
(The End)
Dublin Core
Title
Blue Ribbon Factory
Subject
Local business--Village of Ashley--Delaware County--Ohio
Newspapers--Columbus Dispatch--Ohio
Village of Ashley--Delaware County--Ohio
Newspapers--Columbus Dispatch--Ohio
Village of Ashley--Delaware County--Ohio
Description
Columbus Dispatch story of the Blue Ribbon Factory in Ashley, Ohio.
Creator
Reporter Bob Waldron; Photographer Jack Hutton
Source
The Columbus Dispatch Sunday Magazine, July 12, 1959
Publisher
The Columbus Dispatch; Columbus, Ohio
Date
July 12,1959
Rights
http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-NC/1.0/
Format
Newspaper
Language
English
Type
Still Image
Text
Text
Identifier
92961172
Collection
Citation
Reporter Bob Waldron; Photographer Jack Hutton, “Blue Ribbon Factory,” Delaware County Memory, accessed December 25, 2024, http://66.213.124.233/items/show/146.