The intent of this site is to research and share the true story of Keystone Manufacturing. There are many bits and pieces of Keystone history out there, some correct and others not, that tell a very similar story. I will be gathering and reviewing everything out there to remove the inaccuracies and create a cohesive story of Keystone’s history. The history will be built on confirmed facts, documents and catalogs. If a bit of information cannot be verified with written proof it will not be added. As the history of Keystone is fleshed out there will be inaccuracies that will change as more information comes to light. This will usually pertain to time frames of production, company personal times of service and company movements to new locations. Included in this history will be information on the Marks Brothers Company, Jacrim Manufacturing, Keystone Manufacturing, Keystone Wood Toys, Keystone Camera Company and Dover Film Company as all of these companies were connected at some point. Be understanding to the process of finding the true history of a company, or anything for that matter. If you can add to the Keystone Company history with verified information I would love to hear from you.
1919 – Keystone Manufacturing Company is founded. Keystone Manufacturing was incorporated to build machines etc., with $20,000 capital by Edward M. Swartz, J.M. Welsman, Isidore Marks and Benjamin Marks.
1920 – Keystone Manufacturing Company moves from 101 Albany street to 53 Wareham street in March.
1920 – Marks Brothers Company moves from 40 Winchester street to 615 Albany street in March.
1922 – Jacrim Manufacturing Company is founded in late summer or fall . Jacrim Manufacturing was incorporated to make metal products with $10,000 capital by Charles H. Jackson, Arthur L. Jackson and Chester A. Rimmer.
1925 – Keystone Manufacturing Company moves from 53 Wareham street to 288 A. street.
1925 – Marks Brothers Company moves from 615 Albany street to 288 A. street.
1925 – Jacrim Manufacturing Company moves from 3 Cross street Malden, Mass. to 615 Albany street Boston.
1928 – Jacrim Manufacturing Company moves from 615 Albany Street Boston to 288 A Street Boston. The 288 A Street address is now shared by Marks Brothers Company, Jacrim Manufacturing Company and Keystone Manufacturing Company. All three companies are producing toys.
1929 – Jacrim Manufacturing Company begins producing the “Tom Thumb Toy” and “Flying Yankee Motor Boat” toy lines.
1930’s – Continuing through the 1930’s the address of 288 A Street Boston was shared by the Marks Brothers Company, Jacrim Manufacturing Company and Keystone Manufacturing Company. There was a great deal of interconnectedness within the three companies at the management level but I have been curious as to how separated the three were outside of that. A little clue to this question came with my recently acquiring several Marks Brothers invoices. One invoice, from August 1933, lists the salesman’s name as Kesselman. The name L.W. Kesselman appears as the salesman on a Jacrim invoice from January 1931. I also have a Marks Brothers invoice from March 1938 that has K as the salesman and several Keystone invoices through 1938 that have a K, KE or KES in the upper corner. Could this be the same Kesselman? It would appear that there was a combined sales force that represented all three companies. Charles Kesselman became the vice president of Keystone Wood Toys in 1954.
1931 – Keystone Manufacturing Company introduces the “Ride ‘Em” toy line of steel toys.
1932 – Keystone Manufacturing Company applies for a patent for the use of the phrase RIDE ‘EM on February 1st.
1934 – Jacrim Manufacturing Company was legally dissolved by an act that was approved on 04 May 1934 and was effective 31 March of that year. Jacrim wooden boats appear as one of the products on a piece of Keystone letterhead dated March 26th 1934. A 1941 Keystone Boat catalog states “Keystone’s Jacrim Boats” in the introduction and each page has “Jacrim Wood Division” at the bottom. All of the boats are physically labeled as Keystone at this point. How long the Jacrim name continued to be used by Keystone is still an unknown.
1942 – Keystone Manufacturing Company and Marks Brothers Company move to 151 Hallet street Boston.
1944 – Keystone Manufacturing Company purchases equipment from Kingsbury Toys.
1946 – Keystone Wood Toys First mention of Keystone Wood Toys as a separate, taxable entity different from Keystone Manufacturing Company.
1953 – Keystone Wood Toys (143 Hallet Street) and Keystone Manufacturing Company (151 Hallet Street) now at separate locations. Keystone Wood Toys sells all of the wooden and masonite toys while Keystone Manufacturing Company continues to sell the steel toys and camera equipment.
1954 – Keystone Manufacturing Company splits again with the formation of the Keystone Camera Company.
1958 – Keystone Wood Toys auctions off all of its manufacturing and office equipment on January 21st of this year.
1960 – Final year of production for Keystone Manufacturing Company.
1965 – Keystone Camera Company is acquired by Berkey Photo.
1967 – Berkey Photo moves Keystone Camera Manufacturing from Boston to Clifton, New Jersey and it becomes a division of Berkey Photo.
Awesome ad on keystone history. Was there or is there a trademark of any kind on vehicles trucks also
Hello,
That I have seen there was never any type of embossed logo. The logo was always a decal on the vehicle. However, the rubber tires were molded with Keystone in the sidewalls.
Derrick
I have a glass lined ice bucket that resembles the casino on Catalina , it’s numbered 115
On the bottom , any ideas how old it is?
Thanks : Patrick
Hello Patrick,
Not sure ended up on my site with this question. Keystone made toys and projectors only. They made nothing like what you have. Wish I could help.
Derrick
I have a bottle here that I know nothing about but has you company logo on it and would like for you to contact me with an e mail so I can send you some photos of it and gain some info of it from you. THE BOTTLE IS SMALL AND READS ” FOR WATER KEYSTONE MFG CO. BOSTON. U.S.A. THANKS FOR YOU TIME.
Hello William,
You can send photos to collectingkeystone.com. I look forward to seeing them.
Derrick
I found in my basement a Keystone 16 mm Moviegraph. Any idea what the value is?
Hello Richard,
I really don’t know much about Keystone movie equipment. My focus is their wooden toys. There are several camera collecting websites out there that should be able to help you. You will want to provide a photo as Keystone made many variations over 40 plus years. Best of luck.
Richard,
I sold one of these recently for $125 to a collector in Canada. It was the hand crank model and was in “working” condition.
If you would like more info about it, I’ll gladly respond.
Daniel
I worked for keystone camera co. From 1947 untill 1959.
Eliot woronoff
Do you know where to find belts springs for the 1953 keystone movie graph L 951?
Hello Vanessa,
I know very little about the Keystone projectors. There are several camera collectors clubs online that may be able to help.
Derrick
Did you know my father (?) charlie Kesselman. He worked as a salesman and Vice President of the Wood Toys. Sandy
Hello Sandy,
As best I could I have tracked your father’s career with Keystone through ephemera that I have collected. Outside of the owners he is the only one I have been able to do that with. I would like to talk to you about him.
Derrick
Would like to send photos of a product labeled manufactured by keystone manufacturing. Where can I send them
Hello Susan,
Send them to collectingkeystone@gmail.com.
Derrick
I collect Keystone of Boston dollhouses made from 1936-1955 and currently have 46 different models. I am contemplating producing a book on Keystone dollhouses, and I am wondering if you have any of the catalogs produced by Keystone to correctly date individual dollhouses. I have copies of catalogs 1938-9 and 1942-3 plus dollhouses listed in their 1948 issue. Any information you are willing to share will be greatly appreciated. Cheers!
Hello Florine,
I will be happy to send you copies of what I have.
Derrick
Derrick,
It has been brought to my attention that you have purchased item #164226489130 ending 8/20/2020.
The item is a Very Rare Tom Thumb toy Prairie Schooner that was in my possession for many years. Please contact me to learn what I know about it.
Sincerely,
Ted
I have a wrecker with Keystone embossed on the doors. It has a removeable tow boom. Also has working headlights and a red working light by the driver’s door. Can’t find any information on this truck, can you help? Thanks
Hello Larry,
I don’t know much about the pressed steel. I have not heard of an embossed vehicle before, I would like to see it. Can you send photos to collectingkeystone@gmail.com? I may have a contact that can help with info.
Derrick
Anybody know value of it appears to be a model 626 Keystone Sailboat?
Hello Kirk,
I would have no idea without seeing pictures. My email is collectingkeystone@gmail.com.
Derrick
I would like to buy a Keystone tug boat and barge.
Hello,
I do not sell any of my toys. Tugs and barges do come up on EBay now and again.
Derrick
I got a old meat Grinder made by keystone company is that the same company?
Hello Terra,
It is not.
Derrick
I have a 5 piece miniature dining set that includes a drop leaf table, 2 ladder back chairs and a hutch. It is in its original shipping box and each piece is in its original box. I’d like to find out more and to sell it. It was given to me between 1960 and probably 1962 at the latest.
Hello Dorothea,
Send me some photos to collectingkeystone@gmail.com and I’ll take a look.
Derrick
I have 6 clipper ships would like to know value
Hello Ira, if you are talking about the three masted smaller ones they are worth about $20 apiece. If in the bag add $5 or in the box add $10.
Derrick
FWIW, in this video in memory of architectural critique Peter Banham, at time 3:19, there is a snapshot displayed of a boarded up Keystone Manufacturing Co. building:
Interesting photos but it is the wrong Keystone building. The building was a massive three story structure in Boston.
I have a wooden cradle with a music box given to me as a Christmas gift (1950’s) by a person who worked for Keystone Camera Company. It sits in my Living Room today with a doll in it.
Hello Eve,
Nice gift and wonderful that you still have it.
Derrick
Good luck on your quest.
One of my earliest and most prized Xmas presents was a model #205 exploding battleship and submarine. It has disappeared over the years, but not the memories.
I have picked up several Keystone boats at flea markets, etc. over time and wonder about the torpedoes and mechanisms. Do you have any information on this area, especially torpedo size?
Hello Ron,
Yes, I know a bit. Ask away. As for the torpedoes there were two different sizes and two different types. Let me know which ships and I can tell you which one they need. I have a source for replacements. I get them made in batches so could help you out in the respect as well.
Derrick
I would like one of each type, if possible.
Do you have other spare parts available?
I have been making missing gun barrels out of dowel rods and using my portable lathe (electric drill) to shape them.
I have the base of a Seaworthy Boat Chester A Rimmer and would like to refinish it adding sails etc. would you be able to direct me to where I may have this done? Or acquire the parts for it? Thank you for any assistance you might be able to give me.
Hello Jacqueline,
In the resources section of my site there is a link to “My Small Boats”. They do excellent work on rigging sailboats.
Derrick
Just scored a rusty complete bicycle at a auto show with 80% what appears original paint and everything else rusty. It is identical to the famous 1930’s Hawthorne/Rollfast hatch back Zep bicycle. However the front badge is a Keystone badge. Is this an original Keystone production bike.
Hello Ven,
By what you describe it is likely a Keystone bike. However, it is another Keystone company out of Pennsylvania that was in business for many years before the Keystone company that my website is about.
Derrick
Hi, I just purchased a rusty old bike from an auto show.
It appears to have 80% of its blue paint with everything else rusty. Identical to the famous 1930s Rollfast/Hawthorne hatch back Zep bike. However the it has a Keystone front badge. Was Keystone producing bikes at the time?
Hello Ven,
I really know nothing about these Keystone bikes out of Pennsylvania other than what I have seen in ads on the internet. Most of what I have seen has dated to the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th.
Derrick
Just wanted to add a Keystone projector model that is missing from your list of projectors. Model K-106 8mm “auto zoom” projector/editor with film viewer. Projector can project still images, and has slow and fast options. I can’t find any information about this projector online, but it definitely exists, as I have one in my hand right now and there a few others for sale on Ebay. (Mine is also for sale!)
I have a quite nice Jacrim/Boston hull that is 29″ long, and 6″ wide. The decal is the one before the Seaworthy one was used and says nothing about Keystone. I would like to date it. My email is currently not working do to Lumen server problems. If anyone can help my address is 145 Trumbull Meadows Lane, Kalispell, MT 59901. I have found quite a number of sail images that are a big help. I am wondering what colors were used on the hulls. This one is all Red but may have been repainted years ago. I was able to make a quite accurate mast using a drum stick. Thanks, Hugh
Hello Hugh,
I would need to see a photo of the boat and the label to be able to give you an estimated date.
Derrick