Shakespeare Company Records
00071

Summary Information

Repository
Michigan State University Archives and Historical Collections
Creator
Shakespeare Company. (Kalamazoo, Mich.)
Title
Shakespeare Company records
ID
00071
Date [inclusive]
1913-1973
Extent
3.0 Cubic feet
Language
English

Preferred Citation note

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: "Item title, Collection title, Collection Identifier, Michigan State University Archives & Historical Collections, East Lansing, Michigan."

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Historical Note

The discovery of the level-wind fishing reel, which allowed line to be rewound without the use of the thumb, was patented by William Shakespeare Jr. in 1896 and led to the formation of the William Shakespeare Company in 1906, later changed to the Shakespeare Company in 1915. Since 1896 the Shakespeare Company has patented many other fishing equipment items and has diversified into such areas as archery, golf, firearms, ski equipment, boat motors, taxidermy, leather items, and automotive equipment.

In 1946 the glass fiber rod production was moved to Columbia, South Carolina, incorporating the Columbia Products Company, and the corporate headquarters followed in 1970.

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Scope and Contents note

The Shakespeare Company records consist of a history of the company, financial records, legal records, advertising and marketing records, catalogues and price lists, equipment specifications, Sport Fishing Institute materials, correspondence, and photographs. The photographs in the collection include images of fishing, fishing and golf equipment, and advertisements. There are also images of employees as well as C. W. Davis, Henry Shakespeare, and Mr. and Mrs. Jack Smith.

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Administrative Information

Publication Information

Michigan State University Archives and Historical Collections 1968

Conrad Hall
888 Wilson Road, Room 101
East Lansing , MI, 48824
517-355-2330
archives@msu.edu

Revision Description

  November 2011

Conditions Governing Access note

Collection is open for research.

Legal Status note

Copyright: Michigan State University. Property Rights: Michigan State University.

Conditions Governing Use note

Permission to publish material from this collection must be obtained from University Archives & Historical Collections, Michigan State University.

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Controlled Access Headings

Corporate Name(s)

  • Columbia Products Company.
  • Shakespeare Company. (Kalamazoo, Mich.)

Genre(s)

  • Clippings (Books, newspapers, etc.)
  • Letters (correspondence)
  • Photographs
  • Reports

Geographic Name(s)

  • Kalamazoo (Mich.)

Personal Name(s)

  • Hames, Everett R.
  • Shakespeare, William, Jr., 1869-1950

Subject(s)

  • Fishing tackle
  • Industries -- Michigan
  • Sporting goods industry

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Collection Inventory

Shakespeare Company Historical Information 
Box Folder

Employee's Service Record 1954 

 2 1

Newspaper Clippings 1956, Undated 

 2 2

Corporate History to 1970 

 2 3

Corporate History post-1970 

 2 4

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Financial Records 
Box Folder

Carburetor Account Reports 1913-1916 

 2 5

Bond Extension 
Box Folder

 1913-1932 

 1 1

 1932-1933 

 1 2

 1932-1937 

 1 3

 1933-1936 

 1 4

 1936 

 1 5

Audit Reports 
Box Folder

 1913-1929 

 1 6

 1929-1931 

 1 7

 1933-1935 

 1 8

 1936-1937 

 1 9

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Legal Records 

Dalton Litigation 
Box Folder

 1945-1953 

 1 10

 1947-1953 

 2 6

 1949 

 2 7

 1950-1952 

 2 8

 1950-1953 

 2 9

 1953 

 Box
1		 Folder
11-12

 1953 

 2 16-17

 1953 

 2 10

 1953-1954 

 2 11

Federal Trade Commission 
Box Folder

 1929 

 2 12

 1930 

 2 18

John Ingus 
Box Folder

 1949-1950 

 1 13

 1946-1950 

 1 14

 1950-1951 

 1 15

Advertising and Marketing Records 
Box Folder

How to Put on a Fishing Contest Circa 1947 

 2 19

My Company and Canada's No. 1 Problem Circa 1948 

 2 20

Marketing Research 1949-1952 

 2 21

Fishing Films 1951, Undated 

 Box
2		 Folder
22

General Survey of Dealer Opinion Toward Retail Trade-Ins 1957 

 2 23

Live Programs 1958-1959 

 2 24

The American Sports Center Exhibition 1959-1960 

 2 25

Tackle Talk 1961-1963 

 2 26

1962 Shakespeare Fishing Tackle Consumer Advertising 1961 

 2 27

A Review of the Golfing Industry 1962 

 2 28

Columbia Products Company Wondershaft 1962 

 2 29

Archery Budgetary Plans for 1962-1963 1962 

 2 30

Golf Budgetary Plan for 1963 1962 
Box Folder

Fishing Budgetary Plan for 1963 1962 

 2 31

Shakespeare Fishing Tackle 1963 Regional Advertising 1962 

 2 32

Columbia Products Company Proposed Media 1963 

 2 33

Revision to 1964 Shakespeare Fishing Tackle Advertising Recommendations 1963 

 2 34

1965 Shakespeare Fishing Tackle Advertising Recommendations 1964 

 2 35

Annual Sales Conference May 6-8, 1965 

 2 36

Reel and Tackle Pamphlets Undated 

 2 37

Reel Indices Undated 

 2 38

Advertising Banner Undated 

 2 39

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Reports 
Box Folder

Tests on Nylon Line 1947 

 2 40

Annual Reports 1964-1972 

 2 41

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Sales Manuals 
Box Folder

 1932 

 2 42

 Circa 1933 

 2 43-45

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Equipment Specifications - Specifications 
Box Folder

 1955-1956 

 2 46-48

 1956-1957 

 2 49-52

 1958-1959 

 2 53-56

 1959-1960 

 2 57-60

 1960-1961 

 2 61-66

 1961-1962 

 2 67-72

 1962-1963 

 2 73-75

 1962-1963 

 3 1-5

proposed for Sears Roebuck and Company 1962-1963 

 3 6

 1963-1964 

 3 7-8

 1965-1966 

 3 9-10

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Catalogues and Price Lists 

Fishing Tackle 
Box Folder

 1936 

 3 11

 1937-1938 

 3 12

 1941 

 3 15

1941 w/Revisions for 1942 

 3 16

 1951 

 3 20-21

 1952 

 Box
3		 Folder
22-23

 1953 

 Box
3		 Folder
24-25

 1954 

 3 26-27

 1955 

 3 28

 1956 

 3 29

 1957 

 3 31

 1961 

 3 37

 1964 

 3 43

 1965 

 3 45

 1966 

 3 47

 1973 

 3 49

Reels 
Box Folder

 1939-1940 

 3 13

 1940 

 3 14

 1956 

 3 30

 1958 

 3 33

Reels, Fishing Tackle 
Box Folder

 1947-1948 

 3 17

 1949 

 3 18

 1950 

 3 19

 1962 

 3 39

 1963 

 3 41

Archery, Fishing Tackle 
Box Folder

 1958 

 3 32

 1959 

 Box
3		 Folder
34

 1960 

 3 35

 1961 

 3 36

 1962 

 3 38

Archery, Golf, Fishing Tackle 1963 

 Box
3		 Folder
40
Box Folder

 1967 

 3 48

Archery, Golf 1964 

 3 42
Box Folder

 1966 

 3 46

Golf 1965 

 Box
3		 Folder
44

Wondershaft Rods Undated 

 Box
3		 Folder
50

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Sport Fishing Institute 
Box Folder

Conservation Chart 1955 

 3 51

Board of Director’s Annual Meeting 

Minneapolis, Minnesota June 5, 1957 

 Box
3		 Folder
52
Box Box

 1959 

 3 53

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Miscellaneous 

Shakespeare Super Reel Guarantees 1932, 1941 

 Box
3		 Folder
54

Sport Fish Restoration, Bureau of Sport & Wildlife, U.S.D.I. 1957 

 3 55

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Photographs 
Box

Advertising 

 LC Photo 25

Employees 

 LC Photo 25

Factories 

 LC Photo 25

Fishing (3 folders) 

 Box
LC Photo 25

Fishing Equipment 

 LC Photo 25

Golf Equipment 

 Box
LC Photo 25

People. Davis, C.W. (Opie) 

 LC Photo 25

People. Groups 

 LC Photo 25

People. Shakespeare, Henry 

 Box
LC Photo 25

People. Smith, Mr. and Mrs. Jack 

 LC Photo 25

Sales Conferences 

 LC Photo 25

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Box

Oversized Photographs 

 OS 17

People. Groups. Associated Fishing Tackle Manufacturers 1946 

People. Groups. Kalamazoo Plant Employees 1920 

Pictures of Salesman 

Oversized Materials 

Article on fishing trip to Katmai Roebuck and Company by Opie Davis and Henry Shakespeare (mounted) 

 Drawer
49

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