Archive Record
Images
Metadata
Collection |
Waterloo Region Museum |
Object ID |
2013.051.001.011 |
Object Name |
Catalog, Trade |
Title |
Life-Buoy Rubber Footwear |
Description |
The exterior cover is printed on a heavy beige paper. The title and other elements are embossed on the front cover. The Life-Buoy logo is in the upper section of the cover with "1921-1922" printed above in green lettering. The title is in the centre with "The Kaufman Rubber Co./Limited/Kitchener, Canada" and a list of branch warehouses printed below. The cover has a decorative rope border, and there is a hole punched in the upper left corner with a length of pale green string attached. The interior pages contain images of the shoes, product numbers, sizes, and prices. A few advertisements for the company are also included in the catalogue. The pages are stapled together in the centre. |
Date |
1921 |
Date |
1922 |
History |
The Kaufman Rubber Company was founded in 1907 by Jacob Kaufman (1847-1920) in Berlin, ON. The factory began production in 1908 and produced rubber footwear for domestic and foreign markets. In 1920, Jacob's son, Alvin Ratz Kaufman (1885-1979), became president of the company until 1964, when he retired to become Chairman of the Board. During this time the company's product line expanded to include industrial rubber clothing for fishermen, miners, and policemen. Beginning in 1953, the company also began to manufacture non-rubber footwear, including Foamtread slippers. The company introduced the Sorel line of winter/work boots in 1959. In 1964, Alvin's son, William H. Kaufman (1920-2005), became president of the company, and the name was changed to Kaufman Footwear Limited, and then to Kaufman Footwear Inc. In 1979, Kaufman Footwear became a division of William H. Kaufman Inc., with William remaining as president until 1986. In 1986, Irvin Weber became president of the footwear division, followed by John Loucks in 1991. In 1997, William's son, Tom Kaufman, became president of the footwear division. In 2000 Kaufman Footwear declared bankruptcy. The Kaufman Footwear factory building was designated in 1996 by the Kitchener LACAC as architecturally and historically significant. The building was originally designed by Albert Kahn, and is located on the corner of Victoria Street and King Street West. In 2005, Andrin Homes began converting the building into condominium loft residences - 270 units in total. |
Search Terms |
Kaufman Rubber Company Limited |