The Church Seat

by Laurel | November 17th, 2011

From a 1923 ad:

Church Seat

Church Seat

C. F. CHURCH MFG. CO
HOLYOKE, MASS.

The Church Sani-White Toilet Seat is the product of 25 years of study and development. Its inception was modest and at a time when a white seat was practically unheard of due to two obvious reasons; first and foremost, no seat had ever been produced that could permanently retain its pure whiteness, and secondly, the modern ideals of sanitation were in their infancy.

The pioneers of the Church Sani-White seat conceived the idea that a toilet seat was something more than a mere covering for a bowl—it was the one object in a bathroom above all that needed refinement: and from this idea was built the seat that is today recognized by the plumbing trade as the highest grade sanitary product that can be made for its purpose.

Its white covering is not an enamel or paint, but consists of a pure glistening white sheathing, put on in sheet form, and welded by steam pressure until a non-absorbent surface is produced that will retain its sanitary whiteness forever and cannot discolor, crack or chip.

The Church Company had its beginning in a small shop employing six men with an average production of fifteen to twenty seats per day. It was a big problem even to sell this amount at first, for people had not the desire nor inclination to purchase a toilet seat of such high quality—their sanitary ideals were in the early, slow stages of development.

Gradually the desire for better bathroom fixtures manifested itself and with it came a demand for better seats. The facilities and organization of the company expanded to meet the ever increasing demand and in 1920 it became necessary to double the size of its Holyoke plant. In the latter part of 1920 the company broke ground for a woodworking factory in Brattleboro, Vermont which was completed, and operating by the Fall of that year. The Church factories today employ over 300 employees with a capacity daily production of 1,500 seats.

The sales organization was developed to its present size since 1921 and consists of nineteen direct factory branches extending from coast to coast. The company’s products are sold through plumbing trade channels and eventually reach the consumer through the plumber. Architects, jobbers, builders, plumbesr and owners are solocited regularly in all sections of the United States and Canada.

The rapid increase in the company’s business is attributable largely to its sales policies, advertising, and strict maintenance of the quality of its product.

Church Sani-White Seat advertisements besides being seen in all trade publications also reach the houseowner through the national mediums of such papers as The Literary Digest, House & Garden, Country Life In America, Home Beautiful, and others.

The C. F. Church Mfg. Co. was incorporated in 1898 with Mr. Charles F. Church as President and Mr. George W. Collins, Treasurer. Mr. Church severed his connection with the company in 1904. The Company was purchased by its present management in 1919. The officers are: President, Charles H. Keith. Greenfield, Mass.; Vice-President, Fred F. Partridge, Holyoke, Mass.; Treasurer and General Manager, Otto Kolstad, Holyoke, Mass.; Secretary, Richard A. Witherell, Springfield, Mass.

Church Seat, Sani-white

Church Seat, Sani-white

From a 1923 publican in my collection.

The Church Seat brand still exists.

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