Global InformationGeneral Bronze Corporation information
| Industry | Metal fabrication Metal working |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1931 as General Bronze Corporation |
| Founder | John Polachek |
| Defunct | 1967 |
| Fate | Acquired by Allied Products Corporation of Chicago, IL in 1967, various divisions sold or liquidated, with trademark and patent rights sold in 1967. |
| Headquarters | Long Island City, New York, US |
Key people | John Polachek, Aaron Saphier, Milton Salmon, A. Walter Nelson, Warren Freeman |
| Products | Metal fabrication Metalworking Beams Girders Antennas Aluminum windows Bronze TV station equipment: TV broadcast antennas |
| Divisions | Brach Manufacturing Company of Newark, New Jersey, Roman Bronze Works |
The General Bronze Corporation (also known as General Bronze or GBC) was an American metals fabricator, primarily of bronze and aluminum, and the most recognized company in the architectural bronze and aluminum industry during the first half of the 20th century.[1][2][3][4][5] It was known for New York City's Seagram Building[6] on Park Avenue designed by Mies van der Rohe, the Atlas[7] and Prometheus[7] bronze sculptures in Rockefeller Center, the bronze doors for the United States Supreme Court,[8] Commerce, and Department of Justice Buildings in Washington, DC,[1] the aluminum windows for the United Nations Secretariat Building[9][10] and Chase Manhattan Bank Building,[11] and for the design of the Arecibo Radio Telescope suspension system.[12] As American cities evolved, the need for architectural and sculptural bronze increased. An innovative and progressive company, General Bronze Corporation stepped up to supply that demand. It became the dominant leader in the architectural bronze industry for both bronze fabrication and bronze sculpture, and aluminum fabrication in the United States for over three decades.[1] In the early 1950s, General Bronze was also at the forefront of the fledgling television radio industry as a major manufacturer of radio antennas, and one of the first to introduce automatic motorized antennas for the automobile industry.[13] General Bronze's Brach Manufacturing subdivision offered electronics to the early radio telescope field, such as the Green Bank Telescope of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Green Bank, West Virginia[14][15] and the Arecibo Radio Telescope.[12]
Overextending their resources by diverting capital from bronze manufacturing to antenna and radio telescope research, concomitant with the declining use of bronze in the construction industry due to changes in architectural style, eclipsed General Bronze's main focus leading to their ultimate demise.[16] In 1967, they were acquired by Allied Products of Chicago, IL, and ceased to exist.[17][18][19]
- ^ a b c "John Polachek, An Industrialist" (PDF). The New York Times. Obituaries. April 18, 1955. p. 22. Retrieved December 18, 2023.
In 1903, he became a supervisor of bronze manufacturing for Tiffany Studios. Founder of General Bronze Corporation Dies – Products Adorn Leading Buildings
- ^ General Bronze Corporation. "General Bronze Corporation : distinctive productions in all metals". Smithsonian Libraries. Long Island City, NY: General Bronze Corporation. pp. 1–15. Retrieved December 18, 2023.
Windows, doors, entrances, grills, railings, check desks, tablets, statuary in aluminum, bronze, nickel, iron.
- ^ "Trade Catalogs from the General Bronze Corporation". Smithonian – National Museum of American History – Behring Center. Washington, DC. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
Aluminum Window Division; Revolving Door Division of General Bronze Corporation, Garden City, NY
- ^ "Revolving Doors of General Bronze Corporation" (PDF). US Archives. General Bronze Corporation. 1960. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Brooklyn Eagle - Polachekwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
NYTimes Seagramswas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
Columbia's Bronze Archivewas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "The Bronze Doors" (PDF). Supremecourt.gov. Washington, DC: The United States Supreme Court. Retrieved December 18, 2023.
... the oversized doors measure 17 feet high, 9 ½ feet wide and weigh about 13 tons. Cast by The General Bronze Corporation they were shipped to Washington and installed in early 1935.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
UN Secretariat by Progressive Architecture with Bronze Windowswas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
NY Times UN Building glass paneswas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
Chase Landmarks Commissionwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
Cooke1976was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
GBC lawsuit for patent stolenwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
Kamen's telescope bid Green Bankwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
Kamen letter from General Bronze Corporationwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Reckert, Clare M. (August 9, 1967). "ALLIED PRODUCTS PLANNING MERGER". The New York Times. Business and Finance. p. 47. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
Agreement Is Set on Joining With General Bronze Corp. in $25-Million Deal
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Chicago Tribune Pritzkerwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Closing announced: Allied Products Corp. of Chicago". Chicago Tribune. Chicago, IL: Tribune Publishing. November 18, 1992. Retrieved December 18, 2023.
Closing announced: Allied Products Corp. of Chicago said it will close its foundry and machining operations ... blamed the decision on the loss of a major customer.
- ^ Gopnik, Hilary. "Allied Products Corporation, Chicago IL". Encyclopedia.com. Retrieved December 18, 2023.
The nature of Allied Products took an abrupt turn in 1961 when the company was acquired by a group of investors led by Jay Pritzker and Saul Sherman.