Schermack Perfin Covers of the United States

In 1909 the Schermack Company began experimenting with the addition of a Control Perfin to their existing affixing machines. Early experiments involved a twelve hole pattern. The twelve hole pattern proved to be too fragile for their high speed machines and they soon opted for a nine hole square pattern. When you see a listed six digit Schmermack Pattern number, the numbers listed are the MISSING pins out of the nine hole matrix. See the illustration to visualize the pin number matrix. Thus when you see pattern number "Sch. 000009", only pin hole number nine is missing and all other eight pins are punched.

Sch. 000003 — Smith Gray & Company
Brooklyn, NY, clothing retailer

Sch. 000009 — Fidelity-Phenix Fire Insurance Company
Chicago, IL, based fire insurance company

Sch. 000009 — World Manufacturing Company, Cincinnati, OH
This is a second usage of this pattern by a second owner.
It is used on a SASE (self-addressed stamped envelope mailed in San Diego, CA.

Sch. 000013 — The Cosmopolitan Group
A New York magazine publisher whose control perfins are known on several of their publications

Sch. 000019 — Detroit & Cleveland Navigation Company
Company operated a fleet of passenger ships that sailed the Great Lakes.

Sch. 000028 — Taxpayers League, Detroit, MI
A political group organized to campaign against prohibition. Rallying behind tax increases that
would be required to make up for lost revenue from banning alcohol sales.

Sch. 000036 — C.A. Sterlinger Company, Detroit, MI
A supplier of machinery, mill supplies, hardware and tools which is still in existence today.

Sch. 000045 — Hammacher, Schlemmer & Company, New York, NY
A hardware supply company which is still in operation today.

Sch. 000048 — Kabo Corset Company, Chicago, IL
The name speaks for itself. More recent history had the company mass producing Playboy Bunny
outfits for Hugh Hefner’s Playboy Clubs. The laced corset shrunk waist size by 2 inches.

Sch. 000056 — Chalmers Motor Company, Detroit, MI
C. Chalmers Motor Company was eventually absorbed by Chrysler.

Sch. 000069 — National Fire Insurance Company, Chicago, IL
One of the longest running companies using Schermack control perforations. Covers are known from 1910 until early 1913.

Sch. 000079 — Third National Bank of St. Louis, Missouri

Sch. 000124 — A. Sacs Department Store, New York, NY

Sch. 000137 — Cosmopolitan Magazine Group, New York, NY

Sch. 000236 — The Quaker Oats Company, Chicago, IL

Sch. 000236 — The Quaker Oats Company, Chicago, IL
Another corner card art display

Sch. 000478 — Success Magazine, New York, NY

Sch. 000689 — Hill Publishing Company, New York, NY
Publisher of The American Machinist Magazine. After Mr Hill's death, the
company was merged to form the McGraw-Hill publishing.

Sch. 000689 - American Machinist, New York, NY
This is a second usage of this pattern by a second owner.

Sch. 001245 — The Review of Reviews Company, New York, NY
Review Of Reviews is one of the primary sources on American reform between 1890 and 1920
under editor Albert Shaw. Their progressive publications were directed at business.

Sch. 002356 — The Osborne Company, New York, NY
The Osborne Company was an art calendar company.

Sch. 004578 — The De Laval Separator Company, New York, NY
De Laval produced cream separators and marketed them to farmers through their distribution network.

Sch. 004578 — De Laval Separator Company, New York, NY
Another corner card art display

Sch. 005689 — John Wanamaker, New York, NY
A department store founded in Philadelphia and expanded to New York. John Wanamaker
raised large political donations for Benjamin Harrison for President, who then appointed
John Wanamaker his Post Master General.

Sch. 12456 — W.M. Crane Company, New York, NY
The company was a maker of Vulcan gas cooking burners/stoves and gas parlor stoves.
They were also the sole sales agent for Bray Burners used in gas lights.

Sch. 013579 — Julian Hawthorne, New York, NY
Julian Hawthorne was the son of famous author Nathaniel Hawthorne. An author in
his own right, he and a friend used the family name to sell stock in non-existent Canadian
silver mines. As a result both he and his partner served time in prison for mail fraud.

Sch. 023456 — Dealers Protective Association, New York, NY
Based in New York, this company was one of the early credit protection agencies.

Sch. 024568 — Austin, Nichols & Company
A New York City grocery wholesaler.

Sch. 24568 — Austin, Nichols & Company, New York, NY
Another corner card art display

Sch. 025789 — David Williams Company, New York, NY — The Iron Age magazine.
Thought to be a broken pin version of David Williams original pattern 2-5. Examination
of these stamps reveals blind perforations where the 7,8 & 9 holes were supposed to be punched.

Sch. 034678 — Babson Brothers, Chicago, IL
Babson Brothers was a mail order company supplying the Midwest.

Sch. 034678 — Babson Brothers, Chicago, IL
with corner card art display

Sch. 034678 — Babson Brothers, Chicago, IL
with another corner card art display

Sch. 045689 — U.T. Hungerford Brass & Copper Company, New York, NY
As the name suggests, a supplier of metal rod and pipe.

Sch. 234569 — John Wanamaker, New York, NY

Sch. 1245678 — Kabo Corset Company, Chicago, IL
A confirmed broken pin version of original Sch. 000048.

Experimental Schermack (on 4 cent stamp); Unknown Owner
A 16 hole matrix (instead of 9) was used for a short period, but discontinued after pin breaks were plentiful.
[Look carefully. Sorry for the poor image quality.]

Experimental Schermack; Unknown Owner
A 16 hole matrix (instead of 9) was used for a short period, but discontinued after pin breaks were plentiful.

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