Well, I believe the target pictured dates to 1888-1890 and was produced by the Standard Target Company of Cleveland, Ohio during that time. The Standard Target Company was established at the end of 1887. The President and Principal stockholder was none other than the notable trap & target inventor Albert H. Hebbard who would later create the "White Flyer" target about 1898. Mr. Hebbard was granted a patent to manufacture these targets on December 27, 1887 (patent # 375,628) The Peoria Target Co. of Peoria, Illinois, filed a patent infringement against the Standard Target Co. and an injunction was issued, preventing the manufacture of Standard traps. In September 1890, the courts dissolved the injunction, allowing the Standard Co. to resume production, which also benefited other trap companies. It was reported that the Standard Target Company was in financial trouble which was a major reason for their merger with the Keystone Target Company of Corry, Pennsylvania in late 1890 or early 1891. Mr. Hebbard struck a deal with Halleck A. Penrose, President and principal stockholder of the Keystone Target Co. The new company, the "Standard-Keystone Target Co. was formed and manufactured traps and target in New London, Connecticut. Both these gentlemen (Hebbard & Penrose) played a significant part in the growth of trapshooting and I should include Mr. Hebbard's brother Charlie as well. All have several trap and target patents to their credit. Here's the machine that made your target and a few advertisements. 1888 Ad. Enjoy Our History ! HB
Here's the next target produced by these gentlemen: The Standard-Keystone Target, from an 1893 Edw. Tryon & Sons, Philadelphia, Pa. Catalog.
Very cool! Remarkably similar design and profile to today's targets. I had never seen a "barrel" of targets until one was displayed at the O.S.T.F. Hall of Fame at the Cardinal Center. As an old target setter, I'm guessing the modern cardboard box is much easier to deal with in the traphouse than the old barrels were. Great question from Trap3 and as always, HB you are "the man"!!!!!!
Believe it or not, targets were still being shipped in barrels in the 1920s. Here's a 1927 advertisement for targets in boxes of 135 or barrels of 600. Later, White Flyer advertised their new single cardboard box container with corrugated cells to protect the targets rolled in paper. Not the quantity of 270 targets. Prior to this change, White Flyers were shipped in two separate boxes inside a container. The below is a 1937 notice in Sportsmen's Review. Enjoy Our History ! HB
HB, Here is a stack of early Blue Rock. Came from wooden barrel of targets found in Nebraska... Trap3
Don Cogan, It was only a few short years after the invention of the "domed" or "saucer" target, by George Ligowsky, (1880), that today's target design were patented and in production. Maybe 3 or 4 years. As you may know, Ligowsky's clay pigeon was actually made out of clay and in order to obtain the spinning action, Ligowsky glued a pasteboard tab (paper tongue) on the side of every target which was held by spring-loaded finger mechanism. Many targets were broken during handling and they were also susceptible to breaking in the process of the throwing action. They were not a target of good design. Ligowsky manufactured 3 different targets; No. 1, No. 2 & No. 3. The No. 3 had a solid clay tongue. A fellow (great shooter) named Ben Teipel patented target holders and methods of target support to help prevent breakage for Mr. Ligowsky. Ben Teipel, the well known shot of Covington, Ky., has perfected an arm for clay pigeon traps to throw the Ligowsky clay bird after the paper tongue of the bird has been destroyed by rain or in shipment and is receiving a royalty from that company for every one sold. [ SPORTING LIFE, March 10, 1886, The Trigger, page 4 ] In fact here are the patents I found granted to Mr. Teipel : Ben Teipel Covington, Kentucky FEB1859 – 29DEC1900, Lakeland, Kentucky Owner of Shooting Park (1893) Ben Teipel’s Patents Patent Office records show that Benjamin Teipel, Covington, KY, was granted patents for his improvements to various trap machines for throwing inanimate targets etc., various new carriers and releasing mechanisms. One was the “Teipel arm,” a carrier and releasing mechanism that replaced the old clay target throwing arm on the Ligowski trap. BALL TRAP Patent No. 1883 – August 21 – October 28, 1884. Benjamin Teipel, Covington, Ky. (page 56) 307,149 TARGET TRAP 1884 – February 29 – July 29, 1884 Benj. Teipel, Covington, Ky. (page 56) 302691 1885 – September 12 – May 25, 1886. Benjamin Teipel, Covington, Ky. (page 57) 342,718 1885 – January 6 – April 27, 1886 Benjamin Teipel, Covington, Ky. (page 57) 340,639 CARRIERS FOR TARGET TRAPS 1884 – May 1- -- September 16, 1884 Benjamin Teipel, Covington, Ky. (page 64) 305,116 1885 – August 6 – November 1885 Benjamin Teipel, Covington, Ky. (page 64) 329,974 Consisting of a spring adapted to embrace a portion of the perimeter of the target and provided with perforations adapted to take over lugs upon the target. [ Trapshooting – The Patriotic Sport, 1921 edition ] TARGET 1884 – September 16 1884 Benjamin Teipel, Covington, Ky. 305,117 Sadly Mr. Teipel died young as a result of having some issues which reportedly led to his severe beating to the head by police and he had mental issues there after. Had he been able to continue shooting he would have been another strong candidate for State and National Hall of Fame honors in my opinion . Ben Teipel died in an insane asylum at Lakeland, Ky., December 29. For years he was a noted figure in the trap shooting world, having won many championship prizes and competed against the best shots of the day. He was also the inventor of the “Teipel arm” for throwing the old clay pigeons as well as other improvements on traps. Teipel was about 40 years old and was taken to the insane asylum on December 18. He was a participant in the Grand American Handicap in 1899. [ SPORTING LIFE, January 5, 1901, page 14 ] Here's Ligowsky's first target design, trap and target holder. Some of the saucer style targets actually had appendages on the rims which were also used to produce the needed spinning action. The early Peoria Blackbird targets (1885) come to mind. Most targets after this period (with a few exceptions) are of the general design still used today. Wait until you see one of the "Tin Pigeons." I'll bet you laugh in wonderment. I'm still trying to get one for my collection. Enjoy Our History ! HB
HB... Nice to learn about Mr Teipel. Here are some Ligowsky clay targets and one of the tin targets, Parkersburg Target Co. Parkersburg Iowa... Trap3
Trap3, You've displayed some beautiful Ligowsky targets showing the different styles. It's hard to believe several of the old stories about them being hard to break and ringing like a bell after being struck by shot. And if anyone every get an opportunity to actually hold one . . . . they won't believe it either due to how light and thinly they were constructed. And just how did Ligowsky make his targets? Well, being in the pottery business he used the same patented process for making his pottery. And thanks for the picture of the 1887 Parkersburg Metal Target. It was patented by two gentlemen from Parkersburg, Iowa who assigned their rights to Sidney P. Heartt and Robert D. Owen of the same place. Enjoy Our History !
