In 1869, steam power was the height of modernity. And in order to power something with steam, you needed a steam engine or boiler. James O. Haight of Albany was one of a number of area makers of engines and boilers; he even held a patent for a steam piston and a packing spring,…

Those wishing to wash the gray away in 1869 might have turned to Blasie’s Superior Instantaneous Hair Dye, available in black or brown and positively the best in use. It was a two part process (but the first part could be applied without having to wash your hair or whiskers!). It was sold by…

The Taaffe Brothers ran a turning and sawing establishment that, in 1869, was located on Canal Street, now known as Sheridan Avenue. “Turning” refers to turning wood by lathe, if you didn’t know, and in an age when every type of furniture demanded turned pieces, there must have been great demand for a shop…

We’ve noted before that in the 19th century, it was completely ordinary for a furniture maker to also manufacture coffins. After all, it is just a type of cabinet. A very final type of cabinet, but a cabinet nonetheless. John M. Foll listed himself in the 1869 Albany City Directory as an undertaker first,…

In 1869, David W. Shanks ran an upholstering and decorating shop at 30 and 32 Green Street, somewhere in what is now a sea of parking near Beaver Street in the heart of the old city. He kept constantly on hand curtain materials, lace and muslin curtains, cornices, pins, bands, tassels, cords, gold and…

Like so many of the advertisers in the 1869 Albany City Directory, you can be fairly certain that the works and wares of P.H. Wemple’s sash, door and blind factory can be found in many of Albany’s historic buildings. Somewhere tonight on her way upstairs to bed, some Albany resident will put her hand…

B. Brohm was a manufacturer of cast steel files and rasps from the best English cast steel, improved metallic temper. But to judge by the space devoted to it in this ad from the 1869 Albany directory, the real money was in sharpening (re-cutting) files and rasps. Brohm gave an unusually detailed price list…

J.C. Jones, merchant tailor, had removed to a new store at 618 Broadway (all the way from 608 Broadway) in 1869. He always had on hand English, Irish, Scotch, French and German cloths and cassimeres. “Cassimere” was a closely woven twilled fabric, usually wool, for suits. His home was at 53 Jefferson Street, a…