KECO being, of course if you’ve been following this space, short for Kalb Electric and Manufacturing Company of Maplewood, Missouri, created by and once under the apparently very capable direction of Mr. R.T.Kalb. In addition to being a prominent local electragist and manufacturer of items of electragy, Mr. Kalb was an inventor as well.
As the following photographs will confirm his KECO TESTIT was or is I should say as I’m told examples survive (we need one for our library’s collection), an intriguing little electragical device.
We are again indebted to Mr. Martin Fischer for allowing me to photograph these items from his personal collection.
Based on the patent date, March 1935, this would have been marketed during the Great Depression. $2.00 was a lot of money back then.
Thanks for this fascinating post Doug.
I’ve no doubt that you are correct, Tom. I googled the figures and found this. “$1 worth of 1935 dollars is now worth $17.54”. That would make the value of the TESTIT in todays money about $35. Sounds about right doesn’t it? You are welcome. I always appreciate your comments.