Online Exhibitions:

Documenting Change: Industry and Business in Troy and Rensselaer County, NY

Geier & Bluhm, Inc.

Records, 1915-

Extent: ca. 175 cu. ft.

Historical Note: In 1907 two young immigrants, James Geier (from Switzerland) and Joseph Bluhm (from Hungary) joined together to establish a business to manufacture surveying instruments. Geier & Bluhm was incorporated in 1922. In the 1930s the rights to manufacturing its surveying instruments were sold to the Bostrom Brady Manufacturing Company, and Geier and Bluhm gained the rights to distribute Bostrom Brady instruments in the Troy area. Geier & Bluhm concentrated on the manufacture of spirit levels, which continues to be the firm's principal product.

Scope and Content: A fairly complete run of accounting records extending back to the early years of the company includes ledgers and ledger sheets (1915-1929), cash books (1915-1926), inventories and accounts (1917-1925), bank books, trial balances, and a stock purchase book (1925-1927). Later records include employee records, and long runs of purchase orders, customer orders, paid bills, and cash journals. Product related records include blueprints and drawings for instruments, patent information, product literature, catalogs, and other promotional material. There are some photographs and clippings relating to Geier & Bluhm products and people associated with the business.

Location: Geier & Bluhm Inc., 594 River Street, Troy, NY 12180. For access contact the company.

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