Reply by Sue OldsWidow on November 4, 2013 at 16:23

Found this bit of INPUT researching an old carving knife...i thought it was german, turned out it had 

H.S.B & Co ...over Rev-o-noc on the blade

Hibbard, Spencer, Bartlett & Co.
This leading hardware dealership was the descendant of a Chicago store called Tuttle, Hibbard & Co., which took that name in 1855 when William G. Hibbard became a partner. In 1865, Hibbard was joined by Franklin F. Spencer, and the enterprise was renamed Hibbard & Spencer. By 1867, the company's annual sales of hardware had reached $1 million. When longtime company employee A. C. Bartlett became a partner in 1882, the company's name became Hibbard, Spencer & Bartlett & Co. When Spencer died in 1890, the company was already among the leading wholesalers of hardware in the United States. In 1903, the year Hibbard died, the company opened a 10-story warehouse next to State Street Bridge in downtown Chicago. In 1932, the company introduced a new line of hand tools under the brand name “True Value.” By 1948, Hibbard's annual sales reached nearly $30 million. Business slowed and profits were shrunk, however, as new hardware cooperatives began to bypass traditional wholesalers. In 1962, the company's owners, who wanted to move into the real-estate business, sold the hardware operations and the “True Value” brand to John Cotter for $2.5 million.

found a Pic of the set...wish i had the fork too !

found this time line too..

  INPUT INPUT

Hibbard, Spencer, Bartlett & Company Time Line

1853-54 Brown, Tuttle Co. Hardware, Michigan Ave. * William Hibbard, salesman

1855 Tuttle, Hibbard Co. Hardware, Michigan Ave.* Hibbard joined Tuttle

1857 First Fire destroyed hardware building

1860 Tuttle, Hibbard Co., 62 Lake St.

1864 Adolphus Clay Bartlett started employment as a janitor

1865 Hibbard, Spencer & Co., 92-94 Michigan Ave.

1871 Chicago Fire, second HSB building destroyed. William Gold Hibbard resumed temporary business at his home at 1701 Prairie Avenue. Hibbard’s home was open not only to his firm, but for all friends whose families needed shelter.

1872 Hibbard, Spencer Co. 16-32 Lake Street

1882 Hibbard, Spencer, Bartlett & Co. * A.C. Bartlett joined the firm William Hibbard-President; Franklin Spencer-Vice President; A.C. Bartlett-Secretary

1903, Franklin Fayette Spencer 1817-1890, and Adolphus Clay Bartlett 1845-1922·1902 Cruso Brand introduced by William Gold Hibbard * Revenoc & Hibbard Brands also introduced in the early 1900s

1903 Hibbard, Spencer, Bartlett & Co., State St. Bridge * Built a fire proof 10-story building, condemned in 1924

1925 Hibbard, Spencer Bartlett & Co, 211 East Water St

1930 Hibbard, Spencer, Bartlett & Co *Celebrated their 75th Anniversary.

1932 True Value Brand was introduced

1943 The US Army Air Force took over the building briefly

1948 Hibbard, Spencer,Bartlett & Co., Evanston Ill.* New Modern Building

1962 Hibbard, Spencer, Bartlett & Co. was sold to John Cotter & Co. for the True Value Brand Name

Hibbard, Spencer, Bartlett & Co. had a large selection of hardware, tools, cutlery, paints, sporting goods and many more items with different brand names to choose from. They also offered many advertised give-away items for their many merchants to distribute.

Some Hibbard, Spencer, Bartlett & Co. Trade Marks include: O.V.B. (Our Very Best), Hibbard, Cruso, Revonoc, U.S.A., (Universal Satisfaction Guaranteed), AJAX, IL-A-NOY, True Value, Stand-By, Lady Hibbard, and Chrysolite (enameled ware).

During the 1883-1920’s, Sandusky Plane Co. manufactured molding and plowplanes for H.S. B. & Co. The planes were marked A.C. Bartlett, Ohio. In the1920s, Stanley Tool manufactured the Gage Plane for H.S.B. & Co. and marked them with the OVB logo.

In the later years, HSB & Co. also sold Keen Kutter razor blades and pocket knives, Marbles hunting knives, and Winchester flashlights as found in their catalogs.