Sparkler Mania

Sparkler Mania: The Early History of America’s Favorite Hand-Held Fourth of July Fireworks, by Fred Kelso, Hengwrt Publishing Company, Owens Cross Roads, AL, 2013

This important work of pyrotechnic history tells the story of the introduction of sparklers to the United States of America and our Independence Day celebration.   

From its invention in the 16^th century as a novelty for use in Indian weddings, through its commercialization by British fireworks giant James Pain in 1894 and its patenting by German Wilhelm Weiffenbach in 1895, to its arrival on our shores in 1907, the story of the sparkler spans centuries and continents.  It’s the tale of modern industrialization, of the rise and fall of dangerous retail fireworks, the birth of the US Movement for a Safe and Sane Fourth of July celebration, and the advent of modern marketing.   

Foreign Manufacturers included in this work:

James Pain, London, England

Wilhelm Weiffenbach, Stuttgart, Germany

Johann Christian Wendt, Hamburg, Germany

Franz Jacob Welter, Hamburg, Germany

The Weinrich Brothers, Worbis, Thuringia, Germany

A brief history of the Safe and Sane movement is also included. 

Once the sparkler craze began, American manufacturers soon began to open their own sparklers factories, mostly in the small towns of northeastern America.  In this way the saga is peopled with American immigrants finding their way in the Land of Opportunity. 

An illustrated chronology gives facts for approximately the first 25 years of sparklers in America – including such information as the use of sparklers as lighting for Christmas trees, sparkler accidents, candy with embedded sparklers, match-head sparklers, and municipal prohibitions against sparklers. 

This book is a must-have for collectors of fireworks packaging, pyrotechnic enthusiasts, and anyone interested in small-town America’s industrial history. 

Detailed, illustrated histories are included for the first 17 American sparkler manufacturers:

Eastern Toy House, Providence, Rhode Island – William Goldschine

American Sparkler Co., Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania – Norbert T. Weser

United Chemical & Novelty Co., Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania

A.L. Due, Lockland / Reading, Ohio – Adolph L. Due

The Stellar Company, Linden, New Jersey – Benjamin B. Hamlin

Crescent Novelty Co., Berea, Ohio – James H. Bevington

A Jedel Company / Pyrotoy International, Newark, Delaware – Aaron Jedel

Lloyd Manufacturing Co., Dongan Hills, S.I., New York – Thomas Lloyd

Starlite Manufacturing Co., Bridgeport, Connecticut – Ashton M. Boney

Essex Novelty Co., Nutley & Berkley Heights, New Jersey – Benedict Wolf

Detwiller & Street, Jersey City, New Jersey – Jacob J. Detwiller

Unexcelled Fireworks Manufacturing Co., New York, New York – Edward D. Candee

National Fireworks Co., West Hanover, Massachusetts – George Clark

Victory Sparkler Co., Elkton, Maryland – Josef Ben Decker

International Sparkler Co., Belleville, New Jersey

Rutter & Lechler, Lenover, Pennsylvania – Mont Rutter & Emil Lechler

Acme Fireworks Co., Chicago, Illinois – Harry Cohen / Callen

Sources include product packaging, company catalogs, newspaper and magazine advertisements, US Census records, city directories, and a wide variety of contemporary books.

258 pages, full of color and black-and-white illustrations.