In May 1936, Mr. Shure put pen to paper and recalled the first decade of Shure Brothers Company. Our archive holds the original document. In the text below, the blue font indicates editorial remarks for clarity.
Brief History of the Company
By S.N. Shure – May 13, 1936
The Company was founded eleven years ago by the present manager, who has been in charge of all departments throughout the history of the Company. During his years in high school, he was an amateur radio operator and constructed his own [ham] radio station. Subsequently, he graduated from the University of Chicago [BS degree in Geography] and was then employed in various positions as salesman, radio mechanic, and radio salesman for a local wholesale house. [Probably the N. Shure Company, owned by his Uncle Nathan. In April 1925, S.N. Shure opened the Shure Radio Company at 19 South Wells, Chicago, the same address as the N. Shure Company.]
The business [Shure Radio Company] was originally a wholesale radio parts supplier, selling to dealers and radio set builders. It subsequently developed into a mail-order house, publishing a catalog, and developing a national business with dealers and set builders. With the development of public-address equipment, the Company included amplifiers, microphones, etc., in its business. About eight years ago in 1928, the Company suffered a severe setback due to over expansion and a change in market conditions covering the products it was handling. The business [selling wholesale radio parts] was liquidated over an extended period of about one year, ending in May 1930. [Brother S.J. Shure left the Company in 1930, likely because of the liquidation.]
In the meantime, in July 1929, the Company entered into an exclusive sales contract covering an item that had been one of its sidelines, namely, a microphone. [Ellis Electrical Laboratory, Berwyn Illinois, provided the carbon microphones distributed by Mr. Shure.] The product was developed into a line of microphones and accessories. [These mics and accessories carried the Ellis brand.] Sales and profits were expanded over a period of two and one-half years until a serious setback was experienced due to litigation. [Mr. Ellis sued Mr. Shure for breach of contract and won. Mr. Shure appealed the decision; it was reversed in his favor.]
In May 1932, the Company started to manufacture its own line [of carbon microphones] and to market same under a new name [Shure Brothers Company – Microphone Headquarters], and the experience from that date on is reflected in the financial statements.
About the first of January 1935, the Company embarked upon its first year of operation under a crystal microphone license using the patents of The Brush Development Company. [Brush Development held most of the intellectual property for Rochelle salt crystal technology and fabrication.] The products made under this license have come to include the bulk of sales of the Company. From that date until May 1936, this Company was the only Brush licensee that had previous microphone manufacturing experience, and consequently was fortunate in being able to produce a superior product which enjoyed a virtual monopoly in the field.
Within the past month, however, another manufacturer of many years of experience in all types of microphones [Turner] has secured a Brush license to manufacture crystal microphones. In addition, one of two companies who were licensed previous to the time this licensee [Shure] received its license has finally succeeded in producing a microphone which is not only equal to the product of this Company, but even somewhat superior to it. The competition from Astatic Microphones is already being felt, in as much as it is the best microphone they have ever produced, and they’re losing no time and sparing no efforts to let the trade know it.
Related information: Shure catalogs from the 1930s
Summary of Ellis versus Shure litigation
Shure Tech Tip #431: Shure’s First Microphone Catalog
Arcana – mysterious or specialized knowledge
The following images enhance the 1936 narrative written by Mr. Shure.
Note the header – Ellis Electrical Laboratory
S.C. (Sales Company)
S.N. Shure – Pres
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Here is the first logo used for Shure Brothers Company branded microphones.
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Below is our Model 700A crystal microphone, with wooden handle, manufactured under a license from Brush Development Company.
