Coburn Metallic Bed and Pneumatic Mattress Company

 Some businesses started out in Holyoke and moved on to other communities when the right opportunities arose to expand. Such was the case with the Coburn Trolley Track Manufacturing Company that moved to Willimansett and its sister company, the Coburn Metallic Bed and Pneumatic Mattress Co. This story is about the abbreviated existence of the latter.

Coburn Metallic Bed was incorporated in 1898 to produce metal bed frames, springs, and mattresses. The principal officers of the newly established corporation were Lemuel Coburn, President, and A. A. Coburn, Treasurer. These were the same officers for the trolley track manufacturing company. The company was initially established on Bigelow Street, near Cabot.

I could find no information about its mattress production. However, the idea of a pneumatic mattress did sound ahead of its time.

The company secured a patent on manufacturing and finishing metal and wooden beds. The special finish added was called Chameleonite and was advertised as mar and chip-resistant. The beds had artistic etchings on the head and foot panels. Various metals, including nickel, brass, and copper, were used for the trimmings. The company wanted to produce a high-quality product for high-end retailers. It named its bedframe the Coburn Chameleonite Metallic Bed.

The company sent its bedsteads to furniture expositions held in New York and Grand Rapids shortly after incorporating. In Holyoke, the C. P. Lyman retail store at 139 Main Street was selected to sell its bed frames.

The company announced in October 1899 that it was building a plant in the Willimansett section of Chicopee.

On December 20, 1899, the shareholders voted to dissolve the corporation. Azro A. Coburn, the company treasurer, attested that all assets were sold and debts paid. 

The bed frames were shown in retail advertisements until 1909. The Coburn Trolley Track Manufacturing Company placed an ad in 1909 indicating that the remaining fifty or sixty beds would be sold at factory prices. 

Citations:

Newspapers.com (paid subscription): Citations: Holyoke (Massachusetts) Transcript & Transcript-Telegram; Springfield (Massachusetts) Republican) publication dates are shown.

Genealogybank.com (paid subscription): Citations: Colorado Springs (Colorado) Gazette; The Evening News (Pawtucket, RI) publication dates are shown.