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Creator of the Alco brand.  The name is often said to stand for Mary Linkman & Company.  Mary Linkman was the mother of Louis B. Linkman, originator of the [[Dr. Grabow]] pipe.  This Chicago company produced meerschaums and briars both.
Creator of the Alco brand.  The name is often said to stand for Mary Linkman & Company.  Mary Linkman was the mother of Louis B. Linkman, originator of the [[Dr. Grabow]] pipe.  This Chicago company produced meerschaums and briars both.
[[File:Linkmans Chicago 1937.jpg|thumb|The Louis B. Linkman pipe factory, built 1922, from circa 1937 catalog, courtesy Doug Valitchka]][[File:Linkman's Hollycourt 1945.jpg|thumb|1945 Ad for Linkman's Hollycourt, courtesy Doug Valitchka]]
[[File:Linkmans Chicago 1937.jpg|thumb|The Louis B. Linkman pipe factory, built 1922, from circa 1937 catalog, courtesy Doug Valitchka]][[File:Linkman's Hollycourt 1945.jpg|thumb|1945 Ad for Linkman's Hollycourt, courtesy Doug Valitchka]]
<gallery widths=300 heights=200 caption="An early Cased Meerschaum marked M. Linkman Company (as opposed to M. Linkman & Co.), courtesy Racine & Laramie Tobacconist">
File:MLinkmanCompanyMeer-R&L.jpg
File:MLinkmanCompanyMeer-R&L2.jpg
File:MLinkmanCompanyMeer-R&L3.jpg
</gallery>
=== PRE-SMOKED PIPES ===
[[File:Linkman01.jpg|thumb|Courtesy, [http://www.drgrabow-pipe-info.com/historychicago09aa.html drgrabow-pipe-info.com]]]The Story of an Idea
'''Louis B. Linkman''', Co-founder of the Pipe Company of that Name, Invented the Idea Of Pre-Smoking Pipes Before Selling Them
by J. Harte, from the June 1946 issue of PIPE LOVERS magazine. It appears here courtesy of Russell McKay, and his site, [http://www.drgrabow-pipe-info.com/historychicago09aa.html drgrabow-pipe-info.com]''
BACK IN 1898, two ambitious young men reached the momentous decision to go into business for themselves. They were Louis B. Linkman and August Fisher. From the time they were in knee pants they had worked for a pipe jobber in the mid-west.
<gallery widths=250px heights=300px caption="August Fisher, co-founder of M. Linkman & Company, courtesy of his Granddaughter">
File:Fisher,August ~1900.jpg|August Fisher, Circa 1900
File:August-Elsa 4-14-1904.jpg|August and Elsa Fisher on their wedding day, 4-14-1904
File:Aug&Elsa '30crop.jpg|August and Elsa, Circa 1930s
</gallery>
Diligently saving a portion of their earnings, they accumulated a few hundred dollars, and in 1898 formed a partnership under the name of M. Linkman & Company. They opened a small shop on Lake Street, Chicago, employed two additional people, and started to manufacture pipes. {The article never mentions what the "M" stood for, or the reason for the name chosen.}
In 1890 {? -- 1899, perhaps?} another young man, Anton Burger, who had also been employed by a pipe jobber in the mid-west, approached them and was taken in as a partner. M. Linkman & Company proceeded as a partnership; the business developed rapidly through the untiring efforts of these men in producing quality pipes and rendering good service to their customers.
The business continued to grow, and in 1907 M. Linkman & Company was incorporated with Louis B. Linkman as president, August Fisher, vice-president, and Anton Burger, secretary and treasurer. In 1914, Richard J. Dean, who had joined the firm in 1911 was appointed general sales manager.


<gallery widths=200px caption="An MLC (for Mary Linkman Company) Circa 1920's-30's Virginian, (pre-1932), courtesy Doug Valitchka">
<gallery widths=200px caption="An MLC (for Mary Linkman Company) Circa 1920's-30's Virginian, (pre-1932), courtesy Doug Valitchka">
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File:MLC Virginian11.jpg
File:MLC Virginian11.jpg
</gallery>
</gallery>
<gallery widths=200px caption="Another early MLC Virginian example, courtesy Doug Valitchka">
Virginian2-01.jpg
Virginian2-07.jpg
Virginian2-08.jpg
Virginian2-13.jpg
</gallery>


<gallery widths=200 caption="Linkman's Hollycourt, relating to patent 1933, November 18th. Albert L. Vogel files for “Hollycourt” patent, Patent 2073663 (Stinger Type H1), registered March 16th, 1937. Courtesy Doug Valitchka">
<gallery widths=200 caption="Linkman's Hollycourt, relating to patent 1933, November 18th. Albert L. Vogel files for “Hollycourt” patent, Patent 2073663 (Stinger Type H1), registered March 16th, 1937. Courtesy Doug Valitchka">
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File:LinkmansHollycourt14.jpg
File:LinkmansHollycourt14.jpg
</gallery>
</gallery>
=== PRE-SMOKED PIPES ===
[[File:Linkman01.jpg|thumb|Courtesy, [http://www.drgrabow-pipe-info.com/historychicago09aa.html drgrabow-pipe-info.com]]]The Story of an Idea
'''Louis B. Linkman''', Co-founder of the Pipe Company of that Name, Invented the Idea Of Pre-Smoking Pipes Before Selling Them
by J. Harte, from the June 1946 issue of PIPE LOVERS magazine. It appears here courtesy of Russell McKay, and his site, [http://www.drgrabow-pipe-info.com/historychicago09aa.html drgrabow-pipe-info.com]''
BACK IN 1898, two ambitious young men reached the momentous decision to go into business for themselves. They were Louis B. Linkman and August Fisher. From the time they were in knee pants they had worked for a pipe jobber in the mid-west.
Diligently saving a portion of their earnings, they accumulated a few hundred dollars, and in 1898 formed a partnership under the name of M. Linkman & Company. They opened a small shop on Lake Street, Chicago, employed two additonal people, and started to manufacture pipes. {The article never mentions what the "M" stood for, or the reason for the name chosen.}
In 1890 {? -- 1899, perhaps?} another young man, Anton Burger, who had also been employed by a pipe jobber in the mid-west, approached them and was taken in as a partner. M. Linkman & Company proceeded as a partnership; the business developed rapidly through the untiring efforts of these men in producing quality pipes and rendering good service to their customers.
The business continued to grow, and in 1907 M. Linkman & Company was incorporated with Louis B. Linkman as president, August Fisher, vice-president, and Anton Burger, secretary and treasurer. In 1914, Richard J. Dean, who had joined the firm in 1911 was appointed general sales manager.


The business was growing and expanding rapidly, and the executives soon realized the quarters in the Wells Street Bridge Building were inadequate, so in 1922 Linkman built a modern three-story reinforced concrete building at the corner of Fullerton Avenue and Racine, housing one of the most complete and modern pipe plants in America.
The business was growing and expanding rapidly, and the executives soon realized the quarters in the Wells Street Bridge Building were inadequate, so in 1922 Linkman built a modern three-story reinforced concrete building at the corner of Fullerton Avenue and Racine, housing one of the most complete and modern pipe plants in America.
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THE COMPANY continued to grow, turning out quality pipes that were recognized wherever good pipes are appreciated, and the continued success of the organization was due in no small measure to the foresight and sound business principles of Louis B. Linkman's leadership.
THE COMPANY continued to grow, turning out quality pipes that were recognized wherever good pipes are appreciated, and the continued success of the organization was due in no small measure to the foresight and sound business principles of Louis B. Linkman's leadership.


<center><gallery widths=200px caption="Vintage Dr. Grabow/Linkman Boxes, courtesy Nancy, a granddaughter of Linkman's partner August Fisher, and found in his attack">
<center><gallery widths=200px caption="Vintage Dr. Grabow/Linkman Boxes, courtesy Nancy, a granddaughter of Linkman's partner August Fisher, and found in his attic">
File:GrabowBoxesJPG.JPG
File:GrabowBoxesJPG.JPG
File:GrabowBoxesClose.JPG
File:GrabowBoxesClose.JPG
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Early in the 1930's he experimented with an automatic machine which would smoke the pipes mechanically, and in 1933 he made pipe history by introducing the first pre-smoked Dr. Grabow pipe. {Interestingly, no mention is made in the article as to why the pipes had this name!.}
Early in the 1930's he experimented with an automatic machine which would smoke the pipes mechanically, and in 1933 he made pipe history by introducing the first pre-smoked Dr. Grabow pipe. {Interestingly, no mention is made in the article as to why the pipes had this name!.}
[[File:Linkman1933Patent.jpg|thumb|1933 Patent or stem detail found in the Shape 4320 Special model, courtesy Doug Valitchka]]
<gallery widths=300 heights=300 caption="Linkman Dr. Grabow, circa 1937 shape 4320 Special model, courtesy Doug Valitchak>
LinkmanGrawbowPatSpecial-01.jpg
LinkmanGrawbowPatSpecial-07.jpg
LinkmanGrawbowPatSpecial-08.jpg
</gallery>


Pipe smokers, both beginners and veterans, found in the new pipe something they had long wanted -- a new pipe that had been pre-smoked for them, thus eliminating to a large degree the unpleasantness of smoking those first few pipefuls.
Pipe smokers, both beginners and veterans, found in the new pipe something they had long wanted -- a new pipe that had been pre-smoked for them, thus eliminating to a large degree the unpleasantness of smoking those first few pipefuls.
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