Object ID
2011.7.186
Object Name
Poster
Object Collection
Alex's Candy Shop (is part of)
Date Created
November 9, 1973
Material
Metal; Paper; Wood
Object Entities
Object Description
This is an advertisement, mounted on a wooden plaque. The plaque has decorative ridges along the edge in a scalloped design. It appears to be finished with a stain. The edges have been sanded down so that they are smooth for the most part. In the scalloped edges themselves a faint texture of the grain of the wood is palpable.

The advertisement on the front of the plaque is for a "Two-in-One Automatic Ice Cream Freezer." The paper itself is now a forest green color due to the stain adhering it to the wood as well as age. The finish on the paper mostly runs vertically but there are some splotches from air bubbles caught undersneath. The advertisement has "Two-in-One Automatic Ice Cream Freezer" printed largely, in bold, at the top of the poster with the "Two-In-One" being a larger font than the rest. Printed smaller underneath that is written, "(Patented) in U.S. and Canada. April 27, 1928 - September 23, 1930, Patent No. 1,776,451. Other Patents Pending." Right below that is a very small, circular decorative design in the center of the plaque and directly above the words "The First and The Original." This phrase is printed largely, in bold, in the center of the poster. On the bottom of the advertisement, the manufactoring information is provided, it was "Manufactured by Two-in-One Automatic Ice Crem Freezer Co. Geo Richards and A. Russ." Right below this is the address of Alex's Candy Shop, 6822 W. Roosevelt Road Berwyn, Illinois.

On the back of the piece of wood there is a horizontally oriented inscription written by Gus Rassogianis on November 9, 1973. His name is carved into the lower right corner but the main area of the wood is inscribed at the center with, "This is the advertizing of an ice cream making machine invented and patented by Alex Rassogianis (Russ) and George Richards (Dritsas). In about 1935 - It is called Two in One because the gas used in circulating arround frezer in making the ice cream, was also used to cool brine which was used to keep ice cream in storage box - all the present ice cream freezers are following this invention - " (spelling errors intentional). The wood itself on the back has remnants of newspaper along the bottom edges and stain and glue along the right edge.

There is a metal ring mounted on the left side of the inscription in the center of the wood so the piece can be hung on the wall and the front of the plaque would be vertical.
Origin
Paulina Franks' grandfather, John Rassogianis, came to Chicago in the 1890s. He began his life in the new city by peddling fruits and later, with the help of his sons Alex and George, would open a candy store. In the 1920s Paulina Franks' father Constantine became a part of the family business and the store was able to prosper. When the second business closed Paulina Rassogianis chose to hold as many of the candy store's items as possible and, later, donate them to the National Hellenic Museum.

The Rassogianis family began their candy business in Chicago proper, working out of their own shop named "St. Louis Ice Cream Parlor." Eventually, the shop was closed and the Rassogianis' chose to continue their candy store venture in Berwyn, Illinois. The new shop they chose to open was named Alex's Sweet Shop.

Paulina Franks' father was a key contributor to the success of the Rassogianis candy stores. While Constantine Rassogianis was a noteworthy entrepeneur, he also had many other accomplishments. Among these was his four years of involvment in the Greek national military during World War I wherein he obtained the rank of sergeant. Also, he was a published author and poet, an experienced mandolin player, a church officer and had extensive knowledge of psalti.

The first refigerator was made in 1755 by William Cullen in scottland and it was later improved upon by James Harrison in 1856 who was the one to patent it. Before this innovation people used boxes filled with ice or ice houses located near frozen lakes or rivers to keep things cool. Refridgerator's origins in ice houses are why they are often referred to as iceboxes by different areas in America.

This particular ad refers to the patent submitted on September 23, 1930. The inventor was George Richards and the original assignee was Alex Rassogianis who owned Alex's Candy Shop in Berwyn, Illinois, the shop's address is listed on the plaque's advertisement. The invention was especially adapted from other refrigerating systems for freezing, hardening and maintaining in a hardened condition food, ideal for ice cream. The main objective of the invention was to provide a refrigerating system that combined a refrigerating unit of usual and well known construction, an ice cream freezer, and a refrigerating cabinet into which the ice cream could be placed after the ice cream had been mixed in the freezer to bring the temperature down low enough to harden. It is called Two in One because the gas used in circulating arround frezer in making the ice cream, was also used to cool brine which was used to keep ice cream in storage box. Most of the ice cream freezers today are still using this method.
Rights and Reproduction
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Any other use, such as exhibition, publication, or commercial use, is not allowed except by written permission in accordance with the NHM Image Rights and Reproduction Policy.

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Citation
Poster, November 9, 1973, Alex's Candy Shop, National Hellenic Museum, https://collections.nationalhellenicmuseum.org/Detail/objects/8684. Accessed 04/23/24.