While writing my recent posts about my collection of wirebound notebooks (see Part 1 and Part 2), I was looking for more information about the JoRedCo notebook brand. I have two in my collection, but hadn’t really heard much about the brand, other than a commenter having mentioned finding old stock for sale.
Google provided a bit more information about the company. According to a trademark listing, the name JoRedCo belonged to Joseph Redegeld & Co., of Elizabeth, NJ, and was used as a brand for various stationery and office supply products. Online records show the company was incorporated in New Jersey in 1965, though a 1909 business directory lists a Joseph Redegeld & Co. at 190 Park Row in Manhattan. At some later date, their address changed to Florida, but the Google listing at that address shows that it is permanently closed.
My search also unearthed some interesting images of JoRedCo notebooks.
The Crystal Bridges Museum owns a Georgia O’Keeffe sketchbook made by JoRedCo. Interestingly, they also have one that looks exactly the same, except that the brand is Pen-Tab. Maybe the companies merged, or the name changed? Google doesn’t seem to show any records of the two companies having a connection.
The Mark E. Mitchell Collection of African American History has images of a JoRedCo notebook used by Alex Haley, the author of Roots.
Here’s a JoRedCo notebook from Anything But Costumes, a prop rental business:
On Twitter, I found an image of Jack Kerouac’s notebooks including at least two by JoRedCo. I thought I might have included this in some other post about Kerouac, but if I did, I can’t find it!
How about you, readers? Do any of you have JoRedCo notebooks in your collection?
Wow! Was looking for a Joredco product and found this! Joredco was my ex- husbands family business for decades!
Is anyone interested in selling a Joredco product? Would love to have one!
I came across a barely used JoRedCo 2 subject notebook in a pile of trash. I looked up the company trying to find images of the factory or factory building but it appears the mill has been gone for some time.
Joseph Redegeld was our family business for decades. I worked there from the early 1970s through 1985. My dad was the last surviving owner. The company was sold in 1988 and the building was demolished in the early 2000s. All of the Joredco branded products were manufactured by Roaring Springs Blank Book Company, Roaring Springs, PA.