55 Oldest Continuously Sold Products in America

Tiffany & Co., originally founded as a “stationery and fancy goods emporium,” has been a leader in the industry for over 150 years. The company’s importance can be seen in the impact it has had on the silverware and jewelry business. Tiffany & Co. has used the same 925/1000 standard for silver purity since 1837 – a standard later adopted by the United States government for sterling silver. At the 1867 Paris Exposition Universelle, Tiffany was the first American company to win an award for its silverware. In 1871, the company introduced a flatware pattern, called Audobon, which to-date remains the company’s best-selling flatware. Today, Tiffany sells silver bracelets, necklaces, piggy banks, and silverware among many other other items.

Jacob Bromwell was founded in 1819 as a manufacturer of brushes, luxury flasks, kitchenware, and housewares in Cincinnati. Today, the company, whose logo is the founder’s signature, is located in Michigan City, Indiana, and claims to be the oldest housewares company in the U.S., and the oldest-known manufacturer of tin, stainless steel, and copper products in North America.

Brooks Brothers, which helped define American style in suits, was founded in 1818 by Henry Sands Brooks. Brooks Brothers has dressed 39 presidents and industry leaders. Its first store opened in New York City, and it claims to be the oldest continuously operating apparel brand in America. Originally specializing in tailor-made clothing, the company made the first ready-to-wear suits in 1849, and it has sold them ever since. In 2020, in the face of the pandemic, the company filed for bankruptcy and closed 51 stores, but today, under the ownership of the Authentic Brands Group, it still has about 170 stores in North America plus hundreds more in other countries.

Libbey Glass Co. was originally founded by William Libbey as the New England Glass Company in 1818. In 1888 the founder’s son, Edward, moved the company to Toledo, Ohio, which became known as “Glass City” and changed the name to Libbey Glass Co. in 1892.

King Arthur Baking Co., known for its flours and baking mixes, was founded in 1790. Today, King Arthur is employee-owned and has a bake shop and baking school in Norwich, Vermont. The company’s motto is “Our mission is to inspire connections and community by spreading the joy of baking.”