Syracuse Past: Syroco

My encounter with milk plastic reminded me of other pieces of plastic decor and the Syracuse company that created much of it: Syroco.

Syroco was founded in 1890 as the Syracuse Ornamental Co. It employed generations of Central New Yorkers until it went out of business in 2007. By then, it was making those ubiquitous plastic Adirondack-style chairs. But in its early days, the company produced unique products made from a mixture of wood flour and a casting resin. The poppy bowl, above, is an example of that technique as are the two boxes below that were designed to hold playing cards. I've also seen picture frames, candlestick holders and bookends made from the wood resin.

By the 1950s, Syroco was making a lot of plastic wall decor and it introduced a process for gilded home accessories called "metalgold."

These wall plaques show that technique as do these birds perching on dogwood branches.

It's still fairly easy to find Syroco around Syracuse at thrift stores and garage sales although it's getting tougher to find the really old wood resin pieces. And of course they're more pricey. Still, there's so much of the plastic stuff that I assumed that these angel plaques were also Syroco. But they were made by Dart Industries.

So there you have it. A brief history of Syroco. Now when you see this sticker, you'll know a little more about where it came from.

 

 

Comments

[laurie magpie ethel]

just flipped a box that I have over to see if it had a sticker. Sure enough it did! Great tidbit of history. My box is similar to the pair in the second photo. It has a daffodil on the lid and was my grandmothers...good memories.

[Into Vintage]

I brought home some Syroco wall pockets just this weekend and coincidentally, I have those birds as well! Syroco and Homco seem to sell well on etsy -- nice & light to ship.

[Joy]

Yes, another hometown business that is no longer. Syracuse used to have a lot of great manufacturing companies. Syracuse will never be the same. Sigh!