#190 AND THE FRED GOAT CO. Inc.
In the 1950s kids said, “Good night, Fred Goat,” when they passed the turreted red-brick building on the corner of Dean Street and Third Avenue in Brooklyn. It had a logo with a goat’s head in a circle on the top, and the name Fred Goat. It was here that the woman pictured on the employee badge, unidentified employee #190, worked.
This 8X6 limited edition, signed print honors her. Included in the print are her badge for the Fred Goat Co., a colorized view of her work place and an ad for the business known as “Brooklyn’s Conscient Machine Shop.”
On the upper left are the Japanese characters for wabi sabi. This work is part of my on-going wabi series See peterjketchum.com. The wabi-sabi project uses stuff in less than perfect condition to make art. I leave the found piece pretty much alone though in this case I did enhance the badge so #190s face was clearer. And I colorized the b&w photo of the Fred Goat building, and the found ad. Wabi-sabi is an ancient Japanese aesthetic. It values the imperfect, and the simple reminders of lives lived. It celebrates the rough wear and tear of life.
Fred Goat was a British born machinist. He came to the U. S. in the1880s. By 1914 The Fred Goat Co. was underway at 314 Dean Street. It designed and made machines. In 1925 Mr. Goat advertised in The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. The ad said, “Good machinery is the framework around which your mechanical plant is constructed.”
Goat wasn’t the first owner of 314 Dean Street. The Long Island Brewery was there before him. But, alas, a “horrible accident” happened when a worker was cleaning barrels with hot water and lime. He sealed and shook them. One barrel exploded and cut off his head. And, did great damage to 314. Yikes.
In 1902 a group of liquor dealers formed the Federal Brewing Company which moved into 314 around 1905. The venture failed and the Goat Company took over the space.
Several decades later Employee #190 got a job there. The badge with her picture is all we know about her. And so it goes. Good Night #190. Good night to most of the building at 314 Dean Street. And, Good night, Fred! #fredgoat #peopleofcolor #employeebadge wabisabi #prospectheightsbrooklyn, #machineshop #brooklyn #brooklynhistory #brewery #peterjketchum #ketchumart #artspanprints
This 8X6 limited edition, signed print honors her. Included in the print are her badge for the Fred Goat Co., a colorized view of her work place and an ad for the business known as “Brooklyn’s Conscient Machine Shop.”
On the upper left are the Japanese characters for wabi sabi. This work is part of my on-going wabi series See peterjketchum.com. The wabi-sabi project uses stuff in less than perfect condition to make art. I leave the found piece pretty much alone though in this case I did enhance the badge so #190s face was clearer. And I colorized the b&w photo of the Fred Goat building, and the found ad. Wabi-sabi is an ancient Japanese aesthetic. It values the imperfect, and the simple reminders of lives lived. It celebrates the rough wear and tear of life.
Fred Goat was a British born machinist. He came to the U. S. in the1880s. By 1914 The Fred Goat Co. was underway at 314 Dean Street. It designed and made machines. In 1925 Mr. Goat advertised in The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. The ad said, “Good machinery is the framework around which your mechanical plant is constructed.”
Goat wasn’t the first owner of 314 Dean Street. The Long Island Brewery was there before him. But, alas, a “horrible accident” happened when a worker was cleaning barrels with hot water and lime. He sealed and shook them. One barrel exploded and cut off his head. And, did great damage to 314. Yikes.
In 1902 a group of liquor dealers formed the Federal Brewing Company which moved into 314 around 1905. The venture failed and the Goat Company took over the space.
Several decades later Employee #190 got a job there. The badge with her picture is all we know about her. And so it goes. Good Night #190. Good night to most of the building at 314 Dean Street. And, Good night, Fred! #fredgoat #peopleofcolor #employeebadge wabisabi #prospectheightsbrooklyn, #machineshop #brooklyn #brooklynhistory #brewery #peterjketchum #ketchumart #artspanprints