This weeks feature is a 1939 advertising envelope from the Air- Fed Company, Quincy, Illinois.  It has a neat image of an Air-Fed Minnow Bucket. The image is done in a cut away style allowing one to see the minnows swimming among the bubbles provided by the Air- Feeding feature. The Air-Fed bait receptacle is based on the Nov. 2 , 1926 patent design of  Frank A Churchill and Henry E. Baxten of Quincy, ILL. The basis of the idea was to prolong the life of the bait by introducing air. The receptacle featured an air chamber which could be filled via an attached pump or by a pump at a service station. The air could be automatically released from the air chamber at a controlled rate into the attached portion of the bucket which was designed to be partially filled with water and live bait.



The company offered a variety of receptacles, round and rectangle shaped, floating and non-floating. Three capacities could be had, eight, ten and twenty quarts. Interestingly in 1927 the Air-Fed Company was listed as incorporated, but the 1939 envelope featured here specifically lists the company as NOT INC. In 1931 the Air-Fed Company offered a free booklet on live bait fishing. (I'm still looking for that one).The last advertisement I have found for this company is from 1941. I can't help but wonder if the onset of WW2 brought about the end of this Quincy ILL. Company.

Best Regards,
             
Jim Jordan