Page 3 - Perko

The PERKO® Story

1

Preface

Frederick Perkins Louis E. Perkins Marvin Perkins
Founder 1907-1947 Co-Founder/President 1947-1964 President 1964-1997
4th Generation Chairman 1997 to 2018

5th Generation

Cameron Perkins
1999-Present
Frederick M. Perkins Deborah Hilyard
President 1997-Present 2002-Present
Frederick Perkins (Mendel Persky) born in lanterns which the dime stores filled with company annual report as the president of
Russia in 1874 and schooled as a machinist candy. When a customer did not pay him for National Marine Lamp Company.
(tool & die maker) in Germany, immigrated a set of marine lantern dies, Fred started From 1913 until late 1916, Fred Perkins
to this country in 1889 at the age of 15 and marketing the lights he manufactured from
became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1898. In that set of tools. operated as the head of National Marine
the early 1900’s, Frederick started the original Lamp Corp. In late 1916, he left that firm and
family business as a tool and die Between 1910 and 1912 the National Marine opened a new company, Perkins Marine
Lamp Company was formed by a
Lamp Company, which was incorporated in
manufacturer out of his basement, as F.
Persky & Co., at 49 Elizabeth Street in New combination of F. Persky & Company, H.A.J. early 1917. The company set up operations
York City. Helvig and Company, and American Lamp in the remote farmlands of Brooklyn and
Works. The main headquarters for National operated in the Brooklyn, New York facility at
In 1907, Fred Perkins was joined by his cousin Marine Lamp was located at 23 Brook Street 1943 Pitkin Avenue until 1959. The original
Max Persky who was also a machinist. By in Forestville, Connecticut in a very large plant consisted of one three story building,
1910 the business had grown, and they building that once had been a thread mill. of which the two top floors were leased out
moved down the street to 52 Elizabeth They also maintained a sales office in New to independent operations. New products
Street. At that time the company had York City. were added to the line and sales activities
approximately 14 employees and was By 1913 Fred Perkins had moved to expanded beyond the Northeast. Perko
established in the business of making small Connecticut and F. Persky & Company offered cast bronze lights and hardware, first
machine parts, tubular type bicycle pumps, to the maritime industry, then to the growing
head lights for automobiles and small ceased independent operations. During that pleasure boat market.
same year, Fred Perkins was listed in the

2 Visit www.perko.com for installation instructions and technical drawings on most PERKO products.
®