author
Bernhard Ulmann Company
From a New York pushcart business in 1867 grew a company that helped shape American needlecraft for generations. Best known later under the Bucilla name, it built a reputation for embroidery designs, yarns, and craft kits that stayed familiar to makers for decades.
1 Audiobook
Cro-knitting : The new art of worsted work : also crocheted lattice work
by Bernhard Ulmann Company
About the author
Bernhard Ulmann Company was founded in New York City in 1867 by Bernhard Ulmann, an immigrant entrepreneur who began by selling embroidered household linens and similar goods. Company histories tied to the Bucilla brand say the business started modestly, then expanded from street sales to a retail store by 1870 and to wider wholesale distribution by 1875.
Over time, the company became closely associated with yarn, needlework, and home craft supplies. The later brand name Bucilla came from the longer formal name, often explained as Bernhard Ulmann Company Inc., Lace, Linen, and Accessories. In the early 20th century, the business broadened its reach with products such as hand-knitting yarns and printed design books.
Today, the company is remembered less as a stand-alone name and more as the origin of Bucilla, a brand that remained well known in American crafting. Even when the founder's name faded from packaging, the business's early role in popularizing decorative needlework and accessible craft materials left a lasting mark.