This firm was established in 1853 by Gustavus von Brecht. From the beginning, his products were primarily aimed at butchering. In 1868, Brecht was granted a patent for a hub boring machine and although we have never found an advertisement or article proving he manufactured it, an example has surfaced labeled as made by "G. V. Brecht".

By the late 19th century the company name was Gus V. Brecht Butchers Supply Co. By 1920 the business name had changed to Brecht Co., with the business being operated by Gus v. Brecht's sons. By that time, they were definitely not making hub boring machines.

Information Sources

• 1870 book, Guide to the Great West, by J. L. Tracy, in a section titled, "St. Louis Business Directory", lists "Butchers' and Wagon Makers' Machines manufact'd by G. V. Brecht, Sixth st., bet. Franklin av. & Wash st."
• 1915 The Brecht Co., General Catalogue No. 57, 324 pages. Equipment for slaughterhouses, butchers, delicatessens, canners. Also boilers, small vertical and horizontal steam engines, GE motors, National gas engines, Brecht line-shaft equipment (hangers, pulleys, etc.), Brecht grindstones, Brecht refrigeration plants, Brecht compressors, cold storage equipment, store equipment (shelving, display cases, etc.), Brecht scales.
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• A hub mortising machine was listed for sale at AmericanArtifacts.com, labeled, "G. V. Brecht, St. Louis, MO, Patent June 16, 1868".
• Carriage and Wagon Makers Machinery and Tools by Kenneth L. Cope, 2004 page 33.
• A genealogy page has biographies of Frank Alexander von Brecht and Gustavus Adolphus von Brecht, both sons of Gus v. Brecht. The biographies state that their father's business was established in 1853.