3.66 Cubic feet (consisting of 8 boxes, 1 folder, 1 oversize folder, 1 map case folder.)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Business ephemera
Ephemera
Date:
1855-1909
Summary:
A New York bookseller, Warshaw assembled this collection over nearly fifty years. The Warshaw Collection of Business Americana: Carpets forms part of the Warshaw Collection of Business Americana, Subseries 1.1: Subject Categories. The Subject Categories subseries is divided into 470 subject categories based on those created by Mr. Warshaw. These subject categories include topical subjects, types or forms of material, people, organizations, historical events, and other categories. An overview to the entire Warshaw collection is available here: Warshaw Collection of Business Americana
Scope and Contents:
This material consists primarily of illustrated catalogues, price lists, business cards, bills/receipts, order forms, import/export documents, printed advertisements, leaflets, pamphlets, patent and trademark design specifications, memorandum books, scattered correspondence on letterhead stationery, articles, and books from manufacturers, distributors and importers of floor coverings. These floor coverings include rugs, linoleum, oil cloth, floor cloths, sheepskin mats, rubber mats, steel mats, and carpets. Most of the floor coverings were manufactured for home use but there are a few companies who supplied office buildings, hotels, steamboats, lodge rooms and churches. Some of these companies manufactured carpet beating machines, brushing machines and rug anchors. Other products manufactured and sold by these companies include carpet sweepers, tapestries, curtains, floor linens, Japanese screens, mat tresses, furniture, paper hangings, stair-rods, table and piano covers, backings, window shades, brooms, willow ware, upholstery, oil cloths and mattings.
There is also a substantial amount of material from carpet cleaners, dyers and weavers. There are a number of catalogues with color illustrations showing different patterns and available colors and sizes of the floor coverings.
Arrangement:
Arranged in two subseries. The first is organized alphabetically by company and the second is arranged by subject.
Subseries 1: Manufacturers, Distributors, and Importers
Subseries 2: General Subjects
Materials in the Archives Center:
Archives Center Collection of Business Americana (AC0404)
Forms Part Of:
Forms part of the Warshaw Collection of Business Americana.
Missing Title
Series 1: Business Ephemera
Series 2: Other Collection Divisions
Series 3: Isadore Warshaw Personal Papers
Series 4: Photographic Reference Material
Provenance:
Carpets is a portion of the Business Ephemera Series of the Warshaw Collection of Business Americana, Accession AC0060 purchased from Isadore Warshaw in 1967. Warshaw continued to accumulate similar material until his death, which was donated in 1971 by his widow, Augusta. For a period after acquisition, related materials from other sources (of mixed provenance) were added to the collection so there may be content produced or published after Warshaw's death in 1969. This practice has since ceased.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research. Some items may be restricted due to fragile condition.
Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Warshaw Collection of Business Americana, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Sponsor:
Funding for partial processing of the collection was supported by a grant from the Smithsonian Institution's Collections Care and Preservation Fund (CCPF).
