11.39 Cubic feet (consisting of 25 boxes, 2 folders, 4 oversize folders, 1 map case folder, plus digital images of some collection material.)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Examinations (documents)
Speeches
Catalogs
Trade catalogs
Reports
Sales records
Trade literature
Print advertising
Business cards
Programs
Training manuals
Invoices
Publications
Business records
Advertising cards
Advertising mail
Certificates
Business ephemera
Manuals
Sales letters
Awards
Dance cards
Business letters
Commercial correspondence
Ephemera
Illustrations
Photographs
Sermons
Letterheads
Advertising
Printed ephemera
Catalogues
Theater programs
Report cards
Receipts
Advertising fliers
Legal documents
Scrapbooks
Correspondence
Lesson books
Periodicals
School records
Date:
1745-1973
bulk 1840-1930
Summary:
A New York bookseller, Warshaw assembled this collection over nearly fifty years. The Warshaw Collection of Business Americana: Accounting and Bookkeeping 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 note:
Most materials present are records and information related to specific schools and institutions and their operations. There are no complete records for any single organization. K-12 public, private schools are represented, as well as colleges, universities, vocational training, plus home study, correspondence courses, Sunday Schools and some religious instruction. HBCUs are not represented, though there may be a general item or two related to one or more of the HBCU schools. There is a sampling of teaching and learning tools such as workbooks, textbooks, and curriculum guides, plus publications for educators. A portion of the material focuses on administration and the profession of education. Student Services and Engagement covers the social aspects of higher education.
Arrangement note:
Schools is arranged in two subseries.
Institutions
By Name
Administration and Records
Genre
Advertisements
Images
Instruction and Learning: Tools and Resources
Post Family Education Records
Serial Publications for Educators and Administrators
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:
Schools 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:
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.
Certificates -- School attendance -- 1930-1940 -- Illinois
Ephemera
Illustrations
Photographs
Sermons
Letterheads
Publications -- Business
Advertising
Printed ephemera
Catalogues
Theater programs
Report cards
Receipts
Advertising fliers
Legal documents
Scrapbooks
Correspondence
Lesson books
Periodicals
School records
Citation:
Warshaw Collection of Business Americana Subject Categories: Schools, 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).
3.25 Cubic feet (consisting of 7 boxes, 1 folder, 2 oversize folders, 1 map case folder.)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Catalogs
Invoices
Business records
Advertising fliers
Publications
Advertising mail
Commercial correspondence
Correspondence
Business ephemera
Printed ephemera
Business letters
Exhibition catalogs
Receipts
Sales letters
Trade literature
Advertising
Sales records
Ephemera
Manuals
Business cards
Sales catalogs
Illustrations
Trade catalogs
Print advertising
Advertising cards
Technical manuals
Advertisements
Periodicals
Reports
Mail order catalogs
Catalogues
Letterheads
Trade cards
Photographs
Manufacturers' catalogs
Date:
undated
1791-1943
Summary:
A New York bookseller, Warshaw assembled this collection over nearly fifty years. The Warshaw Collection of Business Americana: Accounting and Bookkeeping 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:
Scales contains business records and advertisements created by manufacturers and distributors of scales, as well as companies employed to weigh items for communities. Additional materials include scale design patents and educational material on weights and measures.
Extensive business documentation for the Riehlé Brothers is present. The Riehlé Brothers were a scale and testing-machine manufacturer based in Philadelphia. In 1865, Frederick Riehlé purchased two-fifths of interest in the Banks, Dinmore and Company and later helped coordinate the purchase of the Abbott Scale Works company. Frederick's brother Henry later purchased another three-fifths of interest in Banks, Dinmore and Company and the brothers changed the company name to the Riehlé Brothers in 1867.
Material concerning specific subject areas within the topic of scales provides a narrow window into the field of scales, weights, and measures but nonetheless a unique one. The subject category contains a broad view of the business of manufacturing scales and measuring goods for communities, as well as a small amount of social commentary on the necessity of the field in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Arrangement:
Scales is arranged in three subseries.
Business Records and Marketing Material
Genre
Subject
Forms Part Of:
Forms part of the Warshaw Collection of Business Americana.
Series 1: Business Ephemera
Series 2: Other Collection Divisions
Series 3: Isadore Warshaw Personal Papers
Series 4: Photographic Reference Material
Provenance:
Scales 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 Subject Categories: Scales, 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).
A New York bookseller, Warshaw assembled this collection over nearly fifty years. The Warshaw Collection of Business Americana: Accounting and Bookkeeping 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:
Minimally covers the terminus of the wind-powered (sail) era and more fully documents the peak of the engine (steam) era of commercial cargo and passenger vesselsk, including freight and dockage services, maintenance and provisioning, ferry service, navigation (tug and tow) assistance, plus leisure cruising and touring. There is not a significant amount of material on battle or war ships. Includes both short distance routes such as lakes, rivers, and islets, and longer trans-oceanic crossings.
Documents within the collection consist of handbills, broadsides, leaflets, books, business cards, advertisements, insurance forms, wreck reports, passenger lists, baggage tags, freight manifests, rate cards, correspondence on letterhead stationery, booklets, newspaper clippings, postcards, menus, periodicals, manuals, photographs, engravings, woodcuts, sketches, bills of lading, receipts, catalogues, ledgers, journals, purchase orders, broadsides, brochures, custom forms, schedules, shipping and receiving documents, early steam guides, timetables, lithographs, announcements, etc. There are no navigational nautical maps. There is very little in the way of international import/export records. However, domestic and North American freight services are well-covered through invoices, bills of lading, manifests, and receipts for goods and services.
Some materials cover the history and development of steamships, particularly in the latter half of the nineteenth century with the iron screw replacing the wooden paddle steamer in the 1850s. The late 1860s brought the compound engine, which led to the steamship, previously used for the conveyance of mails and passengers, to compete with the sailing vessel in the carriage of cargo for long voyages. The 1870s brought improvements in accommodation for the passenger, with the midship saloon, conveniences in state-rooms, and covered access to smoke rooms and ladies cabins.
Ownership of specific lines and vessels was very fluid throughout shipping history, including the renaming of vessels. Mergers, dissolution, and absorption of fleets were frequent. Thus, researchers should independently seek out a more detailed history for any entity of particular interest.
The general maritime business series focuses on good and services related to maritime operations such as repair, shipbuilding, parts, ticket agents, chandlers, groceries, coal supply, dockage, wharfs/marinas, etc.
Operation records of named vessels contains primarily bills of lading and similar receipts for the movement of material goods or in-water services such as tow and tug assistance.
The largest series covering shipping lines and conglomerates offers a wide assortment of miscellaneous, nonexhaustive operation records for cargo and passenger lines and corporations, typically those with multiple holdings. These documents may include receipts, bills of lading, correspondence, and financial ledgers, plus promotional material for services and routes offered. Passenger sailings and luxury cruise documentation may contain menus, passenger lists, itineraries, shore excursion information, souveniers such as luggage tags, ticket stubs, and postcards. See also the subject category Menus, for additional examples of passenger and cruise ship menus.
When not associated with any of the above, general examples of materials related to the industry have been by arranged by their material type such as images, reports, and serial publications. More formal documentation, especially legal and reports, can be found here.
Narrative type materials related to lore, history, and building and design specifications have been sorted by subject. A scarce amount of material covers ships used for military service. Likewise, there are a few examples of maritime related material from the art world, mostly in the form of catalogues for exhibits or auction of paintings and scale models.
A note on vessel names: those used as contract carriers of mail and when in service, were entitled to unique prefix designations such as Royal Mail Ship (RMS.), otherwise, the ship name may be preceded by the more generic S.S. for single-screw steamer or steamship, SV for sailing vessel, PS for paddle steamer, RV for research vessel or similar type prefix. USS is the standard for the United States Navy commissioned ships while in commission, with HMS used for His/Her Majesty's Ship of the British Royal Navy.
Some of the major lines/companies represented in the collection include: American Line, American Steamship Company, Anchor Line, Compagnie Générale Transatlantique, Cunard-Anchor Line, Cunard Line, Cunard Steam Ship Company, Limited, Cunard White Star Line, Eastern Steamship Lines, Furness, Withy & Company, Hamburg American Line (HAPAG) / Hamburg Amerika Linie, Holland America Line (N.A.S.M. / HAL), Inman Line, International Mercantile Marine Company (IMM), International Navigation Company, North German Lloyd (Norddeutscher Lloyd Bremen), Panama Pacific Line, Peninsular and Oriental, Red Star Line, Royal Mail Steam Packet, U.S. Mail Steamship Company, United States Lines, White Star Line.
Arrangement:
Ships, Boats, and Vessels is arranged in three subseries.
Business Records and Marketing Material
General Maritime Businesses
Operation Records of Named Vessels
Shipping Lines/Conglomerates
Miscellaneous Business Records and Marketing Material
Genre
Keepsakes
Images
Ledger
Legal
News Clippings
Regulatory
Reports
Serial Publications
Stamps/Cigarette Cards
Associations and Societies
Images, Artwork, Racing, Technical Literature
Subject
Battleships, Warships
Destination Guides
Employment and Licensing
Insurance
Maritime History
Maritime Models and Art
Revue Generale Des Sciences
Warshaw Administrative Records
Related Materials:
Several other Warshaw Subject Categories may have closely related material such as Submarines and Transportation. For casual and recreational boating see Boats and Boating Equipment and Yachts. Other subject categories that may have related materials include: Canals, Dredging, Engines, Menus, Railroads (point of common transportation transfer), and Tours. .
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:
Steamboats [Ships, Boats, and Vessels] 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 Subject Categories: Ships, Boats, and Vessels, 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).
1.88 Cubic feet (consisting of 4 boxes, 1 folder, 2 oversize folders, 1 map case folder.)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Exhibition catalogs
Commercial correspondence
Business records
Commercial catalogs
Publications
Trade catalogs
Manufacturers' catalogs
Correspondence
Invoices
Ephemera
Printed ephemera
Business ephemera
Business letters
Advertising mail
Letterheads
Advertising fliers
Catalogues
Receipts
Business cards
Print advertising
Advertising
Advertisements
Sales catalogs
Mail order catalogs
Advertising cards
Catalogs
Date:
circa 1835-1947
Summary:
A New York bookseller, Warshaw assembled this collection over nearly fifty years. The Warshaw Collection of Business Americana: Accounting and Bookkeeping 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 note:
Covers a broad scope of the poultry industry with an emphasis on the supplies and equipment, stock and breeding, and profitable business. Includes a variety of poultry and fowl including but not limited to chickens, turkeys, pigeons, game and fighting cocks, ducks, geese. Very few business records are present but there are a few transactional receipts and several pieces of correspondence, mostly related to product ordering. The bulk of the materials resides in advertising pieces and catalogues.
Arrangement note:
Poultry is arranged in three subseries.
Business Records
Genre
Subject
Forms Part Of:
Forms part of the Warshaw Collection of Business Americana.
Series 1: Business Ephemera
Series 2: Other Collection Divisions
Series 3: Isadore Warshaw Personal Papers
Series 4: Photographic Reference Material
Provenance:
Poultry 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 Subject Categories: Poultry, 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).
6.04 Cubic feet (consisting of 11.5 boxes, 1 folder, 9 oversized folders, 3 flat boxes (1 full, 2 partial), plus digital images of some collection material.)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Legal documents
Print advertising
Business records
Correspondence
Invoices
Trade cards
Business cards
Business ephemera
Reports
Ephemera
Periodicals
Printed ephemera
Mail order catalogs
Advertising mail
Manufacturers' catalogs
Commercial catalogs
Catalogues
Proofs (printed matter)
Advertising fliers
Receipts
Letterheads
Illustrations
Publications
Advertisements
Sales catalogs
Catalogs
Commercial correspondence
Advertising cards
Advertising
Manuals
Trade catalogs
Business letters
Date:
1713-1993
Summary:
A New York bookseller, Warshaw assembled this collection over nearly fifty years. The Warshaw Collection of Business Americana: Accounting and Bookkeeping 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:
The subject category Printing and Printers primarily represents material designed and created by printing companies, largely on the behalf of other companies. Additional material includes serial publications created by printers, the history of printing, biographical material about printers or typographical artists, as well as printing and engraving instructions.
Types of printmaking and printers in these records include stereotyping, electrotyping, planographs, typographs, linotypes, and monotypes.
No expansive documentation of any single printer company is represented within the records, and there is minimal breadth of material on specific subject areas within the printing field. However, business records, company histories, select historical overviews, and the cumulative examples of printers visual work may provide researchers with a broad overview of the printing industry as well as a visual sampling of the evolution of printing styles.
Arrangement:
Printing and Printers is arranged in three subseries. Records, advertising, and catalogues for proprietorships may be filed under either the first or last name of the individual, researchers should look in all applicable alphabetical folders.
Business Records and Marketing Material
Genre
Subject
Forms Part Of:
Forms part of the Warshaw Collection of Business Americana.
Series 1: Business Ephemera
Series 2: Other Collection Divisions
Series 3: Isadore Warshaw Personal Papers
Series 4: Photographic Reference Material
Provenance:
Printing and Printers 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 Subject Categories: Printing and Printers, 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).
2.44 Cubic feet (consisting of 4.5 boxes, 1 folder, 5 oversize folders, 2 flat boxes (partial), 1 map case folder.)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Business ephemera
Business letters
Publications
Receipts
Business cards
Trade literature
Logs (records)
Sales catalogs
Print advertising
Ephemera
Catalogs
Advertising mail
Commercial catalogs
Invoices
Trade cards
Technical reports
Trade catalogs
Advertising
Manuals
Reports
Manufacturers' catalogs
Commercial correspondence
Catalogues
Printed materials
Illustrations
Bulletins
Technical manuals
Printed material
Transcripts
Letterheads
Printed ephemera
Advertisements
Advertising cards
Radio scripts
Correspondence
Advertising fliers
Business records
Date:
1893-1992
Summary:
A New York bookseller, Warshaw assembled this collection over nearly fifty years. The Warshaw Collection of Business Americana: Accounting and Bookkeeping 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:
The radio category contains material primarily related to radio company products, radio broadcasts and programs, technical documentation on the use of radios, and material documenting the effect of radio on modern life. The bulk of the material covers sales catalogues and advertisements, though no complete records for single companies are present.
The radio broadcast transcripts and programs include fictional or anecdotal stories, transcripts of contests, interviews, or speeches, and notifications about future broadcasts.
Literature concerning the effect of radio on modern life includes brief radio historiographies, discussions about the need for advanced education for the radio field, and documentation of the use of radio in leisure time or in rural life. Additional publications address the uses and effects of radio during times of war. While no extensive documentation exists on any one topic, the publications may provide general histories of the radio with snapshots of specific facets of radio history.
Arrangement:
Radio is arranged in three subseries.
Business Records and Marketing Material
Genre
Subject
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:
Radio 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 Subject Categories: Radios, 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).
The Nike Advertising Oral History and Documentation Collection is the result of a two-year study of advertising of Nike athletic shoes. The effort was supported in part by a grant from Nike, Inc. Thirty-one oral history interviews were conducted with advertising, marketing and product development executives at Asics, Nike, John Brown & Co., Chiat/Day/Mojo and Wieden & Kennedy. A variety of related materials were gathered by the Center for Advertising History staff. The objective of the project was to create a collection that documents, in print and electronic media, the history and development of the company and its advertising campaigns.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of thirty-one oral history interviews conducted by historian Scott Ellsworth with advertising, marketing and product development executives at Asics, Nike, John Brown & Co., Chiat/Day/Mojo and Wieden & Kennedy and related materials collected by the Center for Advertising History staff. There are audiocassettes (original and reference), 1/4" open reel audiotape (master), 3/4" videotapes, and VHS videotapes.
Arrangement:
The collection is rganized into seven series.
Series 1, Research Files, 1979-1992
Subseries 1.1, Materials Compiled by the Center for Advertising History, 1979-1992
Subseries 1.2, Material Compiled by Nike, 1982-1992
Series 2, Interviewee Files, 1990-1992
Series 3, Oral History Interviews, 1990-1992
Subseries 3.1, Original Audiotapes (audio cassette), 1990-1992
Subseries 3.3, Preservation masters (1/4 inch audiotape), 1990-1992
Series 4, Television Commercials, 1977-1990 and undated
Subseries 4.1, Master Copies, 1977-1990 and undated
Subseries 4.2, Researcher copies, 1977-1990 and undated
Series 5, Print Advertisements, 1985-1993
Subseries 5.1, Ad Slicks, 1985-1993
Subseries 5.2, Slides, 1989 and undated
Series 6, Trade Catalogues and Photographs, 1958-1982
Series 7, Administrative Files, 1982-1990
Biographical / Historical:
The Nike Advertising Oral History and Documentation Collection is the result of a two-year study of advertising of Nike athletic shoes. The effort was supported in part by a grant from Nike, Inc. Thirty-one oral history interviews were conducted with advertising, marketing and product development executives at Asics, Nike, John Brown & Co., Chiat/Day/Mojo and Wieden & Kennedy. A variety of related materials were gathered by the Center for Advertising History staff. The objective of the project was to create a collection that documents, in print and electronic media, the history and development of the company and its advertising campaigns.
The consistently high quality of this advertising, its award-winning artistic and creative innovations, and its contribution to the fitness movement in America combine to make this a significant chapter in the history of contemporary American advertising.
One aim of the project was to record the process of decision-making in the creation of successful ad campaigns, a process not often documented in the surviving records. Topics addressed in the oral history interviews include the origins of Nike and Nike advertising, the relationship between corporate culture and advertising, the place of advertising in overall marketing strategy, the development of brand image and identity, the nature of the creative process in producing effective advertising images, the use of athletes as endorsers, and Nikes's impact on the popular culture. Well-known campaigns are examined in depth, including Nikes's, use of the Beatles tune "Revolution", the "I Love L.A Spots" produced in conjunction with the 1984 Olympics, the controversial billboards campaign, the award-winning "Bo Knows" spots, and a series of commercials directed by African-American filmmaker Spike Lee. The collection is also a rich source of visual imagery for researchers interested in the portrayal of athletes, women and African-Americans.
Related Materials:
Materials in the Archives Center
Alka-Seltzer Documentation and Oral History Collection, 1953-1986 (AC0184)
N. W. Ayer Advertising Agency Records, 1849-1851, 1869-1996 (AC0059)
Campbell Soup Advertising Oral History and Documentation Project, 1904-1989 (AC0367)
Cover Girl Make-Up Advertising Oral History and Documentation Project, 1959-1990 (AC04374)
Federal Express Oral History and Documentation Project Collection, 1972-1987 (AC0306)
Caroline R. Jones Collection, circa 1942-1996 (AC0552)
Marlboro Oral History and Documentation Project, circa 1926-1986 (AC0198)
Pepsi Generation Oral History and Documentation Collection, 1938-1986 (AC0092)
Rob and Julie Strasser Collection, 1970-1990 (AC0525)
Provenance:
The collection was donated by Nike, Inc. in 1991 and 1992.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research but the master (preservation) tapes are stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.
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.
2.35 Cubic feet (consisting of 5 boxes, 1 folder, 1 oversize folder, 3 map case folders, plus digital images of some collection material. )
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Print advertising
Correspondence
Recipes
Advertising mail
Trade cards
Commercial catalogs
Advertising fliers
Mail order catalogs
Advertising cards
Advertising
Illustrations
Printed materials
Business records
Business letters
Trade literature
Trade catalogs
Printed material
Reports
Periodicals
Invoices
Sales catalogs
Receipts
Ephemera
Letterheads
Manuals
Business cards
Sales records
Printed ephemera
Catalogs
Sales letters
Legal documents
Publications
Catalogues
Business ephemera
Date:
1791-1964
bulk 1840-1925
Summary:
A New York bookseller, Warshaw assembled this collection over nearly fifty years. The Warshaw Collection of Business Americana: Accounting and Bookkeeping 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:
The meat category primarily covers beef, pork, and seafood. Material related to seafood, including clams, oysters, fish, and shellfish, is significant. Additional animal protein sources may be present, especially within the recipes. Several professional associations documents and promotional materials are included. For chicken and other fowl, see subject category Poultry.
Materials represent a sampling of transactional records such as bills, invoices and receipts, marketing material, shipping services for goods, butchering, and preparation for consumption.
Arrangement:
Meat is arranged in three subseries.
Business Records and Marketing Material
Genre
Subject
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:
Meat 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 Subject Categories: Meat, 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).
4.19 Cubic feet (consisting of 9 boxes, 1 folder, 5 oversize folders, 1 map case folders, plus digital images of some collection material. )
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Printed ephemera
Publications
Business letters
Business ephemera
Reports
Periodicals
Correspondence
Illustrations
Trade catalogs
Printed material
Trade cards
Commercial correspondence
Manuals
Receipts
Commercial catalogs
Business records
Advertisements
Catalogs
Advertising
Catalogues
Business cards
Printed materials
Mail order catalogs
Sales catalogs
Letterheads
Scrapbooks
Advertising cards
Advertising fliers
Ephemera
Photographs
Print advertising
Trade literature
Manufacturers' catalogs
Advertising mail
Samples
Invoices
Date:
1803-1961
Summary:
A New York bookseller, Warshaw assembled this collection over nearly fifty years. The Warshaw Collection of Business Americana: Accounting and Bookkeeping 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:
Material within the subject category Paints relates to the production and sales of interior and exterior paint in the United States.
The series contains business records and advertisements generated by manufacturers and distributors of paints, enamels, and varnishes in the form of receipts for goods and services, price lists, paint samples, import and export documents, advertising catalogues and pamphlets. No complete or substantial number of records exists for any single company.
Additional material includes guides and scrapbooks manufactured by paint companies, educational material about painting and interior decorating, types and qualities of paint, and literature discussing select histories of paints.
The oversize items are comprised of paint and color swatches, can labels, printed advertisements, brochures, related publications, and images. Images include houses, rooms, painters, and families.
There is no detailed information fNo particular depth is present for any singular subtopic though some publications may provide general and historical overviews of paint, the paint industry, and home or furniture decoration and alteration.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged into three subseries.
Business Records and Marketing Material
Genre
Subject
Brand Name Index:
The following is a list of brand names for various paints and related names that appear on this list is a compilation of those found on materials in the vertical document boxes. It is not a complete list of all the brand names for paints. The list is intended to assist researchers locate desired materials when only the brand name is known.
Brand Name Index
Manufacturer -- Brand Name
Acme -- Acme Paint
Alabastine -- Seeley Bros.
Alcolac -- Pratt & Lambert Inc.
Amalie -- L. Sonneborn Sons Inc.
Amsterdam -- Kelloggs & Miller
Anchor -- E & F King & Co.
Aquarine -- Muzzy Bros.
Aquatite -- Edward Smith & Co.
American Seal -- Wm. Connors Paint Manufacturing
American Seal -- Troy Paint & Color Works
American Seal -- Higgins & Gilgore
Arco -- Atlantic Refining Co.
Atlas -- Geo. D. Wetherill & Co
Averill -- Seeley Bros.
Barreled Sunlight -- U.S. Gutta Percha Paint Co.
Bessemer -- Rinald Bros.
Blue Ribbon -- Beckwith-Chandler Co.
Bull's Eye -- Wm.Zinnser & Co.
Caboose -- Beckwith-Chandler Co.
Calendar -- Chas. H. Winkleman & Co.
Calcimo -- Montgomery Ward & Co
Cempro -- Asphalt Products Co.
Chalcol -- H.B.Chalmers Co.
Champion -- King Paint Mfg. Co.
Chi-Namel -- Ohio Varnish Co.
Chilton -- G.A.Reeve & Co.
Cliff -- Frank S. DeRonde Co.
Collier -- National Lead Co.
Country Gentleman -- M.G. Stoneman & Son
Colotec -- Western Auto Supply
Conservo -- Samuel Cabot Inc
Coverall -- Montgomery Ward & Co.
Creo-Dipt -- J.W.Stonebeck & Sons
Creolite -- Heath & Milligan Mfg. Co.
Cup Defender -- Edward Smith & Co.
Deco Electro -- Elmquist-Hannan Co.
Degrah -- Keystone Varnish
Detro -- Detroit Whitehead Works
Duco -- Dupont DeNemours Co.
Duragloss -- Ackerman Corp.
Duramant -- Mayer & Loewenstein
Durotone -- Heath & Milligan Mfg. Co.
Elastic -- Atlantic Refining Co
El Dorado -- Rambo & Specht
Effecto -- Pratt & Lambert Inc.
Escolac -- Edward Smith & Co.
Expedite -- Pratt & Lambert Inc.
Flooralas -- Cincinnati Varnish
Genasco -- Barber Asphalt Paving Co.
Glasbrite -- Benjamin F.Forbes Co.
Gold Seal -- S.P. Van Duzer & Co.
Golden Rule -- Robinson's
Golden Shield -- John G. Willits & Co
Graf-Tonic -- Grafton & Son
Gray's Ferry -- Harrison Bros. & Co
Home Comfort -- Wrought Iron Range Co.
Haddonfield -- John G. Willits & Co.
Hilo -- Moller & Schumann Co.
Hydrofugol -- Central Chemical Co.
Imperial -- John Lucas Co
Ingersoll -- Patron's Paint Works.
Ironore -- Prince Bros
Isolatine -- Roessler & Hasslackher Chemical Co.
I.X.L. -- Edward Smith & Co.
Japalac -- Glidden Varnish Co.
Japalac -- Lowe Bros.
Jellitac -- Arthur S. Hoyt
Jigtime -- Merkin
Kemicoris -- Eclipse Paint & Mfg. Co.
Keystone -- Keystone Varnish Co.
Klenzer -- Detroit Whitehead Works
Kyanize -- Boston Varnish Co.
Little Blueflag -- Lowe Bros.
Lu-co -- John Lucas Co.
Luxeberry -- Berry Bros.
Lux-o-lite -- Longman & Martinex
Lawson -- Valentine & Co.
Lythite -- Frank S. DeRonde Co.
Magnite -- J.A. & W. Bird & Co.
Monarch -- Senour Mfg.Co.
Monitor -- S.Wolf's Sons
Mountain Torrent -- E.J. Sanford & Co.
Mura lo -- Bowers Bros.
Muresco -- Benjamin Moore & Co
Nava lite -- Chicago Varnish Co.
Neals -- Acme White Licard & Color Works
Nukote -- Pratt & Lambert Inc.
Opal-Gloss -- David B.Crockett Co.
Opal-Lac -- David B.Crockett Co.
Paragon -- Charles H. Connors Co.
Paragon -- Charles H.Connors Co. Paint Mfg. Co.
Petrol -- J.A. & W. Bird & Co
Pilgrim -- Vaughan Paint Co.
Primelac -- David B.Crockett Co.
Railway -- Beckwith-Chandler Co.
Raven -- Berry Bros.
Red seal -- National Lead Co.
Royal -- A. Wilhelm Co.
Royal -- King Paint Mfg. Co.
Ruberoid -- Ruberoid
Ruskilla -- Atlas Preservative Co. of America
Sani-Flat -- Benjamin Moore & Co.
Sapolin -- Gerstenderfer Bros.
Seroco -- Sears Roebuck Co.
Shel-Lite -- Excelsior Varnish Works
Star -- Pratt & Lambert Inc.
Suncota -- F.O.Pierce Co.
Sun Proff -- Patton Paint Co.
Sunshine -- Heath & Milligan Mfg. Co.
Superior -- Detroit Graphite Mfg. Co.
Super-Tex -- Tex Products Inc.
Surpaco -- St. Louis Surfacer & Paint Co.
Thermalite -- Hascall Paint Co.
Town & Country -- Harrison Bros. & Co.
Town & Country -- Sager & Jennings
Trade -- Harrison Bros. & Co.
Trinidad -- Thomas Mfg. Co.
Valdura -- American Asphalt Paint Co.
Valspar -- Valentine & Co.
Velvex -- Barret Mfg. Co.
Vitralite -- Vaughan Paint Co.
Vitrolite -- Pratt & Lambert Inc.
Wadsworth -- King Paint Mfg. Co.
Wax-Lac -- Detroit Whitehead Works
Wheeler's -- Bridgeport Wood Finishing Co.
Florence White -- A. Wheeler & Co.
Watco -- Wm. Waterall & Co.
Zinolin -- Keystone Varnish Co.
Forms Part Of:
Forms part of the Warshaw Collection of Business Americana.
Series 1: Business Ephemera
Series 2: Other Collection Divisions
Series 3: Isadore Warshaw Personal Papers
Series 4: Photographic Reference Material
Provenance:
Paints 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 Subject Categories: Paints, 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).
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.
Collection Citation:
Catherine Hann Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
3.92 Cubic feet (consisting of 8 boxes, 1 folder, 12 oversize folders, 3 map case folders.)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Business ephemera
Business letters
Reports
Business records
Receipts
Sales letters
Auction catalogs
Catalogues
Advertising
Commercial catalogs
Advertising cards
Trade catalogs
Publications
Print advertising
Sales records
Correspondence
Manufacturers' catalogs
Manuals
Advertising fliers
Exhibition catalogs
Periodicals
Catalogs
Printed ephemera
Illustrations
Ephemera
Mail order catalogs
Sales catalogs
Legal documents
Commercial correspondence
Photographic prints
Invoices
Trade literature
Trade cards
Business cards
Advertising mail
Date:
1788-1955
bulk 1830-1930
Summary:
A New York bookseller, Warshaw assembled this collection over nearly fifty years. The Warshaw Collection of Business Americana: Horses 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:
Horses covers goods and services for the procurement and maintenance of horses. Riding academies, racing, and breeding are represented. Some resources specifically target health care issues. Images are mostly illustrations with a few photographs. A few general interest pieces are present, but virtually nothing in the way of in-depth research or study. The bulk of the material is catalogues. The Pedigree folders contain some handwritten records, however, the origin/farm name is not readily apparent. A small amount of material is present regarding Warshaw's development of this category and sale of a poster to help generate income.
No extensive runs or complete records exist for any single company, brand, and no particular depth is present for any singular subtopic though some publications may provide general and historical overviews of a person, company, or facet of industry.
Arrangement:
Horses is arranged in three subseries.
Business Records and Marketing Material
Genre
Subject
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:
Horses 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 Subject Categories: Horses, 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).
3.55 Cubic feet (consisting of 7 boxes, 1 folder, 3 oversized folders, 1 map case folder, 1 flat box (partial), plus digital images of some collection material.)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Publications
Illustrations
Receipts
Business cards
Almanacs
Invoices
Correspondence
Business letters
Business ephemera
Sales letters
Manuals
Advertising fliers
Bills of sale
Commercial correspondence
Print advertising
Advertising mail
Sales records
Advertisements
Business records
Technical literature
Realia
Advertising
Signs (declaratory or advertising artifacts)
Advertising cards
Technical documents
Periodicals
Legal documents
Patents
Letterheads
Printed ephemera
Ephemera
Date:
1819-1974
Summary:
A New York bookseller, Warshaw assembled this collection over nearly fifty years. The Warshaw Collection of Business Americana: Accounting and Bookkeeping 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:
The subject category Telephone largely represents business records and advertisements created by telephone companies. Additional materials include telephone design patents, documentation about legal cases involving telephone companies, material concerning the technical functions of telephones, phone call etiquette, and the history and development of the telephone.
No expansive business documentation exists for any single telephone company within the records. Material concerning specific subject areas within the topic of telephones provide a diverse historical overview of the telephone's global implementation, as well as snapshots of every day attitudes towards the telephone. Patents and other legal documents are strongly represented in the collection, in addition to business records.
Arrangement:
Telephone is arranged in three subseries.
Business Records and Marketing Material
Genre
Subject
Forms Part Of:
Forms part of the Warshaw Collection of Business Americana.
Series 1: Business Ephemera
Series 2: Other Collection Divisions
Series 3: Isadore Warshaw Personal Papers
Series 4: Photographic Reference Material
Provenance:
Telephone 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 Subject Categories: Telephone, 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).
Papers documenting inventor Earl S. Tupper, his inventions, Tupperware and the Tupper Company.
Scope and Contents:
The collection documents the life of inventor Earl S. Tupper through correspondence, notes, photographs, drawings and sound recordings.
Arrangement:
The collection is organized into five series.
Series 1: Personal Papers, 1910-1989
Series 2: Early Business Papers and Scientific Notes, 1930-1965
Series 3: Tupper Corporation/Tupperware Business, 1908-1983
Series 4: Neil Osterweill Oral Histories and Research Notes, 1926-1989
Subseries 4.1: Research Files, 1926-1989
Subseries 4.2: Original Masters, 1987-1989
Subseries 4.3:Research Copies, 1987-1989
Subseries 4.4:Research Copies, 1987-1989
Subseries 4.5: Preservation Copies, undated
Series 5: Center for Advertising History, Oral History Interviews, 1992
Subseries 5.1: Original Masters, 1992
Subseries 5.2: Research Copies, 1992
Subseries 5.3: Research Copies, 1992
Subseries 5.4: Preservation Copies, 1992
Subseries 5.5: Abstracts and Transcripts, 1992, 2003
Biographical / Historical:
Earl Silas Tupper was born in 1907, to a New Hampshire farming family of modest means. During his youth and boyhood in New England, his mother Lulu Clark Tupper, took in laundry and ran a boarding house, while his father, Earnest Leslie operated a small family farm. Earnest Tupper loved to tinker, developing labor-saving devices for the farm and family greenhouses; one of his devices, a frame to facilitate the cleaning of chickens, was granted a patent. It is from his father that Earl Tupper is said to have developed a love for invention. Even as a boy, Tupper showed an enterprising and entrepreneurial spirit. At the age of 10, Earl discovered he could move more of the family's produce by selling door-to-door, bringing the product directly to the customer.
After high school graduation in 1925, Tupper continued to work in the family greenhouses in Shirley Massachusetts for two years. Tupper was an ambitious young man, though, and he was determined to earn his first million by the time he was thirty. During the twenties, he set out on a number of different paths, including work as a mail clerk and on a railroad labor crew. In 1928, he took a course in tree surgery, with the idea of setting up his own tree surgery and landscaping business. He continued to help out with the family business, and got married in 1931. Through the early thirties, the landscaping and nursery business continued to grow and thrive, despite the Depression, enabling Tupper to pursue some of his ideas and inventions. His scientific notebooks for this period reflect the diversity of his interests. Even after Tupper Tree Doctors was forced into bankruptcy in 1936, Tupper remained optimistic about his ability to develop and manufacture some of his inventions.
In 1936, Tupper met Bernard Doyle, the inventor of Viscoloid, the plastics manufacturing division of DuPont, located in nearby Leominster, Mass. He went to work for DuPont in 1937, but stayed there only one year. Later, Tupper would say it was at Dupont "that my education really began." Tupper took the experience he had gained in plastics design and manufacturing at DuPont, and struck out on his own. In 1938, he formed the Earl S. Tupper Company, advertising the design and engineering of industrial plastics products in Leominster, Massachusetts. Much of the fledgling company's early work was performed under subcontract to DuPont. Business was good during the war, because despite the difficulty of acquiring the raw materials necessary for plastics production for the domestic market, Tupper Plastics was able to garner several defense contracts, molding parts for gas masks and Navy signal lamps.
After the war, Tupper turned his attention to developing plastics for the growing consumer market. Many of his earliest designs, which included plastic sandwich picks, cigarette cases, and an unbreakable tumbler for the bathroom, were offered as premiums with other products. For example, Tek toothbrushes offered the tumbler with purchase of a toothbrush, and cigarette companies and other businesses offered cigarette cases imprinted with their logo.
Plastics was still in its infancy in the forties, and the commercial market for plastics product was limited by plastic's reputation for being brittle, greasy, smelly and generally unreliable. Tupper's contributions were twofold. First, he developed a method for purifying black polyethylene slag, a waste product produced in oil refinement, into a substance that was flexible, tough, non-porous, non-greasy and translucent. Second, he developed the Tupper seal, an airtight, watertight lid modeled on the lid for paint containers. Together, these innovations laid the foundations for the future success of Tupperware. Nevertheless, marketing the new product presented a challenge. Tupper experimented with department store sales, but as Businessweek reported in 1954, "in retail stores it fell flat on its face." It seemed clear that the new lid required explanation or demonstration.
In the late 1940s, Thomas Damigella (in Massachusetts) and Brownie Wise (in Florida) were selling household products through Stanley Home Products. Purchasing through local plastics distributors, both began offering Tupperware as part of their product line, and were moving enough Tupperware to attract Earl Tupper's attention. In 1948, Tupper met with Damigella, Wise, and several other local distributors at a Sheraton in Worcester Massachusetts to discuss a new distribution plan. Modeled on the home party plan pioneered by Stanley Home Products and expanded and refined by Brownie Wise, the home party plan became and remains the exclusive outlet for Tupperware. Wise was named Vice President of the company (named Tupperware Home Parties) in 1951, a position she held until 1958, when Tupper sold the company to Rexall for $16 million.
Tupperware's success stems from the combined genius of Earl Tupper, the self-styled Yankee inventor and entrepreneur and Brownie Wise, the consummate saleswoman and motivator. If Tupper personified reverence for the product, Wise personified respect for the sales force. "If we build the people," she was fond of saying, "they'll build the business." Almost half a century later, their legacy remains an important part of Tupperware's continuing success.
Earl S. Tupper died on October 5, 1983.
Related Materials:
Materials in the Archives Center
Leo Baekeland Papers (AC0005)
DuPont Nylon Collection (AC0007)
J. Harry DuBois Collection on the History of Plastics (AC0008)
Celluloid Corporation Records (AC0009)
Albany Billiard Ball Company Records (AC#0011)
Brownie Wise Papers (AC0509)
Ann and Thomas Damigella Collection (AC0583)
Materials at the National Museum of American History
Tupperware related artifacts are located in the Division of Home and Community Life (now Division of Cultural and Community Life), the Division of Medicine and Science and the Division of Work and Industry. See accessions: 1983.0711; 1984.1098; 1985.3014; 1985.3015; 1987.0180; 1990.3055; 1992.0209; 1992.0605; 1993.0257; 1994.0118; 1994.0124; 1995.0109; 1998.0070; 1998.0220; 2012.0133; and 2014.3077.
Provenance:
The materials were donated to the Archives Center in 1992 by Glenn O. Tupper, Earl Tupper's son.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research but master (preservation) tapes are stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.
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.
1.83 Cubic feet (consisting of 3.5 boxes, 1 folder, 2 oversize folders, 1 map case folder, 1 flat box (partial).)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Advertising fliers
Reports
Mail order catalogs
Business records
Technical reports
Commercial catalogs
Print advertising
Technical manuals
Business ephemera
Legislation (legal concepts)
Commercial correspondence
Illustrations
Advertising cards
Advertising
Advertising mail
Advertisements
Catalogues
Publications
Trade literature
Periodicals
Photographs
Printed materials
Printed material
Receipts
Sales letters
Manuals
Catalogs
Sales catalogs
Trade cards
Business letters
Manufacturers' catalogs
Test reports
Trade catalogs
Ephemera
Business cards
Invoices
Legal documents
Printed ephemera
Sales records
Correspondence
Letterheads
Date:
circa 1832-1959
Summary:
A New York bookseller, Warshaw assembled this collection over nearly fifty years. The Warshaw Collection of Business Americana: Accounting and Bookkeeping 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 note:
Contains a broad scope of freshwater capture and use topics, with particular emphasis on the machinery and systems required for managing water resources and business aspects of the costs of goods and services. Includes coverage of home and farm use, agricultural solutions, and large scale operations such as public utilities such as damns, watersheds, reservoirs. Some of the technologies used are drilling, wells, hydraulics, engines and pumps, in addition to natural power sources in the form of windmills and turbines, and water wheels. both as methods of conveyance of water and in powering other devices such as grinders and saws. Purification and softeners address make up the bulk of treatment. Some materials address legal and regulatory issues but water rights is not significantly covered.
Materials include business records, marketing and advertising, some informational documentation in the form of guides and reports. A few schematics are present. A small amount of regulatory publications provide a glimpse of how municipalities dealt with local water issues, including billing and taxation. Miscellaneous writings includes a few tangential topics such as inland waterways and swimming pools, and a perspective essay on water.
Arrangement note:
Waterworks is arranged in three subseries.
Business Records
Genre
Subjects
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:
Waterworks 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 Subject Categories: Waterworks, 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).
Archival materials documenting the manufacture and sale of Kit Mobile Homes.
Scope and Contents note:
The records of the Kit Manufacturing Company date from 1951 to 1995. They consist primarily of advertising materials, newspaper clippings, copies of Articles about the company and photographs. The photographs portray many of the models built during the years 1951 1995. Most of the models are named and many show the date of production. Many photographs show internal views. However, some are not identified by either name or date. One photograph shows the company's main plant at Caldwell, Idaho.
The collection also includes an autobiographical publication written by Dan Pocapalia, I Love A Challenge! This is the interesting story of a successful, self made business man whose inborn skills and quick mind, coupled with determination and hard
work, resulted in building a successful new business one that started on the proverbial shoestring and wound up listed on the American Stock Exchange. In the Epilogue, the publication also includes brief references to Mrs. Pocapalia and the five children, as well as short statements about, Arnold J. Romeym, Bill Worman, and Jim Nicholson, all of whom were involved to a major degree in the growth and establishment of the company.
Arrangement:
Divided into 3 series
Series 1: Advertising brochures, newsclippings and articles
Series 2: Photographs
Series 3: Publications
Biographical/Historical note:
Dan Pocapalia in 1994 celebrated a nearly fifty-year association with Kit Manufacturing Company by writing a history of the company that is also the story of his life. Born on December 12, 1916, on a small farm near Santa Monica, California, Mr. Pocapalia is a prototype of the successful self made businessman. His father, born in Pinerolo, Italy, arrived in the United States at the age of 22. His mother, Rosa Camusso, followed shortly thereafter. After working in New York for several years, the young couple moved to California. Named Dante but always called Dan, the boy was the second of four children. One of Dan's earliest pleasure was building things. At the age of 10 or 11 he produced a radio from a pair of earphones found on a dump. His mother died in 1929 and the years of the depression were difficult ones for the family. Dan left school during the sixth grade to help in the fields, picking truck crops that sometimes did not bring enough to pay freight and commission charges on the produce. By 1938, he had decided to leave the farm and see the country before looking for a real job.
His first real job was at Vultee Aircraft Company (later known as Consolidated Vultee) near his father's farm, at that time in Norwalk, California. Talent and a quick mind compensated for lack of education and experience and very quickly, Dan Pocapalia became a valuable employee on Vultee's wartime government contract for planes. Working thirteen to sixteen hours a day meant financial reward for Dan but little else. Several attempts at enlistment in the military failed because he was considered an essential industrial worker. By 1945, however, most of the talk at the plant was about what one hoped to do after the war ended.
In November 1945, a chance meeting with Bill Worman, a former worker at Vultee, determined Dan Pocapalials future. Worman was part owner of a trailer business in a nearby plant on Telegraph Road. He planned to build 60 "tear drop" camper trailers because he had found and bought 60 Fulton hitches. He had chosen the name "Kit" to reflect his marketing plan: the units were to be sold in a knocked down kit, which would be assembled by the
buyer. In less than a week Dan Pocapalia borrowed $800 to buy out Worman's other partner to become a one half partner in Kit Manufacturing Company. The new partners decided to redesign the Kit Kamper to increase the simplicity and eficiency of its assembly. The original Kit Kamper was built while materials were still subject to World War II's War Production Board prioritie's and it and later models illustrate new and creative uses of
aluminum and fiberglass. Dan Pocapalia was responsible for the design; Bill Worman for bookkeeping, sales and promotion. Despite shortages of necessary supplies and the money to buy them, their first appearance at the Gilmore Stadium Show in February 1946 was successful. They booked about 500 orders, with some dealers paying in advance.
The work force expanded to meet the demand and the partners decided to enter into an agreement with Sackett Nicholson of Long Beach, California, to be sole distributor for the Kit Kamper. Although they did not get along, Pocapalia recognized Nicholson's expertise and ability as a salesman even though he did not trust him. Similarly, Bill Worman did not get along with nor trust Arnold Romeyn, the bookkeeper for Sackett Nicholson. Despite these problems, the company expanded production to build 3 bedroom mobile homes, dormitory mobile homes for government projects such as the Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River, and relocatable classrooms. The tribulation, escapes from bankruptcy, quarrels, and major disagreements among the partners were many but Kit Manufacturing Company became a respected and successful business. When Kit went public in 1969, the shares of each participant in the company were retired for more than $500,000 out for each participant. Dean Witter & Company underwrote the offering of 1,434,839 shares at $14.75 a share. The company was listed on the American Stock Exchange in March 1970.
Dan and his wife, Mary Ann, lived in an 81' x 331' Kit mobile home for the first two years of their marriage. Their first child was born while they lived there but as other children came along they moved to a new house built by Mary Ann's architect father. In 1995, Dan Pocapalia marked his 50th year of association with Kit Manufacturing Company, and was still active full time as chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer.
Provenance:
Donated to the Archives Center, NMAH, by Mr. and Mrs. Pocapalia in
October 1994.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research and access on site by appointment. Unprotected photographs must be handled with gloves.
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.
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.
Collection Citation:
Coon Chicken Inn Records and Graham Family Papers, 1913-1973, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
1.9 Cubic feet (consisting of 4 boxes, 1 folder, 3 oversize folders, 1 map case folder.)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Advertising cards
Advertising
Letterheads
Advertisements
Catalogs
Sales catalogs
Correspondence
Advertising mail
Publications
Invoices
Reports
Advertising fliers
Periodicals
Catalogues
Printed materials
Manuals
Mail order catalogs
Receipts
Printed ephemera
Manufacturers' catalogs
Business ephemera
Trade catalogs
Illustrations
Trade cards
Business letters
Business records
Print advertising
Ephemera
Printed material
Trade literature
Business cards
Commercial catalogs
Date:
circa 1845-1953
Summary:
A New York bookseller, Warshaw assembled this collection over nearly fifty years. The Warshaw Collection of Business Americana: Accounting and Bookkeeping 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 note:
The leather industry serves both commercial and consumer needs. The preparation and treatment of leather includes tanning, oiling, and dressings as well as tools and equipment used in working with it.
The business records are in the form of operational transactional documents, mostly in the form of bookkeeping, bills, receipts, and correspondence, with a significant volume of import/export documentation.
Advertisements and catalogues cover consumer goods such as luggage, bags, accessories likesuch as wallets, handbags, shoes, bookbinders, harnesses and saddles used for or with livestock, plus raw or semi-processed leather, hide, and tanning goods and services made by or sold to manufacturers of finished leather products. Also present is a small quantity of product samples.
Arrangement note:
The collection is arranged into three subseries.
Business Records
Genre
Subjects
Forms Part Of:
Forms part of the Warshaw Collection of Business Americana.
Series 1: Business Ephemera
Series 2: Other Collection Divisions
Series 3: Isadore Warshaw Personal Papers
Series 4: Photographic Reference Material
Provenance:
Leather 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 Subject Categories: Leather, 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).
A New York bookseller, Warshaw assembled this collection over nearly fifty years. The Warshaw Collection of Business Americana: Hardware 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:
Hardware covers a broad scope of products, tools, and equipment made of metal, and both functional (nails, bolts) and ornamental (drawer pulls, plates) uses of metals.
The majority of materials in this series are business transaction records related to the sale and transport of hardware items. There is also a sampling of advertisements and illustrated product guides. A few patent documents are present. However, there are no extensive runs or complete records exist for any single company or brand, and no particular depth is present for any singular subtopic, though some publications may provide general and historical overviews of a person, company, or facet of industry.
With the industries and trades represented in this category, there is significant overlap with Tools, Instruments, and Mensuration.
Arrangement:
Hardware is arranged in three subseries.
Business Records and Marketing Material
Genre
Subject
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:
Hardware 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.
Topic:
Decoration and ornament, Architectural Search this
Warshaw Collection of Business Americana Subject Categories: Hardware, 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).
A New York bookseller, Warshaw assembled this collection over nearly fifty years. The Warshaw Collection of Business Americana: Accounting and Bookkeeping 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:
Shears and Scissors contains material pertaining to merchants who either specialized in manufacturing shears and scissors, or who sold them alongside additional products. The bulk of material is company advertisements, records of purchases, and business correspondence.
No comprehensive records of any single company are represented within the records, with the exception of a historical overview of the J. Wiss and Sons Company that provides an overarching company narrative.
Arrangement:
Shears and Scissors is arranged in two subseries.
Business Records and Marketing Material
Subject
Business Records and Marketing Material
Subject
Forms Part Of:
Forms part of the Warshaw Collection of Business Americana.
Series 1: Business Ephemera
Series 2: Other Collection Divisions
Series 3: Isadore Warshaw Personal Papers
Series 4: Photographic Reference Material
Provenance:
Shears and Scissors 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 Subject Categories: Shears and Scissors, 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).
12.77 Cubic feet (consisting of 26.5 boxes, 1 folder, 7 oversize folders, 2 map case folders, 1 flat box (partial), plus digital images of some collection material.)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Print advertising
Periodicals
Publications
Advertising cards
Advertising mail
Printed ephemera
Patterns
Catalogues
Designs (textile)
Sales catalogs
Business cards
Legal records
Contracts
Textiles
Trade catalogs
Exhibition catalogs
Advertising
Advertisements
Mail order catalogs
Business records
Designs
Printed material
Labels
Instructional materials
Trademarks
Legal documents
Trade cards
Legislation (legal concepts)
Ephemera
Samples
Manuals
Sample books
Design patents
Advertising fliers
Illustrations
Catalogs
Sales letters
Business letters
Correspondence
Manufacturers' catalogs
Commercial correspondence
Letterheads
Invoices
Photographs
Sales records
Printed materials
Fabrics
Trade literature
Business ephemera
Receipts
Commercial catalogs
Date:
1784-1970
Summary:
A New York bookseller, Warshaw assembled this collection over nearly fifty years. The Warshaw Collection of Business Americana: Accounting and Bookkeeping 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 is concentrated on the 19th century United States textile manufacture and trade, and the sale of textiles in the form of bale, bolt, roll, and fabric to commercial vendors or consumers as source material to make other goods. The first series contains day-to-day records of dealers and vendors, plus advertising and marketing material. Artisan and home production of goods are virtually not covered but are a couple of incidental publications related to arts, crafts (rugs, weaving, looms), and more refined work such as tapestry. The import/export of textiles is well represented with a large volume of records, which may also provide some insight into the shipping industry.
There is not much on the infrastructure of the industry in the way of directories, trade journals, trade associations, along with manufacturing and plants, though there are a few examples of each. There are virtually no catalogues, except for a few thin ones that were filed by company name. While not extensive, the sample books and swatches offer a glimpse into product lines. Material types offers limited, specific information on certain varieties such as cotton, wool, linen, rayon, etc. Thread might be incidentally present but is not specifically included since there is already a dedicated subject category for it.
There is a healthy sampling of product labels. A handful of intellectual property related documents cover protections of designs, plus patents and trademarks. There is a small bulk of publications related to tariffs and the wool industry.
Clothing patterns, home economics, sewing and seamstresses, household use of textiles (furniture covering, as a cleaning tool, bedding/pillows, etc.) are not covered within this category. Researchers should also look at any of a number of other Warshaw categories, particularly those related to clothing, hosiery, dry goods, furniture, curtains, etc. for period popularity of certain materials and patterns.
Arrangement:
Textiles is arranged in three subseries.
Business Records and Marketing Material
Genre
Subject
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:
Textiles 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 Subject Categories: Textiles, 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).
