Collection consists of labels, created by Chicago business Valmor Products Company, for packaging intended to appeal to the African American consumer market dating from 1934-1946.
Scope and Contents:
Collection consists of fifty-three product labels created by Chicago area business Valmor Products Company and its subsidiaries: Madam Jones and Famous Products Company. The labels do not appear to have been used on product packaging. Personal care products were for both men and women and include cold cream, perfume, bleaching cream, talcum powder, toilet water, shaving cream, deodorant, hand cream, hot comb oil, hair dressing, and mouth wash. Common brand names on the product labels are Sweet Georgia Brown, Lucky Brown, Lucky Mojo, Lucky Man, Madam Jones, and Happy Go Lucky. Some of the products are specific to the African American community with mainstream products meant to appeal to this sector of American society. In many cases the company name, brand name, and copyright date appear on the labels. Materials are arranged in alphabetical order by the company name. If the company name does not appear on the label the brand name of the product was used.
Arrangement:
Collection is arranged in one series.
Biographical / Historical:
The Valmor Company was established in 1926 on the South side of Chicago. It was owned and operated by Morton Gross Neumann (1898-1985) and Rose Fogelson Neumann (1902-1998). The company catered to an African American consumer market and employed local black residents as warehouse workers and salesmen. It created advertisements and product packaging using the talents and skills of African American artists Charles Clarence Dawson (June 12, 1889 - March 1, 1981) and Jay Paul Jackson (September 10, 1905 - May 16, 1954). Products were sold under the Valmor name and its subsidiary companies: Lucky Brown, Madam Jones, King Novelty, and Famous Products Company. The company was purchased by New York's R. H. Cosmetic Corporation after the death of Morton G. Neumann in 1985.
Related Materials:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
Warshaw Collection of Business Americana, NMAH.AC0060
Nathaniel Mathis Collection of Barbering and Beauty Culture NMAH.AC0641
Cover Girl Advertising Oral History & Documentation Project NMAH.AC0374
Carolyn Jones Papers NMAH.AC0552
Other Repositories
Valmor Products Label Collection, Special Collections, Chicago Public Library, Harold Washington Library Center
Graphic Arts Collection, Special Collections, Firestone Library, Princeton University
Made-in-Chicago Museum
Provenance:
Collection was donated to the Archives Center by National Museum of American History (NMAH) curator Helena Wright, November 23, 1993.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
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.
Scurlock, Robert S. (Saunders), 1917-1994 Search this
Scurlock, George H. (Hardison), 1919-2005 Search this
Extent:
1 Item (3-7/8" x 4-7/8".)
Type:
Archival materials
Photographs
Place:
U Street, N.W. (Washington, D.C.)
Washington (D.C.) -- African Americans
Scope and Contents:
No ink on negative. Exterior of Scurlock Studios (900 U St. location) at twilight. "Kodak Safety -- Film " edge imprint. Unnumbered.
Series Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Gloves must be worn when handling unprotected photographs and negatives. Special arrangements required to view negatives due to cold storage. Using negatives requires a three hour waiting period. Contact the Archives Center at 202-633-3270.
Series Rights:
When the Museum purchased the collection from the Estate of Robert S. Scurlock, it obtained all rights, including copyright. The earliest photographs in the collection are in the public domain because their term of copyright has expired. The Archives Center will control copyright and the use of the collection for reproduction purposes, which will be handled in accordance with its standard reproduction policy guidelines. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Photography -- Studios and darkrooms -- 20th century Search this
African American business enterprises -- 1930-1960 Search this
Genre/Form:
Photographs -- Color negatives -- Acetate film
Series Citation:
Scurlock Studio Records, Archives Center, National Museum of American History. Smithsonian Institution
Sponsor:
The collection was acquired with assistance from the Eugene Meyer Foundation. Elihu and Susan Rose and the Save America's Treasures program, provided funds to stabilize, organize, store, and create digital surrogates of some of the negatives. Processing and encoding funded by a grant from the Council on Library and Information Resources.
Scurlock, Robert S. (Saunders), 1917-1994 Search this
Scurlock, George H. (Hardison), 1919-2005 Search this
Extent:
1 Item (3-7/8" x 4-7/8".)
Type:
Archival materials
Photographs
Place:
Washington (D.C.) -- African Americans
U Street, N.W. (Washington, D.C.)
Scope and Contents:
No ink on negative. Exterior view of Scurlock Studio, 900 U. St. location, in the morning or possibly evening. Negative underexposed. "Kodak Safety --Film" edge imprint. Unnumbered.
Series Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Gloves must be worn when handling unprotected photographs and negatives. Special arrangements required to view negatives due to cold storage. Using negatives requires a three hour waiting period. Contact the Archives Center at 202-633-3270.
Series Rights:
When the Museum purchased the collection from the Estate of Robert S. Scurlock, it obtained all rights, including copyright. The earliest photographs in the collection are in the public domain because their term of copyright has expired. The Archives Center will control copyright and the use of the collection for reproduction purposes, which will be handled in accordance with its standard reproduction policy guidelines. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Scurlock Studio Records, Archives Center, National Museum of American History. Smithsonian Institution
Sponsor:
The collection was acquired with assistance from the Eugene Meyer Foundation. Elihu and Susan Rose and the Save America's Treasures program, provided funds to stabilize, organize, store, and create digital surrogates of some of the negatives. Processing and encoding funded by a grant from the Council on Library and Information Resources.
Series 8: Business Records, Subseries 8.1: Studio Session Registers are restricted. Digital copies available for research. See repository for details.
Gloves must be worn when handling unprotected photographs and negatives. Special arrangements required to view negatives due to cold storage. Using negatives requires a three hour waiting period. Contact the Archives Center at 202-633-3270.
Subseries Rights:
When the Museum purchased the collection from the Estate of Robert S. Scurlock, it obtained all rights, including copyright. The earliest photographs in the collection are in the public domain because their term of copyright has expired. The Archives Center will control copyright and the use of the collection for reproduction purposes, which will be handled in accordance with its standard reproduction policy guidelines. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Topic:
African American business enterprises -- 1930-1960 Search this
Photographs -- 1930-1940 -- Black-and-white negatives -- Acetate film
Subseries Citation:
Scurlock Studio Records, Archives Center, National Museum of American History. Smithsonian Institution
Sponsor:
The collection was acquired with assistance from the Eugene Meyer Foundation. Elihu and Susan Rose and the Save America's Treasures program, provided funds to stabilize, organize, store, and create digital surrogates of some of the negatives. Processing and encoding funded by a grant from the Council on Library and Information Resources.
Scurlock, George H. (Hardison), 1919-2005 Search this
Extent:
1 Item
Container:
Box 56
Type:
Archival materials
Photographs
Place:
Washington (D.C.) -- 1930-1950 -- Photographs
Date:
Mar. 1949
1949
Scope and Contents:
No caption on negative.
Delicatessen staff standing behind counter.
General:
From NUS carton 103.
Subseries Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Gloves must be worn when handling unprotected photographs and negatives. Special arrangements required to view negatives due to cold storage. Using negatives requires a three hour waiting period. Contact the Archives Center at 202-633-3270.
Subseries Rights:
When the Museum purchased the collection from the Estate of Robert S. Scurlock, it obtained all rights, including copyright. The earliest photographs in the collection are in the public domain because their term of copyright has expired. The Archives Center will control copyright and the use of the collection for reproduction purposes, which will be handled in accordance with its standard reproduction policy guidelines. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
African American business enterprises -- 1930-1960 Search this
Restaurants, lunch rooms, etc. -- 1940-1960. Search this
Genre/Form:
Photographs -- 1940-1950 -- Black-and-white negatives -- Acetate film
Subseries Citation:
Scurlock Studio Records, Archives Center, National Museum of American History. Smithsonian Institution
Sponsor:
The collection was acquired with assistance from the Eugene Meyer Foundation. Elihu and Susan Rose and the Save America's Treasures program, provided funds to stabilize, organize, store, and create digital surrogates of some of the negatives. Processing and encoding funded by a grant from the Council on Library and Information Resources.
Scurlock, George H. (Hardison), 1919-2005 Search this
Extent:
1 Item (Silver gelatin on cellulose acetate film sheet, 8" x 10".)
Container:
Box 87
Type:
Archival materials
Photographs
Place:
Washington D.C. -- 1910-1940 -- Photographs
Date:
1937
Scope and Contents:
Ink on negative: "G Northwest Amusement Co. 1937 Mr. Coley". Interior view of shop. Shows furniture, a record bin containing 78 rpm. records in sleeves, and listening booths. "Defender Safety Base" edge imprint.
General:
Original glassine sleeve, unmarked, discarded.
Subseries Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Gloves must be worn when handling unprotected photographs and negatives. Special arrangements required to view negatives due to cold storage. Using negatives requires a three hour waiting period. Contact the Archives Center at 202-633-3270.
Subseries Rights:
When the Museum purchased the collection from the Estate of Robert S. Scurlock, it obtained all rights, including copyright. The earliest photographs in the collection are in the public domain because their term of copyright has expired. The Archives Center will control copyright and the use of the collection for reproduction purposes, which will be handled in accordance with its standard reproduction policy guidelines. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Topic:
Interiors -- Washington (D.C.) -- 1930-1940. Search this
African American business enterprises -- 1930-1960 Search this
Genre/Form:
Photographs -- 1930-1940 -- Black-and-white negatives -- Acetate film
Subseries Citation:
Scurlock Studio Records, Archives Center, National Museum of American History. Smithsonian Institution
Sponsor:
The collection was acquired with assistance from the Eugene Meyer Foundation. Elihu and Susan Rose and the Save America's Treasures program, provided funds to stabilize, organize, store, and create digital surrogates of some of the negatives. Processing and encoding funded by a grant from the Council on Library and Information Resources.
Scurlock, George H. (Hardison), 1919-2005 Search this
Extent:
2 Items
Container:
Box 27
Type:
Archival materials
Place:
U Street, N.W. (Washington, D.C.)
Date:
1913 May 13
1913 May 1st [interior, actual date 1934]
ca. 1970s (print)
Scope and Contents:
Negative: "E Industrial Bank Opening" in ink on edge, emulsion side. Film edge marking, "Agfa Safety Film."
Print: Caption on verso of print, with studio ink stamp. Ink copyright notice, "Scurlock Studio," on recto, lower right margin.
General:
A 50th Anniversary publication of the bank (1984) says it was founded on Aug. 20, 1934, not in 1913.
Negative from Box B, stored in freezer box 49; print in box 81.
Subseries Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Gloves must be worn when handling unprotected photographs and negatives. Special arrangements required to view negatives due to cold storage. Using negatives requires a three hour waiting period. Contact the Archives Center at 202-633-3270.
Subseries Rights:
When the Museum purchased the collection from the Estate of Robert S. Scurlock, it obtained all rights, including copyright. The earliest photographs in the collection are in the public domain because their term of copyright has expired. The Archives Center will control copyright and the use of the collection for reproduction purposes, which will be handled in accordance with its standard reproduction policy guidelines. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Topic:
Banks and banking -- Washington (D.C.). Search this
African American business enterprises -- 1930-1960 Search this
Subseries Citation:
Scurlock Studio Records, Archives Center, National Museum of American History. Smithsonian Institution
Sponsor:
The collection was acquired with assistance from the Eugene Meyer Foundation. Elihu and Susan Rose and the Save America's Treasures program, provided funds to stabilize, organize, store, and create digital surrogates of some of the negatives. Processing and encoding funded by a grant from the Council on Library and Information Resources.
