Audio recordings of interviews with members of the Plastics Pioneers Association about the plastics industry, its origins, and evolution.
Scope and Contents:
The collection consists of four 1/4 inch open-reel audiotapes produced from 1952-1968.
Biographical / Historical:
The Plastic Pioneers Association (PPA) was formed in the 1940s to provide individuals involved with plastics invention, innovation, and manufacturing an opportunity to meet with colleagues to share stories about the history of plastics. In 1948 the PPA became a formal organization "of individuals who are persons of accomplishment in the Plastics Industry, and who wish to foster the bonds of friendship and fraternalism among them." At the time, in order to be a member an individual had to have made "a contribution to the growth of the industry and worked at least fifteen years plastics. According to the PPA webiste, membership currently "is capped at 250 active members, and the term of service in the industry required is 25 years or more."
The PPA is dedicated to education as well as documenting and preserving the histories of people who contributed to the plastics industry. The Plastic Pioneers Interviews represents part of this effort
Albany Billiard Ball Company Records (NMAH.AC.0011)
Leo H. Baekeland Papers (NMAH.AC.0005)
Celluloid Corporation Records (NMAH.AC.0009)
Earl S. Tupper Papers (NMAH.AC.0470)
Grace Jeffers Collection of Formica Materials (NMAH.AC.0565)
Provenance:
Audio tapes given to the Division of Manufacturing (now Division of Medicine and Science), by J. Harry DuBois, date unknown.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Rights:
Copyright status unknown. No releases exist. Collecion items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning intellectual property rights. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply.
[Plastic Pioneers Association Interviews, September 18-20, 1968], Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution, Tape number x.
These records include documents relating to John Hyatt and include legal documents, 1871-1966; bank books; patents; patent certificates; patent assignments; memoranda and articles of association; union contracts; balance sheets; profit and loss accounts; journals and cash books; ledgers; time books; invoices; photographs; and correspondence to and from the company.
Scope and Contents:
The records include documents relating to John Hyatt and consist of articles of agreement; articles of association; contracts; bills of sale; by laws; deeds; licenses to manufacture; memoranda; bank books; patents; patent certificates; patent assignments; union contracts; balance sheets; profit and loss accounts; journals and cash books; ledgers; time books; invoices; minutes; photographs; and correspondence to and from the company, 1870-1974.
Biographical / Historical:
The Albany Billiard Ball Company is possibly the earliest successful plastics firm and certainly one of the oldest plastics companies in the world. The business was started in 1868 on Albany's South End. The company was renamed in September, 1977 the Albany-Hyatt Billiard Ball Company. John Wesley Hyatt was one of the company's founders and the American inventor of celluloid. Celluloid, besides being the base of photographic film, was a substitute for ivory, long the prime substance in billiard ball manufacture. The Hyatt "composition" ball, with a celluloid base, dominated the sport until the 1960s.
Related Materials:
New York State Library
Albany Billiard Ball Company Records, 1894-1944, bulk 1914-1944
The records of the Albany Billiard Ball Company consist chiefly of account books detailing its finances. The cash journals detail the quantity and cost of goods sold to various firms and individuals. Costs and fees for shipping and handling are also noted. The journals of income and disbursements provide a more detailed record of administrative and production costs of the company as well as income derived from sales. Principle expenditures include labor, raw materials, maintenance of equipment and facilities, and taxes.
Provenance:
Immediate source of acquisition unknown.
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.
Memorandum and Articles of Association of The Composition Billiard Ball Supply Company, Limited (of London) with Albany Billiard Ball Company
Collection Creator:
Albany Billiard Ball Company (Albany, New York) Search this
Container:
Box 1, Folder 2
Type:
Archival materials
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection 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 Citation:
Albany Billiard Ball Company Records, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Includes: an agreement between Alexander Thomas Hough and the Composition Billiard Ball Company, 1935; an agreement between Composition Billiard Ball Company and Kenneth Luke Emler, 1935; an agreement between Niagara Insul-Bake Specialty Company and th...
Collection Creator:
Albany Billiard Ball Company (Albany, New York) Search this
Container:
Box 22, Folder 5
Type:
Archival materials
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection 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 Citation:
Albany Billiard Ball Company Records, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Includes: a lease between William Barton and the Composition Billiard Ball Company, 1945; a bond and mortgage document between Jean W. Harrig and Albany Billiard Ball Company, 1948; memorandum of insurance, 1948; a lease of a service station with the T...
Collection Creator:
Albany Billiard Ball Company (Albany, New York) Search this
Container:
Box 22, Folder 6
Type:
Archival materials
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection 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 Citation:
Albany Billiard Ball Company Records, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Includes: legal and other related documents pertaining to a dispute with William C. Mason, Engineer.
Collection Creator:
Albany Billiard Ball Company (Albany, New York) Search this
Container:
Box 22, Folder 7
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1948 - 1950
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection 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 Citation:
Albany Billiard Ball Company Records, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Includes: an agreement between Albany Billiard Ball Company and Jacob Michael, regarding a parcel of land, 1951; official statement made by Ellis M. Faulkner regarding a failed device developed by William Mason, 1951; an official statement made by Will...
Collection Creator:
Albany Billiard Ball Company (Albany, New York) Search this
Container:
Box 22, Folder 8
Type:
Archival materials
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection 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 Citation:
Albany Billiard Ball Company Records, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Albany Billiard Ball Company (Albany, New York) Search this
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1870 - 1973
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection 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 Citation:
Albany Billiard Ball Company Records, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Bank books and savings account books from several Albany banks
Collection Creator:
Albany Billiard Ball Company (Albany, New York) Search this
Container:
Box 1, Folder 3
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1912-1949
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection 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 Citation:
Albany Billiard Ball Company Records, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Albany Billiard Ball Company (Albany, New York) Search this
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1887 - 1973
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection 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 Citation:
Albany Billiard Ball Company Records, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Includes: patent issued to George Phelan for billiard ball, 1887; to George Burt for pool-ball, 1893; issued to George Burt for billiard ball, 1894; to William H. Hoyt for game balls, 1902; to William H. Hoyt for manufacturing of game balls, 1902; to B...
Collection Creator:
Albany Billiard Ball Company (Albany, New York) Search this
Container:
Box 23, Folder 1
Type:
Archival materials
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection 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 Citation:
Albany Billiard Ball Company Records, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Includes: several patents issued to Leo Baekeland and others. None of these relate to Albany Billiard Ball Co., but were included because they concern plastic composition.
Collection Creator:
Albany Billiard Ball Company (Albany, New York) Search this
Container:
Box 23, Folder 2
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1906 - 1916
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection 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 Citation:
Albany Billiard Ball Company Records, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Includes patent issued to Otto Kadzik for a machine for the spherical grinding of billiard balls and other blanks; other patents in this file do not relate to Albany Billiard Ball Co., but they were included because they concern plastic composition.
Collection Creator:
Albany Billiard Ball Company (Albany, New York) Search this
Container:
Box 23, Folder 3
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1917 - 1936
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection 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 Citation:
Albany Billiard Ball Company Records, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Albany Billiard Ball Company (Albany, New York) Search this
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1872 - 1961
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection 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 Citation:
Albany Billiard Ball Company Records, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Assigned to John A. Bragaw, from Lewis Deitz, B. Wayne and Albern Stone, 1872; to Henry Deitz, from Lewis Deitz, B. Wayne and Albern Stone, 1872; To Lewis Deitz and Benjamin Wayne, from Henry Deitz, 1873; to Lewis Deitz and Benjamin Wayne, from John A....
Collection Creator:
Albany Billiard Ball Company (Albany, New York) Search this
Container:
Box 23, Folder 5
Type:
Archival materials
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection 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 Citation:
Albany Billiard Ball Company Records, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Assigned to the Burt Company from Alonzo Burt, 1903; to the Burt Company from Alonzo Burt, 1903; to the Albany Billiard Ball Company from the Burt Company, 1903; to the Albany Billiard Ball Company from the Burt Company, 1905; to the Albany Billiard Ba...
Collection Creator:
Albany Billiard Ball Company (Albany, New York) Search this
Container:
Box 23, Folder 6
Type:
Archival materials
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection 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 Citation:
Albany Billiard Ball Company Records, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Assigned to the Albany Billiard Ball Company from Ellis M. Faulkner,1955; to the Albany Billiard Ball Company from Ellis M. Faulkner, 1955; to the Albany Billiard Ball Company from Ellis M. Faulkner, 1957; to the Albany Billiard Ball Company from Ellis...
Collection Creator:
Albany Billiard Ball Company (Albany, New York) Search this
Container:
Box 23, Folder 7
Type:
Archival materials
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection 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 Citation:
Albany Billiard Ball Company Records, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Albany Billiard Ball Company (Albany, New York) Search this
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1870 - 1970
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection 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 Citation:
Albany Billiard Ball Company Records, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Granted to John W. Hyatt, Jr., for improved molding composition to imitate ivory and other substances, 1870; granted to Lewis Deitz, Benjamin P. Wayne and Albern Stone for improvement in the manufacture of billiard balls and other composition articles,...
Collection Creator:
Albany Billiard Ball Company (Albany, New York) Search this
Container:
Box 23, Folder 8
Type:
Archival materials
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection 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 Citation:
Albany Billiard Ball Company Records, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Granted to Alonzo Burt for game ball dyeing apparatus, 1904; granted to Alonzo L. Burt for apparatus for making game balls, 1905; granted to Ronald Kinnear for a combined blade dispenser and razor holder, 1937, granted to Alfred Richard Van Horne, for ...
Collection Creator:
Albany Billiard Ball Company (Albany, New York) Search this
Container:
Box 23, Folder 9
Type:
Archival materials
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
Collection 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 Citation:
Albany Billiard Ball Company Records, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
