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:
Bennett Pottery Company Records, 1844-1881, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
The Commercial Decal, Incorporated records consist of decals, photographs and advertising materials that trace the business transactions of Commercial Decal, Incorporated from its early creation through its closing in 1992. Most of the actual decals and patterns are from the early 1970s through 1992. The records of product orders, however, date back to 1926. Background information on Commercial Decal, Incorporated and its parent company, Pictorial Productions, Incorporated is also included among the materials. There are also several photographs of the plant and its employees from the 1940s.
The collection is arranged into eight series in thirty nine boxes. Series one contains historical and background materials. Series two consists of the corporate records of Commercial Decal, Incorporated and Pictorial Productions, Incorporated. These materials include articles, newsletters, annual reports, and photographs. Series three consists of the work order cards for individual orders. Order cards follow pieces of work through the several stages of decal production. Series four includes work orders and patterns for specific orders. These orders are written out on pressroom and proofing jackets that are similar to work order cards. Unlike series three, a copy of the pattern used is included with the order jackets. Series five and six contain original and copied decals that were used between the 1970s and 1990s. Series five contains copies of a variety of patterns and series six mainly focuses on special and commemorative decals. Series seven includes advertising materials created by Kleb Associates, Incorporated for Commercial Decal, Incorporated. Series eight contains materials relating to the artistic career of surrealist artist Charles Seliger, Commercial Decal's vice-president of design. There are several catalogues from Seliger's art shows in the United States and Europe dating from the 1970s to the early 1990s.
Arrangement:
Divided into 8 series: (1) Background and Historical Information, 1935-1993; (2) Corporate Records, 1964-1991; (3) Work Order Cards, 1926-1972; (4) Work Orders and Patterns, 1940-1985; (5) Patterns, 1974-1989; (6) Commemorative and Special Decals, circa 1970-1990; (7) Advertising Mmaterials, dates unknown; (8) Charles Seliger Artwork, circa 1970-1990.
Biographical/Historical note:
Commercial Decal, Incorporated Corporate Records, was a pictorial printing company opened in Mount Vernon, New York, in 1912. The company was one of the few American firms that produced decorative decals for major ceramic companies. The company supplied decals to most of the ceramics industry, including such major firms as Haviland, Homer Laughlin, Lenox, Hallcraft, Bradford, Corning, Anchor Hocking, and Salem China. They also produced decals for glass and plastic products. Most of the company's decals featured straightforward, edge-of-the-plate designs in floral, abstract, or geometric patterns. Other products included decals of reproductions of famous art works (Norman Rockwell was particularly popular), commemorative and historical designs, advertising decals for products (including Coca-Cola, McDonald's, and Quaker Oats), and original patterns and designs for china sets and cookware. In 1935, Commercial Decal, Incorporated Corporate Records designed a new set of dishes for the White House at the request of Eleanor Roosevelt, who gave them to her husband, Franklin D. Roosevelt, as a Christmas present. In 1973, company President Charles Silberstein, introduced a new method of transfer, the four color or camera separation process, which revolutionized the business by making colors more reproducible and accurate and production time faster. In the mid-1980s, the company began to lose customers to increased competition. Then, in the late-1908s, the New York State Department of Environmental Control imposed heavy fines on the company for serious violations of environmental laws. Between lost customers, increased competition, and the need to install environmentally-friendly new equipment, the company was unable to pay the fines. By August of 1992 the company had gone out of business.
Related Materials:
Materials held by the Archives Center, National Museum of American History
Salem China Company, 1930s-1981, undated
Provenance:
Collection donated by Commercial Decal, through Charles Seliger, Febuary 1993.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research but a portion of the collection remains unprocessed and is 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.
Printed material, biographical material, correspondence, and photographs (ca. 1860-1920) documenting the Volkmar family's involvement in the development of the ceramics industry in northeastern America. The collection focuses on Charles Volkmar but the careers of Carl, Leon (1879-1959), and Charles Volkmar, Sr. (1809-1892) are also documented. Material on Charles Volkmar includes correspondence (1897-1915), notes and writings, clippings (1872-1913), articles, 2 sketchbooks, and prints and drawings. In the original 41-page typed draft of his reminiscences, Charles Volkmar writes of his flight to Europe at the outbreak of the civil war, the life of American artists in Paris, studying landscape painting under Henri Harpignies, the work of Jean-Francois Millet and Charles Emile Jacque, and his work painting pottery and tiles in France, after which he returned to the United States and went into the ceramics business. Leon Volkmar's correspondence (1901-1953) and printed materials discuss the business, artistic and family traditions of the ceramics industry. Photographs depict Leon, his family, the Volkmar Pottery and the tiles and ceramics they produced. Carl Volkmar's family papers, documents (1827-1838) and a notebook are all in German.
Biographical / Historical:
Ceramicist, painter. Born in Baltimore, Charles Volkmar received his early art training at the Maryland Institute. He moved to Paris, where he studied landscape painting with Henri Harpignies in the 1860's. His paintings were exhibited in the Paris salons of the 1870's. He studied pottery painting and tile making in France, working as an apprentice at the Haviland factory. Returning to the United States, Charles built a kiln at Greenpoint, Long Island, in 1879 where he produced tiles and vases. He was the first potter to use underglaze slip painting in the United States. His son, Leon, was an accomplished potter and formed a partnership with his father. When the kiln was moved to Metuchen, New Jersey, the name was changed to Charles Volkmar and Son. In 1911 the partnership dissolved and Leon moved to Bedford, New York; established Durant kilns and devoted much time to glaze experimentation.
Provenance:
Papers were lent by Susan Volkmar, the wife of Peter Volkmar, great-grandson of Charles Volkmar.
Restrictions:
The Archives of American art does not own the original papers. Use is limited to the microfilm copy.
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Ceramics and Glass Search this
Extent:
1 Cubic foot (3 boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Papers
Journals (accounts)
Sketches
Audiotapes
Drawings
Business records
Date:
1948-1963.
Scope and Contents:
The collection, which consists of notebooks, journals, photographs, correspondence, memos, brochures, and technical drawings, is divided into three series: Sketches, Drawing Journals and Tests; Ram Company Materials; and Photographs. The papers were selected from among Mr. Steele's files by his son, Christopher. As a result, the papers included are somewhat sporadic and have many gaps. However, Mr. Steele was a conscientious record keeper, so the papers in the collection provide a good illustration of his development of the Ram process. Within the papers there are test results for water release problems, stress tests, plaster permeability tests, designs for different applications of the process, designs for dies, and other documentation. The journals he kept document his daily activities within the Ram Company in a very complete manner. Also included is a list of photographs with captions supplied by Mr. Steele's son Christopher.
Arrangement:
The collection is divided into three series.
Series 1: Sketches, Drawing Journals and Tests
Series 2: Ram Company Records
Series 3: Photographs
Biographical / Historical:
Richard Steele (1916-1980), a ceramics engineer, was the primary inventor of the Ram press which revolutionized the ceramics industry. Mr. Steele attended classes at Ohio State University after working during World War Two as an aircraft engineer. While working at the Research Foundation at Ohio State, he and another engineer, A. R. Blackburn (commonly referred to by Mr. Steele in the collection as "Blackie"), developed the Ram process in 1948. Up until this time, the jigger method and slip casting were used to produce ceramics. The jigger method was a manual process which required great strength on the part of the operator. A large amount of time was then required for shrinkage to occur and release the casting. As a result, the process also required a large amount of space to let the pieces dry.
The Ram process, on the other hand, was an automated machine process whereby dies made of special reinforced gypsum cement (as opposed to the plastic ones used in the jigger method), are pressurized on a hydraulic press and come together to mold the piece. Air is then fed into the die to act as a releasing mechanism. The machine is capable of pressing with 60 tons of force, up to 6,000 cycles per eight hour day. This process enables one person to operate the press with ease and to produce approximately five times the number of ceramic pieces as someone using the jigger method.
Provenance:
This collection was donated to the National Museum of American History in December 1983 by Christopher Steele, son of Mr. Richard Steele.
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.
The papers of ceramicist Glen Lukens measure 1.6 linear feet and date from 1920 to 1983. The bulk of the papers consist of letters from Lukens to family members, and other correspondence with family, friends, and colleagues. Notably, letters describe Lukens' time working in Haiti to establish a ceramic industry, his views on United States involvement in World War II, and the Watts Riots in Los Angeles in 1965. Also found are biographical materials, scattered writings and notes on ceramics and other subjects, printed materials, and photographs.
Scope and Contents:
The papers of ceramicist Glen Lukens measure 1.6 linear feet and date from 1920 to 1983. The bulk of the papers consist of letters from Lukens to family members, and other correspondence with family, friends, and colleagues. Notably, letters describe Lukens' time working in Haiti to establish a ceramic industry, his views on United States involvement in World War II, and the Watts Riots in Los Angeles in 1965. Also found are biographical materials, scattered writings and notes on ceramics and other subjects, printed materials, and photographs.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as five series.
Series 1: Biographical Material, 1920-1977 (0.2 linear feet; Box 1)
Series 2: Correspondence, 1933-1983 (1.0 linear feet; Boxes 1-2, OV5)
Series 3: Writings and Notes, circa 1937-circa 1960 (0.2 linear feet; Box 2)
Series 4: Printed Material, 1940s-1960s (0.1 linear feet; Box 2)
Series 5: Photographs, circa 1936-1966 (0.6 linear feet; Box 3-4)
Biographical / Historical:
Glen Lukens (1887-1967) was a ceramicist, educator, and writer active in Southern California. He taught at the University of Southern California where he founded the school's ceramics department and later established the ceramics industry in Haiti.
Glen Lukens was born in Missouri and attended the Oregon State Agricultural School where he was introduced to ceramics. He proved to be an innovator and created a blue glaze made out of metals he found in the Mojave desert. Lukens was active with a group of studio ceramicists, including Beatrice Wood, who elevated the artform through writing, innovation, and teaching. Lukens created simple pottery with bold color and glazing techniques. He spent much of his career teaching ceramics at the University of Southern California but also worked with glass and created jewelry.
In the 1940s, Lukens traveled to Haiti to teach ceramics and establish an industry for the creation of pottery on the island. Lukens was focused on teaching Haitians to use sanitary clay vessels for food rather than gourds. He formed friendships with many of his students and encouraged their further study of ceramics in the United States.
Glen Lukens died in Los Angeles in 1967.
Related Materials:
The Archives of American Art also holds the Glen Lukens letters to Roy Walker, circa 1930-1945. The collection contains about 150 letters from Lukens to Roy Walker.
Provenance:
The Glen Lukens papers were donated by his niece, Vera O'Dell in 1983.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center.
Citation:
Glen Lukens papers, 1930-1983. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Collection is open for research but a portion of the collection remains unprocessed and is 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.
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:
Commercial Decal, Incorporated Corporate Records, 1940-1991, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Collection is open for research but a portion of the collection remains unprocessed and is 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.
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:
Commercial Decal, Incorporated Corporate Records, 1940-1991, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
MS 3184 A Preliminary Survey of Certain Prehistoric Potteryware from the North-Western District of British Guiana
Creator:
Roth, Walter E. (Walter Edmund), 1861-1933 Search this
Extent:
89 Pages
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Pages
Photographs
Drawings
Maps
Date:
September 15, 1930
Scope and Contents:
Includes many photographs and sketches. The paper generally describes the distribution of certain ceramic industries, and discusses thoroughly ceramic types and vessel styles, also figurines. Includes one hand drawn map of British Guiana, 12" x 25", showing shell mounds and middens, as well as physical features.
This collection is open for research. Access to original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center.
Researchers interested in accessing audiovisual recordings and born-digital records in this collection must use access copies. Contact References Services for more information.
Collection Rights:
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
The donor has retained all intellectual property rights, including copyright, that they may own in the following material: all drawings and photocopies of drawings.
Collection Citation:
William P. Daley papers, 1905-2016 (bulk 1951-2001). Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Advanced Vacuum Products Inc. (Stamford, CT) ; General Ceramics and Steatite Corp. (Chemical Equipment Div. - Keasbey, NJ) ; Chemical Stoneware Div. ; Steatite Div. ; Macalaster Bicknell Co. (Cambridge, MA) ; German American Stoneware ; Search this
Notes content:
High grade acid proof chemical stoneware ; centrifugal pumps ; "ADVAC" ceramic-to-metal hermetic seals ; high grade acid and temperature resisting fused silica ; High frequency steatite insulators ; spark plug ceramic cores ; acid towers ; laboratory sinks ; "Steatite" and "Ultra-Steatite" insulators ; "The Story of the Ceramics Industry" ; The Evolution of Industrial Ceramics" ; stoneware tanks for developing film ; chemical stoneware for acid, alkali, dyestuff, pharmaceutical, chemical, explosive, poison gas, etc. and other corrosive chemicals ;
Technical information , data , and reports : "Useful Information about Lead" ; "Improved Sound Barriers Employing Lead" ; "Lead in the Ceramic Industries" ; "Adapting Leaden Fittings to the Modern House" ; "Red Lead Paint Formulations" ; "Red Lead Based Paint Systems" ; "Primers for Railroad Structures and Rolling Stock" ; "Painting Highway Structural Steel" ; "Recommended Surface Preparation of Steel for Red Lead Paints" . "Lead" newsletter ; "Lead Pipe" , manufacture and uses of lead pipe, with "the new lead pipe standards" .
Includes:
Trade catalog
Black and white images
Physical description:
13 pieces; 1 box
Language:
English
Type of material:
Trade catalogs
Trade literature
Place:
New York, New York, United States
Date:
1900s
Topic (Romaine term):
Architectural designs and building materials Search this
Est. 1831 as soap and candle company ; http://www.pqcorp.com/corporate/PQHistory.asp ; http://invention.smithsonian.org/resources/MIND_Repository_Details.aspx?rep_id=369 Search this
Elkinton Co. ; Potters Industries ; PQ Corp. Search this
Notes content:
1931 aniversary book entitled "Beginning Another Century" ; circa 1930s-1950s catalogs ; soluble silicates ; detergent developments ; use of silicates in drilling through difficult rock formations (by oil companies) ; use of Metso alkali cleaner ; curing concrete roads ; silicates for cleaning textiles, dishes, floors and walls, farm animals (dairies) and to wash milk bottles in creameries ; Metso for use in electroplating industries ; use of silicates of soda in soap making ; silica of soda cements ; handling tank cars of silicate of soda ; detergent value of sodium metasilicate ; chemical control of heaving shale ; sodium silicates in water to prevent corrosion ; textile processing ; silicates of soda grades and their uses ; egg preserving with silicate of soda ; silicate of soda in paper making ; silicate of soda in ceramic industries ; bleaching paper pulps with s of s ; coating paper board with s of s ; effects of alkaline detergents upon metals ; surface treating concrete for greater permanency ; silicate of soda in the building industry ; silicates of soda in testing & lining cooperage (wooden barrels) ; Bulletin 52-19 "Treatment of raw and waste waters"
Includes:
Trade catalog, manual and histories
Black and white images
Color images
Physical description:
121 pieces; 1 box
Language:
English
Type of material:
Trade catalogs
Trade literature
Place:
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Date:
1900s
Topic (Romaine term):
Architectural designs and building materials Search this
Ceramics; pottery; glass; crystal; china; bricks; and stones Search this
Mixers ; Simpson Mixers ( brand name ) ; includes blueprints and correspondence ; sand preparing reclaiming conditioning and control ; sand and mold handling equipment for foundries and refractories and the ceramic industry ; mixers for the chemical process industry ; aerators ; mulling equipment ; a substantial history of the company can be found at: http://www.simpsongroup.com/aboutus/stc_profile.htm
