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Revlon, Incorporated Advertising Collection

Manufacturer:
Revlon, Inc.  Search this
Donor:
Stevens, Martin  Search this
Extent:
2 Cubic feet (4 boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Tear sheets
Advertisements
Commercials
Compact discs
Date:
1936-1986
Summary:
Collection consists of print and television advertisements and promotional materials created by Revlon, Incorporated, 1936-1986.
Scope and Contents:
Collection consists of print and television advertisements and promotional materials created by Revlon, Incorporated for its products dating from 1936 to 1986. Revlon experienced substantial growth using these materials and semi-annual promotions to become one of the leading brands of the cosmetics industry. The materials provide insight into the depiction and importance of beauty throughout the decades. Additionally, the names of models and photographers are identified on the materials. The collection is arranged in two series: Series 1, Revlon Advertisements, 1936-1986; and Series 2, Other Revlon Incorporated Brand Advertisements, 1965-1986.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged in two series.

Series 1, Revlon Advertisements, 1936-1986

Series 2, Other Revlon Incorporated Brand Advertisements, 1965-1986
Historical:
Revlon began as a single product company in New York in 1932. The founders of the company American businessmen Charles Haskell Revson (October 11, 1906- August 24, 1975), Joseph Haskell Revson (October 11, 1906-August 24, 1975), and chemist Charles Lachman started the business with a desire to create a mainstream market for nail enamel. With an innovative manufacturing process and the introduction of new colors every year the company was able to build a successful brand and dedicated market. Revlon introduced lipstick in 1940 and continued to expand its product line to include skincare, cosmetics, hair color, fragrances, and beauty tools.

Source: New York Times obituary for Charles Revson, August 25, 1975.
Related Materials:
Materials in the Archives Center

Warshaw Collection of Business Americana (NMAH.AC.0060)

Albert W. Hampson Commercial Artwork (NMAH.AC.0561)

Cover Girl Advertising Oral History and Documentation Project (NMAH.AC.0374)

NW Ayer Advertising Agency Records (NMAH.AC.0059)
Provenance:
The collection was donated by Martin Stevens in 2007.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research but 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.
Topic:
Beauty culture  Search this
Women in advertising  Search this
Cosmetics  Search this
Broadcast advertising  Search this
Television advertising  Search this
Cosmetics -- advertising  Search this
Genre/Form:
Tear sheets
Advertisements -- 20th century
Commercials
Compact discs
Citation:
Revlon, Incorporated Advertising Collection, 1936-1986, Archives Center, National Museum of American History. Gift of Martin Stevens.
Identifier:
NMAH.AC.0939
See more items in:
Revlon, Incorporated Advertising Collection
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep85d227987-4304-4129-a698-5b2587789c7c
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-0939
Online Media:

Delegate

Published by:
MelPat Associates, American, 1965 - 1986  Search this
Created by:
C. Melvin Patrick, American, died 1985  Search this
Subject of:
Charles Rangel, American, born 1930  Search this
The Links, Incorporated, American, founded 1946  Search this
Avon, founded 1886  Search this
Vice President Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller, American, 1908 - 1979  Search this
National Urban League, American, founded 1910  Search this
National Association of Black Social Workers, American, founded 1968  Search this
Interracial Council for Business Opportunity, American, founded 1963  Search this
Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry  Search this
National Association of Market Developers, American, founded 1953  Search this
National Medical Association, American, founded 1895  Search this
Prince Hall Freemasonry, founded 1784  Search this
National Association of Negro Musicians, Inc., founded 1919  Search this
Opportunities Industrialization Center of America, Inc., American, founded 1964  Search this
Chi Delta Mu Fraternity, Inc., American, founded 1913  Search this
National Newspaper Publishers Association, American, founded 1827  Search this
Sovereign Military Order of Malta, founded 1099  Search this
Chi Eta Phi Sorority, Inc., American, founded 1932  Search this
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, American, founded 1909  Search this
Universal Network Television, American, founded 1950  Search this
Freedom National Bank, American, 1964 - 1990  Search this
Jarobin Gilbert Jr., American, born 1946  Search this
Lambda Kappa Mu Sorority, Inc., American, founded 1937  Search this
National United Church Ushers Association of America, Inc., American, founded 1919  Search this
National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women's Clubs, Inc., American, founded 1935  Search this
National Dental Association, American, founded 1913  Search this
National Sorority of Phi Delta Kappa, Inc., American, founded 1923  Search this
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., American, founded 1906  Search this
National Pharmaceutical Association, American, founded 1947  Search this
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., American, founded 1911  Search this
Iota Phi Lambda Sorority, Inc., American, founded 1929  Search this
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, American, founded 1913  Search this
Shriners International, American, founded 1870  Search this
Daughters of Isis, American, founded 1910  Search this
Dr. Roscoe C. Brown, American, 1922 - 2016  Search this
Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA), International, founded 1844  Search this
New York Yankees, American, founded 1901  Search this
Reggie Jackson, American, born 1946  Search this
The Doll League, Inc., American, founded 1958  Search this
National Urban League Guild, American, founded 1946  Search this
Morehouse Alumni Association, American, founded 1900  Search this
Congressional Black Caucus, American, founded 1971  Search this
National Bar Association, American, founded 1925  Search this
National Business League, American, founded 1900  Search this
National Bankers Association, American, founded 1927  Search this
Alliance for Women in Media, American, founded 1951  Search this
369th Veterans Association, American  Search this
Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry  Search this
The Salvation Army, American, founded 1865  Search this
Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, American, founded 1914  Search this
One Hundred Black Men, Inc., American, founded 1963  Search this
Improved Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks of the World, American, founded 1898  Search this
Written by:
Anti-Bakke Decision Coalition, American, founded 1977  Search this
Medium:
ink on paper
Dimensions:
H x W x D: 10 13/16 × 8 7/16 × 7/16 in. (27.5 × 21.4 × 1.1 cm)
Type:
magazines (periodicals)
Place made:
Harlem, New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
Place depicted:
Sag Harbor, Southampton, Suffolk County, New York, United States, North and Central America
Martha's Vineyard, Oak Bluffs, Dukes County, Massachusetts, United States, North and Central America
Date:
1979
Topic:
African American  Search this
Advertising  Search this
Associations and institutions  Search this
Black Press  Search this
Business  Search this
Communities  Search this
Fraternal organizations  Search this
Fraternities  Search this
Government  Search this
HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities)  Search this
Journalism  Search this
Labor  Search this
Mass media  Search this
Men  Search this
Political organizations  Search this
Politics  Search this
Professional organizations  Search this
Radio  Search this
Religion  Search this
Social life and customs  Search this
Sororities  Search this
Television  Search this
U.S. History, 1969-2001  Search this
Urban life  Search this
Women  Search this
Women's organizations  Search this
Credit Line:
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Anne B. Patrick and the family of Hilda E. Stokely
Object number:
2012.167.13
Restrictions & Rights:
Public domain
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
See more items in:
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Classification:
Documents and Published Materials-Published Works
Data Source:
National Museum of African American History and Culture
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5cc6b172d-2d13-4670-95ea-2e52493801a5
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:nmaahc_2012.167.13
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  • View <I>Delegate</I> digital asset number 1

African American Cosmetic and Food Label Collection

Creator:
Wright, Helena, 1946-  Search this
Names:
Famous Products Co.  Search this
Lucky Man Co.  Search this
Madam Jones Co.  Search this
Val-Mor Co.  Search this
Extent:
0.12 Cubic feet (1 box)
Container:
Box 1
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Labels
Date:
1934-1946, undated
Summary:
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.
Topic:
Packaging  Search this
Cosmetics industry  Search this
African American business enterprises -- 1930-1960  Search this
Genre/Form:
Labels
Citation:
African American Cosmetic and Food Label Collection, 1934-1946, undated, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Identifier:
NMAH.AC.0480
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep86ff48fcb-0539-480b-9fca-422250113dbf
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-0480
Online Media:

Warshaw Collection of Business Americana Subject Categories: Cosmetics

Creator:
Warshaw, Isadore, 1900-1969  Search this
Extent:
2.98 Cubic feet (consisting of 6 boxes, 3 folders, 9 oversize folders, 2 map case folders, plus digital images of some collection material. )
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Business ephemera
Ephemera
Date:
1813-1940
Summary:
A New York bookseller, Warshaw assembled this collection over nearly fifty years. The Warshaw Collection of Business Americana: Cosmetics 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 collection consists of a great variety of materials, including business correspondence, bills and receipts, advertisements, order forms, business and advertising cards, labels, bookmarks, calendars, formulas, handbooks, pamphlets, price lists, leaflets, display cards, postcards, circulars, packaging, toilet albums, and labels. Many of the products are perfumes or colognes; others include shaving creams, hair preparations, manicure supplies, soaps, creams and lotions, powders, makeup, and bath products. Foot preparations, dental care products, deodorants, medications, starch, oils and spices, and brushes are also present. Most of these products are for the use of female consumers. Trade materials are directed toward scalp specialists, hairdressers, dermatologists, beauty culturist and manicurists. There are a number of materials from female-owned establishments. Other materials include publications, such as catalogues produced by manufacturers for consumers, and publications for the trade. Cosmetic appliances, formulas, labels, trademarks and patents, and import/export documents are also present. Most of this material dates from the late 19th to the early 20th century.

Images of women and of flowers predominate in this collection. Most of the women are Anglo American with a few others such as Turkish, Asian, Scots, Brazilian, Swiss, Egyptian and African American.
Arrangement:
Arranged into three subseries

Subseries 1: Manufacturers, Distributors, and Retailers, circa 1830-1960

Subseries 2: Publications, circa 1850-1940

Subseries 3: Related Materials, circa 1890-1934
Materials in the Archives Center:
Archives Center Collection of Business Americana (AC0404)
Forms Part Of:
Forms part of the Warshaw Collection of Business Americana.

Missing Title

Series 1: Business Ephemera

Series 2: Other Collection Divisions

Series 3: Isadore Warshaw Personal Papers

Series 4: Photographic Reference Material
Provenance:
Cosmetics 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:
advertising -- Cosmetics  Search this
Cosmetics  Search this
Cosmetics industry  Search this
Genre/Form:
Business ephemera
Ephemera
Citation:
Warshaw Collection of Business Americana, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Identifier:
NMAH.AC.0060.S01.01.Cosmetics
See more items in:
Warshaw Collection of Business Americana Subject Categories: Cosmetics
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep82935e08b-fe06-440e-809c-6fb8b33d6174
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-0060-s01-01-cosmetics
Online Media:

Fuller Brush Company Records

Creator:
Fuller Brush Company  Search this
Extent:
32.5 Cubic feet (77 boxes, 1 map-folder)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Articles
Clippings
Ledgers (account books)
Letters (correspondence)
Motion picture film
Newsletters
Photographs
Printed materials
Programs (documents)
Reports
Sales catalogs
Sales records
Trade catalogs
Trade literature
Training manuals
Financial statements
Market surveys
Business records
Place:
Connecticut -- Hartford
Kansas
Date:
1890-2017
Summary:
The collection documents the Fuller Brush Company founded by Alfred C. Fuller in 1906.
Content Description:
The collection documents the Fuller Brush Company from the early years of its existence. The contents include photographs; ledgers; correspondence; internal reports; manufacturing facility studies; quality control reports; financial statements; sales data; company newsletters, some loose and some in bound form; other internal publications; advertising; trade literature; product manuals; catalogs; training manuals and employee handbooks; company annual reports; convention programs and materials; films; materials relating to employee incentives; vinyl records of radio broadcasts; scripts, pressbooks, and other promotional material for motion pictures; informational audio-cassete tapes; contracts, trial testimonies, and other legal papers; industry surveys and marketing campaign proposals; and clippings and printed materials.
Arrangement:
Collection is arranged into thirteen series. Unless otherwise noted, material is arranged chronologically.

Series 1: Historical background, 1916-2001

Series 2: Corporate records, 1917-2010 (bulk 1973-1976)

Series 3: Marketing, 1941-2013

Series 4: Operational records, 1913-1976 (bulk 1969-1976)

Series 5: Financial materials, 1919-1996

Series 6: Personnel, 1922-1984

Series 7: Sales managers, 1922-1990

Series 8: Distributors, 1921-2006

Series 9: Publications, 1920-1999

Series 10: Product materials, 1912-2017

Series 11: Photographs, circa 1890-2000

Series 12: Press Clippings and Publicity, 1921-2010

Series 13: The Fuller Brush Man and The Fuller Brush Girl, 1947-1953, 2004 (bulk 1947-1952).
Historical:
Founded in 1906 by Alfred C. Fuller in Hartford, Connecticut, the Fuller Brush Company predominately sold a wide range of cleaning products, marketed for personal care, housekeeping, and commercial users. Mostly a direct-selling company, it is perhaps best known for its independent, door-to-door salesmen, a figure referred to in popular culture as "the Fuller Brush Man." Calling on the housewives of America, the Fuller Brush Man would visit households with a gift, flyers, and a case full of samples, with which he would demonstrate the use of cleaning implements of various shapes and sizes. Through techniques such as developing new products based on customer feedback, and providing a satisfaction guarantee by allowing for product returns during the Fuller Brush Man's next visit, the Fuller Brush Company inspired new levels of trust and credibility in direct selling. In return, the company reaped massive profits. During the peak of the company's popularity, in around the 1950s, the Fuller Brush Man was a ubiquitous part of the American landscape, alluded to in comic strips, radio programs, and popular films, such as the 1948 Red Skelton comedy The Fuller Brush Man and the 1950 comedy The Fuller Brush Girl, starring Lucille Ball.

The Fuller Brush Company continually used its resources to promote and establish the identity of the Fuller Brush Man, to its own salespeople as well as the public. Traditional print advertisements were supplemented with extensive publicity coverage, carefully crafted by the Fuller Brush Company's advertising and public relations team. The company fostered a culture of achievable aspiration among new recruits, through in-house publications, which celebrated the accomplishments of fellow dealers, incentive programs, and a career ladder pipeline, which allowed high achieving salesmen to advance from independent dealers to regional sales managers--who were considered formal employees of the Fuller Brush Company. Some sales managers became local celebrities in their districts, adding their own charisma to the development of the Fuller Brush Man--such as New York District's Al Teetsel--whose "Fine and Dandy" personal motto established a cult following. Other Fuller Brush Company salesmen used the Fuller Brush Man's distinctive optimism, pluck, and perseverance to later become celebrities in their own right, such as evangelist Billy Graham, who attributed his high school days as a successful Fuller Brush Man to his future success.

While the Fuller Brush Company is best known for its door-to-door network of Fuller Brush Men, and its household products division, the company experimented with various channels of distribution and other specialized products during its over 100-year history. The Fuller Brush Company produced implements to clean guns during World War II, and in 1945 was honored with the E Award for its war effort contributions. In the 1940s, the Fuller Brush Company introduced female salespeople, or "Fullerettes" to their door-to-door ranks (mostly to promote their Debutante Cosmetics line, released by Daggett & Ramsdell, Inc. in 1948). The company returned to actively recruiting Fullerettes in 1966, and thereafter welcomed distributors of either sex. The company's Machine Division produced the mast for the sailboat "Columbia" in 1958, and in the 1960s, its Marine Division produced items for the maintenance of nautical equipment. Around the 1960s, its Household Division incorporated new items such as vitamins and hormone treatments into its personal care product line. The company experimented with retail brick-and-mortar locations, and, in 1974, instigated a telemarketing program. After 1985, the Fuller Brush Company began to move away from door-to-door sales techniques, redeveloping its sale channel distribution system to include mail order catalogs, a secure sales website for distributors, network-marketing techniques, and a reinterpretation of sales territories for distributors where district territories began to blur in favor of nationwide sales opportunities.

Founded in Hartford, Connecticut, the company remained in the region through the 1960s, though the company shifted locations to larger offices and manufacturing facilities as it grew. In 1960, operational facilities and headquarters moved to a large, custom-built campus in East Hartford, Connecticut. However, in 1968, the company was acquired by the Kitchens of Sara Lee, Inc. (then a part of the Consolidated Foods Corporation). During the 1970s the Fuller Brush Company experienced rapid changes in administration and organization. Under President Nat Zivin, headquarters relocated to Niles, Illinois in 1973. Later the same year, headquarters and operations moved to a large manufacturing facility in Great Bend, Kansas. The company remained a division of Sara Lee until 1989.

The Fuller Brush Company grew to involve multiple subsidiaries, including many that were international. The Fuller Brush Company established a wholly-owned Canadian subsidiary in 1921, called the Fuller Brush Company, Limited. In 1942, the Fuller Brush Company bought out a competitor, the Albany, New York-based Mohawk Brush Company. The "bristlecomb" hairbrush, introduced by the Mohawk Brush Company in 1928, remained one of the Fuller Brush Company's signature products. In 1961, the Fuller Brush Company founded and incorporated Charter Supply Corporation as a wholly-owned Mohawk subsidiary. Charter Products operated as a "private label" division, to rebrand duplicate products. The Fuller Brush Company also owned subsidiaries in Mexico; in 1968, the Fuller Brush Company held 100% interest in House of Fuller, S.A. and Charter de Mexico, S.A., both established in Mexico. Also in 1968, the Fuller Brush Company was a partial owner of House of Fuller (Jamaica), Ltd. The Fuller Brush Company conducted business around the world, including dealings in England, France, Jamaica, Trinidad, Puerto Rico, Spain, and Venezuela.

With growth came legal challenges. The Green River Ordinance, established in 1931, placed limits on door-to-door sales. The Fuller Brush Company challenged the ordinance, when it went to the Supreme Court in 1937. Over the course of its history, the Fuller Brush Company weathered lawsuits ranging from trademark disputes to labor treatment complaints from area managers in Puerto Rico.

After the sale by Sara Lee in 1989, the Fuller Brush Company was held by a series of private owners, including Lee Turner and Stuart A. Ochiltree. In June 1994, CPAC, Inc. purchased the company. In 1995, CPAC, Inc. also bought a longtime competitor of the Fuller Brush Company, Stanley Home Products, a company founded in 1929 by Stanley Beverage, a former sales vice president for the Fuller Brush Company. The two companies became siblings under the same parent organization; items from the Stanley Home Products line were sold by Fuller Brush Company distributors, and manufactured at the Fuller Brush Company plant in Great Bend. In 2012, both the Fuller Brush Company and Stanley Home Products filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The companies merged their product lines and catalogs, eliminating equivalent products, to cut costs and streamline operations.

In December 2012, David Sabin and Chicago-based private equity firm Victory Park Capital purchased the Fuller Brush Company. The company headquarters moved to Napa Valley, California. Facing increased financial difficulties, in 2016 the company began to phase out its independent distributor system and domestic manufacturing operations. Around January 2018, the company was sold to Galaxy Brush LLC of Lakewood, New Jersey.
Biographical:
Alfred C. Fuller (January 13, 1885 - December 4, 1973), was founder and first president of the Fuller Brush Company, as well as the "original Fuller Brush Man." He was born in rural Nova Scotia, to parents Leander Joseph Fuller and Phebe Jane Collins. The eleventh of twelve children, Fuller took pride in the resilient and self-sufficient spirit he developed growing up on a Nova Scotian farm, and valued such qualities throughout his life over formal education. Long after his success, he promoted himself as an average man among average men.

In 1903, at age eighteen, Alfred Fuller left his family home in Nova Scotia, and followed siblings who settled in the United States. He moved in with his sister Annie and her husband, Frank Adler, in Somerville, Massachusetts. After a series of odd jobs, Fuller considered trying his hand at selling brushes (he was inspired by a brother, Dwight, who made and sold brushes before his death by tuberculosis in 1901). Alfred discovered a knack for trade; unlike many other direct salesmen at the time, his sales technique emphasized product demonstrations. Eventually, Fuller decided to make his own brushes. He set up a workbench in his sister's basement in January 1906. Four months later, he moved to Hartford, Connecticut where he founded the Fuller Brush Company.

The rapid success of the company, improved Alfred C. Fuller's romantic prospects. With the enthusiastic support of his sister, Annie, Alfred initiated a courtship with a Nova Scotian woman who had formerly caught his eye, Evelyn Ellis. They were married on April 10, 1908. However, the marriage was strained, and they divorced in 1930. In 1932, Alfred Fuller remarried. His second wife, Mary Primrose Pelton, was also Nova Scotian, the daughter of a judge from Yarmouth. They remained together for the rest of his life.

Alfred C. Fuller and his first wife Evelyn had two sons. Alfred Howard was born in 1913 and Avard in 1916. Both would later rise to prominence within the Fuller Brush Company, serving as its second and third presidents. The elder son, Howard, was Fuller Brush Company President from 1943 until 1959. From an early age, Howard challenged his father regarding the direction of the company. With his bold and aggressive personality, Howard was able to institute changes to the company that resulted in higher profits, such as distributing catalogs before the salesman's visit, shortening product demonstrations, prioritizing many small sales over few large sales, and developing other techniques that emphasized speed and efficiency. However, his temperament also contributed to Howard and his wife Dora's untimely deaths. Howard, always interested in thrilling, high-risk pursuits (such as driving sports cars, piloting airplanes, and racing speedboats and sailboats) was cruising through Nevada at 120-miles per hour for a business trip, uncharacteristically accompanied by his wife, when his Mercedes-Benz 300 SL blew a tire. Both Fullers died in the accident.

Following the tragic accident, Avard assumed leadership of the Fuller Brush Company. Avard's more conservative nature ushered in an era of leadership where his father, Alfred C. Fuller, rose in honor and influence with the company. However, Avard relied on traditional sales strategies (such as promoting a culture around the Fuller Brush Man, rather than take a more active strategy toward integrating female distributors) which placed the Fuller Brush Company at a disadvantage with competitors such as Avon Cosmetics. Avard served as President of the Fuller Brush Company until 1969.

Although Alfred C. Fuller never reclaimed presidency of the Fuller Brush Company, he remained chairman emeritus for the duration of his life. A treasured company figurehead, celebrations were held in his honor long after his retirement. In 1956, a testimonial dinner was held where a portrait of Fuller was unveiled in honor of the 50-year anniversary of the Fuller Brush Company. In 1965, Alfred C. Fuller was further honored, when his birthplace was dedicated as a historic landmark. Alfred C. Fuller was known as "Dad" Fuller to the thousands of Fuller Brush Men and Fullerettes who represented the company door-to-door throughout the country, and made frequent appearances in in-house publications and external publicity. Working with Hartzell Spence, Alfred C. Fuller wrote an autobiography, titled A Foot in the Door, published by the McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc. in 1960. A practicing Christian Scientist with a devout Methodist mother, Fuller frequently alludes to the influence of his faith in his autobiography. Alfred C. Fuller passed away on December 4, 1973.
Related Materials:
Materials in the Archives Center

Stanley Home Products Collection (AC0788)

Earl S. Tupper Papers (AC0470)

Brownie Wise Papers (AC0509)

Ann and Thomas Damigella Collections (AC0583)

Industry on Parade Film Collection, episodes 66, 217 (AC0507)

Materials at the Smithsonian Institution

Smithsonian Libraries Trade Literature Collection, includes some Fuller Brush Company catalogs;

The Division of Work and Industry, National Museum of American History holds artifacts from the Fuller Brush Company from previous accessions, such as hairbrushes for women and men (including bristlecomb hairbrushes); shower brushes; toothbrushes; combs; a military brush; brush holders; and similar materials. (AG.A.6645-AG.A.6653; AG.A.6656-AG.A.6666; AG.77-FT-15.0523; ZZ.RSN833134).

The Medicine and Science Division (now Division of Medicine and Science) National Museum of American History holds a general purpose cleaning brush, and a bathroom fixtures cleaning brush from a previous accession (2006.0098).

National Portrait Gallery holds a portrait of Alfred Fuller.

Materials at Other Organizations

Hagley Museum and Library, Manuscripts and Archives Department

Avon Products Inc., Records, 1880-2012

University of Wyoming, American Heritage Center, Archives

Columbia Pictures Records, 1934-1974 (collection #93555)

Includes materials related to the Fuller Brush man and Fuller Brush Girl, 1950.
Separated Materials:
Artifacts collected along with the acquisition of archival material are held by the Divisions of Work and Industry, and Medicine and Science.

Separated materials assigned to the Division of Work and Industry include a men's tie; buttons; ashtray; charm; and tape measure. See accession 2018.0089.

Separated materials assigned to Division of Medicine and Science include a bathing brush, a dental plate brush, a women's hair brush, a comb cleaner, and toothbrushes. Some items are maintained in original packaging, or are kept with original paper inserts. See accession 2018.0090.
Provenance:
Collection donated by the Fuller Brush Company through David Sabin, 2018.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research but 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.
Topic:
Advertising copy  Search this
Advertising, Point-of-sale  Search this
Broom and brush industry  Search this
Door-to-door selling  Search this
Household supplies  Search this
Print Advertising  Search this
Sales promotion  Search this
Traveling sales personnel  Search this
Manufacturing  Search this
Cosmetics industry  Search this
Industry -- U.S.  Search this
Direct selling  Search this
Businesspeople  Search this
Marketing  Search this
Radio broadcasts  Search this
Product demonstrations  Search this
Genre/Form:
Articles -- 20th century
Clippings -- 20th century
Ledgers (account books) -- 20th century
Letters (correspondence) -- 20th century.
Motion picture film
Newsletters -- 20th century
Photographs -- Black-and-white photoprints -- 20th century
Printed materials
Programs (documents)
Reports -- 20th century
Sales catalogs
Sales records
Trade catalogs -- 20th century
Trade literature -- 20th century
Training manuals -- 20th century
Financial statements
Market surveys
Business records -- 20th century
Citation:
Fuller Brush Company Records, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Identifier:
NMAH.AC.1459
See more items in:
Fuller Brush Company Records
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep80f355224-82dc-4b86-a46c-f62b87d048fc
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-1459
Online Media:

Find Yourself [black & white advertisement; tear sheet]

Advertiser:
Armand Company  Search this
Collection Creator:
Ayer (N W) Incorporated.  Search this
Extent:
1 Item (Ink on paper., 12.7" x 10.5".)
Container:
Box 204 (Series 2), Folder 1
Type:
Archival materials
Tear sheets
Advertisements
Date:
1929
Scope and Contents:
"Read this amazing book on the psychology of beauty ... Get your won copy free with every {dollar}1.00 purchase of Armand products." Ad features Cold Cream Powder, Foundation Creme, Cleansing Cream, Astringent, and Lip and Check Rouge.
Local Numbers:
AC0059-0000214 (AC Scan)
Collection Restrictions:
The collection is open for research use.

Physical Access: Researchers must use microfilm copy. Researchers must handle unprotected photographs with gloves. Researchers must use reference copies of audiovisual materials. When no reference copy exists, the Archives Center staff will produce reference copies on an "as needed" basis, as resources allow.

Technical Access: Viewing the film portion of the collection without reference copies requires special appointment, please inquire; listening to audio discs requires special arrangement. Do not use original materials when available on reference video or audio tapes.
Collection Rights:
Publication and production quality duplication is restricted due to complex copyright, publicity rights, and right to privacy issues. Potential users must receive written permission from appropriate rights holders prior to obtaining high quality copies. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Topic:
Cosmetics  Search this
Cosmetics industry  Search this
Cosmetics -- advertising  Search this
advertising  Search this
Genre/Form:
Tear sheets
Advertisements -- 1920-1930
Collection Citation:
NW Ayer & Sons, incorporated Advertising Agency Records, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
See more items in:
N W Ayer Advertising Agency Records
N W Ayer Advertising Agency Records / Series 2: Proof Sheets / Armand Beauty Aids cosmetics
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep8ba352bdd-ff34-4775-9afa-565ba25bfb3b
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-0059-ref8618

Center for Advertising History Reference and Clipping Files

Collection Creator:
Bunting, George L., Jr.  Search this
Brinkley, Christie  Search this
Ellsworth, Scott, Dr.  Search this
Colonel, Sheri  Search this
Giordano, Lynn  Search this
Ford, Eileen  Search this
Hall, L. C. "Bates"  Search this
Grathwohl, Geraldine  Search this
Huebner, Dick  Search this
Harrison, Fran  Search this
Lindsay, Robert  Search this
Hunt, William D.  Search this
McIver, Karen  Search this
MacDougall, Malcolm  Search this
Noble, Stan  Search this
Nash, Helen  Search this
Noxell Corporation.  Search this
Bergin, John  Search this
O'Neill, Jennifer  Search this
Oelbaum, Carol  Search this
Pelligrino, Nick  Search this
Poris, George  Search this
Roberts, F. Stone  Search this
Tiegs, Cheryl  Search this
Troup, Peter  Search this
Weithas, Art  Search this
Witt, Norbert  Search this
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1925-1991; undated
Scope and Contents:
This series contains newspaper and magazine clippings, reports and scholarly articles about the history and development of Noxzema Chemical Company and the Noxell Corporation, the four advertising agencies handling Noxell accounts, and the cosmetics industry.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research but a portion of the collection 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:
Copyright and trademark restrictions.
Collection Citation:
Cover Girl Advertising Oral History & Documentation Project, 1959-1990, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Identifier:
NMAH.AC.0374, Subseries 1.1
See more items in:
Cover Girl Advertising Oral History and Documentation Project
Cover Girl Advertising Oral History and Documentation Project / Series 1: Research Files
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep8b8a072df-5977-46a3-95ab-3136ea18008a
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-0374-ref14

Cosmetic industry

Collection Creator:
Bunting, George L., Jr.  Search this
Brinkley, Christie  Search this
Ellsworth, Scott, Dr.  Search this
Colonel, Sheri  Search this
Giordano, Lynn  Search this
Ford, Eileen  Search this
Hall, L. C. "Bates"  Search this
Grathwohl, Geraldine  Search this
Huebner, Dick  Search this
Harrison, Fran  Search this
Lindsay, Robert  Search this
Hunt, William D.  Search this
McIver, Karen  Search this
MacDougall, Malcolm  Search this
Noble, Stan  Search this
Nash, Helen  Search this
Noxell Corporation.  Search this
Bergin, John  Search this
O'Neill, Jennifer  Search this
Oelbaum, Carol  Search this
Pelligrino, Nick  Search this
Poris, George  Search this
Roberts, F. Stone  Search this
Tiegs, Cheryl  Search this
Troup, Peter  Search this
Weithas, Art  Search this
Witt, Norbert  Search this
Container:
Box 1, Folder 15
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1967, 1977-1981, 1987-1990; undated
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research but a portion of the collection 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:
Copyright and trademark restrictions.
Collection Citation:
Cover Girl Advertising Oral History & Documentation Project, 1959-1990, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
See more items in:
Cover Girl Advertising Oral History and Documentation Project
Cover Girl Advertising Oral History and Documentation Project / Series 1: Research Files / 1.1: Center for Advertising History Reference and Clipping Files
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep852367bd7-2615-4bf2-84a1-e50fcb4fd0fa
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-0374-ref29

[Trade catalogs from Round Tubes & Cores Co.]

Company Name:
Round Tubes & Cores Co.  Search this
Related companies:
RTC Industries, Inc. '  Search this
Notes content:
"Easy-Mold" fibre tubes for pouring concrete cylindrical columns, foundations, stacks, floors, ducts, culverts, piers, etc. ; founded in 1950 by Walter Nathan and a partner. The company’s first products were paper tubes used for various industry applications. In 1957, RTC created a transparent cane-shaped tubular package to be filled with candy. The candy cane is now a holiday tradition with over 300 million sold. The success of the product led RTC to pursue a broad range of specialty products; among them: tubes and tops, inventive gift packaging ideas for candy, liquor, gourmet gifts and packages for the cosmetic industries.
Includes:
Trade catalog
Black and white images
Physical description:
1 piece; 1 box
Language:
English
Type of material:
Trade catalogs
Trade literature
Place:
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Date:
1900s
Topic (Romaine term):
Cosmetics  Search this
Architectural designs and building materials  Search this
Bridges  Search this
Construction and earth-moving machinery  Search this
Foods and beverage products and processing equipment (including brewing; distilleries; beer; wine; etc.)  Search this
Topic:
"Decoration and ornament, Architectural"  Search this
Architectural design  Search this
Beverage industry  Search this
Bridge construction industry  Search this
Building materials  Search this
Construction equipment  Search this
Cosmetics  Search this
Distilleries  Search this
Earthmoving machinery  Search this
Food industry and trade  Search this
Record ID:
SILNMAHTL_15076
Location:
Trade Literature at the American History Museum Library
Collection:
Smithsonian Libraries Trade Literature Collections
Data source:
Smithsonian Libraries
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:SILNMAHTL_15076

[Trade catalogs from Cahners Exposition Group]

Company Name:
Cahners Exposition Group  Search this
Notes content:
"Interphex-USA 1986 Preview" (pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries exposition and conference)
Includes:
Trade catalog
Black and white images
Color images
Physical description:
1 piece; 1 box
Language:
English
Type of material:
Trade catalogs
Trade literature
Place:
Stamford, Connecticut, United States
Date:
1900s
Topic (Romaine term):
Cosmetics  Search this
Drugs; pharmaceuticals and patent medicines  Search this
Topic:
Cosmetics  Search this
Drugs  Search this
Patent medicines  Search this
Pharmacy  Search this
Record ID:
SILNMAHTL_35438
Collection:
Smithsonian Libraries Trade Literature Collections
Data source:
Smithsonian Libraries
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:SILNMAHTL_35438

[Trade catalogs from Crepaco, Inc.]

Company Name:
Crepaco, Inc.  Search this
Notes content:
stainless multi-flow homogenizers ; centrifugal pumps ; Rota-Pro swept surface heat exchangers ; "CP Ultratherm" Infusion Heater ; LiquiVerter ; "Ultratherm" Sterilizing Systems ; process tanks for the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries (holding tank ; vacuum deaerating tank ; portable tank ; transfer tank)
Includes:
Trade catalog
Black and white images
Physical description:
10 pieces; 1 box
Language:
English
Type of material:
Trade catalogs
Trade literature
Place:
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Date:
1900s
Topic (Romaine term):
Foods and beverage products and processing equipment (including brewing; distilleries; beer; wine; etc.)  Search this
Pumping machinery and air compressors  Search this
Cosmetics  Search this
Drugs; pharmaceuticals and patent medicines  Search this
Refrigeration and ice-making equipment  Search this
Topic:
Air-compressors  Search this
Beverage industry  Search this
Cosmetics  Search this
Distilleries  Search this
Drugs  Search this
Food industry and trade  Search this
Ice -- Manufacture  Search this
Patent medicines  Search this
Pharmacy  Search this
Pumping machinery industry  Search this
Refrigeration and refrigerating machinery  Search this
Record ID:
SILNMAHTL_35694
Collection:
Smithsonian Libraries Trade Literature Collections
Data source:
Smithsonian Libraries
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:SILNMAHTL_35694

[Trade catalogs from Dr. Madis Laboratories Inc.]

Company Name:
Dr. Madis Laboratories Inc.  Search this
Notes content:
Botanical derivatives ; extracts ; flavors ; aromatics ; enzymes ; gums ; oleoresins ; for use in food, drug, and cosmetic industries
Includes:
Trade catalog
Black and white images
Color images
Physical description:
1 piece; 1 box
Language:
English
Type of material:
Trade catalogs
Trade literature
Place:
South Hackensack, New Jersey, United States
Date:
Please Select:
Topic (Romaine term):
Chemicals and chemical products  Search this
Cosmetics  Search this
Department store; dry goods and mail order catalogs  Search this
Drugs; pharmaceuticals and patent medicines  Search this
Medical and surgical instruments and supplies  Search this
Topic:
Chemicals  Search this
Commercial catalogs  Search this
Cosmetics  Search this
Department stores  Search this
Drugs  Search this
Dry-goods  Search this
Medical instruments and apparatus industry  Search this
Patent medicines  Search this
Pharmacy  Search this
Surgical instruments and apparatus industry  Search this
Record ID:
SILNMAHTL_36930
Collection:
Smithsonian Libraries Trade Literature Collections
Data source:
Smithsonian Libraries
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:SILNMAHTL_36930

[Trade catalogs from Parkway Plastics, Inc.]

Company Name:
Parkway Plastics, Inc.  Search this
Notes content:
Jars ; glass jars ; plastic jars ; used for cosmetics, industrial, pharmaceutical, and sampling industry
Includes:
Trade catalog and price lists
Black and white images
Color images
Physical description:
4 pieces; 1 box
Language:
English
Type of material:
Trade catalogs
Trade literature
Place:
Piscataway, New Jersey, United States
Date:
1900s
Topic (Romaine term):
Ceramics; pottery; glass; crystal; china; bricks; and stones  Search this
Cosmetics  Search this
Drugs; pharmaceuticals and patent medicines  Search this
Industrial equipment or mechanical machinery (including supplies and components)  Search this
Materials handling equipment (includes barrels; bottling and filling; casters; chains; etc.)  Search this
Measuring; calculating and testing devices  Search this
Plastics and rubber  Search this
Topic:
Barrels  Search this
Bottling  Search this
Calculators  Search this
Ceramics  Search this
Cosmetics  Search this
Drugs  Search this
Glass  Search this
Industrial equipment  Search this
Machinery  Search this
Measuring instruments  Search this
Patent medicines  Search this
Pharmacy  Search this
Plastics industry and trade  Search this
Porcelain  Search this
Pottery  Search this
Rubber industry and trade  Search this
Weighing instruments  Search this
Record ID:
SILNMAHTL_37106
Collection:
Smithsonian Libraries Trade Literature Collections
Data source:
Smithsonian Libraries
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:SILNMAHTL_37106

Face to face : Shiseido and the manufacture of beauty, 1900-2000 / edited by Lynn Gumpert ; with contributions by Amelia Arenas, ... [et al.]

Author:
Gumpert, Lynn  Search this
Arenas, Amelia  Search this
Grey Art Gallery & Study Center  Search this
Subject:
Shiseidō (Tokyo, Japan) History  Search this
Physical description:
175 p. : ill. (some col.) ; 25 cm
Type:
Exhibitions
Place:
Japan
Date:
2000
C2000
Topic:
Cosmetics  Search this
Cosmetics industry--History  Search this
Advertising  Search this
Call number:
GT2341.J3 F33 2000
Data Source:
Smithsonian Libraries
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:siris_sil_730454

Paris Tokyo Paris, 1897-1997 : Shiseido la beauté

Title:
Shiseido la beauté
Author:
Musée des arts décoratifs (France)  Search this
Subject:
Shiseidō (Tokyo, Japan) History  Search this
Physical description:
66 p. : col. ill. ; 29 cm
Type:
Exhibitions
Place:
Japan
Date:
1997
C1997
Topic:
Cosmetics  Search this
Cosmetics industry--History  Search this
Call number:
GT2341.J3 P37 1997
Data Source:
Smithsonian Libraries
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:siris_sil_734551

Survey of beauty

Author:
Dell Modern Magazines  Search this
Physical description:
v. : ill. ; 22-30 cm
Type:
Periodicals
Place:
United States
Date:
19uu
Topic:
Cosmetics industry  Search this
Cosmetics  Search this
Market survey  Search this
Call number:
HD9970.5.C67 S87
Data Source:
Smithsonian Libraries
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:siris_sil_714311

Rea Ann Silva: The woman behind Beautyblender

Creator:
National Museum of American History  Search this
Type:
Blog posts
Smithsonian staff publications
Blog posts
Published Date:
Fri, 20 Nov 2020 15:30:17 +0000
Topic:
American History  Search this
See more posts:
Blog Feed
Data Source:
National Museum of American History
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:posts_c64723cb77de05b8d6005715221ec1b0

Estée : a success story / Estée Lauder

Author:
Lauder, Estée  Search this
Subject:
Lauder, Estée  Search this
Estée Lauder, Inc History  Search this
Physical description:
222 p. : ill. ; 25 cm
Type:
Biography
Place:
United States
Date:
1985
C1985
Topic:
Perfumes industry  Search this
Cosmetics industry  Search this
Businesswomen  Search this
Call number:
HD9999.P3932L38 1985X
Data Source:
Smithsonian Libraries
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:siris_sil_392627

Max Factor : the man who changed the faces of the world / Fred E. Basten

Author:
Basten, Fred E  Search this
Subject:
Factor, Max 1872?-1938  Search this
Physical description:
x, 172 p. : ill ; 24 cm
Type:
Biography
Place:
United States
Date:
2008
C2008
Topic:
Cosmetics industry  Search this
Cosmetics  Search this
Data Source:
Smithsonian Libraries
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:siris_sil_904748

Madam C.J. Walker / A'Lelia Perry Bundles

Author:
Bundles, A'Lelia Perry  Search this
Subject:
Walker, C. J. Madam 1867-1919  Search this
Physical description:
110 p. : ill. ; 25 cm
Type:
Biography
Place:
United States
Date:
1991
C1991
Topic:
African American women executives  Search this
Cosmetics industry--History  Search this
Call number:
HD9970.5.C672W353 1990X
Data Source:
Smithsonian Libraries
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:siris_sil_448884

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