Collection is open for research. Some items may be restricted due to fragile condition.
Series 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.
Series Citation:
Warshaw Collection of Business Americana Subject Categories: Mining, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Sponsor:
Funding for partial processing of the collection was supported by a grant from the Smithsonian Institution's Collections Care and Preservation Fund (CCPF).
Collection is open for research. Some items may be restricted due to fragile condition.
Series 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.
Series Citation:
Warshaw Collection of Business Americana Subject Categories: Machinery, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Sponsor:
Funding for partial processing of the collection was supported by a grant from the Smithsonian Institution's Collections Care and Preservation Fund (CCPF).
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of History of Technology Search this
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Mechanical and Civil Engineering Search this
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Work and Industry Search this
Extent:
18 Cubic feet (54 boxes, 1 map folder)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Financial records
Trade catalogs
Reports
Sketchbooks
Advertisements
Patents
Photographs
Newsletters
Minute books
Legal documents
Correspondence
Place:
England
London
Hazelton (Penn.)
Buffalo (N.Y.)
Holyoke (Mass.)
Cincinnati (Ohio)
Date:
1840-1982
Summary:
This collection documents the products and business activities of the Worthington Corporation, its predecessors and its subsidiaries. The records focus on the products that the Worthington Corporation produced, including steam pumps, hydraulic pumps and gas engines.
Scope and Contents:
This collection documents the products and business activities of the Worthington Corporation, its predecessors and its subsidiaries. It consists of annual and monthly reports, correspondence, legal filings, trade literature, photographs, airbrushed photographs and product illustrations, financial reports, meeting minutes, newsletters, company histories and research notes, patents, blueprints, engineering sketchbooks, lecture notes, publications, and promotional materials for several World's Fairs where Worthington products were exhibited.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged into five series.
Series 1: Historical and Reference Materials, 1847-1965
Series 2: Administrative and Business Records, 1856-1963
Series 3: Publications, 1872-1982
Series 4: Photographs, 1840-1964
Series 5: Sketchbooks and Notebooks, 1882-1964
Biographical / Historical:
Henry R. Worthington (December 17, 1817-December 17, 1880) was an innovator in the world of 19th century steam pumps earning patents for a direct-acting steam pump (US Patent 6274) and a duplex steam pump (US Patent 116,131). Initially, Worthington partnered with William H. Baker to found the Worthington & Baker Works in 1845, with the works based in Brooklyn. Worthington's company began by producing various pumps for naval craft, including pumps installed on the USS Monitor, the first ironclad ship of the US Navy. After Baker's death, Worthington changed the name of his business to the Henry R. Worthington Corporation and expanded into the production of water works pumps for major cities.
Worthington pumps gained international acclaim at World's Fairs in the latter half of the 19th century. Fountains at the Centennial Exposition of 1876 and Columbian Exposition of 1893 and the hydraulic pumps for the Eiffel Tower's elevators at the Exposition Universelle of 1900 were all powered by Worthington products.
In 1899, Worthington was purchased and merged into the International Steam Pump Company, along with the Blake and Knowles Steam Pump Company, Laidlaw-Dunn-Gordon Company, the Snow Steam Works, the Deane Steam Pump Company and several smaller works. After the acquisition of these different works, the International Steam Pump Company's product line expanded to include gas engines and mining machinery.
International Steam Pump reverted to the Worthington name, first as Worthington Pump and Machinery Corporation (1916-1952) and then as the Worthington Corporation (1952-1967). It was also during this time when Worthington relocated its main works from Brooklyn to Harrison, New Jersey in 1917. All the while, the company continued to produce hydraulic engines, gas engines and water works pumps. Through various mergers the company also diversified into refrigeration and air conditioning. In 1967, the Worthington Corporation merged with the Studebaker Automobile Manufacturing Company, becoming Studebaker-Worthington.
Related Materials:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
Warshaw Collection of Business Americana, Series: Pumps (AC0060)
Division of Political and Military History
The Division of Political and Military History holds photographs of a World War I bond drive at the Deane Works of Holyoke, Massachusetts. See accessions: 1979.0015.01 and 1979.0015.04.
Division of Medicine and Science
The Division of Medicine and Science holds several Watch Dog Water Meters produced by the Worthington-Gamon Meter Company. See accessions PH.325890 and PH.325891.
Smithsonian Institution Libraries Trade Literature Collection
The libraries contain trade literature on Worthington and its subsidiaries.
Provenance:
Donated to the Smithsonian in the 1960s by Studebaker Worthington, Inc.
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.
Automated Multiphasic Health Testing Question Cards and Sort Box
Physical Description:
plastic (overall material)
wood (overall material)
paper (overall material)
Measurements:
overall: 2 1/4 in x 10 in x 12 1/2 in; 5.715 cm x 25.4 cm x 31.75 cm
punch card: 3 1/4 in x 7 3/8 in; 8.255 cm x 18.7325 cm
Object Name:
health assessment questionaire, punch cards and box
Place made:
United States: California
Date made:
mid-1960s
Credit Line:
Gift from The Permanente Medical Group on behalf of The Permanente Foundation, through Richard S. Isaacs, MD, Edward M. Ellison, MD, and Geoffrey S. Sewell, MD
Chicago Pneumatic Drill Div. ; Commercial Automobile Dept. Search this
Notes content:
air and gas compressors, industrial power tools, pneumatic tools, hydraulic aviation accessories, electric tools, diesel engines, vacuum pumps and condensers, contractor equipment, rock drills, Diamond core drills and accessories, rock bits, oil well tools, equipment for maintenance of roads and bridges, and reamers. Railway speed recorders ; "Universal" electric tools for the radio industry ; mining equipment ; demolition tools ; "Little Giant" Chauffeur commercial car ; Giant semi-diesel oil engines ; diesel engines ; gas engines ; "Air-Power" publication of Franklin Plant (vol. 2, nos. 9-10, Sept.-Oct. 1928)...this comprises the uncataloged portion.
"Cochise" rock hammers, a drill for mining and quarrying ; "Cochise" wet stoppers to clean out the water tube of a wet stopping drill ; wet stopping drills.
Includes:
Trade catalog
Black and white images
Physical description:
9 pieces; 1 box
Language:
English
Type of material:
Trade catalogs
Trade literature
Place:
Los Angeles, California, United States
Date:
1900s
Topic (Romaine term):
Mining machinery; equipment and supplies Search this
Fort Wayne electric rock drill, Diamond bit sharpener and solid helve, electric hoists, platform and self dumping cages, bicycle sheaves, and gathering pumps. Electric rock drills and equipment ; "Fort Wayne" electric rock drills ; polishing machinery ; grinding machinery...this comprises the uncataloged portion of Diamond Machine Co. of Monongahela, PA.
Includes:
Trade catalog
Black and white images
Physical description:
4 pieces; 1 box
Language:
English
Type of material:
Trade catalogs
Trade literature
Place:
Monongahela, Pennsylvania, United States
Date:
1900s
Topic (Romaine term):
Machine tools and metalworking equipment Search this
Mining machinery; equipment and supplies Search this
Dixon V. & C. Co. ; Goodall Rubber Co. ; Knox Mfg. Co. (Philadelphia,PA) Search this
Notes content:
"Boss" couplings ; quick disconnect air fittings and accessories ; shank type fittings ; cam & groove fittings ; andrews service station and tank truck ; valves ; clamps ; fire hose couplings ; swivels ; etc. "Boss" high pressure and rock drill couplings, throttle and oiler valves. "Air King" universal couplings ; couplings for mining, oil drilling, construction and railroads ; rotary hose couplings: extremely high pressure couplings used for the drilling of oil wells ; see history: http://www.dixonvalve.com/history.aspx?id=7
"Dorman" "Wave" power tools ; rock drills, rivetters, etc. for mining and shipbuilding ; marine motors ; "Dorman-Ricardo" heavy oil engine for road transport and industrial purposes ; "Flexstel" flexible joints made out of steel.
Includes:
Trade catalog
Black and white images
Physical description:
59 pieces; 1 box
Language:
English
Type of material:
Trade catalogs
Trade literature
Place:
Stafford, United Kingdom
Date:
1900s
Topic (Romaine term):
Automobiles and automotive equipment (including trucks and buses) Search this
Engines and motors: steam; oil; gas; etc. Search this
Boats and ships (including marine hardware and supplies) Search this