Archives Center, National Museum of American History Search this
Extent:
4 Cubic feet (9 boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Trademarks
Shopping bags
Date:
circa 1980-2004
Summary:
Shopping bags from a variety of businesses, including department stores, museums, book stores, libraries, hotels, banks, and specialty shops. Additional material will be added to this collection periodically.
Scope and Contents note:
Collection represents department stores, book stores, antique stores, banks, libraries, museums, art institutes, toy stores, and hotels and were gathered from a variety of sources to create a wide regional selection. The research value of these bags is as forms of advertising and promotion. The shopping bages present a view of how businesses choose to represent themselves.
The shopping bags are arranged in alphabetical order by name of business since they were collected to relate to advertising more so than their relationship to art or graphic design. Researchers interested in a particular type of art style or technique or one artist should consult the shopping bag collection at the Cooper Hewitt Museum where they are collected as art forms.
Biographical / Historical:
Many businesses use shopping bags as a less expensive form of advertising and promotion rather than print advertisements or television commercials. The shopping bags illustrate the creative aspects of the businesses and convey a brand message. These bags are made of a variety of materials including cloth, heavy paper, and plastic. In addition, retail stores, restaurants, book stores, museums, libraries, coffee houses, grocery stores, and social groups create shopping bags with the hope that the consumer will reuse it.
Related Materials:
Archives Center National Museum of American History
Beverly Partridge Shopping Bag Collection (AC0493)
Larry Zim World's Fair Collection (AC0519)
Virginia "Jimmie" Booth collection (AC0729)
Cooper Hewitt Museum
Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design Collection
Provenance:
Immediate source of acquisition unknown.
Restrictions:
Collection open for research.
Rights:
Fees for commercial reproduction. However, there are copyright and trademark restrictions.
