12.77 Cubic feet (consisting of 26.5 boxes, 1 folder, 7 oversize folders, 2 map case folders, 1 flat box (partial), plus digital images of some collection material.)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Print advertising
Periodicals
Publications
Advertising cards
Advertising mail
Printed ephemera
Patterns
Catalogues
Designs (textile)
Sales catalogs
Business cards
Legal records
Contracts
Textiles
Trade catalogs
Exhibition catalogs
Advertising
Advertisements
Mail order catalogs
Business records
Designs
Printed material
Labels
Instructional materials
Trademarks
Legal documents
Trade cards
Legislation (legal concepts)
Ephemera
Samples
Manuals
Sample books
Design patents
Advertising fliers
Illustrations
Catalogs
Sales letters
Business letters
Correspondence
Manufacturers' catalogs
Commercial correspondence
Letterheads
Invoices
Photographs
Sales records
Printed materials
Fabrics
Trade literature
Business ephemera
Receipts
Commercial catalogs
Date:
1784-1970
Summary:
A New York bookseller, Warshaw assembled this collection over nearly fifty years. The Warshaw Collection of Business Americana: Accounting and Bookkeeping 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 material is concentrated on the 19th century United States textile manufacture and trade, and the sale of textiles in the form of bale, bolt, roll, and fabric to commercial vendors or consumers as source material to make other goods. The first series contains day-to-day records of dealers and vendors, plus advertising and marketing material. Artisan and home production of goods are virtually not covered but are a couple of incidental publications related to arts, crafts (rugs, weaving, looms), and more refined work such as tapestry. The import/export of textiles is well represented with a large volume of records, which may also provide some insight into the shipping industry.
There is not much on the infrastructure of the industry in the way of directories, trade journals, trade associations, along with manufacturing and plants, though there are a few examples of each. There are virtually no catalogues, except for a few thin ones that were filed by company name. While not extensive, the sample books and swatches offer a glimpse into product lines. Material types offers limited, specific information on certain varieties such as cotton, wool, linen, rayon, etc. Thread might be incidentally present but is not specifically included since there is already a dedicated subject category for it.
There is a healthy sampling of product labels. A handful of intellectual property related documents cover protections of designs, plus patents and trademarks. There is a small bulk of publications related to tariffs and the wool industry.
Clothing patterns, home economics, sewing and seamstresses, household use of textiles (furniture covering, as a cleaning tool, bedding/pillows, etc.) are not covered within this category. Researchers should also look at any of a number of other Warshaw categories, particularly those related to clothing, hosiery, dry goods, furniture, curtains, etc. for period popularity of certain materials and patterns.
Arrangement:
Textiles is arranged in three subseries.
Business Records and Marketing Material
Genre
Subject
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:
Textiles 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.
Warshaw Collection of Business Americana Subject Categories: Textiles, 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).
Company Established 1891 (see http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/Homasote-Company-Company-History.html) The word "pantasote" is also used to refer to the type of textile that the company manufactured for use in railroad cars. According to the Railway Car Builder's Dictionary (http://www.ironhorse129.com/rollingstock/dictionary/dictionary4.htm), panasote is: "A variety of surface-coated upholstery material which now might be called “leatherette” or “imitation leather.” It had a unique surface coating that could withstand exposure to gasoline and oils. Thus, it became one of the favored choices of car makers throughout North America. Pantasote offered the standard black surface coating (with at least a few choices of embossing patterns by the mid-teens) as well as brown and two shades of red. The latter three options apparently had limited use, but set the brand apart in this regard. Pantasote seems to have been an exclusive producer of surface-coated double texture prior to 1914. Even with numerous competitors in this construction after 1914, Pantasote maintained a strong position in the car top material field into the 1930’s. The trade name was used generically for surface-coated, double texture toppings." Search this
Panasote Leather Co. and Homosote Co. (www.homosote.com) is best known for manufacturing fiberboard building products, but at the turn of the 20th Century, Homosote merged with Panasote. The website Funding Universe (http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/Homasote-Company-Company-History.html) explains: "In 1891, Panasote began marketing a leather substitute, created by gluing together two fabrics with Pantasote gum. The surface was further treated with Pantasote and embossed to provide a hide leather finish. The Pantasote name was coined using Greek roots, meaning "to serve all purposes." The product lasted longer than leather, was cheaper to make, and more easily cleaned. It was used to make upholstery and curtains and was waterproofed for the manufacture of tents and awnings. Due to increasing sales of automobiles and a declining number of rail passengers, coupled with increased competition for agasote, Outerbridge looked to new markets. Automobiles also needed waterproof roofs, and starting in 1915 agasote was used in the making of automobile tops for such manufacturers as Buick, Dodge, Ford, Nash, and Studebaker." Search this
Notes content:
A pair (duplicate) of circa 1922 illustrated (with photographs) brochures for the "Sote family of Homogenous Waterproof Fiber Boards": Vehisote, Agasote and Steelasote (all of which are guaranteed not to spilt, check or crack.) Vehisote was used for the side panels of truck bodies, auto chassis and railroad cars. Vehisote is also shown as part of the interior of staterooms in ships and boats (the S.S. Hawkeye State and S.S. Pinetree State.)Vehisote is also shown in the interior of a house. Agasote is shown used as the ceiling, lower deck and wainscoating panels of a railroad car in New Jersey. Steelasote is shown used for the roof of an automobile. A circa 1932 brochure for Russialoid upholstery material, a "luxurious artificial leather for boat cushions and chairs." This brochure also mentions the Pantasote artificial leather product (more expensive than Russialoid) and Textasote, a waterproof duck fabric for awnings. The file also contains a circa 1936 sample book (#R-636) containing dozens of Russialoid fabrics, textures and colors. File also contains a stack of 20 circa 1939-1942) Pantasote, Textasote Duck, Novasote, Russialoid, Rumack, Pantex and Dritex fabric samples created to the specifications of the U.S. Army, Air Corps, Navy and Marines. According to the specs, these fabrics (in colors such as olive, khaki, black, beige, tan and brown)were for use as gun and transport covers, airplane surfaces, cockpits, field shelters, air suction ducts, the covers of kapok ring life bouys , tool bags , instrument cases , parachute paks, rportable collapsible air discharge ducts, air suction ducts, lightproof curtains and shades and boat or ship upholstery.
Includes:
Trade catalog, samples and histories
Black and white images
Types of samples:
1. swatches of Russialoid synthetic leather for boat seats and 2. of Pantasote, Textasote and other textiles specified for U.S. military use
Physical description:
24 pieces; 1 box
Language:
English
Type of material:
Trade catalogs
Trade literature
Place:
New York, New York, United States
Date range:
1800s-1900s
Topic (Romaine term):
Boats and ships (including marine hardware and supplies) Search this
Started 1853. (see http://www.manta.com/comsite5/bin/pddnb_company.pl?pdlanding=1&referid=3550&id=6tqf7m and http://dlib.cwmars.org/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/holyoke&CISOPTR=17) Search this
NVF Co. (Parsons was a wholly owned subsidiary of NVF until it underwent Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization in 2005-2006)(see http://bankrupt.com/TCR_Public/050621.mbx) Each company exists independently since the reorganization. Search this
Notes content:
Parsons makes fine acid free paper using cotton and linen rag fibers instead of wood pulp. An undated (early 20th Century) book with samples of Parson Paper Co's Old Hampden Bond. A 1914 sample book of Scotch Linen Ledger. Plus hard copies of information about Parson's existance with the NVF Co., including the bankruptcy.
Videohistory contains original and reference videos and photographs documenting a lecture program for children by Patsy Sherman, inventor of Scotchgard.
Arrangement:
The collection is divided into four series.
Series 1: Original Videos
Series 2: Master Videos
Series 3: Reference Videos
Series 4: Photographs
Biographical / Historical:
Patsy Sherman was born in Minnesota. After graduating from Gustavus Adolphus College in 1952, Sherman was employed by 3M Company. At 3M, Sherman and a fellow researcher, Samuel Smith attempted to create a new synthetic material to use with jet fuel. During their experiments, Patsy accidentally spilled some of the compound on her tennis shoe and noticed that the shoe remained clean. This discovery led to the development of Scotchguard. Scotchguard is a compound used worldwide to repel soil on sofas, chairs, tablecloths, clothing, and other objects that are used daily. Patsy Sherman's name appears on 16 patents awarded to 3M for their inventions. She has been awarded numerous honors for her achievements and was inducted into the Minnesota Inventors Hall of Fame in 1989. She retired from 3M in 1992.
Provenance:
Created by the Jerome and Dorothy Lemelson Center for the Study of Innovation and Invention, National Museum of American History, 1997.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research but the original videos are 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. Signed releases on file.
Aymara weavings from highland Bolivia, 19th and early 20th centuries : an exhibition organized by the Stanford University Museum of Art and co-sponsored by the Department of Anthropology and the Center for Latin American Studies at Stanford University / catalogue text by George A. Collier, Rosa Mendoza de Rick and Steve Berger
Schönheit der Formen : Textilien des Münchner Jugendstils / herausgegeben von Jo-Anne Birnie Danzker und Wolfgang Till ; wissenschaftliche Redaktion, Margot Th. Brandlhuber
