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American Society of Mechanical Engineers Collection

Creator:
American Society of Mechanical Engineers.  Search this
Former owner:
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Work and Industry  Search this
Names:
Vogel, Robert M.  Search this
Extent:
2.25 Cubic feet (7 boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Brochures
Correspondence
Pamphlets
Date:
1926-2003
Summary:
Collection documents the activities of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME).
Content Description:
Collection consists of pamphlets, brochures and correspondence, and publications for the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), especially the Applied Mechanics Division. Also included is documentation for the History Heritage Committee of ASME, particularly nomination forms and brochures for the Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark Program.
Arrangement:
Collection is arranged into three series.

Series 1: History and Heritage Commission, 1970-1984

Series 2: National Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark Brochures National Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark Brochures, 1973-2003

Series 3: Applied Mechanics Division Applied Mechanics Division, 1926-1981
Historical:
ASME was founded in 1880 to provide a setting for engineers to discuss the concerns brought by the rise of industrialization and mechanization.

The Society's founders were some of the more prominent machine builders and technical innovators of the late nineteenth century; led by prominent steel engineer Alexander Lyman Holley, Henry Rossiter Worthington and John Edison Sweet.

Holley chaired the first meeting, which was held in the New York editorial offices of the American Machinist, on February 16th, with thirty people in attendance. From this date onward, the society ran formal meetings to discuss development of standard tools and machine parts as well as uniform work practices. However, it wasn't until 1905 that a major turning point gave new definition to ASME's purpose and impact on civilian life.

Steam powered the technology of the late 19th century. Despite their power, boilers and pressure vessels were temperamental, requiring constant attention and maintenance. Although there were numerous boiler explosions throughout the 19th century, there were no legal codes for boilers in any state in the Union. Undoubtedly one of the most important incidents that proved the need for developing boiler laws was the Grover Shoe Factory Disaster in Brockton, Massachusetts on March 10, 1905.

An older boiler, used as a backup during maintenance on the newer model, exploded, rocketing through three floors and the building's roof. Broken beams and heavy machinery trapped many workers who survived the initial explosion and collapse. Burning coals thrown from the boiler landed throughout the crumbling superstructure, starting fires that were fed by broken gas lines. The explosion resulted in 58 deaths and 117 injuries.

It was this catastrophe that gave Massachusetts the impetus to establish a five-man Board of Boiler Rules, whose charge was to write a boiler law for the state; this board published its boiler laws in 1908.

Having established the Boiler Testing Code in 1884, ASME formed a Boiler Code Committee in 1911 that led to the Boiler & Pressure Vessel Code (BPVC) being published in 1915. The BPVC was later incorporated into laws in most US states and territories and Canadian provinces.

ASME's rich publication history—including standards, theory, and technical journals—made a great deal of technical and biographical information available to engineers and policy makers. These publications form a substantial and tangible connection to the past that proves inspirational to ASME members to this day.

Source

American Society of Mechanical Engineers website, https://www.asme.org/about-asme/engineering-history (accessed on September 19, 2023)
Provenance:
Collection assembled by the Division of Work and Industry.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research. Unprotected photographs must be handled with gloves.
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.
Genre/Form:
Brochures
Correspondence
Pamphlets
Citation:
American Society of Mechanical Engineers Collection, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
Identifier:
NMAH.AC.1522
See more items in:
American Society of Mechanical Engineers Collection
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep8adb12cd0-061f-4e00-9d66-8d9b75912f02
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-1522

Parke, Davis Research Laboratory Records.

Author:
Parke, Davis Company  Search this
Collector:
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Medical Sciences  Search this
Names:
Pfizer Inc.  Search this
Warner-Lambert/Parke-Davis  Search this
Warner-Lambert/Parke-Davis. Pharmaceutical Research Division  Search this
Davis, George S.  Search this
Duffield, Samuel P., Dr. (physician, pharmacist)  Search this
Parke, Hervey Coke , 1827-1899  Search this
Extent:
365 Cubic feet (510 boxes, 43 map folders)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Annual reports
Blueprints
Brochures
Catalogs
Correspondence
Employee records
Formulae, chemical
Lantern slides
Newsletters
Newspaper clippings
Notebooks
Price lists
16mm films
Sound recordings
Tracings
Trade literature
Date:
1866-1992
Summary:
The collection documents Parke, Davis and Company, one of the largest and oldest pharmaceutical firms in America.
Scope and Contents:
The collection documents Parke, Davis and Company, one of America's oldest and largest drug makers. Parke, Davis had the first research laboratory in the American pharmaceutical industry. The company played a major role in the development of some of the principle new drugs of the twentieth century and pioneered the field of drug standardization. They were one of the first American firms to produce antitoxins, hormones, and other biologicals. They introduced new and important drugs such as adrenalin, dilantin, chlorenpleniol, and other antibiotics. They also did important research on vitamins, disinfectants, and pencillin.

The collection contains complete documentaion of all the research activities done, including research laboratory notes, correspondence, and published papers. The collection also contains corporate, financial, advertising and sales materials, photographs, and audiovisual materials. The collection is important for those researchers interested in the history of public health, the history of biologicals, pharmaceutical manufacturing and business history.
Arrangement:
Collection is divided into 13 series.

Series 1: Corporate Materials, 1887-1951

Series 2: Financial Materials, 1880-1970

Series 3: Employee/Personnel Materials, 1900-1989

Series 4: Advertising/Sales Materials, 1868-1980

Series 5: Photographs, 1866-1992

Series 6: Notebooks, 1908-1968

Series 7: Control Department Records, 1884-1931

Series 8: Formulas, 1882-1967

Series 9: Equipment Data Files, 1922-1978

Series 10: Publications, 1968-1988

Series 11: Research Materials, 1920-1978

Series 12: Drawings, 1911-1971

Series 13: Addenda, 1867-1970

Series 14: Audio Materials, 1956-1957
Historical:
Parke, Davis and Company traces it's origins to Samuel Pearce Duffield (1833-1916), a physician and pharmacist. Duffield was born in Carlisle, Pennsylvania and his family moved to Detroit when he was an infant. Duffield graduated from the University of Michigan in 1854 and he attended medical school at the University of Pennsylvania, latter leaving for Germany where he studied chemistry and sought treatment for his eyesight. He subsequently earned a Doctor of Philosophy from Ludwig University at Giessen in Germany. Duffield returned to Detroit in 1858 and established a retail drugstore with a strong interest in manufacturing pharmaceuticals. Duffield sought financial partners for his retail and manufacturing venture with A.L. Patrick and Francis C. Conant. Both men retracted their investments and Duffield met Hervey Coke Parke (1927-1899), a native of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.

Duffield and Parke formed a formal partnership in 1866. George S. Davis, a third partner and traveling salesman previously with Farrand, Sheley and Company, was added 1867. Augustus F. Jennings joined the company as a partner to head manufacturing. The company became known as Duffield, Parke, Davis, & Jennings Company. Duffield withdrew in 1869 and the name Parke, Davis & Company was adopted in 1871. The company incorporated in 1875 and began planning world-wide scientific expeditions to discover new vegetable drugs such as Guarana, Bearsfoot, Eucalyptus Globulus, and Coca. The company first showed a profit in 1876, and the first dividend paid to shareholders in 1878 and dividends paid until mid-1960s. Research was a major activity of the company.

In 1907, Parke, Davis and Company bought 340 acres in northeast Avon Township, Michigan, and called it Parkedale Farm. The farm was dedicated on October 8, 1908, and included sterilization rooms and a vaccine propagating building. By 1909 the farm included 200 horses, 25 to 50 cattle, 150 sheep, and employed 20 men. The horses produced the antitoxin for diphtheria and tetanus, the cattle produced a vaccine for smallpox preventatives, and the sheep made serum. Only the healthiest animals were used and all were well cared for. Exotic plants were also grown on the site and used for drugs. Parke-Davis' chief products were antitoxins and vaccines as well as farm crops for feeding the animals. The farm continued to produce vaccines for diphtheria, scarlet fever, tetanus, smallpox, anthrax, and in the 1950s, the Salk polio vaccine.

Due to a weakening financial position, the company became susceptible to take-over, and was purchased by Warner-Lambert in 1970. Warner Lambert, was then acquired by Pfizer in 2000. In 2007, Pfizer closed its research facilities in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Source

Rochester Hills Museum at Voon Hoosen Farm (last accessed on September 29, 2021 https://www.rochesterhills.org/Museum/LocalHistory/ParkeDavisFarm.pdf)

Parke, Davis and Company. Parke-Davis At 100...progress in the past...promise for the future. Detroit, Michigan, 1966.
Related Materials:
Materials in the Archives Center, National Museum of American History

Alka-Seltzer Documentation and Oral History Project (NMAH.AC.0184)

N W Ayer Advertising Agency Records (NMAH.AC.0059)

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

Garfield and Company Records (NMAH.AC.0820)

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

Ivory Soap Advertising Collection (NMAH.AC.0791)

Kiehl's Pharmacy Records (NMAH.AC.0819)

Alan and Elaine Levitt Advertisement Collection (NMAH.AC.0303)

Medical Sciences Film Collection (NMAH.AC.0222)

Norwich Eaton Pharmaceutical, Inc. Collection (NMAH.AC.0395)

Procter & Gamble Company Product Packaging Collection (NMAH.AC.0836)

Sterling Drug Company Records (NMAH.AC.772)

Syntex Collection of Pharmaceutical Advertising (NMAH.AC.0821)

Warshaw Collection of Business Americana Subject Categories: Medicine (NMAH.AC.0060.S01.01.Medicine)

Warshaw Collection of Business Americana Subject Categories: Patent Medicines (NMAH.AC.0060.S01.01.PatentMedicines)

Materials at the Smithsonian Institution Libraries

Smithsonian Libraries Trade Literature Collection

Trade catalogs related to Parke, Davis & Co.; Warner-Lambert; Pfizer Pharmaceuticals; and Pfizer, Inc.

Materials at Other Organizations

Detroit Public Library, Special Collections

Parke, Davis & Company records, 1892-1959

Scrapbook of clippings, 1929-44; Excursions & Announcements, 1892-1902; and company newsletters.

University of California San Francisco

Drug Industry Documents was created by the University of California San Francisco Library in collaboration with faculty members C. Seth Landefeld, MD and Michael Steinman, MD. Originally established to house documents from an off-label marketing lawsuit against Parke-Davis (United States of America ex rel. David Franklin vs. Parke-Davis), the archive has grown to include documents from additional sources illustrating how the pharmaceutical industry, academic journals and institutions, continuing medical education organizations and regulatory/funding agencies operate in ways that are detrimental to public health.
Separated Materials:
Division of Medicine and Science, National Museum of American History

The division holds objects related to Parke, Davis that primarily include containers (boxes and glass bottles) that held phamrmaceuticals, biologicals (vaccines), crude drugs, and herb packages. See accessions: 1978.0882; 1982.0043; 1982.0043; 1984.0351; 1985.0475; 1988.3152; 1991.0415; 1992.3127; 2001.3066; 2012.0165; and 2018.5001.
Provenance:
The initial collection of approximately 185 cubic feet was donated by the Warner-Lambert Company, through Jerry A. Weisbach, Vice-President and President of the Pharmaceutical Research Division, on February 3, 1982.
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  Search this
Antibiotics  Search this
Architectural Blueprints  Search this
Biologicals  Search this
Chemistry  Search this
Diseases  Search this
Drugs -- 1900-1950  Search this
Drug factories  Search this
Influenza Epidemic, 1918-1919  Search this
Laboratories  Search this
Medical scientists -- 1900-1950  Search this
Patents  Search this
Pharmaceutical industry -- 1900-1950  Search this
Pharmacology -- 1900-1950  Search this
Photographs  Search this
Vaccines  Search this
Genre/Form:
Annual reports -- 20th century
Blueprints -- 20th century
Brochures -- 20th century
Catalogs
Correspondence -- 19th-20th century
Employee records
Formulae, chemical
Lantern slides -- 1900-1950
Newsletters -- 20th century
Newspaper clippings
Notebooks -- 1900-1950
Price lists
16mm films
Sound recordings -- Audiotapes -- Open reel
Tracings
Trade literature
Citation:
Parke, Davis Research Laboratory Records, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Identifier:
NMAH.AC.0001
See more items in:
Parke, Davis Research Laboratory Records.
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep8869c518d-5cbd-42cf-b508-e688de3bf14d
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-0001
Online Media:

Formica Collection

Creator:
Jeffers, Grace  Search this
Formica Corporation.  Search this
Names:
Faber, Herbert A.  Search this
Loewy, Raymond  Search this
O'Conor, Daniel J.  Search this
Stevens, Brooks  Search this
Extent:
18 Cubic feet (59 boxes, 11 oversize folders )
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Scripts (documents)
Videotapes
Posters
Samples
Advertisements
Brochures
Blueprints
Photographs
Newsletters
Exhibition catalogs
Catalogs
Correspondence
Date:
1913-2003
Summary:
The Formica Collection consists of textual files, photographs, slides, negatives, drawings, blueprints, posters, advertisements, product brochures, newsletters, and informational pamphlets documenting the history of the Formica Corporation and the use of Formica brand plastic laminate.
Scope and Contents:
The Formica Collection, 1913-2003, consists of textual files, photographs, photo slides, drawings, blueprints, posters, advertisements, product brochures, informational pamphlets, and research notes documenting the history of the Formica Corporation and the use of Formica brand plastic laminate.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged into ten series.

Series 1: Corporate Records, 1920-1992, 2003

Subseries 1.1: Annual reports, 1949, 1966, 1988

Subseries 1.2: Correspondence and company identity, 1920-1988

Subseries 1.3: Corporation histories and timelines, 1949-1991, undated

Subseries 1.4: Newspaper clippings and articles, 1934-2003

Subseries 1.5: Awards, 1940s-1987

Subseries 1.6: Patent information, 1925-1994

Subseries 1.7: Photographs, 1927-1966

Series 2: Personnel Records, 1943-1992

Series 3: Newsletters, Magazines, and Press Releases, 1942-1990

Subseries 3.1: Newsletters, 1942-1988

Subseries 3.2: Press releases, 1973-1990

Series 4: Product Information, 1948-1994

Series 5: Advertising and sales materials, 1913-2000

Subseries 5.1: Advertising materials, 1913-2000

Subseries 5.2: Sales materials, 1922-1993

Series 6: Subject Files, circa 1945, 1955-1991, 2002

Series 7: Exhibits, 1981-1994

Series 8: Grace Jeffers Research Materials, 1987-1997

Series 9: Audio Visual Materials, 1982-1995, undated

Series 10: Martin A. Jeffers Materials, 1963-1999

Subseries 10.1: Background Materials, 1965-1999

Subseries 10.2: Employee Benefits, 1963-1998

Subseries 10.3: Product Information, [1959?]-1997

Subseries 10.4: Advertising and Sales Records, 1987-1999
Biographical / Historical:
Since its founding in 1913, the history of the Formica Company has been marked by a spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship. The history begins with the discovery of Formica by two men who envisioned the plastic laminate as breakthrough insulation for motors. Later, Formica became a ubiquitous surfacing material used by artists and architects of post-modern design. The various applications of the plastic laminate during the twentieth century give it a prominent role in the history of plastics, American consumerism, and American popular culture.

The Formica Company was the brainchild of Herbert A. Faber and Daniel J. O'Conor, who met in 1907 while both were working at Westinghouse in East Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. O'Conor, head of the process section in the Research Engineering Department, had been experimenting with resins, cloth, paper, and a wide array of solvents in an effort to perfect a process for making rigid laminate sheets from Kraft paper and liquid Bakelite. O'Conor produced the first laminate sheet at Westinghouse by winding and coating paper on a mandrel, slitting the resulting tube, and flattening it on a press. The finished product was a laminated sheet with the chemical and electrical properties of Bakelite that were cut into various shapes and sizes. O'Conor applied for a patent on February 1, 1913, but it was not issued until November 12, 1918 (US Patent 1,284,432). Since the research was done on behalf of Westinghouse, the company was assigned the patent, and O'Conor was given one dollar, the customary amount that Westinghouse paid for the rights to employees' inventions.

Herbert Faber, Technical Sales Manager of insulating materials, was excited about O'Conor's discovery. Faber saw limitless possibilities for the new material. However, he quickly became frustrated by Westinghouse's policy limiting the sale of the laminate to its licensed distributors. After failing to persuade Westinghouse to form a division to manufacture and market the new material, Faber and O'Conor created their own company. On May 2, 1913, the first Formica plant opened in Cincinnati, Ohio. On October 15, 1913, the business incorporated as the Formica Insulation Company with Faber as president and treasurer and O'Conor as vice-president and secretary. The company began producing insulation parts used in place of or "for mica," the costly mineral that had been used in electrical insulation.

Like most new companies, Formica had modest beginnings. Faber and O'Conor faced the challenge of looking for investors who would let them maintain control over the company. Finally, they met J. G. Tomluin, a lawyer and banker from Walton, Kentucky, who invested $7,500 for a one-third share in the Formica Company. Renting a small space in downtown Cincinnati, Faber and O'Conor began work. The company's equipment list consisted of a 35-horsepower boiler, a small gas stove, and a variety of homemade hand screw presses. By September 1913, Tomluin had brought in two more partners, David Wallace and John L. Vest. With the added capital, O'Conor, Faber, and Formica's eighteen employees began producing automobile insulation parts for Bell Electric Motor, Allis Chalmers, and Northwest Electric.

Initially, the Formica Company only made insulation rings and tubes for motors. However, by July 4, 1914, the company obtained its first press and began to produce flat laminate sheets made from Redmenol resin. Business gradually grew, and by 1917 sales totaled $75,000. Fueled by World War I, Formica's business expanded to making radio parts, aircraft pulleys, and timing gears for the burgeoning motor industry. In the years that followed, Formica products were in high demand as laminate plastics replaced older materials in washers, vacuum cleaners, and refrigerators. By 1919, the Formica Company required larger facilities and purchased a factory in Cincinnati.

During this time, patent battles and legal suits emerged to challenge Formica's success. On June 11, 1919, Westinghouse sued Formica for patent infringement on its laminated gears; Formica won. Later that year, Westinghouse brought two new lawsuits against Formica. The first was for a patent infringement on the production of tubes, rods, and molded parts; the second was over an infringement based on a 1913 patent assigned to Westinghouse through O'Conor. Formica prevailed in both suits.

Legal battles did not deter the company. Having to defend itself against a giant corporation gave Formica a reputation as a scrappy contender. Finally, Faber and O'Conor made a quantum leap in 1927, when the company was granted a U.S. patent for a phenolic laminate utilizing lithographed wood grains of light color, forming an opaque barrier sheet which blocks out the dark interior of the laminate. In 1931, the company received two more patents for the preparation of the first all paper based laminate and for the addition of a layer of aluminum foil between the core and the surface, making the laminate cigarette-proof. These patents would allow Formica to move from a company dealing primarily with industrial material to the highly visible arena of consumer goods.

In 1937, Faber had a severe heart attack which limited his activity within the company. O'Conor continued as president, encouraging new product lines, including Realwood, as a laminate with genuine wood veneer mounted on a paper lamination with a heat-reactive binder. With the introduction of Realwood and its derivatives, manufacturers started using Formica laminate for tabletops, desks, and dinette sets. By the early forties, sales of Formica laminate were over 15 million dollars. The final recipe for decorative laminate was perfected in 1938, when melamine resins were introduced. Melamine was clear, extremely hard, and resistant to stains, heat, light, less expensive than phenolic resins. It also made possible laminates of colored papers and patterns.

Due to World War II, Formica postponed the manufacturing of decorative laminate sheets. Instead, the company made a variety of war-time products ranging from airplane propellers to bomb buster tubes.

The post-World War II building boom fueled the decorative laminate market and ushered in what would come to be known as the golden age for Formica. The company, anticipating the demand for laminate, acquired a giant press capable of producing sheets measuring thirty by ninety-six inches for kitchen countertops. Between 1947 and 1950, more than 2 million new homes were designed with Formica brand laminate for kitchens and bathrooms.

Formica's advertising campaigns, initially aimed at industry, were transformed to speak to the new decorative needs of consumer society, in particular the American housewife. Formica hired design consultants, Brooks Stevens, and, later, Raymond Loewy who launched extensive advertising campaigns. Advertising themes of durability, cleanliness, efficiency, and beauty abound in promotional material of this time. Advertisers promised that the plastic laminate, known as "the wipe clean wonder," was resistant to dirt, juices, jams, alcohol stains, and cigarette burns. Atomic patterns and space-age colors, including Moonglo, Skylark, and Sequina, were introduced in homes, schools, offices, hospitals, diners, and restaurants across America.

The post-war period was also marked by expansion, specifically with the establishment of Formica's first international markets. In 1947, Formica signed a licensing agreement with the British firm the De La Rue Company of London for the exclusive manufacture and marketing of decorative laminates outside North America, and in South America and the Pacific Basin. In 1948, Formica changed its name from the Formica Insulation Company to the Formica Company. In 1951, Formica responded to growing consumer demand by opening a million square foot plant in Evendale, Ohio, devoted to the exclusive production of decorative sheet material. In 1956, the Formica Company became the Formica Corporation, a subsidiary of American Cyanamid Company. A year later, the international subsidiaries that Formica formed with De La Rue Company of London were replaced by a joint company called Formica International Limited.

The plastic laminate was not merely confined to tabletops and dinette sets. Formica laminate was used for skis, globes, and murals. Moreover, well-known artists and architects used the decorative laminate for modernist furniture and Art Deco interiors. In 1960, Formica's Research and Development Design Center was established, adjacent to the Evendale plant, to develop uses for existing laminate products. In 1966, the company opened the Sierra Plant near Sacramento, California. Such corporate expansion enabled Formica to market its laminates beyond the traditional role as a countertop surface material.

In 1974, Formica established its Design Advisory Board (DAB), a group of leading designers and architects. DAB introduced new colors and patterns of laminate that gained popularity among artists and interior designers in the 1980s. In 1981, DAB introduced the Color Grid, a systematic organization of Formica laminate arranged by neutrals and chromatics. The Color Grid was described as the first and only logically arranged collection of color in the laminate industry. DAB also developed the Design Concepts Collection of premium solid and patterned laminates to serve the needs of contemporary interior designers.

In the 1980s and 1990s, the corporation continued to produce laminates for interior designers, artists, and architects. In 1982, Formica introduced COLORCORE, the first solid-color laminate. Due to its relatively seamless appearance, COLORCORE was adopted by artists for use in furniture, jewelry, and interior design. The introduction of COLORCORE also marked the emergence of a wide variety of design exhibitions and competitions sponsored by the Formica Corporation. In 1985, Formica Corporation became independent and privately held. Formica continues to be one of the leading laminate producers in the world with factories in the United States, England, France, Spain, Canada, and Taiwan.

For additional information on the history of the Formica Corporation, see:

DiNoto, Andrea. Art Plastic: Designed for Living. New York: Abbeville Press, 1985.

Fenichell, Stephen. Plastic: The Making of a Synthetic Century. New York: Harper/Collins, 1996.

Jeffers Grace. 1998. Machine Made Natural: The Decorative Products of the Formica Corporation, 1947-1962. Master's thesis. Bard Graduate Center for Studies in the Decorative Arts.

Lewin, Susan Grant, ed. Formica & Design: From Counter Top to High Art. New York: Rizzoli, 1991.
Related Materials:
Materials at the Archives Center

Leo Baekeland Papers, 1881-1968 (NMAH.AC.0005)

DuPont Nylon Collection, 1939-1977 (NMAH.AC.0007)

J. Harry DuBois Collection on the History of Plastics, circa 1900-1975 (NMAH.AC.0008)

Earl Tupper Papers, circa 1914-1982 (NMAH.AC.0470)

The Division of Medicine and Science holds artifacts related to this collection. See accession # 1997.0319 and #1997.3133.
Provenance:
This collection was assembled by Grace Jeffers, historian of material culture, primarily from materials given to her by Susan Lewin, Head of Formica's New York design and publicity office when the office closed in 1995. The collection was donated to the Archives Center by Grace Jeffers in September 1996.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research but is stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Researchers must use reference copies of audio-visual materials. When no reference copy exists, the Archives Center staff will produce reference copies on an "as needed" basis, as resources allow. 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:
Plastics industry and trade  Search this
Plastics -- 1920-2000  Search this
Plastics as art material -- 1920-2000  Search this
Plastics in interior design -- 1920-2000  Search this
advertising -- plastic industry -- 1920-2000  Search this
Plastic jewelry -- 1920-2000  Search this
Laminated plastics -- 1920-2000  Search this
Exhibitions -- 20th century -- United States  Search this
House furnishings -- 1920-2000 -- United States  Search this
Housewives as consumers -- 1920-2000  Search this
Electronic insulators and insulation -- Plastics -- 1920-2000  Search this
Inventions -- 1920-2000 -- United States  Search this
Women in advertising  Search this
Women in popular culture -- 1920-2000  Search this
Genre/Form:
Scripts (documents)
Videotapes
Posters -- 20th century
Samples -- 1920-2000
Advertisements
Brochures
Blueprints -- 20th century
Photographs -- 20th century
Newsletters -- 20th century
Exhibition catalogs
Catalogs
Catalogs -- 1920-2000
Correspondence -- 20th century
Citation:
Formica Collection, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
Identifier:
NMAH.AC.0565
See more items in:
Formica Collection
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep8859e644e-2a2b-427b-ae69-3dfadd400aa4
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-0565
Online Media:

The Garden Club of America collection

Creator:
Garden Club of America  Search this
Names:
New York Flower Show  Search this
Extent:
37000 Slides (photographs) (35mm slides)
33 Linear feet ((garden files))
3,000 Lantern slides
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Slides (photographs)
Lantern slides
Plans (drawings)
Brochures
Articles
Correspondence
Clippings
Date:
circa 1920-present
Summary:
This collection contains over 37,000 35mm slides, 3,000 glass lantern slides and garden files that may include descriptive information, photocopied articles (from journals, newspapers, or books), planting lists, correspondence, brochures, landscape plans and drawings. Garden files were compiled by Garden Club of America (GCA) members for most of the gardens included in the collection. Some gardens have been photographed over the course of several decades; others only have images from a single point in time. In addition to images of American gardens, there are glass lantern slides of the New York Flower Show (1941-1951) and trips that GCA members took to other countries, including Mexico (1937), Italy, Spain, Japan (1935), France (1936), England (1929), and Scotland.

A number of the slides are copies of historic images from outside repositories including horticultural and historical societies or from horticultural books and publications. The GCA made a concerted effort in the mid-1980s to acquire these images in order to increase its documentation of American garden history. Because of copyright considerations, use of these particular images may be restricted.
Biographical/Historical note:
The Garden Club of America was established in 1913 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, when the Garden Club of Philadelphia and eleven other garden clubs met to create a national garden club. Its purpose is to foster the knowledge and love of gardening and to restore and protect the quality of the environment through educational programs and gardening and conservation efforts. The GCA was incorporated in Delaware in 1923, with its headquarters established in New York City. Today, local clubs are organized under twelve regional zones. The GCA continues its tradition of hosting flower shows and publishing material related to gardening in the United States.

The GCA's glass lantern slides were used by The GCA for presentations and lectures about notable gardens throughout the United States dating back to colonial times. An effort was made in the late 1980s, in preparation of the 75th anniversary of the Garden Club of America's founding, to collect the disbursed slides. These slides were to eventually form the Slide Library of Notable American Parks and Gardens. The informational value of this collection is extensive since a number of images of the more than 4,500 gardens represented show garden designs that have changed over time or no longer exist. While the majority of images document a range of designed upper and upper-middle class gardens throughout the U.S., the scope of the collection is expanding as volunteers photograph and document contemporary gardens including community and vernacular gardens.

The gardens illustrate the design work of dozens of landscape architects including Marian Coffin, Beatrix Farrand, Lawrence Halprin, Hare & Hare, Umberto Innocenti, Gertrude Jekyll, Jens Jensen, Warren Manning, the Olmsted Brothers, Charles Platt, Ellen Biddle Shipman, and Fletcher Steele. Because of their proximity to the gardens, works of notable architects and sculptors may also be featured in the images.
Restrictions:
Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Rights:
Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Topic:
Gardens -- France  Search this
Gardens -- Italy  Search this
Gardens -- Japan  Search this
Gardens -- Mexico  Search this
Flower shows  Search this
Gardening -- United States -- societies, etc  Search this
Gardens -- England  Search this
Landscape architecture  Search this
Gardens -- United States  Search this
Gardens -- Spain  Search this
Gardens -- Scotland  Search this
Genre/Form:
Plans (drawings)
Brochures
Articles
Correspondence
Clippings
Lantern slides
Slides (photographs)
Citation:
Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.
Identifier:
AAG.GCA
See more items in:
The Garden Club of America collection
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Gardens
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/kb617385372-1028-4cb7-b07d-04fea2e51c47
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aag-gca
Online Media:

Subject Files, 1973-2019

Creator:
Smithsonian Gardens Office of the Director  Search this
Subject:
Bechtol, Nancy J  Search this
Buckler, James R  Search this
Faust, Barbara  Search this
Meehan, Kathryn  Search this
Smithsonian Institution Office of Facilities Management Horticulture Services Division Office of the Director  Search this
Smithsonian Institution Office of Facilities Management and Reliability Horticulture Services Division  Search this
Smithsonian Institution Office of Museum Programs Office of Horticulture  Search this
Smithsonian Institution Office of Plant Services Horticultural Services Division  Search this
Physical description:
3.25 cu. ft. unprocessed holdings
Type:
Manuscripts
Brochures
Pamphlets
Architectural drawings
Electronic records
Digital images
Video recordings
Color transparencies
Drawings
Color photographs
Black-and-white negatives
Date:
1973
1973-2019
Topic:
Gardens  Search this
Horticulture  Search this
Landscape design  Search this
Landscape architecture  Search this
Local number:
SIA RS00109
Restrictions & Rights:
Materials less than 15 years old Restricted. Records may contain personally identifiable information (PII) that is permanently restricted. Contact reference staff for details
See more items in:
Subject Files 1973-2019 [Smithsonian Gardens Office of the Director]
Data Source:
Smithsonian Institution Archives
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:siris_arc_254602

How...is a cablegram sent and received? [brochure]

Collector:
Western Union Telegraph Company  Search this
Collection Creator:
United Telegraph Workers.  Search this
Western Union Telegraph Company  Search this
Extent:
1 Item (Ink on paper., 5.4" x 3.2")
Type:
Archival materials
Brochures
Cablegrams
Date:
Date unknown
Arrangement:
Box 4?
Local Numbers:
AC0205-0000056 (AC Scan: cover)
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research but Series 11 and films are stored off-site. Special arrangements must be made to view some of the audiovisual materials. 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.
Topic:
Telegraph, Wireless  Search this
Genre/Form:
Brochures
Cablegrams
Collection Citation:
Western Union Telegraph Company Records, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
See more items in:
Western Union Telegraph Company Records
Western Union Telegraph Company Records / Series 23: Photographs / 23.14: Addenda (2017)
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep81066f913-8153-4d0d-85e2-1e9229867a5b
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-0205-ref11395

New York -- New York Botanical Garden

Landscape architect:
Everett, Thomas H.  Search this
Creator:
J. Horace McFarland Company  Search this
Provenance:
J. Horace McFarland Company  Search this
Collection Creator:
Garden Club of America  Search this
Type:
Archival materials
Brochures
Place:
New York (State) -- New York City -- Bronx
United States of America -- New York -- Bronx County -- New York -- Bronx
General:
unknown source.
Related Materials:
New York Botanical Garden related holdings consist of 1 slide (col.)
Collection Restrictions:
Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Topic:
Summer  Search this
Plan views  Search this
Genre/Form:
Brochures
Collection Citation:
Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.
Identifier:
AAG.GCA, File NY211
See more items in:
The Garden Club of America collection
The Garden Club of America collection / Series 1: United States Garden Images / New York
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Gardens
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/kb69ba46411-c7e1-480e-ba98-f661a7c06d6d
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aag-gca-ref26897

Curatorial Records, 1956-2020

Creator:
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden Programs/Curatorial Department  Search this
Subject:
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden Curatorial Department  Search this
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden Department of Public Programs/Curatorial Division  Search this
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden Programs Department  Search this
Physical description:
28 cu. ft. unprocessed holdings
Type:
Floor plans
Black-and-white transparencies
Books
Manuscripts
Black-and-white photographs
Brochures
Clippings
Color photographs
Floppy disks
Color transparencies
Architectural drawings
Electronic records
Electronic mail
Black-and-white negatives
Date:
1975
1975-2020
1956-2020
Topic:
Art museums  Search this
Art, Modern  Search this
Art museum curators  Search this
Local number:
SIA RS00806
Restrictions & Rights:
Materials less than 15 years old Restricted. Contact reference staff for details
Object files Permanently restricted
See more items in:
Curatorial Records 1956-2020 [Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden Programs/Curatorial Department]
Data Source:
Smithsonian Institution Archives
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:siris_arc_225511

Director's Records, 1953-1954, 1985-1986, 1988, 2000-2019

Creator:
Smithsonian Provenance Research Initiative  Search this
Subject:
Milosch, Jane  Search this
Smithsonian Institution Office of the Under Secretary for Museums, Education, and Research/Provost  Search this
Smithsonian Institution Office of the Under Secretary for History, Art, and Culture  Search this
Renwick Gallery  Search this
International Schwabing Art Trove Task Force Advisory Group  Search this
German/American Provenance Research Exchange Program  Search this
Physical description:
13 cu. ft. (13 record storage boxes)
Type:
Manuscripts
Collection descriptions
Brochures
Newsletters
Clippings
Compact discs
Electronic records
Floppy disks
Digital versatile discs
Posters
Date:
1953
1953-1954
1953-1954, 1985-1986, 1988, 2000-2019
Topic:
Art museum curators  Search this
International cooperation  Search this
Art--Provenance  Search this
World War, 1939-1945  Search this
Art museums  Search this
Museums--Public relations  Search this
Congresses and conventions  Search this
Professional associations  Search this
Strategic planning  Search this
Research grants  Search this
Fund raising  Search this
Contracts  Search this
Workshops  Search this
Committees  Search this
Meetings  Search this
Museum exhibits  Search this
Web sites  Search this
Budget  Search this
Local number:
SIA Acc. 22-102
Restrictions & Rights:
Restricted for 15 years, until Jan-01-2035; Transferring office; 6/29/2022 memorandum, Johnstone to Carroll; Contact reference staff for details
See more items in:
Director's Records 1953-1954, 1985-1986, 1988, 2000-2019 [Smithsonian Provenance Research Initiative]
Data Source:
Smithsonian Institution Archives
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:siris_arc_404756

Exhibition Records, 1972, 1981, 1983-2013, and undated

Creator:
National Air and Space Museum (U.S.) Space History Department  Search this
Subject:
Neal, Valerie  Search this
National Air and Space Museum (U.S.) Space History Division  Search this
National Air and Space Museum (U.S.) Department of Space History  Search this
National Air and Space Museum (U.S.) Department of Space Science and Exploration  Search this
United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration  Search this
Where Next, Columbus? (Exhibition) (1992-2002: Washington, D.C.)  Search this
Moving Beyond Earth (Exhibition) (2009-2022: Washington, D.C.)  Search this
Space Race (Exhibition) (1997-2022: Washington, D.C.)  Search this
The Violent Universe (Exhibition) (1996: Washington, D.C.)  Search this
How Things Fly (Exhibition) (1996-2020: Washington, D.C.)  Search this
Star Trek (Exhibition) (1992-1993: Washington, D.C.)  Search this
All Systems Go: America's Space Transportation Systems for the 1990s (Traveling exhibition) (1989)  Search this
America's Space Truck: The Space Shuttle (Exhibition) (1987-1998: Washington, D.C.)  Search this
Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (Exhibition) (1986-1997: Washington, D.C.)  Search this
America's Smithsonian (Traveling exhibition) (1995-1998)  Search this
Physical description:
8 cu. ft. (8 record storage boxes)
Type:
Manuscripts
Collection descriptions
Clippings
Brochures
Pamphlets
Newsletters
Transcripts
Digital versatile discs
Floppy disks
Electronic records
Illustrations
Floor plans
Drawings
Black-and-white negatives
Black-and-white photographs
Black-and-white transparencies
Color negatives
Color photographs
Color transparencies
Place:
Outer space
Date:
1972
1972-2013
1972, 1981, 1983-2013, and undated
Topic:
Aeronautical museums  Search this
Astronautical museums  Search this
Museum curators  Search this
Museum exhibits  Search this
Traveling exhibitions  Search this
Space sciences  Search this
Museums--Collection management  Search this
Exploration  Search this
Local number:
SIA Acc. 22-109
See more items in:
Exhibition Records 1969-2022 [National Air and Space Museum (U.S.) Space History Department]
Data Source:
Smithsonian Institution Archives
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:siris_arc_404814

Bedman Brothers Company records

Owner:
Bedman, John  Search this
Bedman, James  Search this
Bedman, Joseph  Search this
Bedman, Frank  Search this
Bedman, Charles  Search this
Founder:
Bedman, William  Search this
Creator:
Bedman Brothers Rahway, New Jersey.  Search this
Bedman Brothers  Search this
William Bedman Seed Company (Rahway, New Jersey)  Search this
Investor:
Thorburn, James  Search this
Names:
Bedman Brothers  Search this
Extent:
8.5 Cubic feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Negatives
Brochures
Price lists
Account books
Administrative records
Correspondence
Photographs
Artifacts
Leaflets
Clippings
Ledgers (account books)
Scrapbooks
Purchase orders
Pamphlets
Date:
1859 - 1984
Summary:
The Bedman Brothers Company Records collection focuses primarily on the business and financial transactions of Bedman Brothers seed company of Rahway, New Jersey, and includes accounting ledgers, purchase orders, price lists, miscellaneous business and family correspondence, and various brochures, pamphlets and leaflets related to horticultural topics. Other holdings in the collection include World War II ration stamps and two scrapbooks, one of which contains many late nineteenth and early twentieth century chromo-lithographed trade cards (primarily from the sewing, clothing, and floral industries). The other scrapbook holds news clippings from the Civil War period. Seperated materials include seed gathering equipment used by field workers.
Historical note:
The William Bedman Seed Company of Rahway, New Jersey was established in 1843 by William Bedman with the support of James Thorburn, a Manhattan seed purveyor. The firm, later called Bedman Brothers, was principally a wholesale mail order seed company that sold to consumer-end seed houses such as Vicks, W. Atlee Burpee, and George J. Ball. Bedman Brothers became known for its production of salvias (sage), including the development of 'Bonfire' or Clara Bedman sage variety. The company continued after William Bedman's tenure under the leadership of his sons Charles, James and John. The business ended after the death of Joseph Bedman, William's grandson, in 1962.
Separated Materials:
Assorted nursery and trade catalogs and price lists from the Bedman Brothers records were transferred to the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History Library, Horticulture Trade Catalogs Collection.
Provenance:
Donated to the Smithsonian Office of Horticulture (later Horticulture Services Division) in 1984 by Gladys and Florence Whitehead, great-granddaughters of William Bedman.
Restrictions:
Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Rights:
Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Topic:
Mail-order business  Search this
Seed industry and trade  Search this
Seeds -- Processing -- Equipment and supplies  Search this
Salvia  Search this
Flowers  Search this
Horticulture  Search this
Genre/Form:
Negatives
Brochures
Price lists
Account books -- 19th century
Administrative records
Correspondence
Photographs
Artifacts
Leaflets
Clippings
Ledgers (account books)
Scrapbooks
Account books -- 20th century
Purchase orders
Pamphlets
Citation:
Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, Bedman Brothers Company Records.
Identifier:
AAG.BED
See more items in:
Bedman Brothers Company records
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Gardens
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/kb694e03bc2-1a56-4061-9ca9-d71a422025d5
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aag-bed
Online Media:

Administrative Records, 1954-2019, 2022-2023

Creator:
Smithsonian Institution Office of International Relations  Search this
Subject:
Smithsonian Institution Directorate of International Activities  Search this
Smithsonian Institution Office of International Activities  Search this
Smithsonian Foreign Currency Program  Search this
Exchange Visitor Program (U.S.)  Search this
Physical description:
48.75 cu. ft. unprocessed holdings
Type:
Manuscripts
Clippings
Drawings
Books
Color photographs
Black-and-white photographs
Floor plans
Brochures
Videotapes
Compact discs
Electronic records
Black-and-white negatives
Electronic mail
Floppy disks
Date:
1954
1954-2023
1954-2019, 2022-2023
Topic:
Budget process  Search this
Budget  Search this
International relations  Search this
Contracts  Search this
Environmental responsibility  Search this
Speeches, addresses, etc  Search this
Committees  Search this
Workshops  Search this
Research grants  Search this
Local number:
SIA RS01498
Restrictions & Rights:
Materials less than 15 years old Restricted. Records may contain personally identifiable information (PII) that is permanently restricted. Contact reference staff for details
See more items in:
Administrative Records 1954-2019, 2022-2023 [Smithsonian Institution Office of International Relations]
Data Source:
Smithsonian Institution Archives
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:siris_arc_287184

Board of Trustees Records, 1970-1999

Creator:
Archives of American Art  Search this
Subject:
Raymond, Jo  Search this
Archives of American Art Airlift tours  Search this
Physical description:
5 cu. ft. (5 record storage boxes)
Type:
Brochures
Collection descriptions
Clippings
Manuscripts
Picture postcards
Scrapbooks
Color photographs
Motion pictures (visual works)
Date:
1970
1970-1999
Topic:
Art, American  Search this
Tours  Search this
Advisory boards  Search this
Arts fund raising  Search this
Ambassadors  Search this
Lectures and lecturing  Search this
Art museums  Search this
Art--Private collections  Search this
Art galleries, Commercial  Search this
Local number:
SIA Acc. 22-100
See more items in:
Board of Trustees Records 1954-1962, 1970-2000 [Archives of American Art]
Data Source:
Smithsonian Institution Archives
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:siris_arc_404744

Administrative Records, 1835-2020

Creator:
Smithsonian Institution Office of the Secretary  Search this
Uniform title:
Smithsonian Directives (Administrative issuances)  Search this
Subject:
Langley, S. P (Samuel Pierpont) 1834-1906  Search this
Henry, Joseph 1797-1878  Search this
Abbot, C. G (Charles Greeley) 1872-1973  Search this
Adams, Robert McC (Robert McCormick) 1926-2018  Search this
Carmichael, Leonard 1898-1973  Search this
Heyman, Ira Michael 1930-2011  Search this
Walcott, Charles D (Charles Doolittle) 1850-1927  Search this
Wetmore, Alexander 1886-1978  Search this
Baird, Spencer Fullerton 1823-1887  Search this
Ripley, S. Dillon (Sidney Dillon) 1913-2001  Search this
Small, Lawrence M  Search this
Clough, G. Wayne  Search this
Samper, Cristián  Search this
Horvath, Albert G  Search this
Skorton, David J  Search this
Bunch, Lonnie G  Search this
Smithsonian Institution Administration  Search this
Smithsonian Institution Board of Regents  Search this
Smithsonian Institution  Search this
United States Congress  Search this
Physical description:
846.85 cu. ft. processed holdings
544.48 cu. ft. unprocessed holdings
Type:
Ephemera
Floor plans
Clippings
Black-and-white photographs
Brochures
Color photographs
Manuscripts
Pamphlets
Sketches
Video recordings
Compact discs
Drawings
Videotapes
Illustrations
Color negatives
Color transparencies
Audiotapes
Floppy disks
Electronic records
Electronic mail
Books
Architectural drawings
Digital versatile discs
Digital images
Newspapers
Date:
1835
1835-2020
Topic:
Museums--Administration  Search this
Budget  Search this
Personnel management  Search this
Smithsonian buildings  Search this
Museum buildings  Search this
Museum exhibits  Search this
Museums--Collection management  Search this
Information technology  Search this
Committees  Search this
Gifts  Search this
Congresses and conventions  Search this
Strategic planning  Search this
Museums--Public relations  Search this
Museum finance  Search this
Museum publications  Search this
Real property  Search this
Estates (Law)  Search this
Contracts  Search this
Product management  Search this
Speeches, addresses, etc  Search this
Fund raising  Search this
Trusts and trustees  Search this
Research grants  Search this
Museums--Employees  Search this
Research  Search this
Awards  Search this
Tours  Search this
Corporate sponsorship  Search this
Special events  Search this
Wills  Search this
Local number:
SIA RS00771
Restrictions & Rights:
Materials less than 15 years old Restricted. Contact reference staff for details
See more items in:
Administrative Records 1835-2020 [Smithsonian Institution Office of the Secretary]
Data Source:
Smithsonian Institution Archives
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:siris_arc_220180

Dan Friedman Papers

Creator:
Friedman, Dan, 1945-1995  Search this
Names:
Allgemeie Gewerbeschule  Search this
Anspach Grossman Portugal, Inc.  Search this
Bergdorf Goodman (New York, N.Y.)  Search this
Bonwit Teller & Co.  Search this
Citibank (New York, N.Y.)  Search this
Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art  Search this
Cooper-Hewitt Design Archive  Search this
Gran Fury (Artists' collective)  Search this
Hochschule für Gestaltung (Ulm, Germany)  Search this
Jeffrey Deitch Art Advisory Services  Search this
National Public Radio (U.S.)  Search this
Neotu (Gallery)  Search this
Pentagram Design  Search this
State University of New York at Purchase  Search this
WilliWear (Firm)  Search this
Yale University  Search this
Deitch, Jeffrey  Search this
Haring, Keith  Search this
Extent:
16 Cubic feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Stationery
Clippings
Statistics
Correspondence
Photographs
Lecture notes
Speeches
Sketches
Slides
Brochures
Mechanicals
Transparencies
Financial records
Articles
Date:
1967 - 1995
Scope and Contents:
General correspondence files contain all communications that do not pertain to a specific project. Because Friedman's personal life and business were so interconnected, many of his business associates also shared personal correspondence with the designer.,Materials in this collection document Friedman's work from 1967, as a student, until his death in 1995.

Files that document his affiliations with Yale University and the State University of New York at Purchase include administrative memos, proposals, lecture outlines, syllabi, bibliographies, examples of students' work, and design projects Friedman did for each school. A copy of the goals and objectives of the Division of Visual Arts within the School of the Arts at SUNY Purchase written by Friedman is included.

Project files include business correspondence, invoices, sketches, contracts, clippings, photographs, and slides. In the case of his graphic projects, some samples of stationery and brochures are included. Extensive documentation exists for Friedman's projects for Citibank, WilliWear, National Public Radio, and Bonwit Teller. Some correspondence is in German. Friedman's lecture notes, proposals for articles and books, and drafts of many articles are included. Clippings of articles on the designer and his work are arranged chronologically.

Research files consist of articles and Friedman's notes on topics of interest to him, such as typography, structure, simultaneity, and information theory. Photographs, slides, and transparencies of many of Friedman's projects, his sources of inspiration, and the work of his students are included.
Arrangement:
Record Groups include:

1: General Correspondence

2: University Affiliations

3: Project Files

4: Lectures and Writings

5: Clippings

6: Research Materials

7: Photographs and Slides
Biographical / Historical:
Educator, graphic and furniture designer. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, 1945. Friedman recieved a BFA from Carnegie Institute of Technology, Pittsburg, PA. He studied graphic design at Hochschule fur Gestaltung, Ulm, and studied with Armin Hofmann and Wolfgang Weingart at Allgemeine Gewerbeschule, Basel. Friedman returned to America in 1969 and began his career as graphic designer for large corporations.

He worked with the firm Anspach Grossman Portugal as a senior designer from 1975 to 1977. Friedman contributed significantly to what came to be known as "post-modern" or "new wave" typography in the 1970s. He taught graphic design at Yale University, 1970-73. He became Assistant Professor and Chairman of the Board of Study in Design at the State University of New York at Purchase, 1972-1975. Friedman designed catalogs and brochures for both universities. Friedman worked with Pentagram Design in New York City from 1979 to 1984. He designed corporate identity programs, posters, publications, packaging, letterheads, and logos, for clients such as Citibank, and Williwear.

Friedman was a long-time friend of artist Keith Haring, and designed the book, "Keith Haring", 1982. He was the author of "Dan Friedman: Radical Modernism", 1994, and co-authored with Jeffrey Deitch, "Cultural Geometry", 1988, and "Artificial Nature", 1990. He designed the books "New Italian Design", 1990, and "Post Human", 1992. He also designed furniture, lighting, screens, wall elements, and interiors. Many of his furniture designs were done especially for Galerie Noetu in Paris. Among his best known furniture designs are the 1989 Virgin Screen, 1989 Zoid sofa and chair, and the Three Mile Island lamps.

Friedman served as the Frank Stanton Professor of Graphic Design at the Cooper Union in New York city, from 1994 until his death in 1995.
Related Materials:
Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, Drawings and Prints Department

Hundreds of designs for letterheads, logos, business cards, invitations, greeting cards, furniture, lighting, screens, office interiors, shoppings bags and gift boxes, calendars, packaging, weather pattern diagrams and maps, book covers, and posters

Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, Applied Arts Department

"U.S.A." table and dome-shaped floor lamp.,.

Friedman's work can be found in the collections of the following museums: Museum of Modern Art, New York City; Museum of Decorative Arts, Montreal, Canada; Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL; Seibu, Tokyo; Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond, VA; and Israel Museum, Jerusalem.
Provenance:
This collection was donated to the museum by the designer's brother, Ken Friedman in 1995.
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.
Occupation:
Graphic designers  Search this
Packaging designers  Search this
Topic:
Packaging -- Design  Search this
Design education -- United States  Search this
Graphic arts -- United States  Search this
Furniture design -- United States  Search this
Signs and symbols -- Design  Search this
Letterheads -- Design  Search this
Corporate image -- Design  Search this
Logos (Symbols) -- Design  Search this
Printing  Search this
Postmodernism -- United States  Search this
Posters -- Design  Search this
Book design -- United States  Search this
Genre/Form:
Stationery
Clippings
Statistics
Correspondence
Photographs -- 20th century
Lecture notes
Speeches
Sketches
Slides
Brochures
Mechanicals
Transparencies
Financial records
Articles
Citation:
Dan Friedman Papers, 1967-1995, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
Identifier:
NMAH.AC.1277
See more items in:
Dan Friedman Papers
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep8c9370065-18f4-4795-a44a-a44bdc444b6b
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-1277
Online Media:

Simon Lissim Papers

Collector:
Lissim, Simon, 1900-1981  Search this
Cooper-Hewitt Design Archive  Search this
Names:
Carl Sorensen & Son  Search this
Castleton China, Inc.  Search this
City University of New York. City College  Search this
Claude Boulme, Inc.  Search this
Cooper-Hewitt Design Archive  Search this
Georg Jensen, Inc.  Search this
Jonals & Co.  Search this
Lenox China (Firm)  Search this
Manufacture nationale de Sèvres  Search this
Boulme, Claude  Search this
Donor:
Dee, Elaine Evans  Search this
Author:
Philip, Prince, consort of Elizabeth II, Queen of Great Britain, 1921-  Search this
Extent:
1.5 Cubic feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Photostats
Scrapbooks
Clippings
Correspondence
Contracts
Drawings
Photographs
Slides
Catalogs
Brochures
Invoices
Press releases
Date:
1924 - 1981
Scope and Contents:
This collection covers the period 1924-81 and consists of exhibition catalogs, correspondence, photographs, slides, drawings, photostats, contracts, book proofs, and related biographical material on Lissim. Extensive material on the designer's work for the Sevres porcelain factory includes correspondence, original contracts, photographs of porcelains and designs for porcelains, slides, drawings, and invoices.

Most of the material relating to Sevres is in French. A copy of the brochure for the Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes, 1925, is included, which features many of his designs. Also included are his designs for commencement caps and gowns, and other related ephemera for the City University of New York's City College.

The collection contains a mock-up of his 1952 publication, "How to be an Artist", which describes different techniques and how to apply them to greeting cards, porcelains, and textiles. Copies of the introduction and biographical sections of his book "An Artist's Interpretation of Nature", published in 1958 are included.

A scrapbook consists of articles, reviews, personal correspondence, press releases, and brochures. Among Lissim's personal correspondence are letters exchanged with Prince Philip of England, an avid collector of his work. Material on Lissim's work for the theater consists of exhibition brochures, correspondence, and lists of institutions in possession of his work. In addition, the collection contains photographs of Lissim's designs for jewelry, flatware, and textiles.
Biographical / Historical:
Porcelain, theater, and metalwork designer. Born, Kiev, Russia, 1900. Lissim left Russia in 1919 and moved to Paris where he resided until 1940. In all of Lissim's designs, his appreciation for nature is apparent in his use of fish, birds, flowers, and other motifs.

In 1921, he began designing scenery and costumes for the Theatre de l'Oeuve in Paris. In 1924, he created his first designs for the Sevres porcelain factory. His relationship with Sevres lasted for more than 40 years and some of his designs are still being produced. His work achieved a gold medal at the 1929 Exposition Internationale Des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes in Barcelona. Lissim made his first journey to the United States in 1935, and by 1936, his designs for the theater were featured in exhibitions in this country. His porcelains were featured in exhibitions at The Smith College Museum of Art, 1939, and Georg Jensen, Inc., 1941.

Lissim became Head of the Art Education Project at the New York Public Library in 1942. In 1947 he began teaching at the City Univerity of New York's City College campus, where he also designed commencement costumes for the Chancellor, President, and Chief Marshal. In 1952, Lissim became an art consultant for Castleton China, Inc. in New Castle, Pennsylvania. His work was featured in the exhibition, "A Designer's Interpretation of Nature", held at the American Museum of Natural History in New York in 1953. In 1954, Lissim created his first silver pieces of jewelry and flatware manufactured by Carl Sorensen & Son, Copenhagen, Denmark. In the early 60s, Lissim created three designs for plates that were executed by Claude Boulme. He continued to work and hold exhibitions at his studio in Dobbs Ferry, New York, until his death in 1981.
Related Archival Materials:
Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, Applied Arts Department

A Lenox vase, plates, cups, and saucers. A sterling silver pin, paperweight, and cutlery.

Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, Department of Drawings and Prints

Designs for plates, vases, and other porcelain pieces, silver cutlery, stage designs, playing cards, and greeting cards. Drawings of commencement robes, a gavel, and a mace designed for City College. Poster for the Musée Céramique de Sévres.

Additional archival materials can be found at The New York Public Library, Theater Division; City University of New York, City College Archives; and Columbia University Libraries, Bakhmeteff Archive, New York City.

Porcelains designed by Lissim are in the collections of the following museums: Musee des Arts Decoratifs, Paris; The Victoria and Albert Museum, London; The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City; The Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, New York; and The Museum of the City of New York, New York City, among others.
Provenance:
These materials were donated to Cooper-Hewitt by the museum's former Curator of Drawings and Prints, Elaine Evans Dee, in 1996. Transferred to the Archives Center in 2012.
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:
Theater designers  Search this
Theater design -- History -- 20th century  Search this
Porcelain design -- History -- 20th century -- France  Search this
Designers -- Porcelain  Search this
Genre/Form:
Photostats
Scrapbooks
Clippings
Correspondence
Contracts
Drawings
Photographs -- 20th century
Slides
Catalogs
Brochures
Invoices
Press releases
Citation:
Simon Lissim Papers, 1924-1981, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Identifier:
NMAH.AC.1276
See more items in:
Simon Lissim Papers
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep83f938108-81da-4e6f-ae63-0a382f4c217b
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-1276

William Metzig Papers

Creator:
Metzig, William, 1893-1989  Search this
Names:
Cooper-Hewitt Design Archive  Search this
Dutton  Search this
Fawcett  Search this
Fieldcrest Mills Inc.  Search this
Heubelin, Inc.  Search this
Pelikan Ink Company  Search this
Popov Distilling Company  Search this
Metzig, William, 1893-1989  Search this
Dnr:
Murgio, Matthew, Mrs.  Search this
Extent:
16 Cubic feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Clippings
Book jackets
Photographs
Slides
Drawings
Transparencies
Brochures
Advertisements
Date:
circa 1925-1979
Scope and Contents:
The materials in this collection span the years from the late 1920s to the 1970s and document Metzig's work in Germany and the United States. Little background and biographical information is available.

Project files : More than 500 examples of the designer's work, including letterheads, logos, trademarks, brochures, book jackets, magazine covers and layouts, certificates, awards, and product labels.

Printed Materials : Includes articles written by Metzig and a copy of his publication, "Art Lettering and Design," which was done for the International Correspondence Schools of Pennsylvania in 1957. This collection does not include any business records or correspondence.

Other Visual Materials : Photographs, slides, and transparencies of many of Metzig's designs.
Arrangement:
This collection is arranged into three record groups: 1) printed materials; 2) project files; and 3) other visual materials. Project files are arranged in alphabetical order by name of client. Extensive files for projects done for distilleries and publishing companies are alphabetized separately.
Biographical / Historical:
Graphic designer and artist. Born Hanover, Germany, 1893. Metzig apprenticed with a lithographer prior to establishing his own studio in the 1920s. He designed trademarks, logos, letterheads, brochures, and posters for clients. He is best known for his work for Pelikan Ink Company.

He also designed book covers, magazine covers, and page layouts. In the 1930s, Metzig became known as a leading calligrapher and advertising artist in Germany. He immigrated to the United States in 1939 and settled in New York where he taught calligraphy and did freelance graphic design until his death in 1989.
Provenance:
The collection was donated by Mr. Metzig's daughter, Mrs. Matthew Murgio, and a former student and friend of Metzig's, Lili Wronker, 1990.
Restrictions:
Permission of staff required to photograph materials.
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.
Occupation:
Illustrators  Search this
Topic:
Magazine covers -- Design  Search this
Posters -- Design  Search this
Greeting cards -- Design  Search this
Works of art  Search this
Graphic arts -- United States  Search this
Calligraphy  Search this
Graphic arts -- Germany  Search this
Graphic designers  Search this
advertising  Search this
Letterheads -- Design  Search this
Packaging -- Design  Search this
Labels -- Design  Search this
Logos (Symbols) -- Design  Search this
Graphic artists  Search this
Trademarks -- Design  Search this
Corporate image -- Design  Search this
Pamphlets -- Design  Search this
Book jackets -- Design -- United States  Search this
Genre/Form:
Clippings
Book jackets
Photographs -- 20th century
Slides
Drawings
Transparencies
Brochures
Advertisements
Citation:
William Metzig Papers, ca. 1925-1979, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Identifier:
NMAH.AC.1269
See more items in:
William Metzig Papers
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep8ce369c1c-f477-43e0-9f8a-da8e4e9a1b5a
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-1269

Byron Lewis Papers

Donor:
Lewis, Byron E., Sr., 1931-  Search this
Lewis, Sylvia Wong  Search this
Names:
Uniworld Group, Inc. (Bethesda, Md.)  Search this
Extent:
15 Cubic feet (14 boxes, 1 map folder)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Brochures
Business cards
Correspondence
Magazines (periodicals)
Photographs
Videotapes
Commercials
Date:
1931-2023
Summary:
Collection documents the life and career of Byron Lewis, founder of UniWorld Group, Incorporated, (UWG), an early African American advertising agency.
Content Description:
Archival materials documenting the life and career of Byron Lewis, founder of UniWorld Group, Incorporated, (UWG), an early African American advertising agency. Materials include photographs, correspondence, drawings, newspaper clippings, magazines (e.g. Urbanite Magazine and the Tuesday Magazine), radio scripts, and audio and videotapes.
Arrangement:
Collection is arranged into twelve series.

Series 1: Personal Papers, 1942-2021, undated

Series 2: Business Records, 1969-2023, undated

Series 3: Correspondence, 1950-2022, undated

Series 4: Projects, 1961-2012, undated

Series 5: Awards, 1980-2013, undated

Series 6: Events, 1972-2022, undated

Series 8: Press, 1971-2019, undated

Series 9: African Burial Ground, 2003-2021, undated

Series 10: Sylvia Wong Lewis, 1981-2017, undated

Series 11: Photographic Materials, 1936-2021, undated

Series 12, Audiovisual Materials, undated
Related Materials:
Materials at the Archives Center, National Museum of American History

NW Ayer & Sons, Incorporated Advertising Agency Records, NMAH.AC.0059

Emmett McBain Afro-American Advertising Poster Collection, NMAH.AC.0192

African American Cosmetic and Food Label Collection, NMAH.AC.0480

Caroline R. Jones Papers, NMAH.AC.0552

Sosa, Bromley, Aguilar, and Associates Records, NMAH.AC.1351

Hector and Norma Orcí Advertising Agency Records, NMAH.AC.1384
Separated Materials:
National Museum of American History (NMAH), Division of Work and Industry

Advertising Hall of Fame Award, accession number 2022.0243

Best of Black Business Award, accession number 2022.0243

Giraffe sculpture, accession number 2022.0243

Graphic print, accession number 2022.0243

Hippopotamus sculpture, accession number 2022.0243

Motorcycle sculpture, accession number 2022.0243

Motorcycle sculpture, accession number 2022.0243

Print "Equipoise" by Daniel LaRue Johnson, accession number 2022.0243

Print "Picking Cotton" by Robert Gwathmey, accession number 2022.0243

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Provenance:
Collection donated by Byron Lewis and Sylvia Lewis, December 8, 2022.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research. Researchers must handle unprotected photographs with gloves. Researchers must use reference copies of audio-visual materials. When no reference copy exists, the Archives Center staff will produce reference copies on an "as needed" basis, as resources allow.
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  Search this
Advertising agencies  Search this
Audio tapes  Search this
Black people -- History  Search this
Business Advertising  Search this
Consumerism. Consumers--History--20th century  Search this
Consumers--History--20th century  Search this
Film festivals  Search this
Publicity  Search this
Genre/Form:
Brochures
Business cards
Correspondence
Magazines (periodicals)
Photographs
Videotapes
Commercials -- 20th century
Citation:
Byron Lewis Papers, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Identifier:
NMAH.AC.1583
See more items in:
Byron Lewis Papers
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep84bd63905-c0b5-4ff3-9c9e-500d7c0204ef
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-1583
Online Media:

Exhibition Records, 1969-2022

Creator:
National Air and Space Museum (U.S.) Space History Department  Search this
Subject:
National Air and Space Museum (U.S.) Department of Space History  Search this
National Air and Space Museum (U.S.) Space History Division  Search this
National Air and Space Museum (U.S.) Space Science and Exploration Department  Search this
National Air and Space Museum (U.S.) Department of Astronautics  Search this
Physical description:
11.5 cu. ft. processed holdings
32.40 cu. ft. unprocessed holdings
Type:
Manuscripts
Black-and-white photographs
Color photographs
Floor plans
Color transparencies
Audiotapes
Videotapes
Floppy disks
Clippings
Pamphlets
Brochures
Exhibition catalogs
Electronic records
Videodiscs
Compact discs
Transcripts
Architectural drawings
Black-and-white negatives
Black-and-white transparencies
Color negatives
Books
Drawings
Illustrations
Digital versatile discs
Place:
Outer space
Date:
1969
1969-2022
Topic:
Aeronautical museums  Search this
Astronautical museums  Search this
Exhibitions  Search this
Museum exhibits  Search this
Space sciences  Search this
Museum curators  Search this
Museums--Collection management  Search this
Museums--Educational aspects  Search this
Columbus Quincentenary, 1992-1993  Search this
Traveling exhibitions  Search this
Exploration  Search this
Local number:
SIA RS00704
See more items in:
Exhibition Records 1969-2022 [National Air and Space Museum (U.S.) Space History Department]
Data Source:
Smithsonian Institution Archives
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:siris_arc_219830

Subject Files, 1955, 1960-2020

Creator:
National Air and Space Museum (U.S.) Space History Division  Search this
Physical description:
34 cu. ft. processed holdings
33.16 cu. ft. unprocessed holdings
Type:
Black-and-white photographs
Electronic records
Floppy disks
Digital versatile discs
Clippings
Brochures
Newsletters
Color transparencies
Pamphlets
Compact discs
Black-and-white negatives
Color photographs
Color negatives
Black-and-white transparencies
Floor plans
Illustrations
Videotapes
Serials (publications)
Date:
1955
1955-2020
1955, 1960-2020
Topic:
Astronautics  Search this
Aeronautical museums  Search this
Astronautical museums  Search this
Museum curators  Search this
Space sciences  Search this
Local number:
SIA RS00703
See more items in:
Subject Files 1955, 1960-2020 [National Air and Space Museum (U.S.) Space History Division]
Data Source:
Smithsonian Institution Archives
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:siris_arc_219829

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