EARL S. TUPPER PAPERS, ca. 1914-1982, #470

Scope and Content Note

The collection is organized into five series.

Series One, Personal Papers, contains material documenting aspects of Earl Tupper's personal life, particularly his boyhood and youth in New England. School papers, personal correspondence, and a family scrapbook make up the bulk of this series, which also includes a photographic and written appraisal of the family home.

Series Two, Early Business Papers and Scientific Notes, highlights the business ventures and scientific endeavors in which Tupper was involved in the 1930s, prior to the invention of Tupperware. The business ventures include a greenhouse and tree removal service, while his scientific interests lie largely in the area of containers. Of particular interest are his invention diaries and sketch books.

Series Three, Tupper Corporation/Tupperware Business Records, contains business records, marketing publications and publicity, and photographs for Tupper's most successful endeavor, Tupperware. These materials cover the years 1946 through 1958. Most of the photographs are of company personnel and facilities.

Series Four, Osterweil Oral Histories and Research Files, consists of material assembled by Neil Osterweil, a writer/researcher commissioned by the Tupper family to write Earl Tupper's biography. Most of the materials assembled here as research files are duplicates of materials found in Series 1, 2 and 3. This series also contains the early outlines and drafts of this autobiography, which was never finished. In 1988 and '89, Osterweil conducted oral history interviews with Tupper's daughter and four sons, along with other family members and longtime friends, and former Tupperware executives. The original tapes (subseries B) have been dubbed onto audiocassettes (subseries C) for researcher use, and master reel to reels for preservation (subseries D). There are transcripts available for some interviews.

Series Five, Center for Advertising History Oral History interviews, consists of interviews conducted in 1992 by John Fleckner with two Tupper sons, Glen and Myles. The original tapes (subseries A) have been dubbed onto audiocassettes (subseries B) for researcher use, and master reel to reels for preservation (subseries C). There are also abstracts for each interview (subseries D) .

Provenance

The materials were donated to the Archives Center in 1992 by Glen O. Tupper, Earl Tupper's son. Glen Tupper lives in Curridabat, Costa Rica.

Related Collections

Researchers interested in the history of plastics should also consult the:

Leo Baekeland Papers, 1881-1968 (AC# 5)
DuPont Nylon Collection, 1939-1977 (AC# 7)
J. Harry DuBois Collection on the History of Plastics, ca. 1900-1975 (AC# 8)
Celluloid Corporation Records, 1892-1935 (AC# 9)
Albany Billiard Ball Company Records, 1869-1973 (AC#11)

Researchers interested in the history of Tupperware should also consult the Brownie Wise Papers, ca. 1913-1992 (AC# 509). 

Click here to go to series 1.

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