Advertising - Overview
Advertising is meant to persuade, and the themes and techniques of that persuasion reveal a part of the nation's history. The Museum has preserved advertising campaigns for several familiar companies, such as Marlboro, Alka-Seltzer, Federal Express, Cover Girl, and Nike. It also holds the records of the NW Ayer Advertising Agency and business papers from Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Carvel Ice Cream, and other companies. The Warshaw Collection of Business Americana comprises thousands of trade cards, catalogs, labels, and other business papers and images dating back to the late 1700s.
Beyond advertising campaigns, the collections encompass thousands of examples of packaging, catalogs, and other literature from many crafts and trades, from engineering to hat making. The collections also contain an eclectic array of advertising objects, such as wooden cigar-store Indians, neon signs, and political campaign ads.
"Advertising - Overview" showing 115 items.
Page 1 of 12
Hale's "Clever Clothes Shop"
- Description (Brief)
- Celluloid envelope with blue print. On one side is an image of a woman's profile and Edward Hoch's attributed quote that begins, "There is so much bad in the best of us ..." An advertisement is on the reverse. The envelope contains a celluloid sleeve and a strip of material. It is an advertising piece for Hale's "Clever Clothes Shop" of Kingston, N.Y.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- after 1905
- advertiser
- Hale, Chas. E
- maker
- Whitehead & Hoag Company
- ID Number
- 2006.0098.0519
- accession number
- 2006.0098
- catalog number
- 2006.0098.0519
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
F.F. Pulver Co.
- Description (Brief)
- Die-cut from celluloid sheet stock and decorated with a floral motif. An advertisement for F. F. Pulver Co., "makers of original celluloid novelties that advertise," is on the front.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1900-1920
- maker
- F. F. Pulver Co.
- ID Number
- 2006.0098.0659
- accession number
- 2006.0098
- catalog number
- 2006.0098.0659
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Ten Year Calendar, "Caught in the Act"
- Description (Brief)
- Calendar with celluloid front and paper back. The calendar contains a rotating disc visible through windows cut into the plastic. By rotating the dial, one can find dates for the years 1898-1912. An image of a young girl in bonnet holding trowel and flowers is opposite the calendar. Black print on reverse advertises "Superior Flower Seeds."
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1898
- advertiser
- Mandeville & King
- maker
- Whitehead & Hoag Company
- ID Number
- 2006.0098.0738
- accession number
- 2006.0098
- catalog number
- 2006.0098.0738
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Advertising notebook for health tonics
- Description (Brief)
- Plastic notebook with color advertisements on cover. One side has image of a bottle of "Tono Sumbol" and reverse has image of "Liquid Pancreopepsine."
- "Tono Sumbol", a patent medicine tonic and cordial, was a speciality of William R. Warner of Philadelphia, PA. It's active ingredient was sumbol, a stimulant and tonic made from balsamic resin.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- after 1895
- advertiser
- William R. Warner and Company
- maker
- Whitehead & Hoag Company
- ID Number
- 2006.0098.0753
- accession number
- 2006.0098
- catalog number
- 2006.0098.0753
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
George Keller, Electrical Contractor, mirror
- Description (Brief)
- Round, glass hand mirror with celluloid backing. On the back are images of birthstones arranged by month over a black border. The center is white, with black print. The mirror was a promotional item for George Keller, an electrical contractor in Brooklyn, N.Y. It has union markings.
- maker
- Benjamin Harris Co.
- ID Number
- 2006.0098.1452
- catalog number
- 2006.0098.1452
- accession number
- 2006.0098
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Unguentine - When The Finger of Fire Touches You
- Description (Brief)
- Yellow oval pin with image of a flaming hand with extended finger. An image of a tube of Unguentine burn salve is on the reverse. Metal pin back.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1943
- maker
- Whitehead & Hoag Company
- ID Number
- 2006.0098.0122
- accession number
- 2006.0098
- catalog number
- 2006.0098.0122
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Tea-Ette
- Description (Brief)
- Notebook with celluloid cover. Included in the color print on front is an image of tea package. A calendar for the year 1902 is on the back. Handwriting in pencil is on interior pages. The notebook advertised "Tea-Ette, the choicest of tea with the (poisonous) tannin removed."
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1902
- maker
- Royal Tea-Ette Company
- ID Number
- 2006.0098.0462
- accession number
- 2006.0098
- catalog number
- 2006.0098.0462
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
The Line-a-time
- Description (Brief)
- White erasing shield with black and white image of a woman using a Remington Rand "Line-a-time" typing machine. The Line-a-time "makes transcribing easier, quicker, and more accurate" by moving the page to be copied up, line by line, with the press of a button.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- after 1927
- maker
- Remington Rand Inc.
- ID Number
- 2006.0098.0500
- accession number
- 2006.0098
- catalog number
- 2006.0098.0500
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Panama
- Description (Brief)
- Celluloid erasing shield advertising Panama typewriter products. In blue and red print, it features images of carbon paper, ribbon, and duplicator ink packages.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1925
- maker
- Manifold Supplies Company
- ID Number
- 2006.0098.0501
- accession number
- 2006.0098
- catalog number
- 2006.0098.0501
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
The Poco Exposure Meter
- Description (Brief)
- Photographic exposure scale with celluloid front and paper back. It has an interior celluloid dial, and red and blue print on front. A Light Value Table is printed on the back. One side of the dial describes various kinds of scenes ("Distance in open landscape, snow scenes with dark objects", "Sea, Dark Clouds", etc.) and the other lists kinds of film and plates. An advertisement for the Rochester Optical & Camera Company; it features the Poco Camera, one of its products.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1889-1903
- maker
- Rochester Optical & Camera Company
- ID Number
- 2006.0098.0517
- accession number
- 2006.0098
- catalog number
- 2006.0098.0517
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
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