Advertising

Ivory Soap Ad

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.

Place: United States

Burma-Shave Advertising Signs

By the 1920s, commercial signs and billboards turned the roadside into an advertising medium. Allan Odell, sales manager of the family-owned Burma-Vita Company, created serial roadside rhymes in 1926 to advertise the company’s brushless shaving cream.
Description
By the 1920s, commercial signs and billboards turned the roadside into an advertising medium. Allan Odell, sales manager of the family-owned Burma-Vita Company, created serial roadside rhymes in 1926 to advertise the company’s brushless shaving cream. He was inspired by a string of signs leading to a service station in Illinois, each sign promoting a product or service available at the station. The earliest Burma-Shave signs boosted sales significantly; the sign program spread so rapidly that the company began a nationwide contest, resulting in dozens of selections annually. Some verses merely extolled the Burma-Shave product, while others made light of facial hair, shaving, and intimacy with the opposite sex. Gradually the company introduced “public service announcements” in the form of humorous reminders to drive safely or suffer the consequences. This rhyme is a commentary on the serious problem of drinking and driving. Verses of this type cautioned motorists to be aware of the risks of expanded personal mobility and drive safely and responsibly.
date made
1959
maker
Burma-Vita Company
ID Number
2005.0121.01
catalog number
2005.0121.01
accession number
2005.0121

French Fry Scoop

This object is a right-handed, stainless steel French fry scoop with a black plastic handle.
Description
This object is a right-handed, stainless steel French fry scoop with a black plastic handle. On the reverse, writing etched into the scoop says “Bagging Scoop.” This scoop, used by right-handed employees, was designed to dispense a precise amount of French fries to create uniformity between servings in the quickest, most efficient way possible.
The McDonald’s Corporation is one of the most recognizable hamburger restaurants in the United States. As of 2011, the McDonald’s Corporation and franchisees were operating in 119 countries with 1.9 million employees, making it the 4th largest employer in the world.
In 1940, Richard (Dick) and Maurice (Mac) McDonald opened the first McDonald’s Bar-B-Q drive-in restaurant in San Bernardino, California. In 1948, the brothers redesigned their menu, centering on the 15 cent hamburger. In 1954, Ray Kroc, a Multimixer (milkshake machine) salesman, became interested in the McDonalds brothers’ high volume restaurant. He worked out a deal with the brothers to be their franchising agent and opened the first franchise location in Illinois the following year. Under Kroc’s direction, the company grew to become the giant we know today.
date made
mid 1960s
maker
Prince Castle
ID Number
1991.0324.03
catalog number
1991.0324.03
accession number
1991.0324

Ruler

An advertising novelty for American Saw & Mfg. Co., maker of Lenox saws. The ruler is a twelve-inch folding ruler made of ivory-grained celluloid.
Description (Brief)
An advertising novelty for American Saw & Mfg. Co., maker of Lenox saws. The ruler is a twelve-inch folding ruler made of ivory-grained celluloid. It's marked in inches and centimeters.
Description
Folding 12-inch celluloid ruler marked in inches and centimeters, with inscriptions that read “AMERICAN SAW & MFG. CO. / SPRINGFIELD, MASS., U.S.A.” and “LENOX / HACK / SAWS.” Inscriptions on the back identify Lenox as “The Blade in the Plaid Box.”
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1915-1930
maker
Whitehead and Hoag Company
ID Number
2006.0098.1700
catalog number
2006.0098.1700
accession number
2006.0098

United We Stand Button

Lapel pin in the shape of Uncle Sam’s top hat. The red and white striped portion of the hat says “United,” and the blue band says “We Stand” in white.James Montgomery Flagg popularized the image of Uncle Sam during World War I with his famous “I Want You For U.S.
Description (Brief)
Lapel pin in the shape of Uncle Sam’s top hat. The red and white striped portion of the hat says “United,” and the blue band says “We Stand” in white.
James Montgomery Flagg popularized the image of Uncle Sam during World War I with his famous “I Want You For U.S. Army” poster.
Much like the use of military insignia to identify its wearer (by association with an organization) and his/her achievements, these pins and buttons were meant to be worn by Americans on the home front during World War I to show their membership in an organization and/or their contribution to a particular war effort, such as the United War Work Campaign. The pins and buttons displayed the wearer’s patriotism and generosity and undoubtedly also served to prompt others to become similarly involved in the various war efforts.
SOURCE:
“The Most Famous Poster,” American Treasures of the Library of Congress, loc.gov/exhibits/treasures/trm015.html.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1917-1918
maker
George Borgfeldt & Company
ID Number
2006.0098.0314
accession number
2006.0098
catalog number
2006.0098.0314

Office window for Harris Koppelman, Lawyer

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Falk, Sam
ID Number
PG.69.99.002
accession number
281224
catalog number
69.99.002

Decimal Equivalents of SRB Products

Celluloid mathematical table for decimal equivalents. Square with interior dial, the front bears an image of an wheel with ball bearings. Images of various ball-bearing products are on reverse. It is an advertisment for Standard Roller Bearing Company.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Celluloid mathematical table for decimal equivalents. Square with interior dial, the front bears an image of an wheel with ball bearings. Images of various ball-bearing products are on reverse. It is an advertisment for Standard Roller Bearing Company.
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Standard Roller Bearing Company
ID Number
2006.0098.0513
accession number
2006.0098
catalog number
2006.0098.0513

Wray Pump & Register Co. ruler

An advertising novelty for Wray Pump & Register Co., and their selling agent, Brandenburg & Co. It unfolds like a carpenter's rule and has advertising and useful data on engines and tire pressure printed on both sides.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
An advertising novelty for Wray Pump & Register Co., and their selling agent, Brandenburg & Co. It unfolds like a carpenter's rule and has advertising and useful data on engines and tire pressure printed on both sides.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1905
maker
Bastian Brothers Company
ID Number
2006.0098.1103
accession number
2006.0098
catalog number
2006.0098.1103

Huyler's Milk Chocolate Tin

This plain, cylindrical tin was used to store and market Huyler's chocolate. On the front is a small, bronze plaque which reads in black lettering, Huyler's Milk Chocolate.In 1846, John Huyler was born to David Huyler who ran a bakery in New York City.
Description
This plain, cylindrical tin was used to store and market Huyler's chocolate. On the front is a small, bronze plaque which reads in black lettering, Huyler's Milk Chocolate.
In 1846, John Huyler was born to David Huyler who ran a bakery in New York City. By the early 1860s, John was working in his father’s shop, learning the trade. In 1874, he opened his own store, a confectionary, and within a few years he had opened three more stores. By the time of his death in 1910, he owned 54 store fronts with 14 factories and around 2000 employees supplying his shops.
Chocolate had been known and treasured by Native Americans in Central and South America for thousands of years prior to the arrival of the first Spanish explorers in the late 1400s and early 1500s. Cacao beans were so highly prized by Mayans and Aztecs that they were used as currency in many areas of the Americas. When first taken back to Europe by the Spanish, the chocolate drink continued to be produced exclusively for the enjoyment of royalty or the extremely wealthy. As the cacao bean gradually made its presence known throughout Europe, it still remained trapped in this exclusive section of society well into the 19th century.
The chocolate trade to North America began more than 300 years ago, primarily centered in or near major port cities of the time, such as New York City, Boston, Philadelphia and Newport, RI. Due to lower transportation costs, chocolate was often less expensive in the Americas than in Europe and therefore had a broader consumer base. The Industrial Revolution radically changed chocolate production and helped propel it into the hearts and stomachs of the working class. Instead of being a labor intensive product, it became entirely machine made reducing costs even further in the late 19th and early 20th century. During this time, chocolate went from being something a person drank to being something to eat, finally becoming a treat for the masses.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
ZZ.RSN80528Z77

R & S Crystallized Ginger Tin

This red and cream, rectangular tin was used to store and market R & S Crystallized Oriental Ginger. The lid contains the name of the product and the manufacturer, Albert L.
Description
This red and cream, rectangular tin was used to store and market R & S Crystallized Oriental Ginger. The lid contains the name of the product and the manufacturer, Albert L. Rich, Inc., in red lettering.
Sweet treats have been a part of the human diet nearly since the beginning of human existence. The type of treat has changed over time, but human desire for sweetness has not. Candy can be hard or chewy, may or may not contain chocolate and can be sweet or sour. Sugar cane was introduced to Europeans when crusaders brought the substance back from the Middle East, and it was with these Europeans that sugar gained its highly prized status as an art form and a gift to be given away on special occasions. A status that persists to this day when a suitor gives their beloved chocolate for Valentine’s Day.
At one time, small family owned confectionary shops dominated the American landscape. Opening a candy making business was a relatively low cost investment, all one needed was a kitchen and a basket to sell their treats from on the street. As demand grew, they could grow their business. Today, many of these small businesses have been absorbed into large corporations who command a much greater market power. Crystallized ginger was and still is popular for adding into baked goods as well as eating on its own.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
1990.0018.0153
accession number
1990.0018
catalog number
1990.0018.0153

Juicy Fruit Gum Tin

This red tin was used to market Juicy Fruit® gum. The tin was designed to hang against a wall or other flat surface and the gum would be held in the basket on the bottom front of the tin.Juicy Fruit® is a brand of gum developed by Wm Wrigley Jr. Company.
Description
This red tin was used to market Juicy Fruit® gum. The tin was designed to hang against a wall or other flat surface and the gum would be held in the basket on the bottom front of the tin.
Juicy Fruit® is a brand of gum developed by Wm Wrigley Jr. Company. William Wrigley, Jr., started his business in 1892 in Chicago, Ill. He developed the Juicy Fruit® brand in 1893, along with the other iconic Wrigley’s brand, Spearmint®. During WWII, the company removed its chewing gum brands from the civilian market and continued to only fulfill orders for US troops rather than sell a product of inferior quality due to war rationing. As of 2008, Wm Wrigley Jr. Company has been part of Mars, Inc.
Sweet treats have been a part of the human diet nearly since the beginning of human existence. The type of treat has changed over time, but human desire for sweetness has not. Candy can be hard or chewy, may or may not contain chocolate and can be sweet or sour. Sugar cane was introduced to Europeans when crusaders brought the substance back from the Middle East, and it was with these Europeans that sugar gained its highly prized status as an art form and a gift to be given away on special occasions. A status that persists to this day when a suitor gives their beloved chocolate for Valentine’s Day.
At one time, small family owned confectionary shops dominated the American landscape. Opening a candy making business was a relatively low cost investment, all one needed was a kitchen and a basket to sell their treats from on the street. As demand grew, they could grow their business. Today, many of these small businesses have been absorbed into large corporations who command a much greater market power.
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company
ID Number
AG.293320.2740
catalog number
AG*293320.2740
accession number
293320

The Rand McNally Indexed Pocket Maps

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1940
graphic artist
Rand McNally Company
ID Number
1971.293320.2970
accession number
293320
catalog number
293320.2970

Oak Hall Clothing Co.

A stamp holder and pocket calendar of cream celluloid. The inside contains a calendar for 1900. A promotional novelty, it advertises Oak Hall Clothing Co. of Boston.
Description (Brief)
A stamp holder and pocket calendar of cream celluloid. The inside contains a calendar for 1900. A promotional novelty, it advertises Oak Hall Clothing Co. of Boston. The front resembles a stamped envelope.
Oak Hall was a well-known men’s clothing retailer in Boston started by George W. Simmons. The name derives from the new woodwork in the store following an 1842 renovation—a look that became synonymous with high-end men’s clothing stores. Thanks to Simmons's aggressive marketing campaigns, the store was familiar to most residents of New England in the mid-19th century. It is mentioned in works by Nathaniel Hawthorne (“Main Street”) and derisively by Henry David Thoreau (“Ktaadn”), as well as in correspondence by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, who was incensed at the store’s use of advertising poems (written by “Professor Goodfellow”), and patterned on Longfellow's style.
Source: “Oak Hall in American Literature” by Steven Allaback, in American Literature Vol. 46 No.4 Jan. 1975, p. 545-549.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1900
maker
Whitehead & Hoag Company
ID Number
2006.0098.0980
accession number
2006.0098
catalog number
2006.0098.0980

Mackintosh's Toffee Candy Tin

This green, rectangular tin with white and red writing and black and white design once contained Mackintosh's Extra Cream Toffee.
Description
This green, rectangular tin with white and red writing and black and white design once contained Mackintosh's Extra Cream Toffee. The design includes a picture of John Mackintosh proclaiming himself as the Toffee King.
John Mackintosh began his toffee shop in 1890 in Halifax, England. His wife had created a recipe combining hard butterscotch candies and American soft caramel which became a huge success. Within five years, he moved from a retail business to a manufacture and wholesale business and began calling himself the “toffee king.” The company continued to grow and expand over the years. In 1899, he changed his company to John Mackintosh Ltd, and in 1920 after his death, his son Harold changed the company once again to John Mackintosh & Sons Ltd. In 1969, the company merged with Rowntree & Company to form Rowntree Mackintosh. In 1988, Rowntree Mackintosh was taken over by Nestlé.
Chocolate had been known and treasured by Native Americans in Central and South America for thousands of years prior to the arrival of the first Spanish explorers in the late 1400s and early 1500s. Cacao beans were so highly prized by Mayans and Aztecs that they were used as currency in many areas of the Americas. When first taken back to Europe by the Spanish, the chocolate drink continued to be produced exclusively for the enjoyment of royalty or the extremely wealthy. As the cacao bean gradually made its presence known throughout Europe, it still remained trapped in this exclusive section of society well into the 19th century.
The chocolate trade to North America began more than 300 years ago, primarily centered in or near major port cities of the time, such as New York City, Boston, Philadelphia and Newport, RI. Due to lower transportation costs, chocolate was often less expensive in the Americas than in Europe and therefore had a broader consumer base. The Industrial Revolution radically changed chocolate production and helped propel it into the hearts and stomachs of the working class. Instead of being a labor intensive product, it became entirely machine made reducing costs even further in the late 19th and early 20th century. During this time, chocolate went from being something a person drank to being something to eat, finally becoming a treat for the masses.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
AG.77-FT-15.0017
catalog number
77-FT-15.0017
accession number
283681

Cascade Flour

Advertising novelty for Cascade Flour. Image of a smiling man in a bow-tie, with the question "Why?" underneath. A slide-out panel explains "We use Cascade Flour at our house and IT'S FINE."Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Advertising novelty for Cascade Flour. Image of a smiling man in a bow-tie, with the question "Why?" underneath. A slide-out panel explains "We use Cascade Flour at our house and IT'S FINE."
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Brown & Bigelow
ID Number
2006.0098.0129
accession number
2006.0098
catalog number
2006.0098.0129

Mug, BioCapital

Starting in 1984, Synergistic Designs created a series of artistic maps it dubbed “FusionScapes” to promote regional areas of high technology, particularly biotechnology.
Description (Brief)
Starting in 1984, Synergistic Designs created a series of artistic maps it dubbed “FusionScapes” to promote regional areas of high technology, particularly biotechnology. The maps depicted local businesses and research facilities, and were intended to serve as “both a fun conversation piece and an effective line of corporate image-enhancement tools.”
Concentrated centers of biotechnology throughout the United States were given catchy nicknames referring to the region and its ties to genetics. Among these names were “Genetown” (a play on “Beantown” for the greater Boston area) and “BioForest” (the name for the Pacific Northwest biotech industry.) This mug depicts some of the biotechnology firms of the “BioCapital” region (the Washington, D.C., metro area) in 1996.
Companies, universities, and research facilities in the biotech field paid to be included on the maps as well as in regional directories, which were updated every other year. The maps were printed on posters, postcards, T–shirts and other promotional ephemera, and could be modified to highlight specific institutions. By the mid-1990s, Synergistic Designs shifted its emphasis from traditional printed promotional materials to a website that integrated all of the regions of biotechnology in a single space. BioSpace.com launched in 1996 with the intention of being a “virtual on-going trade conference for the global biotech industry.” The site was still live and publishing new regional biotech maps as of 2012.
Today, the older maps provide unique historical snapshots of the development of biotechnology industries in different regions of the United States.
Sources:
“Synergistic designs unveils 4th Biotech Bay promotional campaign; demonstrates biospace web site enhancements” PR Newswire.
“Md. Biotech industry setting up Web site ‘Nonstop trade show’ starts next month at www.biospace.com.” Guidera, Mark. Baltimore Sun. August 28, 1996.
1994 Biotech Bay Directory
Accession File
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1996
ID Number
2001.3066.05
catalog number
2001.3066.05
nonaccession number
2001.3066

Acme Licorice Pellets

This rectangular tin with a red and gold design was used to store and market Licorice Pellets. The name of the product is on the front, and the name of the manufacturing company, Young & Smylie, is located on the reverse.Young and Smylie was established in 1845 in Pennsylvania.
Description
This rectangular tin with a red and gold design was used to store and market Licorice Pellets. The name of the product is on the front, and the name of the manufacturing company, Young & Smylie, is located on the reverse.
Young and Smylie was established in 1845 in Pennsylvania. The brand went through several different names before settling in 1968 on Y&S Candies, Inc. Twizzlers is one of its current, major brands. In 1977, Y&S Candies Inc. was acquired by Hershey Foods.
Sweet treats have been a part of the human diet nearly since the beginning of human existence. The type of treat has changed over time, but human desire for sweetness has not. Candy can be hard or chewy, may or may not contain chocolate and can be sweet or sour. Sugar cane was introduced to Europeans when crusaders brought the substance back from the Middle East, and it was with these Europeans that sugar gained its highly prized status as an art form and a gift to be given away on special occasions. A status that persists to this day when a suitor gives their beloved chocolate for Valentine’s Day.
At one time, small family owned confectionary shops dominated the American landscape. Opening a candy making business was a relatively low cost investment, all one needed was a kitchen and a basket to sell their treats from on the street. As demand grew, they could grow their business. Today, many of these small businesses have been absorbed into large corporations who command a much greater market power.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
AG.77-FT-15.0147
catalog number
77-FT-15.0147
accession number
283681

Maltine

Die-cut from a sheet of celluloid in the shape of an owl. Advertising copy on the back is for Maltine.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Die-cut from a sheet of celluloid in the shape of an owl. Advertising copy on the back is for Maltine.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1886-1920
maker
Whitehead & Hoag Company
ID Number
2006.0098.0684
accession number
2006.0098
catalog number
2006.0098.0684

Rich's Crystallized Ginger Tin

This yellow, rectangular tin with black design and black writing once contained crystallized canton ginger candies made by E.C. Rich, Inc. of New York.Sweet treats have been a part of the human diet nearly since the beginning of human existence.
Description
This yellow, rectangular tin with black design and black writing once contained crystallized canton ginger candies made by E.C. Rich, Inc. of New York.
Sweet treats have been a part of the human diet nearly since the beginning of human existence. The type of treat has changed over time, but human desire for sweetness has not. Candy can be hard or chewy, may or may not contain chocolate and can be sweet or sour. Sugar cane was introduced to Europeans when crusaders brought the substance back from the Middle East, and it was with these Europeans that sugar gained its highly prized status as an art form and a gift to be given away on special occasions. A status that persists to this day when a suitor gives their beloved chocolate for Valentine’s Day.
At one time, small family owned confectionary shops dominated the American landscape. Opening a candy making business was a relatively low cost investment, all one needed was a kitchen and a basket to sell their treats from on the street. As demand grew, they could grow their business. Today, many of these small businesses have been absorbed into large corporations who command a much greater market power. Crystallized ginger was and still is popular for adding into baked goods as well as eating on its own.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
1990.0018.0126
accession number
1990.0018
catalog number
1990.0018.0126

Rich's Crystallized Ginger Candy Tin

This yellow, rectangular tin with black design and black writing once contained crystallized canton ginger candies made by E.C. Rich, Inc. of New York.Sweet treats have been a part of the human diet nearly since the beginning of human existence.
Description
This yellow, rectangular tin with black design and black writing once contained crystallized canton ginger candies made by E.C. Rich, Inc. of New York.
Sweet treats have been a part of the human diet nearly since the beginning of human existence. The type of treat has changed over time, but human desire for sweetness has not. Candy can be hard or chewy, may or may not contain chocolate and can be sweet or sour. Sugar cane was introduced to Europeans when crusaders brought the substance back from the Middle East, and it was with these Europeans that sugar gained its highly prized status as an art form and a gift to be given away on special occasions. A status that persists to this day when a suitor gives their beloved chocolate for Valentine’s Day.
At one time, small family owned confectionary shops dominated the American landscape. Opening a candy making business was a relatively low cost investment, all one needed was a kitchen and a basket to sell their treats from on the street. As demand grew, they could grow their business. Today, many of these small businesses have been absorbed into large corporations who command a much greater market power. Crystallized ginger was and still is popular for adding into baked goods as well as eating on its own.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
AG.77-FT-15.0175
catalog number
77-FT-15.0175
accession number
283681

Huyler's Cocoa Tin

This yellow, rectangular tin with black lettering and design was used to store and market Huyler's drinking chocolate.In 1846, John Huyler was born to David Huyler who ran a bakery in New York City. By the early 1860s, John was working in his father’s shop, learning the trade.
Description
This yellow, rectangular tin with black lettering and design was used to store and market Huyler's drinking chocolate.
In 1846, John Huyler was born to David Huyler who ran a bakery in New York City. By the early 1860s, John was working in his father’s shop, learning the trade. In 1874, he opened his own store, a confectionary, and within a few years he had opened three more stores. By the time of his death in 1910, he owned 54 store fronts with 14 factories and around 2000 employees supplying his shops.
Chocolate had been known and loved by Native Americans in Central and South America for thousands of years prior to the arrival of the first Spanish explorers in the late 1400s and early 1500s. Cacao beans were so highly prized by Mayans and Aztecs that they were used as currency in many areas of the Americas. When first taken back to Europe by the Spanish, the chocolate drink continued to be produced exclusively for the enjoyment of royalty or the extremely wealthy. As the cacao bean gradually made its presence known throughout Europe, it still remained trapped in this exclusive section of society well into the 19th century.
The chocolate trade to North America began more than 300 years ago, primarily centered in or near major port cities of the time, such as New York City, Boston, Philadelphia and Newport, RI. Due to lower transportation costs, chocolate was often less expensive in the Americas than in Europe and therefore had a broader consumer base. The Industrial Revolution radically changed chocolate production and helped propel it into the hearts and stomachs of the working class. Instead of being a labor intensive product, it became entirely machine made reducing costs even further in the late 19th and early 20th century. During this time, chocolate went from being something a person drank to being something to eat, finally becoming a treat for the masses.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
ZZ.RSN80525Z99

"The Battle of the Sewing Machines"

"The Battle of the Sewing Machines" was composed and arranged by F. Hyde for the piano, and was published in 1874 by Wm. A. Pond & Co. of 547 Broadway, N.Y., N.Y. The lithograph by R. Teller of 120 Wooster St., N.Y., N.Y., illustrates a "battle" of sewing machines.
Description
"The Battle of the Sewing Machines" was composed and arranged by F. Hyde for the piano, and was published in 1874 by Wm. A. Pond & Co. of 547 Broadway, N.Y., N.Y. The lithograph by R. Teller of 120 Wooster St., N.Y., N.Y., illustrates a "battle" of sewing machines. The Remington "army" is marching towards the fleeing Singer, Howe, Succor, Weed, and Willcox & Gibbs sewing machines. The soldiers are riding the Remington treadle machines like horses and are carrying Remington rifles. The Remington No. 2 sewing machine had just come out to market in June 1874. The family treadle machine with a drop-leaf table and two drawers would have cost $75.00.
On the top left of the sheet music, a woman is pictured sewing on a Remington machine in the Remington office at Madison Square, New York. In the right box is featured the Remington Works of Ilion, N.Y. The music consists of 11 pages, with such subtitles as: "Howe the battle began"; "Advent of all the best machines"; "Song of the Sewing Machine Man: 'How Can I Leave Thee'"; "Triumph of the Remington Sewing Machine," and "Home Sweet Home."
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1874
referenced
Remington Sewing Machine Company
composer
Hyde, F.
publisher
William A. Pond & Co.
lithographer
Teller, R.
ID Number
1991.0130.01
catalog number
1991.0130.01
accession number
1991.0130

War Savings Service Button

Round War Savings Service button.
Description (Brief)
Round War Savings Service button. The outer circle is brown with light brown text that reads “∙ War Savings Service ∙ W.S.S.” The inner circle is blue and white with an image of the Statue of Liberty’s torch.
The War Savings Service was related to the purchase of War Savings Stamps. The U.S. Treasury began issuing War Savings Stamps in late 1917 to help fund American participation in World War I. The War Savings Service button was a way for Americans to indicate that they were “enlisted in the great army of production and saving” on the home front.
Much like the use of military insignia to identify its wearer (by association with an organization) and his/her achievements, these pins and buttons were meant to be worn by Americans on the home front during World War I to show their membership in an organization and/or their contribution to a particular war effort, such as the United War Work Campaign. The pins and buttons displayed the wearer’s patriotism and generosity and undoubtedly also served to prompt others to become similarly involved in the various war efforts.
SOURCE:
“Drive on for War Savings Stamps: Opportunity Given to All to Help Defeat Germany by Lending to the Government,” Greater New York 7 (June 24, 1918): 12. books.google.com/books?id=tisiAQAAMAAJ.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1917-1918
maker
Whitehead & Hoag Company
ID Number
2006.0098.0312
accession number
2006.0098
catalog number
2006.0098.0312

opener, letter

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
early 20th century
ID Number
DL.59.1369N
catalog number
59.1369N
accession number
111627

Food Spread

Nickolas Muray color carbro photograph of a food spread ca. 1944. Several silver platters atop a white lace table cloth.
Description (Brief)
Nickolas Muray color carbro photograph of a food spread ca. 1944. Several silver platters atop a white lace table cloth. The platters are holding meat, rice, vegtables and pastries.
Photo Recto: Good condition.
Mount Recto: "10/1944" (pencil).
Mount Verso: McCall's Magazine label."7/27/44" (pencil). "#4 McCalls Magazine 1944" (pencil). "203/4" (blue pencil).
Description
Nickolas Muray was born in Szeged, Hungary on February 15, 1892. Twelve years after his birth, Muray left his native town and enrolled in a graphic arts school in Budapest. Enrolling in art school was the first step on a road that would eventually lead him to study a photographic printing process called three-color carbro. In the course of his accomplished career, Muray would become an expert in this process and play a key role in bringing color photography to America.
While attending art school in Budapest, Muray studied lithography and photoengraving, earning an International Engraver's Certificate. Muray was also introduced to photography during this time period. His combined interest in photography and printmaking led him to Berlin, Germany to participate in a three-year color-photoengraving course. In Berlin, Muray learned how to make color filters, a first step in the craft that would one day become his trademark. Immediately after the completion of the course, Muray found a good job with a publishing company in Ullstein, Germany. However, the threat of war in Europe forced Muray to flee for America in 1913. Soon after his arrival in New York, Muray was working as a photoengraver for Condé Nast. His specialty was color separations and half-tone negatives.
By 1920, Muray had established a home for himself in the up-and-coming artists' haven of Greenwich Village. He opened a portrait studio out of his apartment and continued to work part time at his engraving job. Harper's Bazaar magazine gave Muray his first big assignment in 1921. The project was to photograph Broadway star Florence Reed. The magazine was so impressed with his photographs that they began to publish his work monthly. This allowed him to give up his part time job and work solely as a photographer. It did not take long for Muray to become one of the most renowned portrait photographers in Manhattan. Muray spent much of the early 1920s photographing the most famous and important personalities in New York at the time.
In his spare time Muray enjoyed fencing. In 1927, he won the National Sabre Championship and in 1928 and 1932, he was on the United States Olympic Team. During World War II, Muray was a flight lieutenant in the Civil Air Patrol.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1944
maker
Muray, Nickolas
ID Number
PG.007930
accession number
258415
catalog number
7930

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