Family & Social Life

Bennet Family Record

Donations to the Museum have preserved irreplaceable evidence about generations of ordinary Americans. Objects from the Copp household of Stonington, Connecticut, include many items used by a single family from 1740 to 1850. Other donations have brought treasured family artifacts from jewelry to prom gowns. These gifts and many others are all part of the Museum's family and social life collections.

Children's books and Sunday school lessons, tea sets and family portraits also mark the connections between members of a family and between families and the larger society. Prints, advertisements, and artifacts offer nostalgic or idealized images of family life and society in times past. And the collections include a few modern conveniences that have had profound effects on American families and social life, such as televisions, video games, and personal computers.

Name: King Seeley Thermos

Corsage Thermos

This plastic, tin and glass thermos bottle was made by Thermos in 1973. It has a blue, screw-on plastic cup lid and a beige and red screw-on plastic stopper. The bottle is light blue and has colorful drawings of flowers on the sides.
Description (Brief)
This plastic, tin and glass thermos bottle was made by Thermos in 1973. It has a blue, screw-on plastic cup lid and a beige and red screw-on plastic stopper. The bottle is light blue and has colorful drawings of flowers on the sides. It is the companion bottle to lunch box #2001.3101.01.01.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1973
maker
King Seeley Thermos
ID Number
2001.3101.01.02
nonaccession number
2001.3101
catalog number
2001.3101.01.02

Brave Eagle Lunch Box

This metal lunch box was manufactured by Thermos in 1957. This lunch box features images from the television show Brave Eagle. The sides feature colorful depictions of Indians hunting buffalo and in combat with each other.
Description (Brief)
This metal lunch box was manufactured by Thermos in 1957. This lunch box features images from the television show Brave Eagle. The sides feature colorful depictions of Indians hunting buffalo and in combat with each other. Brave Eagle was a short-lived TV series, airing one season in 1955-1956 on CBS. The show was notable because its main protagonist was Native American, and featured scenes of the West from the Native American point of view.
Date made
1957
maker
King Seeley Thermos
ID Number
2004.3009.06.01
nonaccession number
2004.3009
catalog number
2004.3009.06.01

Get Smart Thermos

This thermos was manufactured by Thermos in 1966, as the companion to lunch box object number 2001.3100.03.02. The box features artwork from the television series Get Smart, and is a repetition of the image on the back of the lunch box.
Description (Brief)
This thermos was manufactured by Thermos in 1966, as the companion to lunch box object number 2001.3100.03.02. The box features artwork from the television series Get Smart, and is a repetition of the image on the back of the lunch box. Get Smart ran from 1965-1970, the first four years on NBC, and the last on CBS. It featured the adventures of Maxwell Smart as the bumbling Agent 86, and his female companion Agent 99.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1966
maker
King Seeley Thermos
ID Number
2001.3100.03.02
nonaccession number
2001.3100
catalog number
2001.3100.03.02

Auto-Race Lunch Box

This metal lunch box was made by Thermos in 1967. It has a hinged lid, with a button press closure, and a red plastic, collapsible hinged handle.
Description (Brief)
This metal lunch box was made by Thermos in 1967. It has a hinged lid, with a button press closure, and a red plastic, collapsible hinged handle. The lunch boxes features colorful action scenes of auto racing on the top and sides and a magnetic auto racing game on the bottom.
Location
Currently not on view
maker
King Seeley Thermos
ID Number
2004.3009.21
nonaccession number
2004.3009
catalog number
2004.3009.21

Lawman Thermos

This thermos bottle was manufactured by Thermos in 1961, and is the companion piece to lunch box object number 2001.3100.11.01. The bottle is made of tin, plastic and glass and has a screw-on, red plastic cup lid and a screw-on red and tan plastic stopper.
Description (Brief)
This thermos bottle was manufactured by Thermos in 1961, and is the companion piece to lunch box object number 2001.3100.11.01. The bottle is made of tin, plastic and glass and has a screw-on, red plastic cup lid and a screw-on red and tan plastic stopper. The bottle is yellow with drawings of cowboy clothing, equipment and firearms around the sides.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1961
maker
King Seeley Thermos
ID Number
2001.3100.11.02
nonaccession number
2001.3100
catalog number
2001.3100.11.02

Hee Haw Thermos

This tin, plastic and glass thermos bottle was made by Thermos in 1970. It has a screw-on, red plastic cup lid and a beige and red screw-on, plastic stopper.
Description (Brief)
This tin, plastic and glass thermos bottle was made by Thermos in 1970. It has a screw-on, red plastic cup lid and a beige and red screw-on, plastic stopper. The bottle has a tan wooden background, and drawings of the two stars from the television show Hee Haw, Gordie Tapp and Don Harron, on the side of the thermos.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1970
maker
King Seeley Thermos
ID Number
2001.3100.20
nonaccession number
2001.3100
catalog number
2001.3100.20

The A-Team Lunch Box

This tin lunch box was manufactured by Thermos in 1983. This lunch box features the characters from the television series, The A-Team on the exterior.
Description (Brief)
This tin lunch box was manufactured by Thermos in 1983. This lunch box features the characters from the television series, The A-Team on the exterior. The A-Team ran from 1983-1987 on NBC, and the box shows some of the explosive action that The A-Team was known for.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1983
maker
King Seeley Thermos
ID Number
2004.3009.01
nonaccession number
2004.3009
catalog number
2004.3009.01

Dick Tracy Thermos

This tin, plastic and glass thermos bottle was made by Thermos in 1967. It has a red plastic, screw-on cup lid and a red plastic, screw-on stopper.
Description (Brief)
This tin, plastic and glass thermos bottle was made by Thermos in 1967. It has a red plastic, screw-on cup lid and a red plastic, screw-on stopper. The bottle features are from the cartoon series, Dick Tracy on the sides, showing Tracy talking into his signature 2-way wrist radio.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1967
maker
King Seeley Thermos
ID Number
2001.3101.19
nonaccession number
2001.3101
catalog number
2001.3101.19

Fat Albert Thermos

This square plastic thermos bottle was made by Aladdin Industries in 1973. It has a red plastic, screw-on cup lid and a white and red, plastic stopper.
Description (Brief)
This square plastic thermos bottle was made by Aladdin Industries in 1973. It has a red plastic, screw-on cup lid and a white and red, plastic stopper. The bottle is orange and has a portrait of Fat Albert from the television series Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids on the front of the thermos.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1973
maker
King Seeley Thermos
ID Number
2004.3009.03.02
nonaccession number
2004.3009
catalog number
2004.3009.03.02

Lost in Space Lunch Box

This metal dome lunch box was manufactured by Thermos in 1967. This lunch box features images from the television show Lost in Space, which ran from 1965-1968 on CBS.
Description (Brief)
This metal dome lunch box was manufactured by Thermos in 1967. This lunch box features images from the television show Lost in Space, which ran from 1965-1968 on CBS. Lost in Space was originally named Space Family Robinson, and was a futuristic take on the Swiss Family Robinson. The box features a colorful scene of the Robinsons in their vehicle, the Chariot, motoring over a beautifully drawn alien landscape and fighting an alien with their laser guns on the sides.
Date made
1967
maker
King Seeley Thermos
ID Number
2004.3009.19.01
nonaccession number
2004.3009
catalog number
2004.3009.19.01

Blondie Lunch Box

This tin lunch box was made by Thermos in 1969. It has a metal snap for a hinged lid and a collapsible, blue plastic handle. The box features colorful drawings from the cartoon series Blondie on the lid, back and sides.
Description (Brief)
This tin lunch box was made by Thermos in 1969. It has a metal snap for a hinged lid and a collapsible, blue plastic handle. The box features colorful drawings from the cartoon series Blondie on the lid, back and sides. Created in 1930, Blondie was originally the focus of the strip, as a carefree flapper who dated a rich playboy in Dagwood Bumstead. However, when they married, Dagwood’s family disowned him and the strip changed to focus on the day to day life of Dagwood as a middle-class working guy with a loving family.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1969
maker
King Seeley Thermos
ID Number
2001.3101.11
nonaccession number
2001.3101
catalog number
2001.3101.11

Star Wars: A New Hope Thermos

This square plastic thermos bottle was made by Thermos in 1977. It has a red plastic, screw-on cup lid and a white and red plastic, screw-on stopper. The thermos has a blue background, and features an image of C3-PO and R2-D2 from Star Wars: A New Hope on the front.
Description (Brief)
This square plastic thermos bottle was made by Thermos in 1977. It has a red plastic, screw-on cup lid and a white and red plastic, screw-on stopper. The thermos has a blue background, and features an image of C3-PO and R2-D2 from Star Wars: A New Hope on the front. The bottle is a companion piece to lunch box #2001.3101.18.01.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1977
maker
King Seeley Thermos
ID Number
2001.3101.18.02
nonaccession number
2001.3101
catalog number
2001.3101.18.02

Lost in Space Thermos

This metal thermos bottle was made by Thermos in 1967. It has a red plastic lid and stopper. The bottle is decorated with colorful animated scenes depicting a lift off of a rocket, the orbit of a command module, and the re-entry of the module into the atmosphere.
Description (Brief)
This metal thermos bottle was made by Thermos in 1967. It has a red plastic lid and stopper. The bottle is decorated with colorful animated scenes depicting a lift off of a rocket, the orbit of a command module, and the re-entry of the module into the atmosphere. Instead of creating a new thermos to go along with the Lost in Space box, Thermos re-used the imagery from the Orbit thermos, object number 2001.3100.13.02.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1967
maker
King Seeley Thermos
ID Number
2004.3009.19.02
nonaccession number
2004.3009
catalog number
2004.3009.19.02

Fireball XL5 Lunch Box

This metal lunch box was manufactured by Thermos in 1964. It features images from the television show Fireball XL5, which ran on NBC from 1963-1965.
Description (Brief)
This metal lunch box was manufactured by Thermos in 1964. It features images from the television show Fireball XL5, which ran on NBC from 1963-1965. Fireball XL5 was filmed used Supermarionation, a combination of animation and puppetry that was made famous by the show’s creators, Gerry and Sylvia Anderson. Fireball XL5 was another television show that took advantage of the public’s fascination with space, as does this lunch box, with its various images of rockets and space ships.
Date made
1964
maker
King Seeley Thermos
ID Number
2004.3009.13.01
nonaccession number
2004.3009
catalog number
2004.3009.13.01

Snoopy Doghouse Thermos

This square plastic thermos bottle was made by Thermos in 1968. It has a red plastic, screw-on cup lid and a white and red plastic, screw-on stopper. The thermos is a yellow doghouse with a colorful drawing of Snoopy from the cartoon series, Peanuts on the side.
Description (Brief)
This square plastic thermos bottle was made by Thermos in 1968. It has a red plastic, screw-on cup lid and a white and red plastic, screw-on stopper. The thermos is a yellow doghouse with a colorful drawing of Snoopy from the cartoon series, Peanuts on the side. This is the companion bottle to lunch box #2001.3101.14.01.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1968
maker
King Seeley Thermos
ID Number
2001.3101.14.02
nonaccession number
2001.3101
catalog number
2001.3101.14.02

The Harlem Globetrotters Thermos

This tin, plastic and glass thermos bottle was made by Thermos in 1971. It has a screw-on, blue plastic cup lid and a beige and red screw-on, plastic stopper.
Description (Brief)
This tin, plastic and glass thermos bottle was made by Thermos in 1971. It has a screw-on, blue plastic cup lid and a beige and red screw-on, plastic stopper. The thermos has a red and white striped design and colorful portrait drawings of the team members from The Harlem Globetrotters television show on the side of the thermos. The Harlem Globetrotters was a Hanna-Barbera cartoon that ran from 19770-1973, featuring the real players from the real team at that time, with their fictional manager Granny settling conflicts around the world with basketball games.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1971
depicted
Harlem Globetrotters
maker
King Seeley Thermos
ID Number
2001.3100.19
nonaccession number
2001.3100
catalog number
2001.3100.19

Roy Rogers Chow Wagon Thermos

This metal and plastic thermos bottle was made by Thermos in 1958. The thermos has a colorful animated action scene of Roy Rogers on his bucking horse Trigger, herding cattle.
Description (Brief)
This metal and plastic thermos bottle was made by Thermos in 1958. The thermos has a colorful animated action scene of Roy Rogers on his bucking horse Trigger, herding cattle. The thermos reads “Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Double R Bar Ranch.” This thermos is the companion bottle to the lunch box object number 2004.3009.31.01
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1958
maker
King Seeley Thermos
ID Number
2004.3009.31.02
nonaccession number
2004.3009
catalog number
2004.3009.31.02

Battle Kit Thermos

This tin, plastic and glass thermos bottle was made by Thermos in 1965. It has a red plastic screw-on cup lid and a beige and red plastic screw-on stopper. The bottle has images of soldiers in war settings on the side.
Description (Brief)
This tin, plastic and glass thermos bottle was made by Thermos in 1965. It has a red plastic screw-on cup lid and a beige and red plastic screw-on stopper. The bottle has images of soldiers in war settings on the side. The bottle matches lunch box #2001.3101.04.01, and the image is the same as the front image of the lunch box.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1965
maker
King Seeley Thermos
ID Number
2001.3101.04.02
nonaccession number
2001.3101
catalog number
2001.3101.04.02

Astro Space Dome Lunch Box

This domed, tin lunch box was manufactured by Thermos in 1960. The lunch box has two metal snaps for a hinged lid and a collapsible red plastic handle.
Description (Brief)
This domed, tin lunch box was manufactured by Thermos in 1960. The lunch box has two metal snaps for a hinged lid and a collapsible red plastic handle. The lunch box is covered with images of space scenes, including lunar exploration, satellites, and spaceships.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1960
maker
King Seeley Thermos
ID Number
2004.3009.20
nonaccession number
2004.3009
catalog number
2004.3009.20

Wags and Whiskers Thermos

This square plastic thermos bottle was made by Thermos in 1978, and is the companion bottle to the lunch box with object number 2001.3100.15.01. The bottle has a screw-on, white plastic cup lid and a white and red plastic stopper.
Description (Brief)
This square plastic thermos bottle was made by Thermos in 1978, and is the companion bottle to the lunch box with object number 2001.3100.15.01. The bottle has a screw-on, white plastic cup lid and a white and red plastic stopper. The bottle is blue and has a picture of a dog and a cat nuzzling on the front of the thermos.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1978
maker
King Seeley Thermos
ID Number
2001.3100.15.02
nonaccession number
2001.3100
catalog number
2001.3100.15.02

Peanuts Thermos

This yellow plastic thermos bottle was made by Thermos in 1985. It has a beige screw-on plastic cup lid with handle, and a screw-on plastic stopper with a yellow hinged pouring spout.
Description (Brief)
This yellow plastic thermos bottle was made by Thermos in 1985. It has a beige screw-on plastic cup lid with handle, and a screw-on plastic stopper with a yellow hinged pouring spout. The thermos features is a colorful cartoon image of Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and Woodstock of the Peanuts comic strip on the front.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1985
maker
King Seeley Thermos
ID Number
2004.3009.02.02
nonaccession number
2004.3009
catalog number
2004.3009.02.02

Star Wars: A New Hope Lunch Box

This tin lunch box was made by Thermos in 1977. The box has a red plastic snap for a hinged lid and a collapsible red, plastic handle. The box has art from the movie Star Wars.
Description (Brief)
This tin lunch box was made by Thermos in 1977. The box has a red plastic snap for a hinged lid and a collapsible red, plastic handle. The box has art from the movie Star Wars. The lid and sides are a starry black background, and the lid has an image of a TIE Fighter shooting at an X-Wing. The back shows Luke Skywalker, Ben Kenobi, and C3P0 in their landspeeder being stopped by storm troopers heading into Mos Eisley.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1977
maker
King Seeley Thermos
ID Number
2001.3101.18.01
nonaccession number
2001.3101
catalog number
2001.3101.18.01

Fireball XL5 Thermos

This metal thermos bottle was made by Thermos in 1964. The bottle has a red plastic cup lid with handle. The thermos features artwork from the television show Fireball XL5.
Description (Brief)
This metal thermos bottle was made by Thermos in 1964. The bottle has a red plastic cup lid with handle. The thermos features artwork from the television show Fireball XL5. Fireball XL5 was filmed using Supermarionation, a combination of animation and puppetry that was made famous by the show’s creators, Gerry and Sylvia Anderson. Fireball XL5 was another show that took advantage of the public’s fascination with space, as does this thermos, with its various images of rockets and space ships.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1964
maker
King Seeley Thermos
ID Number
2004.3009.13.02
nonaccession number
2004.3009
catalog number
2004.3009.13.02

Bobby Sherman Lunch Box

This metal lunchbox was manufactured by Thermos in 1972. The lunch box has a color photo illustration of Bobby Sherman on the front and a biography on the back. This lunch box is an interesting example of marketing a teenage heartthrob to young girls.
Description (Brief)
This metal lunchbox was manufactured by Thermos in 1972. The lunch box has a color photo illustration of Bobby Sherman on the front and a biography on the back. This lunch box is an interesting example of marketing a teenage heartthrob to young girls. The lunch box is covered with hearts, and Bobby’s vital stats are listed so his adoring fans could get to know him better.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1972
maker
King Seeley Thermos
ID Number
2004.3009.08
nonaccession number
2004.3009
catalog number
2004.3009.08

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