Food

Photo of McCall's Cheese

Part of a nation's history lies in what people eat. Artifacts at the Museum document the history of food in the United States from farm machinery to diet fads.

More than 1,300 pieces of stoneware and earthenware show how Americans have stored, prepared, and served food for centuries. Ovens, cookie cutters, kettles, aprons, and ice-cream-making machines are part of the collections, along with home canning jars and winemaking equipment. More than 1,000 objects recently came to the Museum when author and cooking show host Julia Child donated her entire kitchen, from appliances to cookbooks.

Advertising and business records of several food companies—such as Hills Brothers Coffee, Pepsi Cola, and Campbell's Soup—represent the commercial side of the subject

Topic: Advertising

McDonald's Toy Story 2 Premium Bag

This clear plastic McDonald’s® premium toy bag was used to distribute toy #17, “RC Car.” The bags were used to package McDonald’s toys inside the Happy Meal® box.
Description
This clear plastic McDonald’s® premium toy bag was used to distribute toy #17, “RC Car.” The bags were used to package McDonald’s toys inside the Happy Meal® box. The premium bag has Ronald McDonald and the golden arches logo printed on one side and pertinent toy information printed inside a blue box. On the reverse, warning information regarding the toys has been printed for consumers. The Happy Meal® was released in 1979 as a way to package a meal together in a fun, collectible container that appealed to children. Happy Meals® have since become progressively more elaborate in the type of food offered (with various healthier options) and the premiums available with the meal. In 1996, McDonald’s® and Disney signed a 10 year, exclusive partnership agreement where McDonald’s® was able to use Disney characters for Happy Meal® premiums and Disney would receive free promotion of upcoming movies through McDonald’s®. This partnership appeared like a natural fit for the two companies since they had an overlapping market base. From November 26, 1999 through December 23, 1999, McDonald’s® marketed the Toy Story 2 Happy Meal® premiums.
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.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1999
ID Number
2012.3045.07
catalog number
2012.3045.07
nonaccession number
2012.3045

Whitman's Pure Lime Juice Drops Candy Tin

This large, red rectangular tin with black design was used to store and market Whitman's lime juice drops.
Description
This large, red rectangular tin with black design was used to store and market Whitman's lime juice drops. The name of the product and manufacturing company is written in black lettering across the front.
Stephen Whitman opened his first candy shop in 1842 at the age of 19 in Philadelphia. In this location, he had easy access to exotic ingredients brought in on docking ships. While striving to produce a quality product, he also knew the power of marketing and spent a great deal of time and money on branding as well as marketing his goods. The company thrived through the years, even outlasting the Great Depression, with products still sold under the name today despite being bought in 1993 by Russell Stover.
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. Early pharmacists also often used sugar to mask the bitter tastes of their medical concoctions or prescribed sugar as a cure for an ailment itself.
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
Whitman's Chocolate Company
ID Number
ZZ.RSN80525Z40

McDonald's Employee Name Badge

This black plastic badge is embossed with McDonald’s® and the double arches logo in gold on the front. It was worn by the donor in 1973 while working for McDonald’s®.
Description
This black plastic badge is embossed with McDonald’s® and the double arches logo in gold on the front. It was worn by the donor in 1973 while working for McDonald’s®. The donor’s primary position was cashier/clerk, but each employee was trained to be able to perform each task in the restaurant in the event someone called off and they had to fill in for the day. The location where the donor worked was located close to a college campus and the staff pool primarily consisted of college students.
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.
ID Number
2011.0091.02
catalog number
2011.0091.02
accession number
2011.0091

London Licorice Wafers Tin

This small, gold tin with yellow, red, white, blue and black design once contained London Licorice Wafers. The product was made in England and originally sold for five cents.Sweet treats have been a part of the human diet nearly since the beginning of human existence.
Description
This small, gold tin with yellow, red, white, blue and black design once contained London Licorice Wafers. The product was made in England and originally sold for five cents.
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. Breath mints gained popularity because of how they felt cool and refreshing in the mouth while also freshening one’s breath. Peppermint was also considered a digestive aid, and mint leaves and breath mints were often chewed after a meal.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
AG.77-FT-15.0092
catalog number
77-FT-15.0092
accession number
283681

Hershey's Chocolate Tin

This small, red, rectangular tin with multicolored vignette of a man and woman in a gold frame was used to store and market Hershey's chocolate.Milton Snavely Hershey, the “Henry Ford of chocolate makers,” got an early start in the candy business by apprenticing at a local candy
Description
This small, red, rectangular tin with multicolored vignette of a man and woman in a gold frame was used to store and market Hershey's chocolate.
Milton Snavely Hershey, the “Henry Ford of chocolate makers,” got an early start in the candy business by apprenticing at a local candy shop in Lancaster, PA. After several rocky starts to open his own business, he finally found success with the Lancaster Caramel Company. In 1893 at the World’s Fair in Chicago, Hershey’s life would take a radical turn. He visited a chocolate making exhibit by J. M. Lehmann, a German company, and was introduced to European chocolate production. At the conclusion of the Exposition, he purchased all of Lehman’s equipment and had it shipped to Lancaster so he could enrobe his caramels in chocolate. By 1900, he had determined his future would be with chocolate and sold his caramel company to a competitor.
When his new factory opened, he launched the Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bar, following up his initial success with the Milk Chocolate Bar with Almonds and the Hershey’s Kiss a few years later. Hershey quickly became the largest chocolate producer in the United States. At the same time he was growing his business, Hershey was also building his model company town, Hershey, PA. He built homes for his employees to purchase, a free school, free public library and many other services which he ran at low costs for his employees. He also established the Hershey Industrial School for Orphan Boys, which later became the Milton Hershey School. Milton Hershey’s goal was to create a model town of Utopian living for his employees and their families.
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
maker
Hershey Company
ID Number
ZZ.RSN80525Z45

Photograph of "McCall's Cheese"

Carbro color print, matted; Cheese and crackers with knife. Signed and dated on mat, pencil. Verso: handwritten "McCall's Cheese." This color photograph was used for the women's homemaking magazine, McCall's.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Carbro color print, matted; Cheese and crackers with knife. Signed and dated on mat, pencil. Verso: handwritten "McCall's Cheese." This color photograph was used for the women's homemaking magazine, McCall's.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1936
maker
Outerbridge, Jr., Paul
ID Number
PG.006063
catalog number
6063
accession number
223759
catalog number
6063

Advertising Button, Apple

This square button has the multi-colored striped Apple logo. A mark in black ink on the reverse reads: CDX '91.Currently not on view
Description
This square button has the multi-colored striped Apple logo. A mark in black ink on the reverse reads: CDX '91.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
c 1991
maker
Apple Computer, Inc.
ID Number
2009.3071.158
catalog number
2009.3071.158
nonaccession number
2009.3071

Confectionary Tin

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
AG.77-FT-15.0009
catalog number
77-FT-15.0009
accession number
283681

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-15.0054
catalog number
77-FT-15.0054
accession number
283681

Walter Baker & Co Breakfast Cocoa Tin

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.
Description
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.
In 1764, Dr. James Baker provided the financial backing for John Hannon to begin grinding and making chocolate in a grist & saw mill on the Neponset River outside Boston. Hannon, an Irish immigrant, learned chocolate making in England and brought it to the U.S. where chocolate making was still relatively new. After Hannon’s death in 1779, Dr. Baker bought out his heirs and changed the name of the company to Baker’s Chocolate. In 1824, when Dr. Baker’s grandson, Walter, took over ownership of the company, he renamed it to Walter Baker & Company (often simply called Baker’s Chocolate). During the course of his ownership, he expanded the business and made Baker’s Chocolate a household name. The company was bought in 1989 by Kraft Foods, where the brand still exists today (2013).
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Walter Baker & Co. Ltd.
ID Number
AG.F000844
catalog number
F000844
accession number
087176

Ravenswood Winery (poster)

David Lance Goines is known as a writer and lecturer as well as an illustrator and printer of both letterpress and offset lithography, his work much exhibited and collected throughout the country.
Description
David Lance Goines is known as a writer and lecturer as well as an illustrator and printer of both letterpress and offset lithography, his work much exhibited and collected throughout the country. But his Arts and Crafts influenced design is best known on his posters and in books. Goines was a recognized activist in Berkeley, associated with the Free Speech and Anti-War movements, and he did poster and book work for these movements.
Alice Waters, who founded the Berkeley restaurant, Chez Panisse, was a founding inspiration of the fresh, local, and organic food movement. She met David Goines in the Berkeley Free Speech movement. They began to collaborate on a column, “Alice’s Restaurant” for the local alternative paper. She wrote the recipes and he provided the artwork. He collected and printed each column as Thirty Recipes for Framing and the entire set and individual prints from the set began to appear on Berkeley walls and beyond, establishing him with enough profits to buy the Berkeley Free Press, rechristened the St. Hieronymus Press.
He issued his first Chez Panisse poster, "Red-Haired Lady," in 1972 and his most recent, "41st Anniversary," in 2012. In between is a series of anniversary posters, plus occasional others celebrating the restaurant's book releases, such as the Chez Panisse Café Cookbook, and other ventures. These works established his place as the primary artist associated with food and wine in the so-called Gourmet Ghetto. His early posters for Chez Panisse were soon followed by requests from other food and wine related sites and events, as well as from many other commercial entities.
The 1976 logo for Ravenswood Winery shows three intertwined ravens in a triskelion on the label designed by Goines for the release of the winery’s first vintage of Zinfandel. Winemaker Joel Peterson, the founder of Ravenswood Winery, told the artist of something he experienced in harvesting his first vintage. Ravens were the vineyard protectors who cawed at him through his stormy, debut harvest. Years later, the image is well known from the wine label which has remained as Goines designed it in 1976 (number 83 in the Goines repertory), on what became one of the most popular wines in the country.
The label even inspires tattoos. Peterson says that anyone showing up at the winery with a tattoo of said Ravenswood/Goines image will receive tastings of the wine free. Since 2008, every July the Winery holds a Tattoo Coming Out Party and Poetry Slam where people without permanent ink on their bodies can receive a temporary tattoo if they write a poem that “declares your love for tattoos, Ravens, or tattoos.”
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1979
maker
Goines, David Lance
ID Number
2012.0169.01
accession number
2012.0169
catalog number
2012.0169.01

Tissot Strawberry Drops Candy Tin

This is a Tissot Strawberry Drops tin. It is round and primarily white with red, blue, green and black used for the design.
Description
This is a Tissot Strawberry Drops tin. It is round and primarily white with red, blue, green and black used for the design. On the lid is the name of the product and a list of ingredients.
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-15.0219
catalog number
77-FT-15.0219
accession number
283681

Loin of Pork

A Nickolas Muray 3-color carbro photograph of uncooked pork loin and produce ca. 1930s-1940s. Advertisment for A&P.Recto: Signed by artist bottom right (pencil). Verso: Muray label. Muray stamp.
Description (Brief)
A Nickolas Muray 3-color carbro photograph of uncooked pork loin and produce ca. 1930s-1940s. Advertisment for A&P.
Recto: Signed by artist bottom right (pencil). Verso: Muray label. Muray stamp. "A&P ad" (black marker).
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 1930s-1940s
maker
Muray, Nickolas
ID Number
PG.69.247.13
catalog number
69.247.13
accession number
287542

Canned sea food

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1930s-1950s
maker
Keppler, Victor
ID Number
PG.006263.C
catalog number
6263C
accession number
238737

McDonald's Clam Shell Container

This orange, polystyrene clam shell food container held one Quarter Pounder® with Cheese. “Quarter Pounder® with Cheese,” “100% pure beef. Wgt. ¼ lb before cooking” and the name “McDonald’s®” with double arches logo appear written in red overall.
Description
This orange, polystyrene clam shell food container held one Quarter Pounder® with Cheese. “Quarter Pounder® with Cheese,” “100% pure beef. Wgt. ¼ lb before cooking” and the name “McDonald’s®” with double arches logo appear written in red overall. The Quarter Pounder® was introduced in 1973 to the national market for customers who wanted a larger hamburger patty than McDonald’s® standard hamburger.
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.
Location
Currently not on view
Associated Date
1975-1990
ID Number
1998.0349.05
accession number
1998.0349
catalog number
1998.0349.05

Education Exhibit on Cocoa and Chocolate

This wooden box with hinged top has a bronze plate nailed to the top which reads "Educational Exhibit, Cocoa and Chocolate: Prepared by Walter Baker & Co. Ltd.
Description
This wooden box with hinged top has a bronze plate nailed to the top which reads "Educational Exhibit, Cocoa and Chocolate: Prepared by Walter Baker & Co. Ltd. Dorchester, Mass." There are four glass containers inside the box containing cacao beans, cocoa nibs (roasted cacao beans with the shell removed), cocoa butter and cocoa powder. Set into the lid are the types of manufactured chocolate produced by Walter Baker & Co., the Baker’s Chocolate bar, German’s Sweet Chocolate bar, Vanilla Chocolate bar and pulverized cocoa powder to be used as drinking chocolate.
Walter Baker & Co. started producing these exhibits as early as 1886 with several different runs in the years that followed. They produced these boxes as an educational aide for teachers who wanted to discuss the transformation of cacao beans into chocolate bars and cocoa powder.
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
maker
Walter Baker & Co. Ltd.
ID Number
ZZ.RSN80525Y21

Bowers Mints Tin

This round, blue tin with gold writing was used to store and market Bowers Old Fastioned Creamy Mints. The lid contains the name of the product as well as a list of ingredients.Sweet treats have been a part of the human diet nearly since the beginning of human existence.
Description
This round, blue tin with gold writing was used to store and market Bowers Old Fastioned Creamy Mints. The lid contains the name of the product as well as a list of ingredients.
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. Early pharmacists also often used sugar to mask the bitter tastes of their medical concoctions or prescribed sugar as a cure for an ailment itself.
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. Breath mints gained popularity because of the way they felt cool and refreshing in the mouth while also freshening one’s breath. Peppermint was also considered a digestive aid, and mint leaves and breath mints were often chewed after a meal.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
ZZ.RSN80544Z87

Eat Fruits and Vegetables

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1930s-1950s
maker
Keppler, Victor
ID Number
PG.006269.A
catalog number
6269A
accession number
238737

Henry Thorne & Co. Candy Tin

This red and cream colored tin with royal seal and a picture of Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth in an oval frame once contained candies produced by Henry Thorne & Co., Ltd.
Description
This red and cream colored tin with royal seal and a picture of Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth in an oval frame once contained candies produced by Henry Thorne & Co., Ltd. This tin was designed to be a souvenir for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.
Henry Thorne began his business in the 1830s as a mustard and chicory shop in Leeds, England. In 1971 the business closed.
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-15.0019
catalog number
77-FT-15.0019
accession number
283681

Mayor McCheese Doll

This object is a Mayor McCheese stuffed doll dressed in purple pants, pink jacket and a yellow shirt sporting a purple sash that says “Mayor” but the “M” is a golden arches logo. The doll is made of two pieces of fabric, sewn together in a single seam.
Description
This object is a Mayor McCheese stuffed doll dressed in purple pants, pink jacket and a yellow shirt sporting a purple sash that says “Mayor” but the “M” is a golden arches logo. The doll is made of two pieces of fabric, sewn together in a single seam. The “clothing” has been screened directly onto the fabric. He has a cheeseburger head and is wearing a purple and yellow hat with the double arches logo on it. On his back, “Mayor McCheese” is written in yellow lettering. Mayor McCheese joined the McDonaldland crew in 1971 as part of McDonald’s® advertising campaign aimed at children.
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.
Location
Currently not on view
trademark holder
McDonald's Corporation
ID Number
1983.0366.02
accession number
1983.0366
catalog number
1983.0366.02

Still life with silver-top decanter

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1930s-1950s
maker
Keppler, Victor
ID Number
PG.006261.M
catalog number
6261M
accession number
238737

Jacquin Confettis Au Chocolat Tin

This small, cylindrical tube with a multi-colored design and white and brown writing on a blue background once contained Confettis au Chocolat. The Confettis were made by Jacquin Paris in France.
Description
This small, cylindrical tube with a multi-colored design and white and brown writing on a blue background once contained Confettis au Chocolat. The Confettis were made by Jacquin Paris in France. Jacquin Paris went into business some time before the 1893 Columbian Exposition, and was in business until at least 1935 where at sometime after this date it was either sold or went out of business.
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-15.0370
catalog number
77-FT-15.0370
accession number
283681

Apples with Knife

A Nickolas Muray dye transfer photograph of apples. One apple is cut, one is whole. A knife lays across the fruit.Recto: Signed by artist bottom right (pencil). Verso: Muray stamp. Muray label."Apples" (pencil).
Description (Brief)
A Nickolas Muray dye transfer photograph of apples. One apple is cut, one is whole. A knife lays across the fruit.
Recto: Signed by artist bottom right (pencil). Verso: Muray stamp. Muray label."Apples" (pencil). "#50" (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 1964
maker
Muray, Nickolas
ID Number
PG.69.247.14
catalog number
69.247.14
accession number
287542

Little Imps Tin

This round, yellow tin contains black and red writing and red, yellow and black graphics. It was used to store and market Little Imps breath mints. The lid contains the name of the product and the manufacturing company, The American Confection Co.
Description
This round, yellow tin contains black and red writing and red, yellow and black graphics. It was used to store and market Little Imps breath mints. The lid contains the name of the product and the manufacturing company, The American Confection Co. of Boston.
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. Early pharmacists also often used sugar to mask the bitter tastes of their medical concoctions or prescribed sugar as a cure for an ailment itself.
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
ZZ.RSN80537Z77

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