Industry & Manufacturing

The Museum's collections document centuries of remarkable changes in products, manufacturing processes, and the role of industry in American life. In the bargain, they preserve artifacts of great ingenuity, intricacy, and sometimes beauty.

The carding and spinning machinery built by Samuel Slater about 1790 helped establish the New England textile industry. Nylon-manufacturing machinery in the collections helped remake the same industry more than a century later. Machine tools from the 1850s are joined by a machine that produces computer chips. Thousands of patent models document the creativity of American innovators over more than 200 years.

The collections reach far beyond tools and machines. Some 460 episodes of the television series Industry on Parade celebrate American industry in the 1950s. Numerous photographic collections are a reminder of the scale and even the glamour of American industry.

This campaign medal was made by the Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut around 1868. The Scovill Company was established in 1802 as a button manufacturer that is still in business today.
Description (Brief)
This campaign medal was made by the Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut around 1868. The Scovill Company was established in 1802 as a button manufacturer that is still in business today. Scovill was an early industrial American innovator, adapting armory manufacturing processes to mass-produce a variety of consumer goods including buttons, daguerreotype mats, and campaign medals.
Obverse: Busts of Horatio Seymour and Francis P. Blair, Jr. facing left. The legend reads: SEYMOUR & BLAIR 1868.
Reverse: The rim has a wreath around it, the legend reads: GENERAL AMNESTY, UNIFORM CURRENCY, EQUAL TAXES & EQUAL RIGHTS.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1868
depicted
Seymour, Horatio
Blair, Jr., Francis P.
maker
Scovill Manufacturing Company
ID Number
1981.0296.1147
accession number
1981.0296
catalog number
1981.0296.1147
This presidential campaign badge was made by the Scovill Manufacturing Company around 1868. The Scovill Company was established in 1802 as a button manufacturer that is still in business today.
Description (Brief)
This presidential campaign badge was made by the Scovill Manufacturing Company around 1868. The Scovill Company was established in 1802 as a button manufacturer that is still in business today. Scovill was an early industrial American innovator, adapting armory manufacturing processes to mass-produce a variety of consumer goods including buttons, daguerreotype mats, and campaign badges.
This badge features a tintype photograph set into a bronze frame with blue and lucent insets.
Obverse: Tintype photograph of Horatio Seymour, labeled “SEYMOUR.”
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1868
depicted
Seymour, Horatio
maker
Scovill Manufacturing Company
ID Number
1981.0296.1177
accession number
1981.0296
catalog number
1981.0296.1177
This campaign medal was made by the Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut around 1868.The Scovill Company was established in 1802 as a button manufacturer that is still in business today.
Description (Brief)
This campaign medal was made by the Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut around 1868.The Scovill Company was established in 1802 as a button manufacturer that is still in business today. Scovill was an early industrial American innovator, adapting armory manufacturing processes to mass-produce a variety of consumer goods including buttons, daguerreotype mats, and campaign medals.
Obverse: Bust of Horatio Seymour facing left. The legend reads: HORATIO SEYMOUR 1868.
Reverse: Bust of Francis Blair facing right. The legend reads: FRANK P. BLAIR. Jr.1868.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1868
depicted
Seymour, Horatio
Blair, Jr., Francis P.
maker
Scovill Manufacturing Company
ID Number
1981.0296.1198
accession number
1981.0296
catalog number
1981.0296.1198
This presidential campaign medal was made by the Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut around 1868. The Scovill Company was established in 1802 as a button manufacturer, and is still in business today.
Description (Brief)
This presidential campaign medal was made by the Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut around 1868. The Scovill Company was established in 1802 as a button manufacturer, and is still in business today. Scovill is an important example of early American industrial manufacturing that adapted armory machines to mass-produce a variety of consumer goods including buttons, daguerreotype mats, and campaign badges.
Obverse: Profile image of Horatio Seymour and Francis P. Blair facing left. Legend reads: SEYMOUR & BLAIR, 1868.
Reverse: Legend reads: GENERAL AMNESTY, UNIFORM CURRENCY, EQUAL TAXES & EQUAL RIGHTS.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1868
depicted
Seymour, Horatio
Blair, Jr., Francis P.
maker
Scovill Manufacturing Company
ID Number
1981.0296.1219
accession number
1981.0296
catalog number
1981.0296.1219
This presidential campaign badge was made by the Scovill Manufacturing Company around 1868.The Scovill Company was established in 1802 as a button manufacturer that is still in business today.
Description (Brief)
This presidential campaign badge was made by the Scovill Manufacturing Company around 1868.The Scovill Company was established in 1802 as a button manufacturer that is still in business today. Scovill was an early industrial American innovator, adapting armory manufacturing processes to mass-produce a variety of consumer goods including buttons, daguerreotype mats, and campaign badges.
Obverse: Tintype photograph of Horatio Seymour, labeled “SEYMOUR.”
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1868
depicted
Seymour, Horatio
maker
Scovill Manufacturing Company
ID Number
1981.0296.1180
accession number
1981.0296
catalog number
1981.0296.1180
This campaign medal was made by the Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut around 1869. The Scovill Company was established in 1802 as a button manufacturer that is still in business today.
Description (Brief)
This campaign medal was made by the Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut around 1869. The Scovill Company was established in 1802 as a button manufacturer that is still in business today. Scovill was an early industrial American innovator, adapting armory manufacturing processes to mass-produce a variety of consumer goods including buttons, daguerreotype mats, and campaign medals.
Obverse Busts of Horatio Seymour and Francis Blair facing right. The legend reads: H. SEYMOUR. F.P. BLAIR.
Reverse: The legend reads: NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES 1869-1873/ FOR PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1869
depicted
Seymour, Horatio
Blair, Jr., Francis P.
maker
Scovill Manufacturing Company
ID Number
1981.0296.1191
accession number
1981.0296
catalog number
1981.0296.1191
This presidential campaign medal was made by the Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut around 1868. The Scovill Company was established in 1802 as a button manufacturer, and is still in business today.
Description (Brief)
This presidential campaign medal was made by the Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut around 1868. The Scovill Company was established in 1802 as a button manufacturer, and is still in business today. Scovill is an important example of early American industrial manufacturing that adapted armory machines to mass-produce a variety of consumer goods including buttons, daguerreotype mats, and campaign badges.
Obverse: Profile image of Horatio Seymour and Francis P. Blair facing left. Legend reads: SEYMOUR & BLAIR, 1868.
Reverse: Legend reads: GENERAL AMNESTY, UNIFORM CURRENCY, EQUAL TAXES & EQUAL RIGHTS.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1868
depicted
Seymour, Horatio
Blair, Jr., Francis P.
maker
Scovill Manufacturing Company
ID Number
1981.0296.1246
accession number
1981.0296
catalog number
1981.0296.1246
This presidential campaign badge was made by the Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut around 1868. The Scovill Company was established in 1802 as a button manufacturer that is still in business today.
Description (Brief)
This presidential campaign badge was made by the Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut around 1868. The Scovill Company was established in 1802 as a button manufacturer that is still in business today. Scovill was an early industrial American innovator, adapting armory manufacturing processes to mass-produce a variety of consumer goods including buttons, daguerreotype mats, and campaign medals. This badge has a photo set into a bronze circle with a pink and lucent inset.
Obverse: Tintype photograph of Horatio Seymour and Francis Blair on the obverse, the photos are labeled, “SEYMOUR” and “BLAIR.”
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1868
depicted
Seymour, Horatio
Blair, Jr., Francis P.
maker
Scovill Manufacturing Company
ID Number
1981.0296.1166
accession number
1981.0296
catalog number
1981.0296.1166
This presidential campaign medal was made by the Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut around 1868. The Scovill Company was established in 1802 as a button manufacturer, and is still in business today.
Description (Brief)
This presidential campaign medal was made by the Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut around 1868. The Scovill Company was established in 1802 as a button manufacturer, and is still in business today. Scovill was an early industrial American innovator, adapting armory manufacturing processes to mass-produce a variety of consumer goods including buttons, daguerreotype mats, and campaign badges.
Obverse: Profile image of Horatio Seymour and Francis P. Blair facing left. Legend reads: SEYMOUR & BLAIR, 1868.
Reverse: Legend reads: GENERAL AMNESTY, UNIFORM CURRENCY, EQUAL TAXES & EQUAL RIGHTS.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1868
depicted
Seymour, Horatio
Blair, Jr., Francis P.
maker
Scovill Manufacturing Company
ID Number
1981.0296.1076
accession number
1981.0296
catalog number
1981.0296.1076
This presidential campaign badge was made by the Scovill Manufacturing Company around 1868. The Scovill Company was established in 1802 as a button manufacturer that is still in business today.
Description (Brief)
This presidential campaign badge was made by the Scovill Manufacturing Company around 1868. The Scovill Company was established in 1802 as a button manufacturer that is still in business today. Scovill was an early industrial American innovator, adapting armory manufacturing processes to mass-produce a variety of consumer goods including buttons, daguerreotype mats, and campaign badges.
Obverse: Tintype photograph of Horatio Seymour, labeled “H. SEYMOUR.” Legend reads: OUR CHOICE FOR PRESIDENT.
Reverse: Tintype photograph of Francis Blair labeled “F.P. BLAIR.” The legend around the rim reads: FOR VICE PRESIDENT.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1868
depicted
Seymour, Horatio
Blair, Jr., Francis P.
maker
Scovill Manufacturing Company
ID Number
1981.0296.1178
accession number
1981.0296
catalog number
1981.0296.1178
This presidential campaign badge was made by the Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut around 1868. The Scovill Company was established in 1802 as a button manufacturer that is still in business today.
Description (Brief)
This presidential campaign badge was made by the Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut around 1868. The Scovill Company was established in 1802 as a button manufacturer that is still in business today. Scovill was an early industrial American innovator, adapting armory manufacturing processes to mass-produce a variety of consumer goods including buttons, daguerreotype mats, and campaign medals. The photo is set into a six-pointed star that was meant to be worn on clothing.
Obverse: Tintype photograph of Horatio Seymour that is labeled “SEYMOUR.”
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1868
depicted
Seymour, Horatio
maker
Scovill Manufacturing Company
ID Number
1981.0296.1164
accession number
1981.0296
catalog number
1981.0296.1164

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