Industry & Manufacturing - Overview
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.
"Industry & Manufacturing - Overview" showing 619 items.
Page 1 of 62
John C. Breckinridge Campaign Badge
- Description (Brief)
- This badge was made by the Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut around 1860. 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 has a hole in the frame so that it could be worn.
- Obverse: Tintype photograph of John C. Breckinridge, labeled J.C. BRECKINRIDGE.
- Reverse: Tintype photograph of Joseph Lane, labeled JOSEPH LANE.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- maker
- Scovill Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- 1981.0296.1127
- accession number
- 1981.0296
- catalog number
- 1981.0296.1127
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Van Buren Hard Times Token
- Description (Brief)
- This token was made by the Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut around 1841. 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 coins.
- This “hard times token” was made during the United States’ economic depression in the 1830s.
- Obverse: A ship named “Experiment” is wrecked against rocks. Legend: VAN BUREN METALLIC CURRENT 1837.
- Reverse: A ship named “Constitution” is sailing in a soft sea with full sails. Legend: WEBSTER CREDIT CURRENT 1841.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- referenced
- Van Buren, Martin
- maker
- Scovill Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- 1981.0296.1132
- accession number
- 1981.0296
- catalog number
- 1981.0296.1132
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
I Take the Responsibility Hard Times Token
- Description (Brief)
- This token was made by the Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut around 1834. 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 tokens. This “hard times token” mocked President Andrew Jackson for his economic policies.
- Obverse: Andrew Jackson popping out of a chest holding a money bag and a sword. Legend: I TAKE THE RESPONSIBILITY.
- Reverse: Donkey with label “LLD.” Legend: THE CONSTITUTION AS I UNDERSTAND IT, ROMAN FIRMNESS and VETO.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- maker
- Scovill Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- 1981.0296.1140
- accession number
- 1981.0296
- catalog number
- 1981.0296.1140
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Benjamin Franklin Medal
- Description (Brief)
- This medal was made by the Scovill Manufacturing Company in the middle of the 19th century. 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 campaign medals. This design was likely cast by Joseph H. Merriam of Boston, Massachusetts.
- Obverse: Bust of Benjamin Franklin facing left. Legend: BENJAMIN FRANKLIN BORN JAN. 17. 1706.
- Reverse: Two laurel wreaths tied with a ribbon. Legend reads: DILIGENCE IS THE MOTHER OF GOOD LUCK/ TME IS MONEY.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- depicted
- Franklin, Benjamin
- maker
- Scovill Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- 1981.0296.1142
- accession number
- 1981.0296
- catalog number
- 1981.0296.1142
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Unknown Man Button
- Description (Brief)
- This button was made by the Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut in the 19th century. 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: Profile bust of an unknown man facing right.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- maker
- Scovill Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- 1981.0296.1216
- accession number
- 1981.0296
- catalog number
- 1981.0296.1216
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Friedrich Schiller Commemorative Medal
- Description (Brief)
- This commemorative medal was made by the Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut around 1805. 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 commemorative medals.
- Obverse: Bust of Friedrich Schiller facing right. Legend reads: FRIED.von SCHILLER.
- Reverse: Two branches wreath the bottom, with a central image of a bell. The legend reads: MORTUOS PLANGO/NATUS 1759/OBIT 1805.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- depicted
- von Schiller, Friedrich
- maker
- Scovill Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- 1981.0296.1222
- accession number
- 1981.0296
- catalog number
- 1981.0296.1222
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
James Buchanan Cracker Jack Coin
- Description (Brief)
- This coin was made by the Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut during the 1930s. 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. These coins could be mailed to Cracker Jack to become a Mystery Club member.
- Obverse: Bust of James Buchanan facing right. Legend: 15TH PRESIDENT, U.S.A./ 1857-1861/ JAMES BUCHANAN.
- Reverse: Legend: "OLD BUCK"/ "OLD PUBLIC FUNCTIONARY"/ JOIN CRACKER JACK MYSTERY CLUB SAVE THIS COIN/ THE CRACKER JACK CO., CHICAGO, U.S.A.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- maker
- Scovill Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- 1981.0296.1263
- accession number
- 1981.0296
- catalog number
- 1981.0296.1263
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
James K. Polk Commemorative Token
- Description (Brief)
- This token was made by the Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut during the early 20th century. Scovill 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 various consumer goods including buttons, daguerreotype mats, and political tokens.
- Obverse: Bust of James K. Polk facing left. Legend: 11TH PRESIDENT, U.S.A./ 1845-1849/ JAMES K. POLK.
- Reverse: "YOUNG HICKORY"/ "FIRST DARK HORSE"/ GOVERNOR OF TENNESSEE SPEAKER OF HOUSE ANNEXED CALIFORNIA NEW MEXICO AND NORTH WEST TERRITORY A MAN OF ABILITY IDENTIFIED WITH SLAVE INTERESTS.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- maker
- Scovill Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- 1981.0296.1280
- accession number
- 1981.0296
- catalog number
- 1981.0296.1280
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Presidential Campaign Button
- Description (Brief)
- The Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut produced this William Henry Harrison campaign button in 1840. Scovill 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, medals, coins, and tokens.
- This circular button has the image of a log cabin with a barrel of hard cider by the door. William Henry Harrison called himself “the log cabin and hard cider candidate" to depict himself as a man of the people.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- maker
- Scovill Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- 1981.0296.1308
- accession number
- 1981.0296
- catalog number
- 1981.0296.1308
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Button
- Description (Brief)
- The Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut produced this button in the middle of the 19th century. Scovill was established in 1802 as a button manufacturer that 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, medals, coins, and tokens.
- The circular button has the image of a log cabin. This image was used by a variety of Presidential candidates to depict themselves as rugged men of the people.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- maker
- Scovill Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- 1981.0296.1309
- accession number
- 1981.0296
- catalog number
- 1981.0296.1309
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center