Art - Overview
The National Museum of American History is not an art museum. But works of art fill its collections and testify to the vital place of art in everyday American life. The ceramics collections hold hundreds of examples of American and European art glass and pottery. Fashion sketches, illustrations, and prints are part of the costume collections. Donations from ethnic and cultural communities include many homemade religious ornaments, paintings, and figures. The Harry T Peters "America on Stone" collection alone comprises some 1,700 color prints of scenes from the 1800s. The National Quilt Collection is art on fabric. And the tools of artists and artisans are part of the Museum's collections, too, in the form of printing plates, woodblock tools, photographic equipment, and potters' stamps, kilns, and wheels.
"Art - Overview" showing 7 items.
No More Chinese / cheap labor / Celluloid / Cuffs, Collars / & Bosoms [trade card]
- Summary
- A female figure in patriotic dress, holding a shield marked "invention," points to the "cheap labor" text, while a Chinese man at left holds his head, possibly weeping, while Uncle Sam looks on with a smile. A sign says "Gon Up / Chinese / laundry" and the caption at the bottom is: "'Othello' s occupation gone' the handwriting on the wall."
- Date
- 1880
- 1890
- 19th century
- advertiser
- Donaldson Brothers (Five Points, New York)
- Local number
- AC0060-0000079, AC0060-0000080 (AC Scan Nos.)
- Data Source
- Archives Center - NMAH
To cure the Chinese famine he acknowledges the "Fame In" Paragon Dried Beef [trade card]
- Summary
- On left stands an emaciated Chinese man in kuli hat with queue, behind him are two presumably dead Chinese men and a pagoda off in the distance. In the right foreground stands Uncle Sam (blue jacket, red/white striped pants) offering the Chinese man Paragon Dried Beef
- Date
- 1880
- 1900
- advertiser
- Henry Mayo & Co
- Subject
- World's Columbian Exposition (1893 : Chicago, Ill.)
- Local number
- AC0060-0000139 (AC Scan No.)
- Data Source
- Archives Center - NMAH
Uncle Sam Supplying the World with Berry Brothers' Architectural Finishes. [Trade card]
- Summary
- Uncle Sam at left giving John Bull some varnish. Other nationalities in background: Holland walking away at right with can of varnish. Back text lists four kinds of varnish for sale. Possibly used at Chicago World's Fair of 1893
- Date
- 1890
- 1910
- 19th century
- advertiser
- Berry Brothers
- Subject
- World's Columbian Exposition (1893 : Chicago, Ill.)
- Local number
- AC0060-0000166 (AC Scan No.)
- AC0060-0000167 (Scan No.)
- Data Source
- Archives Center - NMAH
Uncle Sam Supplying the World with Berry Bros. Hard Oil Finish [trade card]
- Summary
- Uncle Sam in left handing out square cans of Hard Oil Finish to various nationalities. Probably made for the World's Fair in Chicago, 1893
- Date
- 1893
- 19th century
- advertiser
- Henry Seibert & Bro
- Creator
- Berry Brothers
- Subject
- World's Columbian Exposition (1893 : Chicago, Ill.)
- Local number
- AC0060-0000164 (AC Scan No.)
- AC0060-0000165 (Scan No.)
- Data Source
- Archives Center - NMAH
Melican Man he mus dlink Tea an den he get / so fat like me [caption at top of card] [trade card]
- Summary
- Uncle Sam sitting on left, fat Chinese man on right, drinking tea, with teapot next to foot. Chinese man's back to viewer, wearing red shirt. Uncle Sam, in top hat, blue cutaway coat, and plaid pants, looks nervous or apprehensive
- Date
- 1870
- 1890
- 19th century
- advertiser
- Union Pacific Tea Co
- Local number
- AC0060-0000208.tif (AC Scan No.: recto)
- AC0060-0000209.tif (AC Scan No.: verso)
- Data Source
- Archives Center - NMAH
Manufacturers of / The "Keystone" [sic] / Line / of Agricultural Implements / Keystone / Manufacturing Co. / Sterling / Ills. [sic] U.S.A. [trade card, ca. 1890]
- Summary
- Color illustration shows Uncle Sam and an international array of faces and costumes. The Keystone image to which Uncle Sam points contains a black-and-white picture of a "'Keystone' / hayloader / at work." See also cat. no. AC0060.248726
- Date
- 1890
- 1900
- ca 1890
- 19th century
- advertiser
- Keystone Manufacturing Co. (Sterling, Ill.)
- Local number
- AC0060-0000070 (AC Scan No.)
- Data Source
- Archives Center - NMAH
Manufacturers of / The "Keystone" [sic] / Line / of Agricultural Implements / Keystone / Manufacturing Co. / Sterling / Ills. [sic] U.S.A. [trade card, ca. 1890]
- Summary
- Color illustration shows Uncle Sam and an international array of faces and costumes. The Keystone image to which Uncle Sam points contains a black-and-white picture of a "'Keystone' / hayloader / at work." See also AC0060-0000070
- Date
- 1890
- ca 1890
- 19th century
- advertiser
- Keystone Manufacturing Co. (Sterling, Ill.)
- Local number
- 040060119.tif (AC Scan No.)
- Data Source
- Archives Center - NMAH
