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 14 items.
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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
Thomas Edison Commemorative Medal
- Description (Brief)
- This medal was made by the Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut around 1866.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 medals.
- Obverse: Bust of Andrew Johnson facing left. The legend reads: ANDREW JOHNSON/ PRESIDENT U.S.
- Reverse: The legend reads: NATIONAL UNION CONVENTION HELD AT PHILA: AUG. 14. 1866/ THE PEOPLE MUST BE TRUSTED WITH THEIR OWN GOVERNMENT
- Location
- Currently not on view
- depicted
- Edison, Thomas Alva
- maker
- Scovill Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- 1981.0296.1573
- accession number
- 1981.0296
- catalog number
- 1981.0296.1573
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Deer Medallion
- Description (Brief)
- This medallion was made by the Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut during the early 20th century. 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 medals. There is a ring at the top to the medallion could be worn.
- Obverse: Central image of a deer, surrounded by images of a fasces, Lady Liberty, hands shaking, and two children.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- maker
- Scovill Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- 1981.0296.1597
- accession number
- 1981.0296
- catalog number
- 1981.0296.1597
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Princeton University Sesquicentennial Commemorative Medal
- Description (Brief)
- This commemorative medal was made by the Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut in 1896. 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 medals.
- Obverse: Image of Princeton’s Nassau Hall. The legend reads: AVLA NASSOVICA MDCCCXCVI
- Reverse: The legend reads: DE/ISVB NVMINE/VICET/QVOD ANTEA FVIT/ COLLEGIVM/ NEOCAESARIENSE/ NVNC ANNIS+CL+IMPLETIS/ VNIVERSITAS/ PRINCETONIENSIS/ SAECVLVM SPECTAT/ NOVVM
- Location
- Currently not on view
- maker
- Scovill Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- 1981.0296.1606
- accession number
- 1981.0296
- catalog number
- 1981.0296.1606
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
U.S. Patent Office Centennial Commemorative Medal
- Description (Brief)
- This medal was made by the Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut around 1891. 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 medals.
- Obverse: Image of an eagle on the shield of the United States, with a cogwheel and sheaf of grain to the left. The legend reads: PATENT OFFICE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
- Reverse: The legend reads: PATENT CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION/WASHINGTON April 10, 1891.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- referenced
- U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
- maker
- Scovill Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- 1981.0296.1608
- accession number
- 1981.0296
- catalog number
- 1981.0296.1608
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
1853 Exhibition of All Nations Medal
- Description (Brief)
- This medal was made by the Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut around 1853. 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 various consumer goods including buttons, daguerreotype mats, and medals.
- Obverse: Image of the New York Crystal Palace. Legend: BUILDING FOR THE EXHIBITION OF THE INDUSTRY OF ALL NATIONS/ NEW YORK/ MDCCCLIII.
- Reverse: Wreath with two different branches. Legend: THE FIRST PILLAR WAS ERECTED OCTOBER 30th 1852/ OPENED MAY 2nd/ 1853/ MESSrs GARSTENSEN & GILDEMIESTER/ ARHCITECHTS.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- maker
- Scovill Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- 1981.0296.1609
- accession number
- 1981.0296
- catalog number
- 1981.0296.1609
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Patriotic Token
- Description (Brief)
- This patriotic token was made by the Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut during the early 20th century. 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 medals.
- Obverse: Image of Lady Liberty holding a torch and a shield , with a man holding up a rifle. The legend reads: WE PLEDGE OUR LIVES, OUR FORTUNES, AND OUR SACRED HONOR.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- maker
- Scovill Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- 1981.0296.1611
- accession number
- 1981.0296
- catalog number
- 1981.0296.1611
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Union Shield
- Description (Brief)
- This shield-shaped badge was made by the Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut around 1864. 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 profile bust of a man in a uniform (likely George B. McClellan) facing left, and the rim of the shield is lined with 34 stars. Above the head of the man the legend reads: Union.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- maker
- Scovill Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- 1981.0296.1098
- accession number
- 1981.0296
- catalog number
- 1981.0296.1098
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Scovill Centennial Commemorative Medal
- Description (Brief)
- This medal was made by the Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut in 1902. 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.
- Obverse: Bust of James Mitchell Lamson Scovill and William Henry Scovill. The legend reads: SCOVILL MANUFACTURING COMPANY/ J.M.L. SCOVILL-Wm. H. SCOVILL/1802-1902 WATERBURY, CONN.
- Reverse: The legend reads: CENTENNIAL OF THE FOUNDING OF THE SCOVILL MANUFACTURING CO./PRESENTED BY THE COMPANY TO (blank) 1802/ABEL PORTER & CO./1811/LEAVENWORTH HAYDEN & SCOVILL/1827/J.M.L. & W.H. SCOVILL/1850/SCOVILL MFG. CO.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- maker
- Scovill Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- 1981.0296.1589
- accession number
- 1981.0296
- catalog number
- 1981.0296.1589
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Scovill Centennial Commemorative Medal
- Description (Brief)
- This medal was made by the Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut in 1902. 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.
- Obverse: Bust of James Mitchell Lamson Scovill and William Henry Scovill. The legend reads: SCOVILL MANUFACTURING COMPANY/ J.M.L. SCOVILL-Wm. H. SCOVILL/1802-1902 WATERBURY, CONN.
- Reverse: CENTENNIAL OF THE FOUNDING OF THE SCOVILL MANUFACTURING CO./PRESENTED BY THE COMPANY TO C.M. DE MOTT JR./1802/ABEL PORTER & CO./1811/LEAVENWORTH HAYDEN & SCOVILL/1827/J.M.L. & W.H. SCOVILL/1850/SCOVILL MFG. CO.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- maker
- Scovill Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- 1981.0296.1590
- accession number
- 1981.0296
- catalog number
- 1981.0296.1590
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
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