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 11 items.
Page 1 of 2
Peace between U.S. and British Centennial Token
- Description (Brief)
- The Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut produced this commemorative token 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, medals, coins, and tokens.
- Obverse: Bust of George Washington facing right. The legend reads: CENTENNIAL OF PEACE BETWEEN UNITED STATES & GREAT BRITAIN/ 1783/ 1883.
- Reverse: Image of the Hasbrouck House. The legend reads: NEWBURGH. N.Y. SETTLED IN 1719/ WASHINGTON'S HEADQUARTER'S 1783.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- depicted
- Washington, George
- maker
- Scovill Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- 1981.0296.1490
- accession number
- 1981.0296
- catalog number
- 1981.0296.1490
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Strassburger & Nuhn Advertising Token
- Description (Brief)
- The Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut produced this advertising token 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, medals, coins, and tokens. There is a hole in the top of the token.
- Obverse: Bust of George Washington facing forward. Legend: GENERAL WASHINGTON.
- Reverse: Image of the Capitol. Legend: STRASSBUR(GE)R & NUHN/ CORNER, MAIDEN LANE & WILLIAM STREET NEW YORK./ CAPITOL AT WASHINGTON.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- depicted
- Washington, George
- maker
- Scovill Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- 1981.0296.1544
- accession number
- 1981.0296
- catalog number
- 1981.0296.1544
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
George Washington Token
- Description (Brief)
- The Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut produced this token around the mid–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.
- This brass token has a bust image of George Washington facing left.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- depicted
- Washington, George
- maker
- Scovill Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- 1981.0296.1574
- accession number
- 1981.0296
- catalog number
- 1981.0296.1574
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
George Washington Commemorative Token
- Description (Brief)
- This commemorative token was made by the Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut during the mid-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: Bust of George Washington facing right. Legend: 1st PRESIDENT, U.S.A./1789-1797/GEORGE WASHINGTON.
- Reverse: Legend: "AMERICAN FABIOUS"/ FIRST IN WAR/ FIRST IN PEACE/ FIRST IN THE HEARTS OF HIS COUNTRYMEN/ SERVED EIGHT YEARS AS PRESIDENT WITHOUT PAY/ "FATHER OF HIS COUNTRY"
- Location
- Currently not on view
- depicted
- Washington, George
- maker
- Scovill Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- 1981.0296.1637
- accession number
- 1981.0296
- catalog number
- 1981.0296.1637
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Washington and Jefferson Medal
- Description (Brief)
- This medal was made by the Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut in the 1860s. 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 medal has a hole in the top so that it could be worn. The medal bears the name “Bolen” referring to J.A. Bolden, a die caster from Springfield, Massachusetts.
- Obverse: Bust image of George Washington facing right. Legend reads: Washington.
- Reverse: Bust of Thomas Jefferson facing right. Legend reads: Jefferson.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- depicted
- Washington, George
- Jefferson, Thomas
- maker
- Scovill Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- 1981.0296.1121
- accession number
- 1981.0296
- catalog number
- 1981.0296.1121
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
George Washington Medal
- Description (Brief)
- This medal 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 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 medals.
- Obverse: Bust of George Washington facing right. Legend reads: G. WASHINGTON PRES. UNIT. STA.
- Reverse: Pedestal bearing the U. S. shield, over it is a fringed cloth, with fasces, sword and an olive wreath on the pedestal. Legend reads: COMMISS. RESIGNED: PRESIDENCY RELINQ. 1797.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- depicted
- Washington, George
- maker
- Scovill Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- 1981.0296.1126
- accession number
- 1981.0296
- catalog number
- 1981.0296.1126
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
George Washington Commemorative Coin
- Description (Brief)
- This commemorative coin 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: Bust of George Washington facing left. The legend reads: GEORGE WASHINGTON BORN 1732 DIED 1799.
- Reverse: Bust of George Washington facing left. The legend reads: GEORGE WASHINGTON BORN 1732 DIED 1799.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- depicted
- Washington, George
- maker
- Scovill Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- 1981.0296.1162
- accession number
- 1981.0296
- catalog number
- 1981.0296.1162
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
John D. Robbins Advertising Badge
- Description (Brief)
- This advertising badge was made by the Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut during 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 buttons, daguerreotype mats, coins, and campaign medals. John Robbins was using the imagery and iconography of George Washington to advertise his store.
- Obverse: Tintype photograph of George Washington.
- Reverse: Text reads: JOHN D. ROBBINS, TOYS, Fancy Goods, and FIREWORKS, 37 John Street, N.Y.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- depicted
- Washington, George
- maker
- Scovill Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- 1981.0296.1173
- accession number
- 1981.0296
- catalog number
- 1981.0296.1173
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Presidential Memorial Medal
- Description (Brief)
- This memorial medal was made by the Scovill Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut during the 1840s. 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 commemorative medals.
- Obverse: Bust portraits of Presidents, with labels: GEORGE WASHINGTON/ JOHN ADAMS/ THOMAS JEFFERSON/ JAMES MADISON/ JAMES MONROE/ JOHN QUINCY ADAMS/ ANDREW JACKSON/ MARTIN VAN BUREN.
- Reverse: Two branches wreath rim. The central legend reads: FIRST PRESIDENT/ GEORGE WASHINGTON./ SECOND/ JOHN ADAMS./ THIRD/ THOMAS JEFFERSON./ FOURTH/ JAMES MADISON./ FIFTH/ JAMES MONROE./ SIXTH/ JOHN QUINCY ADAMS./ SEVENTH/ ANDREW JACKSONS./ EIGHTH/ MARTIN VAN BUREN.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- depicted
- Washington, George
- Adams, John
- Jefferson, Thomas
- Madison, James
- Monroe, James
- Adams, John Quincy
- Jackson, Andrew
- Van Buren, Martin
- maker
- Scovill Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- 1981.0296.1240
- accession number
- 1981.0296
- catalog number
- 1981.0296.1240
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
George Washington 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 a variety of consumer goods including buttons, daguerreotype mats, and political tokens.
- Obverse: Bust of George Washington facing right. Legend: 1ST PRESIDENT, U.S.A./ 1789/ 1797/ GEORGE WASHINGTON.
- Reverse: "AMERICAN FABIOUS"/ "FATHER OF HIS COUNTRY"/ FIRST IN WAR FIRST IN PEACE FIRST IN THE HEARTS OF HIS COUNTRYMEN SERVED EIGHT YEARS AS PRESIDENT WITHOUT PAY.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- depicted
- Washington, George
- maker
- Scovill Manufacturing Company
- ID Number
- 1981.0296.1271
- accession number
- 1981.0296
- catalog number
- 1981.0296.1271
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center