Food
Part of a nation's history lies in what people eat. Artifacts at the Museum document the history of food in the United States from farm machinery to diet fads.
More than 1,300 pieces of stoneware and earthenware show how Americans have stored, prepared, and served food for centuries. Ovens, cookie cutters, kettles, aprons, and ice-cream-making machines are part of the collections, along with home canning jars and winemaking equipment. More than 1,000 objects recently came to the Museum when author and cooking show host Julia Child donated her entire kitchen, from appliances to cookbooks.
Advertising and business records of several food companies—such as Hills Brothers Coffee, Pepsi Cola, and Campbell's Soup—represent the commercial side of the subject
3,807
Page 1 of 191
-
Trade catalogs from Highbee's
- Date
- 1900s
- Company Name
- Highbee's
- Record ID
- SILNMAHTL_42655
- Data source
- Smithsonian Libraries
-
Trade catalogs from C. Lumsden & Son, Inc.
- Date
- 1900s
- Company Name
- C. Lumsden & Son, Inc.
- Record ID
- SILNMAHTL_28056
- Data source
- Smithsonian Libraries
-
Trade catalogs from Bushmills Distillery Co. Ltd.
- Date
- 1800s
- Variant company name
- Established 1784 ; London, England
- Company Name
- Bushmills Distillery Co. Ltd.
- Record ID
- SILNMAHTL_9603
- Data source
- Smithsonian Libraries
-
Trade catalogs from Gilpin, Langdon & Co., Inc.
- Date
- 1900s
- Company Name
- Gilpin, Langdon & Co., Inc.
- Related companies
- Henry B. Gilpin Co. ;
- Record ID
- SILNMAHTL_17460
- Data source
- Smithsonian Libraries
-
Grilling Spatula
- Description
- After World War II, many newly affluent Americans had the means and desire to travel. They flocked to the tropics, visiting Pacific islands, the Caribbean, and Southeast Asia, as well as warm places closer to home, including Mexico, California, Hawaii, and Florida. People developed a taste for casual living and the distinctive local foods and drink. Returning home, they re-created these experiences in their new suburban backyards, with patios, tropical drinks, and the grill, where they cooked meals craved by a postwar meat-mad America.
- By the late 1950s, American manufacturers and retailers were promoting the new “necessities” for the affluence represented in the outdoor life. The tools, clothes, furniture, and serving ware to go along with grilled meals on the patio grew into a major industry.
- This Mr. Cheftender “Ranger” four-piece set, c. 1970—a carving knife, spatula, fork, and grill scraper—represents the basic tools provided for barbecuers. As the market expanded, enthusiastic grill masters could enhance their tool kit with tongs, skewers, basting brushes, corn or potato holders, salt and pepper shakers on long handles, “doneness” indicators for meat, grill rests or holders, grill lighters, carrying cases, and other gadgets.
- Made out of base metals with inexpensive wood handles (and lops and hooks for hanging on the grill side), these barbecue tools represent the middle range, neither the cheap ones that rust or break easily nor the high end designer tools that eventually became available along with expensive grills, complete outdoor kitchens, and designer patio furniture.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- 2012.0138.04
- accession number
- 2012.0138
- catalog number
- 2012.0138.04
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Trade catalogs from Takara Shuzo Co., Ltd.
- Date
- 1900s
- Company Name
- Takara Shuzo Co., Ltd.
- Related companies
- Takara Biochemical Inc. (Berkeley, CA)
- Record ID
- SILNMAHTL_24775
- Data source
- Smithsonian Libraries
-
Fruit and Chianti Bottle
- Location
- Currently not on view
- ID Number
- PG.004031
- catalog number
- 4031
- accession number
- 132135
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Pancakes
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1930s
- maker
- Keppler, Victor
- ID Number
- PG.006261.EE
- accession number
- 238737
- catalog number
- 6261EE
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Strawberry Shortcake
- Location
- Currently not on view
- maker
- Keppler, Victor
- ID Number
- PG.006261.GG
- catalog number
- 6261GG
- accession number
- 238737
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Still life with silver-top decanter
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1930s-1950s
- maker
- Keppler, Victor
- ID Number
- PG.006261.L
- catalog number
- 6261L
- accession number
- 238737
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Men in a fast food restaurant
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- ca 1960s
- photographer
- Uzzle, Burk
- ID Number
- PG.72.12.001
- accession number
- 2003.0044
- catalog number
- 72.12.1
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Salt Dish
- Description
- Oval salt dish with a cylindrical, scalloped-rim, clear, dark cobalt blue glass insert or liner resting in a seamed, bead-and-cable-patterned holder on four leaf-and-scroll feet with cast and stamped female masks supported by griffin-like creatures for frame. No marks.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1880 - 1920
- ID Number
- 1977.0918.66
- accession number
- 1977.0918
- catalog number
- 1977.0918.66
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Stoneware cooler
- Description
- Thompson Harrington took over management of Nathan Clark’s Lyons, New York stoneware manufactory in 1852 when Clark left to establish new potteries elsewhere in western New York. Located along the Erie Canal, the Lyons pottery flourished under Harrington and subsequent ownership until it closed in 1902.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1852-1872
- maker
- Harrington, Thompson
- ID Number
- 1977.0803.81
- accession number
- 1977.0803
- catalog number
- 1977.0803.81
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Trade catalogs from Paterson Hughes Engineering Co. Ltd.
- Date
- 1900s
- Company Name
- Paterson Hughes Engineering Co. Ltd.
- Related companies
- Paterson Hughes Engineering Co. Ltd. SA cc
- Record ID
- SILNMAHTL_29066
- Data source
- Smithsonian Libraries
-
Trade catalogs from Reliable Sales Co.
- Date
- 1900s
- Company Name
- Reliable Sales Co.
- Record ID
- SILNMAHTL_10156
- Data source
- Smithsonian Libraries
-
Trade catalogs from General Nutrition Corp.
- Date
- 1900s
- Company Name
- General Nutrition Corp.
- Related companies
- GNC ;
- Record ID
- SILNMAHTL_17637
- Data source
- Smithsonian Libraries
-
Trade catalogs from E. A. Siebel and Co.
- Date
- 1900s
- Company Name
- E. A. Siebel and Co.
- Related companies
- Siebel Laboratories, Inc.
- Record ID
- SILNMAHTL_19391
- Data source
- Smithsonian Libraries
-
Trade catalogs from Hasselberg Co.
- Date
- 1900s
- Company Name
- Hasselberg Co.
- Record ID
- SILNMAHTL_19818
- Data source
- Smithsonian Libraries
-
Trade catalogs from Lorenz Refrigerator Car Co.
- Date
- 1800s
- Company Name
- Lorenz Refrigerator Car Co.
- Record ID
- SILNMAHTL_27661
- Data source
- Smithsonian Libraries
-
Trade catalogs from J. B. Wight
- Date
- 1900s
- Company Name
- J. B. Wight
- Related companies
- Pecan Grove Farm, Nursery and Orchard
- Record ID
- SILNMAHTL_28364
- Data source
- Smithsonian Libraries
Pages
Filter Your Results
- data source
-
topic
- Beverage industry 1381
- Distilleries 1381
- Furnishings 649
- Agriculture 624
- Crate Labels 378
- Industrial equipment 278
- Food Culture 261
- Food habits 258
- FOOD: Transforming the American Table 1950-2000 238
- Photography 217
- Advertising 214
- Furniture, equipment, etc." 182
- Dairy products industry 170
- Barrels 169
- Bottling 169
- Farms 169
- Household appliances 169
- Equipment 165
- Machinery 161
-
object type
- Trade catalogs 1381
- Labels (identifying artifacts) 383
- Flatware 220
- Spoons 126
- Photographs 119
- Molinillo 68
- Knives 66
- Jar, Fruit 59
- Lids 59
- Prints 56
- Forks (flatware) 49
- Cutlery 47
- Cans (containers) 40
- Containers (receptacles) 39
- Lithographs 36
- Toasters (cooking and heating devices) 32
- carbro print 32
- Wrench, Canning Jar 26
- container, food 26
- Tumblers (drinking glasses) 22
- date
- place
- culture
-
set name
- Food 2426
- Smithsonian Libraries Trade Literature Collections 1381
- Trade Literature at the American History Museum Library 1269
- Cultural and Community Life: Domestic Life 766
- Domestic Furnishings 540
- Agriculture 487
- Work and Industry: Food Technology 470
- Work and Industry: Agriculture 441
- Crate Labels 378
- National Museum of American History 307
- FOOD: Transforming the American Table 1950-2000 238
- Food: Transforming the American Table 217
- Photography 210
- Advertising 183
- Work and Industry: Photographic History 154
- Work and Industry: Asian Pacific American Business 108
- Work 102
- Government, Politics, and Reform 76
- Cultural and Community Life: Ceramics and Glass 70
- Work and Industry: Graphic Arts 70
