American Catalin Corporation salesman's sample book, 1928-1930
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Summary
- Creator:
- American Catalin Corporation
- Abstract:
- The American Catalin Corporation was founded in New York, N.Y., in 1927; it developed the light-colored, transparent, filler-free Bakelite resin in a wide range of colors. Bakelite is the first synthetic plastic, developed by Dr. Leo Baekeland between 1907 and 1909. American Catalin Corporation used its form of the resin for costume jewelry, fashion accessories, radios, and other products. By 1942, the company suspended its manufacture of jewelry and cast items to concentrate on wartime production. After the war, petroleum-based plastics gained favor. Collection comprises a salesman's sample book in a black leather album used to provide a visual guide for the company's products. The album contains primarily 34 black-and-white 8x10 photographs (8 photographs are laid in, all but two are linen backed, those not laid-in are stamped on the back with "Johnston & Tunick Commercial Photographers"), as well as 17 typeset pages containing inter-office memos, sales tips, information regarding the company's competition, and customer testimonials. Several of the memos are written to the attention of D. J. Kelly, who was the salesman for whom the sample book was prepared. There is also a two-page key to the main group of 19 photographs, identifying the Bakelite products in each photograph, as well as the item's final producer. Seven of the laid-in photographs show the corporation's factory, including three of factory workers on the job. The American Catalin Corporation was founded in New York, N.Y., in 1927; it developed the light-colored, transparent, filler-free Bakelite resin in a wide range of colors. Bakelite is the first synthetic plastic, developed by Dr. Leo Baekeland between 1907 and 1909. American Catalin Corporation used its form of the resin for costume jewelry, fashion accessories, radios, and other products. By 1942, the company suspended its manufacture of jewelry and cast items to concentrate on wartime production. After the war, petroleum-based plastics gained favor.
- Extent:
- 0.25 Linear Feet
1 item - Language:
- Materials in English
- Research Center:
- John W. Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising & Marketing History
- Collection ID:
- RL.00032
Background
- Scope and content:
-
Collection comprises a salesman's sample book in a black leather album used to provide a visual guide for the company's products. The album contains primarily 34 black-and-white 8x10 photographs (8 photographs are laid in, all but two are linen backed, those not laid-in are stamped on the back with "Johnston & Tunick Commercial Photographers"), as well as 17 typeset pages containing inter-office memos, sales tips, information regarding the company's competition, and customer testimonials. Several of the memos are written to the attention of D. J. Kelly, who was the salesman for whom the sample book was prepared. There is also a two-page key to the main group of 19 photographs, identifying the Bakelite products in each photograph, as well as the item's final producer. Seven of the laid-in photographs show the corporation's factory, including three of factory workers on the job.
- Biographical / historical:
-
The American Catalin Corporation was founded in New York, N.Y., in 1927; it developed the light-colored, transparent, filler-free Bakelite resin in a wide range of colors. Bakelite is the first synthetic plastic, developed by Dr. Leo Baekeland between 1907 and 1909. American Catalin Corporation used its form of the resin for costume jewelry, fashion accessories, radios, and other products. By 1942, the company suspended its manufacture of jewelry and cast items to concentrate on wartime production. After the war, petroleum-based plastics gained favor.
- Acquisition information:
- Purchase, 2009
- Processing information:
-
Processed by: Alice Poffinberger, February 2010
Encoded by: Noah Huffman, February 2010
Accession(s) described in this finding aid: 2009-0198
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Subjects
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Contents
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- Restrictions:
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Collection is open for research.
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- Preferred citation:
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[Identification of item], in the American Catalin Corporation salesman's sample book, 1928-1930, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.
- Permalink:
- https://idn.duke.edu/ark:/87924/m1v302