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J. Walter Thompson Company. Iconographic collection, 1848-2005 and undated

Using These Materials

Restrictions:
Collection is open for research. However, nitrate negatives and some other items may not be accessible due to preservation concerns. Additionally, reproduction-quality copies of Pond's Advertising...

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Summary

Creator:
J. Walter Thompson Company
Abstract:
Founded in 1864, the J. Walter Thompson Company (JWT) is one of the oldest and largest enduring advertising agencies in the United States. The Iconographic Collection spans the years 1848-2005 with the bulk of materials dating between 1940 and 1985, and includes black-and-white and color photographs, negatives, slides, contact sheets, photograph albums, and microfiche. It is an artificial collection created to document the facilities, key events, advertising highlights and corporate culture of the J. Walter Thompson Company (JWT). Domestic and international offices are included, with the New York, Chicago and London offices being the most heavily represented. Key executives include James Walter Thompson, Stanley and Helen Landsdowne Resor, Don Johnston, Dan Seymour, Norm Strouse, and E.G. Wilson. Client advertising includes Ford, Kodak, Chesebrough-Pond's, Lever Brothers (Unilever), and Warner-Lambert. Notable photographers whose work appears in the collection include Fabian Bachrach, Ralph Bartholomew, Cecil Beaton, Louise Dahl-Wolfe, Philippe Halsman, Horst P. Horst, George Hurrell, Yousuf Karsh, Baron Adolf de Meyer, Bill Ray, Jean Raeburn, Edward Steichen, Thomas Veres, Brett Weston and Dorothy Wilding. Acquired as part of the John W. Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising & Marketing History.
Extent:
90 Linear Feet
30,000 Items
Language:
Material in English
Collection ID:
RL.00712

Background

Scope and Content:

The Iconographic Collection spans the years 1848-2005 with the bulk of materials dating between 1940 and 1985, and includes black-and-white and color photographs, negatives, slides, contact sheets, photograph albums, and microfiche. It is an artificial collection created to document the facilities, key events, advertising highlights and corporate culture of the J. Walter Thompson Company (JWT). Domestic and international offices are included, with the New York, Chicago and London offices being the most heavily represented. Key executives include James Walter Thompson, Stanley and Helen Landsdowne Resor, Don Johnston, Dan Seymour, Norm Strouse, and E.G. Wilson. Client advertising includes Ford, Kodak, Chesebrough-Pond's, Lever Brothers (Unilever), and Warner-Lambert. Notable photographers whose work appears in the collection include Fabian Bachrach, Ralph Bartholomew, Cecil Beaton, Louise Dahl-Wolfe, Philippe Halsman, Horst P. Horst, George Hurrell, Yousuf Karsh, Baron Adolf de Meyer, Bill Ray, Jean Raeburn, Edward Steichen, Thomas Veres, Brett Weston and Dorothy Wilding.

Restrictions on Access: Reproduction-quality copies of Pond's Advertising Photographs may not be produced for non-JWT users.

Acquisition Information:
The J. Walter Thompson Company. Iconographic Collection was received by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book Manuscript Library as a gift in 1987, with additions in subsequent years.
Processing information:

Processed by Richard Collier, Caitlin Harding, Ashley Urquhart, January 2009

Encoded by Richard Collier, March 2009

Accessions 791003B, 800414, 800915, 810226B, 810712, 860129C, 91-099, 92-023, 93-036, 93-081, 93-140, 93-141, 96-050, 96-147, 00-385 were merged into one collection, described in this finding aid.

Arrangement:

Collection is arranged into eight series: Corporate Events; Office Photographs; Officers and Staff Photographs; Negatives; Pond's Photographs and Negatives; Slides; Thomas Veres Photographs and Negatives; and Oversize Materials.

Corporate Events includes photographs of some of JWT's art and artifact collections as well as of meetings, seminars and anniversary parties of company-wide significance. Office Photographs document interiors and exteriors of JWT's domestic and international office buildings. Officers and Staff Photographs primarily feature senior-level management, but there are also publicity photographs and group portraits of departments, sports teams, and employee outings. Negatives comprise negatives associated with the Corporate Events, Office Photographs, and Officers and Staff Photographs Series. Pond's Photographs and Negatives include portraits of celebrities and socialites taken by leading photographers for Pond's beauty products advertising campaigns. Slides consist primarily of monthly advertising highlights as well as materials assembled for presentations. Thomas Veres Photographs and Negatives consist of work performed by Veres under contract to JWT, primarily of company events and staff. Oversize Materials include large-format materials pulled from other series.

Physical Location:
For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.
Rules or Conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Using These Materials

RESTRICTIONS:

Collection is open for research.

However, nitrate negatives and some other items may not be accessible due to preservation concerns.

Additionally, reproduction-quality copies of Pond's Advertising Photographs may not be produced for non-JWT users.

Researchers must register and agree to copyright and privacy laws before using this collection.

All or portions of this collection may be housed off-site in Duke University's Library Service Center. The library may require up to 48 hours to retrieve these materials for research use.

Please contact Research Services staff before visiting the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library to use this collection.

USE & PERMISSIONS:

The copyright interests in this collection have not been transferred to Duke University. For more information, consult the copyright section of the Regulations and Procedures of the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library.

BEFORE YOU VISIT:
Register online to request material for use in our reading room and track the status of your requests. Requests for material must be made 2 full business days in advance of your visit. Most of our collections are stored at the Library Service Center, our off-site repository.
PREFERRED CITATION:

[Identification of item], J. Walter Thompson Company. Iconographic Collection, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University

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Collection

J. Walter Thompson Company. Iconographic collection, 1848-2005 and undated
Request
Collection ID RL.00712
EAD ID jwticonographic
Catalog record
Total components 9,398