Remington Rand Corporation, Records of the Advertising and Sales Promotion Department1876-1956

Remington Rand was formed as a result of the 1927 merger of the Remington Typewriter Company and the Rand Kardex Company. Its products included typewriters, adding machines and other office equipment and office filing systems. The records primarily consist of advertising and sales promotional materials.

The Remington Rand Corporation was formed in 1927 by the merger of the Remington Typewriter Company and the Rand Kardex Company. The Remington Typewriter Company's immediate predecessor was E. Remington and Sons of Ilion, New York which began manufacturing sewing machines in 1873. In 1876, E. Remington and Sons purchased patents for a typewriter invented by Christopher Latham Sholes.

Improvements made to Sholes' typewriter design were based on sewing machine construction. The Remington typewriter Model 1 printed in only capital letters, sat on a table like a sewing machine, used a foot treadle for a carriage return and was painted black with floral decorations just like a sewing machine. Slow typewriter sales were boosted by its display at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition, but it was the work of Wyckoff, Seamans & Benedict which would lead Remington to be the world's largest typewriter manufacturer. In 1882, this newly formed firm acquired world-wide sales rights of the Remington typewriter. It began an aggressive marketing campaign which included opening several international offices. In 1886, Wyckoff, Seamans & Benedict purchased the typewriter business from E. Remington and Sons. The name was changed to Remington Typewriter Company in 1905.

In the same year that Wyckoff, Seamans & Benedict took over the sales of Remington typewriters, the New York YWCA began offering typing classes to young women. Many thought the classes were a mistake, but the program's first graduates were quickly hired at business offices. Business schools and typing classes sprung up all over the world and female “typewriters” (as the typewriter operators were then known) began to fill business offices, thus opening a new world of economic opportunities to women.

The Rand Kardex Company, Remington Rand's other antecedent, was created from James H. Rand Sr.'s Rand Company and James H. Rand Jr.'s American Kardex Company. Both companies manufactured record-control and storage equipment. Before the 1927 merger with the Remington Typewriter Company, Rand Kardex acquired the Index-Visible Company, the Baker-Vawter Company, the Kalamazoo Loose-Leaf Binder Company and the Safe-Cabinet Company, making it one the country's most important manufacturers of record-control systems.

The Advertising and Sales Promotion Department of Remington Rand provided support to the extensive sales force in each of the Company's product divisions. The Department utilized print advertising, direct mail, contests and “salesmen helps” to sell Remington Rand products. By the 1940s, target marketing of specific industries became an important part of the department's approach.

In 1955, Remington Rand merged with the Sperry Gyroscope Company to form the Sperry Rand Corporation. While the Sperry Rand Corporation began to focus on the growing electronics and computer industry, it continued to manufacture office equipment like typewriters and a line of copiers under their Remington Division.

The records of the Remington Rand Corporation's Advertising and Sales Promotion Department came to the Hagley Museum and Library in 1982 as part of a larger collection of Sperry Company records. The only Remington Rand Corporation records which survive from the pre-1955 era are corporate minute books and this collection of Advertising and Sales Promotion literature.

The Advertising and Sales Promotion Department provided support to the company sales force with print advertising, direct mail, trade catalogs, operating manuals and other promotional literature. These materials form the bulk of this collection. The organizational structure adapted to this collection most closely reflects Remington Rand sales divisions of June, 1949. The 1949 divisions were Adding-Bookkeeping-Calculating Machines, Dealer Sales, Duplicator Supplies, Electric Shaver, Photographic Records, Remtico Supplies, Systems, Management Controls (Tabulating - Accounting Machines), Typewriter and Export. Records of the Dealer Sales Division are arranged as they were received and have been placed with the products they promoted. For example, a Dealer Sales Division poster advertising TopFlight adding machines is filed with the Adding-Bookkeeping and Calculating Machines Division.

This collection contains a number of photographs which are now located in the Pictorial Department. Photocopies of some photographs have been kept in the Manuscripts collection. Many trade catalogs, books and journals from this collection have been sent to the Imprints Department. (See Appendix II for a complete list of materials sent to the Imprints Department.)

Series I: Typewriter Division.

This series is divided into four subseries: Historical Files, Remington Typewriter Company, Remington Rand Typewriters and the School Department.

Sub-Series A: Historical Files

The Historical Files subseries is comprised of records (1830-1970) collected by the Advertising and Sales Promotion Department for their history files. The subseries has been further divided into two parts: the History of the Typewriter and Remington Rand History. Because the history of Remington Rand is integral to the overall history of the typewriter, there is naturally some overlap in these two sections. Files categorized as Remington Rand History refer solely or predominately to the company.

The History of the Typewriter section includes advertisements, letters written using early typewriters, articles, radio scripts, information about typewriter prototypes, their inventors, and early typewriter manufacturers. Included is a March 23, 1882 letter written by Mark Twain on a Remington Model 1. Twain's letter was the cornerstone of Remington Rand's popular history-theme typewriter ad campaign (See Sub-Series C, Box 5, Folder 30.) Also of note is correspondence relating to acquisition of the typewriter used by President Harrison's secretary for the Remington Rand historical collection. There are several letters type-written by C. Latham Sholes, inventor of the Remington typewriter.

The Remington Rand History section contains advertisements, information about typewriter manufacturers which were acquired by the Remington Typewriter Company or Remington Rand, the 1927 merger which created the company, and miscellaneous subjects such as the interrobang, a new punctuation used on some Remington Rand typewriters after 1967. This section also includes files relating to the 1947 motion picture “The Shocking Miss Pilgrim” starring Betty Grable which told the story of the Lillian Sholes, daughter of Christopher Latham Sholes and, according to Remington Rand, the first woman to enter the office workplace. The Remington Rand History files contain materials from world's fairs and international expositions which featured Remington typewriters--the Centennial Exposition, Columbian Exposition and the 1939 New York World's Fair. Correspondence files consist mainly of research questions and the department responses and are likely to be useful to researchers seeking information about typewriter and company history.

Subseries B: Remington Typewriter Company

This subseries (1878-1963, bulk dates 1910s-1920s) includes over 2000 diagrams of keyboards used on Remington and Smith-Premier typewriters (which were manufactured by Remington). The company specially designed keyboards for specific business applications, foreign languages and regional polyglots. Trade catalogs, instruction manuals, sales literature and other materials are arranged by the typewriters they advertised. Records for typewriter supplies manufactured by Remington Typewriter Company are located in Series II: Remtico Division. The sub-series contains materials from Wyckoff, Seamans & Benedict including W.O. Wyckoff's scrapbook with typing samples dating to 1878.

The history of the Remington Typewriter Company and Remington Rand closely reflects the history of women working outside the home. Images of women in offices exist throughout this record collection, but are richest in this sub-series, Sub-Series C: Remington Rand Typewriters and Series II: Remtico Supplies.

Researchers tracing changes in office equipment will want to pay close attention to sales and operating manuals, as well as the less-frequent blueprints and specification sheets in this and subsequent sub-series.

Subseries C: Remington Rand Typewriters

This subseries (1928-1970, bulk dates 1930s-1950s) is arranged primarily by product. Included are many trade catalogs, sales manuals, operating manuals, posters and advertisements. Of particular interest are the sales letters and bulletins which can be used to trace Remington Rand advertising strategies. Sales letters and bulletins were issued from the Advertising and Sales Promotions Department to salesmen and district managers. The letters explained the ideas behind individual advertising pieces or groups of advertising, the goals and planning of each campaign and the recommended follow-up by the sales force. The popular history-theme campaign which included a letter written by Mark Twain is part of the Model 17 materials in this sub-series. Materials relating to Noiseless typewriters include literature about the harmful effects of noise. A Federal Trade Commission stipulation to cease and desist certain advertising for portable models is noteworthy.

Subseries D: School Department

Advertising of the School Department focussed on selling office products to schools and vocational programs. The department reached classroom teachers and students by providing curriculum support materials and advertising in business education trade journals. The company also encouraged students to rent or buy Remington Rand typewriters through special programs. Marketing to schools was an important part of the company's overall advertising strategies since the brand preferences of typists were often developed while they were still in school. Records in this series range from 1934-1955.

Series II: Remtico Division

The Remtico Division manufactured typewriter supplies. The main products of this division were ribbons, carbon papers and the Line-A-Time, which held the texts from which typists copied. Brand names include Remtico, Rembrandt, TopFlight, Patrician, Beautyrite, Red Seal, Paragon, Everlasting, Remrandco and Cello-Clik. Products manufactured by the Remtico Division were at times marketed under the auspices of the Typewriter, Typewriter Supply and Line-A-Time divisions. Materials in this series (1914-1963, bulk dates 1930s-1950s) include trade catalogs, displays, product tags, promotional give-aways like eraser shields, sample folders, sales letters, sales and operating manuals, etc.

Series III: Systems Division

The Systems Division produced and marketed record control and storage systems. The division's predecessors included the Rand Kardex Company, which was comprised of James H. Rand Sr.'s Rand Company and James H. Rand Jr.'s American Kardex Company, the Index-Visible Company, the Baker-Vawter Company, the Kalamazoo Loose-Leaf Binder Company and the Safe-Cabinet Company. Many of the records in this series are from these companies before they merged to become Remington Rand in 1927. Safe-Cabinet, whose favorite sales tactic was to capitalize on fear of fire, comprises the largest part of this series. Safe-Cabinet devoted much of their promotions to teaching customers the importance of their records and thus, the value of protecting those records. Series records (1911-1974, bulk dates 1920s-1940s) consist of scrapbooks, trade catalogs, product samples, information about laboratory testing (Safe-Cabinet), sales literature, blueprints, etc. Products in the Systems Division have also been under the auspices of the Kardex and Safe-Cabinet Divisions.

Series IV: Adding, Bookkeeping and Calculating Division

This series is arranged by product. Records (1924-1970, bulk dates 1930s-1950s) include tearsheets, posters, banners, trade catalogs, sales literature, operating manuals, etc. Much of the advertising of this division was targeted toward specific industries such as building trades, retailing and insurance.

Series V: Management Controls (Tabulating - Accounting) Division

This series (1929-1957) consists of five folders of materials about the Management Controls Division, also known as the Accounting, Tabulating or Accounting and Tabulating Division. The main products of this division were punch card tabulating machines and punch cards.

Series VI: Duplicator Supplies

Included in this series (1935-1968, bulk dates 1950s) are trade catalogs, sales literature, flyers and tearsheets for Rem-Masters, stencils and Plastiplates, etc.

Series VII: Export Division

Four folders of materials (1929-1940) from the Export Division constitute this series. Included are sales literature, tearsheets and trade catalogs in English, Chinese, Swedish and Spanish.

Series VIII: Mixed Division Materials

This series contains promotional materials which advertised products from multiple Remington Rand Divisions. Records (1928-1952) include tearsheets, trade catalogs and an Employment Relations Manual.

Series IX: Sperry-Rand Corporation

Many of the records in this series (1959-1975) were generated by the Publications and Publicity staff after the 1955 Sperry merger. Records include background research and articles produced for in-house periodicals and trade journals. Many press releases and fact sheet detail new products, especially the Remington division's line of copiers.

	Advertisement,	1889		Box O.S. 16: 1
	(Contains a page from Harper's Bazaar.)

	Articles,	1886-1968		Box 1: 2
	(Miscellaneous published articles and clippings.)

	Articles by Remington Rand,	1925-1966		Folder 3
	(Includes published articles from company journals and pamphlet “Outline of Typewriter History”.)

	Blickensderfer Manufacturing Company,	n.d.-1938		Folder 4
	(Includes brochure for their “Electrical” typewriter and business card.)

	Brady Correspondence,	1892-1940		Folder 5
	(Includes Remington-typed November 14, 1892 letter from William A. Brady booking boxer James J. “Gentleman Jim” Corbett to appear in Nevada. Corbett had defeated John L. Sullivan in September, 1892. Also included is 1940 correspondence between Remington Rand and Mink DeRonda arranging the company's acquisition of the Brady letter.)

	Burt, William A.,	1830-1950		Folder 6
	(Includes an article, clippings and speech about William Burt, inventor of an early typewriter (patented 1829), correspondence between Mr. Burt's granddaughter and Remington Rand, illustrations of Burt's typewriter, photograph of 1830 letter typed by Burt on his typewriter.)

	Clippings,	1891-1968		Folder 7
	(Includes articles in Spanish and Siamese.)

	Manuscripts,	1918-1953		Folder 8
	(Includes articles, time lines and texts of speeches including “The History of the Typewriter” by the Royal Typewriter Company.)

	Miscellaneous Typewriters,	1886-1967		Folder 9
	(Includes “Miner's Specialties for Shorthand Writers and Typewriter Operators, 1886-7,” a photocopy of 1845 writing by the “Chirographer,” a 1930 photo-essay of 221 typewriters and miscellaneous clippings and articles.)

	Pamphlets,	1892-c. 1950		Folder 10
	(Includes reprints of “The Evolution of the Typewriter” from Belford's Magazine, a history by the Underwood Corporation, “The Typewriter Opened the Door,” radio talk by Mr. C.F. Kettering for General Motors Symphony of the Air, “The Story of the Typewriter” adapted for performance in schools and “The Typewriter: A Historical Background” exhibit guide from the Everson Museum, Syracuse, New York. Other pamphlets sent to Imprints Department.)

	Patent Specifications,	1901		Folder 11
	(Contains patent specifications for type-writing machine by Charles A. Bennett.)

	President Harrison's Typewriter Correspondence and Clippings,	1933-1952		Folder 12
	(Arranged chronologically. In regard to possible acquisition of a Remington Standard, No. 2 typewriter used by President Harrison's secretary.)

	Scripts,	1940-1951		Folder 14
	(Contains first draft for the DuPont Company's “Cavalcade of America” radio show “This Man from Milwaukee” by Irve Tunick which recounts the invention of the typewriter (1951); Republic Steel Corporation's “Your Faithful Servant - Industry: The Story of Modern Office Equipment” (1940); “Church Sermon Spurs Invention of Typewriter” (1948); and “The Great Adventure” (1951).)

	Sholes Letters,	1872		Folder 15
	(Includes copies of three letters written by Christopher Latham Sholes. Two letters to a Mr. Markoe describe typewriting and arrange a sale. The third letter, to “Friend Barron,” expresses the inventor's apprehension that the typewriter would be a passing fad.)

	60th Anniversary,	1933-1934		Folder 16
	(Contains clippings, “Outline of Typewriter History” published by Remington Rand. Commemoratives focus on the entry of women into business and women's “emancipation” by the typewriter. Also contains information about YWCA, which also celebrated 60 years in 1933 and was instrumental in training women to enter offices as typists.)

	Awards and Conventions,	1922-1930		Folder 23
	(Includes programs and songs from manager's and sales conventions and notice of staff service awards.)

	Columbian Exposition,	1888-1893		Folder 26
	(Clippings announcing Remington as supplier of typewriters to public at Fair.)

	Fires, Clippings,	1930-1931		Folder 29
	(Contains newspaper accounts of two building fires in Buffalo, N.Y.)

	Hoyle's Office Machineorama,	1963-1968		Folder 30
	(Clippings, correspondence and photocopies of photographs of vehicle which was considered as a model for a Mobile Unit for sales force.)

	Twain Letter,	1882-1965		Folder 17
	(Contains copy of 1882 letter written by Twain on a Remington Model No. 1 typewriter, correspondence and clippings.)

	Varityper Incorporated,	1927		Folder 18
	(Includes correspondence with the American Writing Machine Company, trade catalogs and a price list.)

	Miscellany,	n.d.-1914		Folder 19
	(Contains photocopies of photographs of early typewriters and office scenes, trade catalogs for the Burroughs Adding Machine Model No. 3 and the Elliott Visible Book and General Typewriter.)

	American Writing Machine Company, Miscellany,	1930- c. 1943		Folder 22
	(Includes advertisements, brochures, flyers and instructional materials about products sold and manufactured by AMWCO.)

	Centennial Exposition,	1876-1947		Folder 25
	(Includes Correspondence about Remington typewriter displayed at exposition, copy of advertisement, 1876 letter typed at exposition and 1939 letter from owner of that typewriter.)

	Correspondence,	1929-1957		Folder 27
	(Arranged chronologically. Includes research requests and responses from Public Relations Department. Includes 1929 correspondence with the Ford Museum about donation of old Remington Typewriters.)

	Correspondence,	1967-1970		Folder 28
	(Arranged chronologically. Includes research requests and responses from Public Relations Department. Contains series of correspondence with August Baggenstos who was writing a book on the history of the typewriter.)

	Illustrations,	1867-1967		Folder 31
	(Contains photocopies of two photographic histories of the typewriter and Remington Rand and miscellaneous individual photographs.)

	Interrobang, Clippings,	1968-1969		Folder 32
	(Interrobang is a punctuation introduced in 1962 by Martin K. Specter, hobbyist printer and president of his own advertising agency. Remington Rand included the interrobang as an interchangeable key on its typewriters in 1968 and launched large publicity campaign.)

	Interrobang, Publicity,	1967-1969		Folder 33
	(Contains press releases, photocopies of publicity photographs and correspondence.)

	Interrobang, Rahtid,	1968		Folder 34
	(Correspondence, clippings and promotion about Jamaican revue using the interrobang.)

	Interrobang, Miscellany,	1968-1970		Folder 35
	(Includes correspondence, press releases and a book entitled “Interrobang.”)

	Manuscripts,	n.d.		Folder 36
	(Contains “Eliphalet's Rifle” which traces the history of E. Remington and Sons and “A Brief History of Remington Rand.”)

	Merger, Articles,	1927-1928		Folder 37
	(Includes articles about the Dalton Company and the Safe-Cabinet Company.)

	Monarch Typewriter,	1932-1969		Box 2: Folder 1
	(Includes trade catalogs, operating manuals, a poster and correspondence for standard and noiseless models.)

	New York World's Fair,	1939		Folder 2
	(Remington Rand brochure.)

	Sales Contests,	1948-1949		Folder 5
	(Includes “Dominate in 48” campaign for 75th anniversary year.)

	Sales Contest Posters,	1940-1948		Box O.S. 15: 1
	(Contains “The Last Word in Contests” and “Dominate in 48” sales chart.)

	The Shocking Miss Pilgrim, Correspondence,	1946-1947		Box 2: 6
	(Includes correspondence about planning and implementation of film promotions and tie-ins.)

	The Shocking Miss Pilgrim, Publicity,	1947		Folder 8
	(Includes advertising release signed by Betty Grable granting Remington Rand permission to use her image, promotional agreements between 20th Century-Fox and Remington Rand, press releases, local showings schedule and a transcript of Walter Winchell discussing the film.)