The Hagley Vault

Selections from Hagley Museum and Library's archives and published collections on the history of American business, technology, and innovation.

October 4, 2022
Black and white photograph of two women in a laboratory testing strands of Lycra fiber.

The DuPont employees in this photograph were part of the company's Lycra production and testing staff. This ca. 1962 photograph shows Jean Craun (foreground) and Florence Clark as testing Lycra fiber as it came off the production line at the company's Waynesboro plant in Virginia.


Photographed for inclusion in the company's magazine, Better Living (where it appeared in this March/April 1962 issue), this image is now part of Hagley Library's DuPont Company Product Information Collection (Accession 1972.371).

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Black and white photograph of two women in a laboratory testing strands of Lycra fiber.
Tuesday, October 4, 2022
The DuPont employees in this photograph were part of the company's Lycra production and testing staff ...
The DuPont employees in this photograph were part of the company's Lycra production and testing staff. This ca. 1962 photograph shows Jean Craun (foreground) and Florence Clark as testing Lycra fiber as it came off the production line at the company's Waynesboro plant in Virginia. Photographed for inclusion in the company's magazine, Better Living...
Monday, October 3, 2022
This #MovieMonday clip is a promotion from Kodak Cinegraphs & Kodascope Libraries for 1930s feature films ...
This #MovieMonday clip is a promotion from Kodak Cinegraphs & Kodascope Libraries for 1930s feature films The Early Bird and the Worm, Felix in Hollywood, Easy Street (with Charlie Chaplin), The Night Cry (with Rin-Tin-Tin), and more. It is the second part of a short film that the Eastman Kodak Company made with the Taylor-Wharton Iron &...
Page from California Perfume Company color plate catalog showing dental care products
Friday, September 30, 2022
This page advertising oral hygiene products is from a 1927 California Perfume Company catalog ...
This page advertising oral hygiene products is from a 1927 California Perfume Company catalog. It is part of Hagley Library's collection of Avon Products, Inc. records (Accession 2155). Avon is one of the oldest direct selling companies in America.  It traces its origins to 1886, when David H. McConnell (1856-1937) bought the Union Publishing...
Sheet music cover with title 'Drink a Highball'. Abstract and fleur de lis decorations.
Thursday, September 29, 2022
Today's #ThirstyThursday entertainment is being provided courtesy of the University of Pennsylvania's Houston Hall ...
Today's #ThirstyThursday entertainment is being provided courtesy of the University of Pennsylvania's Houston Hall. This 1901 sheet music folio documented the music and lyrics to "Drink a Highball", a tribute to the Pennsylvanian, the school's unofficial cocktail. The tune was created by Chicago resident Gustavas Brewster Brigham (1863-1925) who,...
Drawing of a devil with assorted objects labeled 'Secession' and 'Treason'.
Wednesday, September 28, 2022
We've got a troublesome little visitor with us today ....
We've got a troublesome little visitor with us today; this devil with objects marked 'Secession' and 'Treason' can be found on a ca. 1863 pictorial envelope in Hagley Library's collection of Civil War pictorial envelopes (Accession 1969.064). This collection consists of 141 envelopes with printed cover illustrations from the American Civil War....
Black and white photograph of a man demonstrating protective goggles and shoes to a classroom of women.
Tuesday, September 27, 2022
Today's #TrainTuesday post has us visiting a safety meeting ....
Today's #TrainTuesday post has us visiting a safety meeting (check out those goggles!) for women railroad workers, hosted by the Pennsylvania Railroad in Juniata, Pennsylvania on December 14, 1942. This item is part of Hagley Library's Pennsylvania Railroad negative collection (Accession 1993.300).  Incorporated in 1846, the Pennsylvania Railroad...
Black and white photograph of a group of people assembled at a seaside streetcar station.
Monday, September 26, 2022
Here's to squeezing in those last weekends at the shore while you still can ...
Here's to squeezing in those last weekends at the shore while you still can ... this ca. 1885 photograph shows the family and friends of Lammot du Pont at a seaside streetcar platform in Cape May, New Jersey. This item is part of Hagley Library's collection of P.S. du Pont photographs (Longwood) (Acc. 1969.002), which includes nearly 70...
Ad with color illustration of a woman holding a party mask. Text: When its Party Time its Canada Dry time.
Friday, September 23, 2022
It's a whole Friday mood over here, thanks to this ca. 1939 ...
It's a whole Friday mood over here, thanks to this ca. 1939 pamphlet for Canada Dry Ginger Ale. This illustrated pamphlet, which also features advertising for the 1939 New York World's Fair, is call number Pam 2000.190 in Hagley Library's collection of pamphlets and trade catalogs.
Ad for Leonardo Strassi's Fall 1966 clothing line. Includes a photograph of a man wearing a sweater.
Thursday, September 22, 2022
We're ready for Fall, are you?
We're ready for Fall, are you? Let's usher in the change of seasons on this first day of Autumn with the cover of Italian designer Leonardo Strassi's menswear catalog for Fall 1966. Featuring knitwear "sizzling with sales appeal and advertising power", the Strassi brand was a trademark and brand of Colfax Industries. This catalog also served to...
Text from image: 'Even In This Friendly Tavern There May Be Enemy Ears; Stop Loose Talk -- Rumors
Wednesday, September 21, 2022
This #WWIIWednesday, we're sharing a poster from the Seagram Company ...
This #WWIIWednesday, we're sharing a poster from the Seagram Company. This ca. 1942 poster was published by the Distillers Corporation-Seagrams Ltd. as part of its contribution to the National Victory Effort.  The poster is generally attributed to Seymour Rinaldo Goff (1904-1992), Seagrams' art director, working under the artistic pseudonym Ess Ar...
Cover of a pamphlet titled "Television: The New Teacher". Background photos of children.
Tuesday, September 20, 2022
RCA head David Sarnoff had high hopes for his company's investment in television technology ...
RCA head David Sarnoff had high hopes for his company's investment in television technology. This ca. 1949 pamphlet from RCA described the new technology's potential as an educational tool. This #TechTuesday pamphlet is part of the 'Brochures and pamphlets, 1923-1988' series of Hagley Library's collection of RCA publications (Accession 2464.82)....
Pamphlet titled "The Home Sanitary" with a color illustration of a home and yard
Monday, September 19, 2022
On this date, September 19, in 1876 ....
On this date, September 19, in 1876 Melville Reuben Bissell (1843-1889) received U.S. patent No. 182,346 for "certain new and useful Improvements in Carpet-Sweepers". Bissell's improvements were born of necessity; he and his wife Anna operated a crockery shop and manufactory in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and Anna's health had been deteriorating as a...
Pamphlet titled "Man-Pleaser Salads" with an illustration of a gelatin mold salad
Friday, September 16, 2022
It's a #FoodieFriday for the fellas ...
It's a #FoodieFriday for the fellas, thanks to the Charles B. Knox Gelatine Company. This 1938 pamphlet, Man-Pleaser Salads from the Knox Gelatine Kitchens, offered up masculine moulded gelatin dishes like the "Home Run Salad", "Savory Supper Salad", and "Molded Salmon Salad", along with salad dressings and desserts. This pamphlet is call number...
Comic book cover illustration; an alarmed family and a girl weeping into her father's chest.
Thursday, September 15, 2022
(Spoiler alert) The crisis is shoes ....
(Spoiler alert) The crisis is shoes. They all have shoes, but they would like to have more shoes. The Carsons need to toughen up. This 1958 promotional comic book was created by the Melville Shoe Corporation to promote their brand line of Thom McAn shoes and shoe stores, which the company purchased from founders Ward Melville and J. Franklin...
Black and white posed group portrait of six woman and a man in 1920s clothing.
Wednesday, September 14, 2022
These women meant business - I wouldn't want to run into them in a dark (bowling) alley....
These women meant business - I wouldn't want to run into them in a dark (bowling) alley. This #WorkerWednesday, we're sharing a photo of the Westinghouse Electric & Mfg. Co.'s South Philadelphia Work's 1924 champion ladies bowling team.  This photograph was taken on May 2, 1924 by staff photographer Charles Yessel (1877-1953) for publication...
Black and white photograph of a man operating a radio console while surrounded by dancers in motion.
Tuesday, September 13, 2022
Here's a #TechTuesday post to get your morning moving ...
Here's a #TechTuesday post to get your morning moving - this January 13, 1925 photograph shows New York City dance instructor Theodore Creo using a FADA radio receiver to guide his students through a class on classical and stage dancing. This photograph was taken by the New York City firm of Underwood & Underwood, a popular publisher of...

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