The Hagley Vault

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

January 27, 2023
Ad for children's activity books and games showing a little girl perusing a large rack of products.

It's all fun and games this Friday, thanks to this advertisement from the Whitman Publishing company of Racine, Wisconsin. After taking over the business of Chicago's Hamming-Whitman Publishing Company when it went bankrupt in 1915, Whitman found early success in the business of publishing low-cost children's books and games.


This became especially true after 1933, when the company entered a licensing contract with Walt Disney Production to produce content featuring popular Disney cartoon characters (viewers with an eye for detail will find a number of them in this image). The company also published the popular Trixie Belden children's mystery series, which competed with franchises like Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys books from 1948 and 1986, and which are also visible in this advertisement.

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Archive

For posts prior to October 2020, visit the Hagley Vault on Tumblr.

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...
Pamphlet titled "Words of Wisdom from the Speed Kings". Photo cover shows a car race.
Monday, September 12, 2022
We're offering up some words of wisdom to start off the week this #MotorMonday ...
We're offering up some words of wisdom to start off the week this #MotorMonday. This 1916 pamphlet from the Joseph Dixon Crucible Company featured testimonials from the era's leading racecar drivers praising the company's graphite automobile lubricants. This pamphlet is call number PAM 2016.1167 in our collections and part of Hagley Library's...
Black and white image of a woman in a beach ensemble with a teal and red color swatch attached.
Friday, September 9, 2022
Today's #FashionFriday brings us a beach ensemble ....
Today's #FashionFriday brings us a beach ensemble. This jaunty look was designed by Balboa using Joseph Bancroft & Sons Co. Everglaze Minicare fabric in a print by Textile Corp. of America, with an attached fabric sample. This 1956 photograph is from Hagley Library's Joseph Bancroft and Sons Company, Miss America collection (Accession 1972.430...
Cover of DuPont Magazine showing a close-up of a child examining a computer chip.
Thursday, September 8, 2022
Today marks the birthdate of Ida Henrietta Hyde ...
Today marks the birthdate of Ida Henrietta Hyde (1857-1945), born on September 8th, 1857. Hyde was an American physiologist who invented the first micro-electrode that was small enough to work at the cellular level, but powerful enough to effectively stimulate animal tissue. Her invention, developed over the course of the 1920s and 1930s was the...

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