CELLULOID CORPORATION RECORDS,
1892-1935
#9

(3 cu. ft.: 2 DB, 1 F/O)

by Robert S. Harding and E.S. Etuk 1985      

History

The Celluloid Manufacturing Company is the original corporate name of the present Celluloid Corporation. It was founded in 1872 to present celluloid to the world. The word "celluloid" was registered as a trademark in 1873 by its inventor, John Wesley Hyatt. This registration marked the beginnings of the plastic industry. The first efforts were directed to supplying the dental trade with plates for artificial teeth. In 1882 the corporation began to use amyl acetate as a nitro-cellulose solvent, which paved the way for the development of the lacquer industry. In 1910 non-flammable "safety film" was made from cellulose acetate. In 1912 the corporation invented Lumarith, a true thermoplastic, meaning it could be molded or cast into any conceivable form without undergoing a chemical change. It came in powder form (granules) for the new injection molding processes. It was injected into the mold and in a matter of seconds the finished article was ejected.

Scope and Content

These records are divided into four separate series: Series 1: PUBLICATIONS, 1935 including news clippings, notebooks, promotional literature, and patents; Series 2: TRADE CATALOGS, 1883-1928, including price lists; Series 3: SALESMAN'S KITS, 1930s-1940s, including samples; and Series 4: PHOTOGRAPHS, including photo prints of plant buildings, personnel, celluloid molds and other by-products.

Provenance

Transferred from the Division of Physical Sciences 4/5/83

Container List

Box  Folder

Series 1: PUBLICATIONS, 1935

1 1 Boehmer, George H. (General Sales Manager) Celluloid, Grand Daddy of 'Em All. Newark, New Jersey: Celluloid Corporation, 1935. (2 copies) History of development of Celluloid and the Celluloid Corporation.
2 Lady on Sleigh, n.d.; History of the different divisions of Celluloid Corporation
3 7 Records of Experiments, 1891-1893, pp. 1-250.
8 Amerith and the Arch Line, 1925
9 Newark Newspaper Clippings on Celluloid Corporation

Series 2: TRADE CATALOGS, 1883-1928
1 3 Celluloid Brush Co., 313 & 315 Broadway, New York, 1883 Celluloid Novelty Company, 313 & 315 Broadway, New York, 1889, Price List. (2 copies)
4 Illustrated Catalog & Price List, 30 - 36 Washington Place, New York, 1889 (2 copies)
5 -Illustrated Catalog & Price List, 427 & 429 Broadway, New York, 1892
-Ibid., 1895
6 -Electrical Fittings Price List, 1903
-Illustrated Price List, 1906
7 -Ivaleur (Ivory like substance) Catalog, 1916

-Ivaleur Trade Catalog #116 (of brushes, combs, mirrors, clocks and other articles), ca. 1915

-Arch Amerith, Vanity Articles for the Dressing Table: Line of Toilet Requistes and Fancy Goods. New York: Amerith Division of Celluloid Corporation, 1925. Includes price list in rear cover
(This special trademark line is made of amerith and Amer-glo, a "new" distinctive quality pyroxylin material)

-Arch Amerith, Vanity Articles for the Dressing Table and Other Articles Made of Amerith. New York City: Celluloid Corporation, 1928.

Series 3: SALESMAN'S KITS, 1930s-1940s

2 1 The Celluloid Corporation - Lumarith, The New Era Plastic, salesman kit, promotional literature in bound leather, late 1930's - 1940's
3 1 Salesmen's kit, promotional literature titled Protectoid, by G.H. Boehmer, n.d.
2 -The Plus Value of Doing Business with Celluloid Corporation (promotional catalog)

-Lumarith Protectoid invites you to meet Personable Packages (promotional catalog)

-Pages from Celluloid Corporation Trade catalogs

Series 4: PHOTOGRAPHS
3 John Wesley Hyatt, 1837 - 1920
4 Celluloid Corporation Employees & Factory Buildings
5 Products of the company.
6 Pages from a book of testimonials to Celluloid dentures

Robert S. Harding and E.S. Etuk 1985   

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E-mail: archivescenter@si.edu
Revised: August 14, 2000