The Winterthur Library

The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and Printed Ephemera

OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION

Creator: Frank M. Whiting & Co.

Title: Records

Dates: ca.1880-ca.1919

Call No.: Col. 43

Acc. No.: 80x163

Quantity: 6 boxes (but numbered as 5 boxes)

Location: 15 B

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

Frank M. Whiting & Co. manufactured silverwork at its headquarters in North Attleboro, Massachusetts.

SCOPE AND CONTENT

This collection is a photographic record of the company’s production around the end of the nineteenth and the beginning of the twentieth century. The binders making up the collection contain about 500 mounted, numbered photographs of items produced by the company.

The photographs show such varied pieces as bowls, goblets, plates, trophies, napkin rings, tea strainers, platters, inkstands, corkscrews, and button hooks. Many other types of items are also illustrated. In one binder the photographs are printed, numbered, and titled as in a catalog. The last item in the collection is a bound volume of pencil drawings of spoons and other silverware.

ORGANIZATION

This finding aid is a table of contents for the several binders of photographs. The first number on each line is the leaf number on which the photograph appears. Then there is a general descriptive word or words for the item. Last on each line is the number appearing on the photograph which identified each item for the company: possibly a stock or catalog number. Sometimes two or more items are pictured in one photograph; sometimes two or more successive pages picture similar items, listed here on a single line. The terms used to describe the items were assigned by the initial processors.

When the collection came to Winterthur, the individual items were in no apparent order. Initial processing included sorting and arranging by similar size, mounting, and apparent age. The photographs were cleaned according to acceptable conservation standards (see case file for details), and placed into post binders constructed from acid free board covers.

PROVENANCE

Source of acquisition unknown.

RELATED MATERIALS:

The Printed Books and Periodicals Collection contains trade catalogs for this company. The Downs Collection also has trade catalogs on microfiche.

ACCESS POINTS

Topics:

Silverwork – Massachusetts.

Photoprints.

Cyanotypes.

Drawings.

Silversmiths.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION

Location: 15 B 3-4

Box 1: Binders 1 and 2

Binder 1:

1, 2 Sugar bowl 406c

3 Comb and brush 952, 948

4 Pin tray 1176

5, 6, 7 Sugar bowls 1182, 1196

8 Shoe horns 1197, 1198

9 Cuticle knife, corn knife, files, buttonhook 1201

10 Frame 1213

11 Pin tray 1215

12, 13 Flasks 1228, 1229, 1230, 1231

Binder 2:

1, 2 Vases, silver and milk glass

187, 187B, 187R, 206, 206B, 206R

3, 4, 5 Flasks 163, 164, 203, 204, 211, 161, 162

6 Flask, paste box 118, 183, 184

7, 8 Paste boxes, glass and silver 213, 214, 217, 218

9, 10, 11 Glass and silver pitchers 269R, 266B, 267B

12 Trinket boxes 216, 219

13 Glass and silver inkwells 152, 153, 154, 155, 156

14 Glass and silver puff, paste, and tooth powder boxes

244R, 245R, 240B, 246, 241B

15 Glass and silver paste box, scent bottle

278B, 279, 280, 220, 272, 273

16 Glass and silver paste boxes

247B, 248B, 249B, 250R, 251R, 252R, 253R

17, 18 Glass and silver decanters 238, 237

19-21 Glass and silver pitchers 270B, 268B, 271B

22 Shaker 1646

23 Bread tray 1648

24 Dish 1629

25 Baby rattles 67, 68

26 Dish 1638

27 Pitcher 1616

28 Clothing and hat brushes 876, 957, 906

29 Clothing brush 991

30, 31 Hat brushes 862, 863, 874, 873

32 Bonnet brush, brim brush 827, 943

33, 34 Hair brushes 854, 1014, 855, 860

35 Napkin rings

326, 327, 328, 330, 331, 332, 334, 335, 336, 338

36 Napkin rings 339, 340, 344, 347, 348, 351

37 Butter dishes 1596, 1599

38 Sauce bowl with tray 1606

39 Bowl 1604

40 Pepper shaker 1601

41 Butter dish 1607

42 Ice cream platters 1597, 1598

43 Silver and milk glass flask, mustard pots, shakers, jars

205, 196, 197, 199, 185R, 205, 194, 198, 200, 201, 195

44 Milk glass and silver vases 186, 186B, 186R

45 Milk glass and silver mustard pots 175, 175B, 175R

46, 47 Sauce servers and trays 1603

48 Vegetable dish 1578

49 Open work fruit dish 1589

50, 51 Vegetable dishes 1563, 1584

52 Vegetable / ice cream bowl 1554

53 Meat trays 1614, 1615

54 Meat dish 1551

55-57 Vegetable dishes 1562, 1564, 1565

58 Platter 1585

59 Fruit Bowl 1437R

60 Platter 1573

61-63 Sandwich plates 1583, 1575

64 Desk accessories, sealing stamps, candlestick, dish, shakers, bell

1535, 1536, 1544, 1553, 1533, 1545, 1552

65 Napkin rings 323, 324, 325

66 Sandwich plate 1581

67 Chatelaines 1651, 1652

68 Vegetable dish 1658

69 Entree plate 1666

70 Bonnet brushes 1667, 1668

71 Chatelaines 1649, 1650

72 Bell 1602

Box 2: Binders 3 and 4

Binder 3:

1 Whistles 3, 17a, 29, 31, 36, 49, 51, 53, 54

2 Baby rattles 2, 16, 26, 24, 33, 37, 40, 41, 42, 44, 48

3 Scissors, embroidery, sewing, buttonhole

26, 27, 28, 29, 31, 32, 34

4 Scissors 38, 37, 35, 36, 39

5 Child's cup 119

6 Needle cases, emery jars, glove stretcher, glove darners, medicine cups with corkscrews, pocket manicure set, nail files 239, 237, 239Pcd, 274,

738, 983, 1081, 1082, 709, 132, 573ch, 597,

629, 1029, 573, 627, 872, 638, 168, 639, 6021

7 Sugar and creamer 775

8 Stamp boxes 365

9 Bottle covers (cologne) 601, 601a, 602, 602a

10 Sandwich plate 568

11 Luggage tags 631, 969, 632, 970, 988, 989

12 Sugar and creamer 594

13 Flasks 722, 723, 793

14 Sugar and creamer 842

15 Bread tray 942B

16 Luggage tags

1050, 1100, 1101, 1105, 1106, 1108, 1107

17 Tea bells 1052, 1341

18 Luggage tags 1109, 1110, 1118, 1119, 1120

19 Bud vases 1143c, 1143, 1142, 1144, 1145, 1146, 1146a

20 Loving cup 1182

21, 22 Thermometers

1251, 1252, 1253, 1254, 1255, 1256, 1257, 1258

23 Small frames 1271, 1272, 1273

24-27 Vases 1284, 1285, 1287, 1296

28 Sandwich plate 1297

29 Vases 1306, 1307, 1308, 1309

30 Small frames 1310, 1311, 1312, 1313

31 Sauce boat 1342

32 Candlesticks 1346, 1347

33 Small frames 1348, 1349, 1359, 1361

34 Bread tray 1351

35 Knives 1372, 1373, 1374, 1375

36 Calendar frames 1382, 1383, 1384

37, 38 Square plates (sandwich, cards) 1425, 1426

39 Tea caddie 1441

40 Sugar bowl 1447

41 Tea caddies 1450, 1450a

42, 43 Bread trays 1475,1476

44 Pitcher 1484

45 Vases 1485, 1504

46 Salver 1502

47 Bread and butter plates 1470, 1532, 1509, 1510, 1511

48 Sugar and creamers 1522

49 Urn 1526

50 Small urns, vases 1527, 1528

51, 52 Candlesticks 1534, 1538

53 Seals on trays, candlesticks, stamp dish, shakers, bell

1535, 1536, 1533, 1545, 1544, 1552

54 Tea caddie 1537

55 Pitcher 1539

56-58 Bread trays 1559, 1568, 1567

59 Loving cup 1571

60-62 Sandwich plates / servers 1574, 1581, 1595

63 Tea caddie 1611

64-65 Chatelaines 1649, 1650, 1651, 1652

66 Vegetable dish 1658

67-68 Plates 1663, 1666

69 Bonnet brushes 1667, 1668

70, 71 Bonbon dishes 1670, 1671, 1675

72, 73 Vegetable dishes 1683, 1689

74 Sauce boat 1690

75 Candlestick

76 Fruit bowl with strainer 1697

77 Candlesticks and snuffers 1692B, 1703

78 Candlestick

79, 80 Bread trays 1706, 1707

81 Condiment bowl and plate 1719

82 Server 1710

83-85 Vegetable dishes 1713, 1714, 1716

86 Bread tray 1719

Binder 4:

1-6 Glass bottles with hinged silver caps for pungents, toothbrushes, tooth powder, talc, salts, etc. 25-85

7-9 Sets of glass containers with silver tops for the toilet table, toothbrush, tooth powder, talc, salve or cream 86, 87, 88

10 Glass jars with silver tops for salves, powders, cologne bottle with stoppers, cologne bottle with atomizer

89-98

11 Glass cologne bottles with silver atomizers 99-101

12 Glass vaseline pots with plain and ornate tops, with spoons for each pot 102-105

13 Glass cologne bottles with silver atomizers, glass jars without tops 106-113

14 Glass jars without tops, for salves, pomades, etc., silver tops in different patterns 114-131

15 Glass jars for toilet table with salves, pungent bottles, etc., without tops, cologne bottles with silver atomizers 132-141

16 Glass pots with silver tops, salves, puff pots, collar buttons 142-147

17 Glass inkstands with silver tops, glass jars with silver tops for cigarettes, matches, etc. 148-155

18 Inkstand, mucilage pots, flasks 156-162

19 Flasks, bottles for toothbrushes, tooth powder and salts

163-172

20 Glass bottles with silver tops, atomizers, vaseline, salves, pungents, collar button box 173-177

21 Glass shakers with silver trim, vaseline pot, inkstands, vases with three different silver bases 179-187

22 Glass containers with silver tops, puff boxes, bottles for pungents, vaseline, salves, flasks 188-204

23 Vaseline or mucilage pot, vase with three different silver bases, pungent bottles, paste pot 205-212

24 Glass boxes with silver tops, salves, powders, etc.

213-220

25 Glass boxes with silver tops, salves, cigarettes, etc.

221-223

26 Glass boxes with silver tops 224-226

27 Glass boxes with silver tops, various shapes

227-232, 233B, 234

28 Glass jars with silver tops, cigarettes, cigars

235, 236

29 Glass cruets, glass with silver tops 237

30 Cigarette box, match box, mucilage pot, glass with silver tops 239-241

31 Cigarette or cigar boxes, glass with silver tops

242, 243

32 Glass boxes with silver tops, various shapes 244-253

33 Glass jars with silver tops for matches, cigarettes, cigars 254-256

34 Cigarette box, cigar box glass with silver tops

257, 258

35 Glass pitchers with silver tops 260

36 Puff box, salts bottles, cologne bottle with atomizer

261-264

37 Glass cigarette box with silver tops 265

38-40 Glass pitchers with silver tops 266-270

41 Pitcher, salve boxes, pungent bottles and flask, glass with silver tops 271-280

42 Cigarette box, cigar box glass with silver tops

281, 282

43 Cigarette box, cigar box, match boxes 283-286

44 Mustard pot, vegetable bowl, sugar and creamer, glass with silver mountings 287-289

45 Glass jars with silver tops, glass bowl with silver rim 290-293

46 Atomizer, toilet set, toothbrush, tooth powder, talc, salts 294, 295

47 Glass jars with silver tops for toilet table, toothbrush, tooth powder, talc, salves, creams, etc. 296-299

Box 3A: Binder 5a

1-3 Sugar and creamer sets 59B, 213B, 215B

4 Coffee service (coffee pot, sugar, creamer) 455

5-11 Sugar and creamer sets

504, 594B, 595, 695, 775, 777, 778

12-14 Smoking sets (cigarette and cigar holders, lighter, ash tray, serving tray) 781, 1325, 1517

15-18 Sugar and creamer sets 797, 842, 1159, 843

19-21 Milk pitchers 165, 587, 623, 624, 1113, 1113B

22-29 Sugar and creamer sets

1159B, 1385, 1386, 1390, 624, 1392, 1512, 1522

30, 31 Shakers (salt or pepper)

65ch, 65d, 119, 116, 119ch, 162, 482a, 483, 696, 698

32 Covered, footed vegetable bowl 889

33 Coffee urn, hot milk server 922, 920

34 Small bowl 977

35-39 Sauce boats 975, 1041, 1054, 1342

40 Teapot and sugar bowl 1010

41 Coffee pot 1010

42 Cup and saucer 1084

43 Small, footed bowl on saucer 1111

44 Casserole 1049

45, 46 Pitchers (milk or water) 1113, 1113B

47 Pitcher, cube sugar server 1092B, 919B

48 Sugar and creamer 1159

49 Small vases 1143, 1144, 1145, 1146

50, 51 Two-handled vases 1196, 1182

52-56 Puff boxes 56ch, 56f, 669, 1288,

1289, 565F, 56D, 669, 1288, 1289, 1290

57 Inkstand with pen holder, inkstand 398, 654

58-65 Flasks 180, 180eng, 182, 172m, 231, 171, 369, 379, 478, 1228, 1229,

722, 723, 793, 1230, 1231, 1260, 1336, 1356

66-70 Vases 916, 917, 995, 996, 1018

71 Small bowls (child's) 1282, 1283

72 Cup, covered bowl 112, 1290