The Winterthur Library

The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and Printed Ephemera

Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum

5105 Kennett Pike, Winterthur, Delaware  19735

Telephone: 302-888-4600 or 800-448-3883

 

 

OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION

 

Creator:         Nathan Margolis Shop                                                           

Title:               Records

Dates:             1919-1976

Call No.:         Col. 95           

Acc. No.:        75x68, 03x118

Quantity:        26 cubic ft. (52 boxes, 43 volumes)

Location:        14 J 4-6, K-L 1-6, and map case C, drawer 8

 

 

 

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

 

The Nathan Margolis Shop, a furniture making firm, was established in Hartford, Connecticut, in 1894 by Nathan Margolis.  Hand skilled craftsmen were employed to make furniture as well as to do restoration work.  Harold Margolis inherited the business after his father's--the founder's--death.  Harold  concentrated on reproducing antique furniture and began to market high fidelity audio systems.  The business continued into the mid-1970s.  In later years it was known as the Margolis Shop. Harold had kept his shop in public view by lecturing and appearing on local television, often to promote its "Antiques of the Future".

 

Nathan Margolis emigrated to the United States from Lithuania, where his family had been in the furniture making business, via London, England, arriving in 1892.  He and his father Charles had an antiques business in Hartford for five years.  Nathan then started to reproduce antique furniture.  At least one of his brothers, Abraham, helped him in his shop.  Nathan is believed to be the first person to make a cabinet for a radio set, his first being a reproduction of a lowboy.   Nathan died on February 8, 1925, at the age of 52.  He was married to Rachel Bliss.  They had five children, including Harold who continued his father’s business, and Irving.  Rachel Bliss Margolis died on June 17, 1951.

 

 

SCOPE AND CONTENT

 

These business papers record all facets of the business, from furniture making to personnel records.  There are many photographs and clippings of antique furniture, room interiors, and views of the shop. The collection also includes correspondence, cost cards, stock cards, price lists, general financial records, and trade catalogs.

 

There are approximately 2,100 templates stored off site.  These full sized patterns were used to make the various furniture forms produced by the Margolis Shop: desks, tables, looking glasses, chests, sideboards, and chairs.  Some of the templates bear numbers that probably correspond to the collection's manuscript material (that is, one can probably match a template to the stock number of a piece of furniture made by the firm).  In addition, holdings feature plaster casts for mouldings, fretwork, stiles, and other ornaments (rosettes, scrolls, leaf, flower, and fruit motifs).  The collection also features examples of inlay; sample boards of drawer pulls, escutcheons, hinges, latches, casters, and backplates; and brass pieces.  The Registrar’s Office provides access to the templates.

           

 

ORGANIZATION

           

For the most part, like materials are grouped together, but there is no particular organization to the collection.

 

 

LANGUAGE OF MATERIALS

 

The materials are in English.

 

 

RESTRICTIONS ON ACCESS

 

Collection is open to the public.  Copyright restrictions may apply.

 

 

PROVENANCE

           

Purchased from Harold Margolis.

 

 

ACCESS POINTS

 

            People:

                        Margolis, Nathan, 1873-1925.

                        Margolis, Harold, d. 1984.

 

Topics:

            Nathan Margolis Shop.

            Margolis Shop.

            Furniture industry and trade - Connecticut - Hartford.

            Retail trade - Connecticut - Hartford.

            Colonial revival (Art)

            Furniture making.

            High-fidelity sound systems.

            Furniture - Reproduction - Connecticut - Hartford.

            Furniture - Repairing - Connecticut - Hartford.

            Antiques - Reproduction - Connecticut - Hartford.

            Furniture workers - Connecticut - Hartford.

            Wages - Furniture workers.

            Business records - Connecticut - Hartford.

            Account books.

            Advertisements.

            Certificates of incorporation.

            Cashbooks.

            Clippings.

            Correspondence.

            Inventories.

            Journals (bookkeeping).

            Ledgers.

            Lists.

            Payrolls.

            Photoprints.

            Photonegatives.

            Time sheets.

            Trade catalogs.

            Cabinetmakers.

            Furniture makers.

           

 

 

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION

 

Location: 14 J 4-6, K-L 1-6, and map case C, drawer 8

 

 

Volumes:

 

Note: most trade catalogs are found in boxes 41-43.

 

 

Vol. 1:    National Antiques Review, Jan.-Dec. 1971 (v. 2, no. 7-12, v. 1, no. 1-6)

                        At least some, if not all, these issues carry an ad for Margolis.  As well, the July issue carries a story about the company.

 

Vol. 2:    Kittinger Company, Catalog no. 100, 1967

 

Vol. 3:    Price list,

                        Note on first page: ca.1950-1955, and “These prices are NOT valid.”

                        Despite the date from the first page, some slips were dated 1958-1963.

 

Vol. 4:    Inactive Designs, ca.1950s

                        [a list of designs, no pictures]

 

Vol. 5:    Inventory, 1945-1968

 

Vol. 6:    Certificate of Incorporation & Minutes, 1926-1935

 

Vol. 7:    Corporation minutes, Sept. 1936-Nov. 1952

 

Vol. 8:    Purchases, returned purchases, 1951-1961

 

Vol. 9:    Cash receipts, 1940-1961

 

Vol. 10:   Cash receipts, 1962-1965

 

Vol. 11:   Cash disbursements, 1952-1961

 

Vol. 12:   Cash disbursements, 1962-1965

 

Vol. 13:   Cash disbursements, 1965-1969

 

Vol. 14:   Accounts receivable, 1925-1936

 

Vol. 15:   General ledger, 1940-1956, 1962-1964

 

Vol. 16:   General ledger, 1956-1962

 

Vol. 17:   General ledger, 1964-1969

 

Vol. 18:   Sales, 1925-1928

 

Vol. 19:   Sales, 1929-1932

 

Vol. 20:   Sales, 1933-1935

 

Vol. 21:   Sales, 1936-1942

 

Vol. 22:   Sales, 1943-1947

 

Vol. 23:   Sales, 1948-1952

 

Vol. 24:   Sales, 1953-1954

 

Vol. 25:   Sales, 1954-1955

 

Vol. 26:   Sales, 1956-1957

 

Vol. 27:   Sales, 1958

 

Vol. 28:   Sales, 1959

 

Vol. 29:   Sales, 1960

 

Vol. 30:   Sales, 1961

 

Vol. 31:   Sales, 1962-1963

 

Vol. 32:   Sales, 1964-1967

 

Vol. 33:   Sales, 1968-1971

 

Vol. 34:   Irving L. Margolis, "Re-Creations of Furniture Masterpieces, Dallas, Texas" (photos)

[note: the photos have been removed from their binder; the binder is in Box 49]

 

Vol. 35: Scrapbook of Hi-Fi ads

               [labeled “design ideas,” but really just ads for the Margolis Hi-Fi Studio; see also v. 41]

 

Vol. 36:  Trade catalog for H. Sacks & Sons, Brookline, Mass., their Marlboro Manor line of furniture, n.d.

 

Vol. 37:  Trade catalog for The Beacon Hill Collection, from Kaplan Furniture Co., Cambridge, Mass., 7th ed., 1953

 

Vol. 38:  Rochester Institute of Technology, undergraduate catalog, 1973/74

 

Vol. 39:  “Interior Decorators' Handbook,” fall 1967

                        [Margolis Shop does not appear to be listed in this.]

 

Vol. 40:  The Practical Polish & Varnish Maker, by H. C. Standage (London and New York:
Spon, 1892).

 

Vol. 41:  Scrapbook labeled “Our Ads,” for hi-fi equipment [see also vol. 35]

 

Vol. 42:  Trade catalog: “The Ethan Allen Treasury of American Traditional Interiors,” 68th ed., n.d.

 

Vol. 43:  Trade catalog: “Ornaments for Woodwork-Furniture,” catalog 124 of The Decorators Supply Corp., Chicago, n.d.  [price list for this volume is in Box 43]

 

Vol. 44:  Stanley Works Inc.  Stanley Tool Guide.  New Britain, Conn. : The Company, 1950.

 

             

 

Boxes:

 

Box 1: Stock cards, A-H-10

 

Box 2:             Stock cards, H-11-Z

 

Box 3:  Audio tapes of an interview with [Harold?] Margolis

 

Box 4: Clippings and photos: Furniture

 

Folder 1:          Bedrooms

Folders 2-4:     Beds

Folders 5-9:     Chairs

Folder 10:        Chairs: early English

Folder 11:        Chairs: Queen Anne

Folder 12:        Chairs: Chippendale (continues in next box)

           

 

Box 5: Clippings and photos: Furniture

 

Folders 1-5:     Chairs: Chippendale (continued from previous box)

Folders 6-9:     Chairs: Sheraton and Hepplewhite

Folders 10-11: Chairs: early & late American (continues in next box)

 

 

Box 6: Clippings and photos: Furniture

 

Folder 1:          Chairs: early & late American (continued rom previous box)

Folders 2-6:     Chests

Folder 7:          Clocks

Folder 8:          Commodes

Folders 9-10:   Cupboards & cabinets (continues in next box)

 

 

Box 7: Clippings and photos: Furniture

 

Folders 1-2:     Cupboards & cabinets (continued from previous box)

Folder 3:          Daybeds

Folders 4-9:     Desks

Folders 10-11: Dining tables  [see also Tables] (continues in next box)

 

 

Box 7A: Clippings and photos: Furniture

 

Folders 1-2:     Dining tables [see also Tables] (continued from previous box)

Folder 3:          Doors & mantels

Folders 4-6:     Dressing tables and lowboys

Folder 7:          French furniture

Folders 8-11:   Highboys  (continues in next box)

 

 

Box 8:  Clippings and photos: Furniture

 

Folders 1-2:     Highboys (continued from previous box)

Folder 3:          Highboys and tall chests

Folder 4:          Lights

Folders 5-6:     Mirrors & screens

Folders 7-11:   Secretaries (continues in next box)

 

 

Box 9:  Clippings and photos: Furniture

 

Folders 1-4:     Secretaries (continued from previous box)

Folders 5-7:     Sideboards

Folders 8-10:   Sofas (continues in next box)

 

           

Box 10: Clippings and photos: Furniture and rooms

 

Folders 1-2:     Sofas (continued from previous box)

Folder 3:          Stools

Folders 4-7:     Tables [see also Dining tables]

Folders 8-9:     Tables:  Console

Folder 10:        Tables: Sewing

Folders 11-12: Tables: Tripod & tilt-top

 

 

Box 11: Clippings and photos: Rooms 

 

Folders 1-4:     Halls

Folders 5-8:     Room settings (continues in next box)

 

 

Box 12: Clippings and photos: Rooms and exteriors

 

Folder 1-7:      Room settings (continued from previous box)

 

 

Box 13: Clippings and photos: Exteriors, interiors, miscellaneous

 

Folders 1-3:     Exteriors

Folders 4-6:     Interiors

Folders 7-9:     Miscellaneous

 

 

Box 14: Photographs from folios

Folders 1-3:     Folio 1 - sideboards

Folder 4:          Folio 2 - credenzas

Folders 5-6:     Folio 3 - commodes (L&H)

Folders 7-8:     Folio 4 - breakfronts, corner & wall cabinets (B)

 

 

Box 15: Photographs from folios

 

Folders 1-2:     Folio 5 - dining tables (Q)

Folder 3:          Folio 6 - Chippendale chairs (N)

Folder 4:          Folio 7 - Hepplewhite chairs (M)

Folder 5:          Folio 8 - Sheraton, Queen Anne, transitional, miscellaneous chairs (P)

 

[Folio 9 was missing when the collection arrived at the Downs Collection]

 

 

Box 16: Photographs from folios

 

Folders 1-2:     Folio 10 - poster beds (C)

Folder 3:          Folio 11 - beds, headboards (C)

Folders 4-5:     Folio 12 - highboys (L)

Folder 6:          Folio 13 - chests-on-chests (L)

Folders 7-8:     Folio 14 - chests of drawers (L) (continues in next box)

          

 

Box 17: Photographs from folios

 

Folders 1-2:     Folio 14 - chests of drawers (L) (continued from previous box)

Folder 3:          Folio 15 – lowboys

Folder 4:          Folio 16 - dressing tables (E)

Folders 5-7:     Folio 17 - desks, secretaries (R)

 

 

Box 18: Photographs from folios

 

Folders 1-2:     Folio 18 - mirrors (D)

Folders 3-4:     Folio 19 - card, console & sewing tables (G)

Folders 5-6:     Folio 20 - shelf tables (H)

Folder 7:          Folio 21 - pedestal type tables (continues in next box)

               

 

Box 19: Photographs from folios

 

Folder 1:          Folio 21 - pedestal type tables (continued from previous box)

Folder 2:          Folio 22 - drum tables (F)

Folders 3-4:     Folio 23 - 2 and 3 tiered tables

Folder 5:          Folio 24 - pie crust tables (F)

Folder 6:          Folio 25 - gallery top tables (F&H)

Folders 7-8:     Folio 26 - occasional tables

Folder 9:          Folio 27 - Pembroke tables

 

               

Box 20: Photographs from folios

 

Folders 1-2:     Folio 28 - cocktail tables

Folder 3:          Folio 29 - sofas (K)

Folder 4:          Folio 30 - wing chairs

Folders 5-6:     Folio 31 - upholstered chairs (lolling)

Folder 7:          Folio 32 - benches & foot stools

Folder 8:          Folio 33 - love seats

Folder 9:          Folio 34 - screens & pole screens

 

 

Box 21: Photographs, etc.

 

Folder 1:          Black House, Ellsworth, Maine (photos)

Folders 2-3:     Conant-Ball: furniture reproductions (printed material)

Folder 4:          Larsen, Kai; marqueteur: design drawings

Folder 5:          Mahogany Association, Inc.: pamphlets about mahogany

Folders 6-8:     Polaroid photos of shop interiors, production furniture (3 folders)

Folder 9:          miscellaneous photographs

Folder 10:        “Exhibit by the Nathan Margolis Shop, Inc., of Authentic Handmade Reproductions in the Colonial Room of the Horace Bushnell Memorial, Hartford, Conn., April 3-4, 1930”– sign and 5 photos (acc. 03x118)

Folders 11-15:             Slides of furniture and workshop

Folder 16:        photos of stock in Margolis workshop

 

 

Box 22:           Negatives: furniture A-R             

             

Box 23:           Cost cards, ca.1936-ca.1959 (not necessarily in chronological order)

 

Box 24:            Cost cards, 1930s-1950s (not necessarily in chronological order)

 

Box 25:           Cost cards, ca.1948-1954;

                        Cards for carving & turning;

                        Hardware stockbook

              

              

Box 26:

               

Folder 1:          Job no. & time, miscellaneous time

Folder 2:          Work log, time sheets

Folder 3:          Work log, 1936-?

Folder 4:          Payroll records: 1917, 1938-1939

Folder 5:          Payroll records: 1941-1943

 

Box 27:           Payroll records: 1944-1945

            Payroll records: 1954-1956

            Payroll records: 1957-1959    

            Payroll records: 1960-1961

Payroll records: 1962-1963

 

Box 28:           Payroll records: 1964-1965

            Payroll records: 1966-1968

            Payroll records: 1969

Employee records

Price lists: ca.1932-1935, 1937

Price lists: ca.1937-1938

 

Box 29:           Price lists: ca.1938-1947

            Price lists: March 1942

            Price lists: ca.1950-1970

              

Box 30:           Accounts receivable: 1937-1971

            Accounts receivable: A-Q

 

Box 31:           Accounts receivable: R-Z

 

 

Box 32:

 

Folder 1:          Leather samples

Folder 2:          Lumber: lot numbers, 1944-1962

Folders 3-4:     Material supplies

Folder 5:          Orders on hand: 1938-1951

Folder 6:          Sander Woodworking Co.: wood sample

Folders 7-8:     Shop marks and labels

Folders 9-10:   Shop orders: ca.1952-1953, #2023-2367

          

 

Box 33: Employee records

           

Aiken, John

Anderson, Eric L.

Baskowski, William S.

Billings, George

            Bradley, James S.

Breton, Fidele E.

Buerhop, Henry H.

            Cersosimo, James J.

            Chapman, Charles L.

            Chudzinski, Frances

            Coope, J. C.

Corsino, Sebastian

Curtis, Francis E.

Cwikla, Joseph M.

Deane, Marcus G.

            Dickens, John

            DiMartino, Salvatore

            Downey, Harold J.

            Eden, Joseph

Failla, Salvatore

            Frankl, Alois

Gagne, Cephas A.

            Gotowala, George

Guardo, Angela

            Hellyar, Percy

            Jackowski, Jennie A.

Johnson, Melvin

            Keleher, Kenneth

Koda, Paul

Lapp, Michles

MacDonald, Richard

Maestre, Cipriano

Margolis, Simon H.

            Marples, Harold

Mazur, Frank J.

Mazuraitis, Stanley A.

Mecteau, Elzear A., Jr.

Meli, John

Mooney, Richard J., Jr.

            Pandolfo, A.

Przyblski, Henry

            Ramondetta, Sebastian

            Rasmussen, Anton

Rosendahl, Gunnar S.

            Rosenthal, Abraham

            Russell, Douglas F.

            Ryan, Leroy G.

            Sanborn, Edgar F.

            Smith, James R.

Sola, Joseph L.

Spivak, Louis

            Strawther, Leonard

Swanson, Oscar

Thibeault, Percy

            Tobias, H.

Vitkus, Juozapas

            Williams, Edith

            Young, Paul

Zebrowski, Edward

 

 

Box 34: general files 

 

Folder 1:          Apprenticeship           

Folder 2:          Arthur Brett & Sons, Ltd.

Folder 3:          Articles [see also box 37]

Folder 4:          Articles and booklets

Folder 5:          Baumritter Corp. (Ethan Allen furniture)

Folders 6-9:     Concepts, adaptations, etc. (continues in next box)

 

 

Box 35: general files             

 

Folders 1-2:     Concepts, adaptations, etc. (continued from previous box)

Folder 3:          Connecticut Historical Society

Folder 4:          Correspondence: 1919-1959

Folder 5:          Correspondence: 1960-1976

Folder 6:          Correspondence, re: reproductions of museum pieces

Folder 7:          Drexel Furniture Co.

Folder 8:          Fennimore, Donald

Folder 9:          General Interiors (Kittinger Co.)

Folder 10:        Hartford Electric Light Co. window display, 1927 [with glass plate negative]

Folder 11:        Holcomb, Mrs. John M.

 

              

Box 36: general files 

 

Folder 1:          Johnston, Mrs. Russell Z.

 

Folder 2:          Margolis, Harold: lecture for National Society of Interior Designers 

                        [see also Box 39 for additional materials pertaining to Harold Margolis]

Folder 3:          Margolis, Harold: local TV show about antiques

Folder 4:          Margolis, Nathan: obituary

Folder 5:          New York State Senate: desks

Folder 6:          Office forms, etc. [mostly blank]

Folder 7:          Ribicoff, Abraham (Senator)

Folder 8:          Sack, Harold

Folder 9:          War Manpower Commission

Folder 10:        War Products Board

Folder 11:        Winterthur Museum

Folder 12:        Wolcott, Frank

Folder 13:        Woman’s Day, Aug. 1964, Aug. 1965, July and Aug. 1966, March 1967

Folder 14:        Yale University

              

 

Box 37: general files  (legal size files)

 

Folders 1-2:     Aetna Building

Folder 3:          articles [see also box 34]

Folders 4-5:     Auction notices of Margolis furniture

Folder 6:          Financial reports: 1943, 1946-48, 1951

Folder 7:          Hartford State House (continues in next box)

 

 

Box 38: general files  (legal size files)

 

Folder 1:          Hartford State House (continued from previous box)

Folders 2-4:     Hi-Fi cabinets, some in lowboys

Folders 5-6:     Inlays: correspondence, catalogs, samples [see also Box 49]

 

 

Box 39: general files  (legal size files)

 

Folder 1:          Margolis, Harold: personal

[additional files pertaining to Harold Margolis are in Box 36]

Folder 2:          Margolis, Harold: appearance on NBC’s "Today" show, July 3, 1968

Folders 3-4:     Marshall, C. D., Maxwell, TX

Folders 5-7:     Office of Price Administration

Folder 8:          Photographs: miscellaneous

Folders 9-10:   Publicity (continues in next box)

 

 

Box 40: general files  (legal size files)

 

Folder 1:          Publicity (continued from previous box)

Folder 2:          Publicity: article  in National Antiques Review

Folder 3:          Taxes: 1945, 1947 

Folders 4-5:     Temple Beth Israel

              

 

Box 41: trade catalogs  [legal size, see also Box 43 and list of volumes at beginning of finding aid]

 

Trade catalogs: decorative ornaments (2 folders)

Trade catalogs: furniture (3 folders)

 

 

Box 42: trade catalogs  [legal size, see also Box 43, and list of volumes at beginning of finding aid]

 

Trade catalogs: hardware (2 folders)

Trade catalogs: textiles

Trade catalogs: tools (2 folders) 

Trade catalogs: woods, carvings, moldings (folder 1 of 3)

 

 

Box 43: trade catalogs  [letter size, see also Boxes 41-42, and list of volumes at beginning of finding aid]

 

Trade catalogs: Woods, carvings, moldings (folder 2-3 of 3)

Trade catalogs: adhesives

Trade catalogs: art objects

Trade catalogs: finishes

Trade catalogs: miscellaneous 

Trade catalogs: shellac

Trade catalogs: Decorative Supply Corp.

    

   

Box 44a: study prints from damaged negatives

 

            Bedsteads and daybed;

            Cabinets, cupboards, and breakfronts;

            Chairs;

            Desks and secretaries

 

 

Box 44b: study prints from damaged negatives

 

            Chests of drawers and high chests;

            Hi-fi cabinets;

            Highboys and lowboys;

            Mirrors;

            Sideboards and serving tables

 

 

Box 45: study prints from damaged negatives

           

            Sofas and settees;

            Tables: assorted;

            Tables: dining and Pembroke;

            Tables: coffee tables, tables with shelves, tripod tables and stands;

            Miscellaneous pieces; room views; details; store windows; workshop scenes; labels

 

Box 46a: Negatives

 

            Negatives: beds

Negatives: chairs

Negatives: chests of drawers

Negatives: desks

Negatives: Hi-Fi & cabinets

             Negatives: highboys

Negatives: lowboys

Negatives: sideboards

Negatives: shop

Negatives: sofas

                        Negatives: tables

Negatives: miscellaneous

 

 

Boxes 46b-f: negatives

 

 

Box 47: 

 

            Two workshop photos, with workers;

            Obituary for Nathan Margolis;

            Printing plates for Margolis Shop advertisements

 

 

Box 48:  Printing plates for Margolis Shop advertisements

 

 

Box 49-A: 

 

Two forks and a knife, all with wooden handles;

Two wooden coasters;

A prism;

A velveteen pouch;

Box of quill pens;

Binder for volume 34, stamped with title: Irving L. Margolis, Re-Creations of Furniture Masterpieces, Dallas, Texas [the contents of this binder are now in a box, shelved with volumes]

 

 

Box 49-B:

 

Inlay samples on a board;

Layers of wood glued together (museum acc. no. 1974.512.2043)

Two wood samples, one labeled Amber finish by Old Colony, 22B;

Samples of inlay and templates with inlay, includes samples labeled “Margolis’ own make,” samples from H.L. French of W. Chelmsford, Mass., and several examples of use of inlay  (museum acc. no. 1974.512.2011b-d, 2013a-c,  2023, 2048a-b, Downs acc. 12x96.1-8)

           

 

 

Box 50a-b:     

 

Drawings

            Notes & sketches (3 folders)

Templates: C-S

 

 

Box 51:  Templates

 

 

Box 52a-b:  Templates

 

 

Box 53:           Wooden box, labeled Accounts receivable ledger sheets (contents removed, see Boxes 33-34)

 

 

 

Map case C, drawer 8:

 

Templates and drawings (2 folders)

 

 

Stored off-site:  Winterthur Museum’s collection of templates (available only by making an appointment with the Registration Office)