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:         Marble, Albert C. (Albert Curtis), 1867-1955                                   

Title:               Photographs of historic cup plates

Dates:             ca. 1930-ca. 1948

Call No.:         Col. 161

Acc. No.:        88x82

Quantity:        148 items (2 boxes)

Location:        17 A 5

 

 

 

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

 

Albert Curtis Marble resided in Worcester, Massachusetts.  He was one of the foremost glass cup plate collectors in America.  Early in his career as a collector, Marble photographed and numbered his plates in order of acquisition.  Marble was a superintendent at the Curtis & Marble Machine Company, which made machines for the textile industry.  (The company had been founded by Albert Curtis; Edwin T. Marble became a partner in the firm in 1863, after 18 years of employment there.)

 

Marble, born in February 1867, was the son of Harriet H. Chase and Edwin Tyler Marble.  In 1891, Albert married Lilla B. Houghton, and they had at least two sons, Ralph (born 1899) and Roger (born around 1907).  Marble died in October 1955.

 

 

SCOPE AND CONTENT

 

Consists of 143 photographs of historical and other types of designed glass cup plates from the collection of Albert C. Marble.  Most of the photographs show several plates; often, their dimensions, descriptions of patterns, and colors are written on the back.  Many include prices, possibly the prices Marble paid for plates.  Some of the plates depicted are from the category known as historical cup plates.  Such things as portraits (busts), log cabins, monuments, boats, and eagles are featured in the design.  Such famous people as George Washington, William Henry Harrison, Major Ringold, Henry Clay, and Queen Victoria were memorialized in the plates.  Other plates have decorative designs, including 12 or 13 hearts around the border or a sunburst as a centering device.  The photographs are accompanied by a list of historical and heart cup plates that was compiled by Marble.

   

           

ORGANIZATION

 

The photographs were numbered by Marble, and are in his order.

 

 

LANGUAGE OF MATERIALS

 

The materials are chiefly pictorial in nature, but written material is in English.

 

 

RESTRICTIONS ON ACCESS

 

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

           

 

PROVENANCE

 

Purchased by Judy Cohen.

           

 

RELATED MATERIAL

 

Correspondence between Marble and Samuel Laidacker are found in the latter’s papers, Col. 64 at this repository.

 

ACCESS POINTS

 

Topics:

            Cup plates - Photographs.

            Cup plates - Collectors and collecting.

            Cup plates - Designs.

            Photoprints.

            Collectors.

           

 

 

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION

 

Location: 17 A 5

 

 

Description of design mostly refers to what is in the center of each plate; with very few exceptions, no attempt was made to describe borders.

 

Photo number is same as accession number until accession .139.

 

Box 1:

 

.1         Henry Clay, plates 1, 379, 1, 6, 7. 8

 

.2         Henry Clay, plates 3, 4, 5, 5-V, 578

 

.3         George Washington, plates 328, 692, and no number;

William Henry Harrison, plates 39, 40

 

.4         Ringgold, Palo Alton, plates 260, 387, 403, 412, 413, 634

 

.5         Victoria, plates 378, 502, 392, 482, 657

 

.6         VR [Victoria], plates 476, 693;

            Victoria & Albert, plate 304;

            Repeal Erin Go Bragh, plate 684

 

.7         Prince of Wales feathers, plates 473, 714, 582

 

.8         Fort Megis, Wm. H. Harrison, with log cabin, plate 42;

            Log cabins, plates 466, 44, 333, 43, 45

 

.9         log cabins, plates 46, 339, 671;

            Bunker Hill Monument, plates 24, 614, 685

 

.10       Bunker Hill Monument, plates 25, 26, 620, 621, 460, 27

 

.11       sailing ship Cadmus, plates 33, 34, 35, 598, 599;

            steamboat Chancellor Livingstone, plate 31

 

.12       ship Benjamin Franklin, plates 30/48, 270, 310/55, 265, 605/59s, R

 

.13       steamboat Chancellor Livingstone, plates 28, 29, 32, 394, 393, 650

 

.14       sailing ship Constitution, plates 36, 37, 344, 488, 623, 656

 

.15       suspension bridge at Niagara Falls with small boat underneath, plates 41, 288, 492;

            steamboat Chancellor Livingstone, plate 608;

            sailing ship Constitution, plate 407

 

.16       steamboat Fulton, Claremont, or Pennsylvania, plates 38, 329, 527, 436, 651;

            Pittsburgh steamboat, also called “Motto,” Union Glass Works, Pittsburgh, plate 556

 

.17       Prince and Princess of Wales, plate 669;

            Victoria’s Jubilee, plate 700;

            Victoria, plate 701

 

.18       A Present from Liverpool, plate 704;

            In Memory of Albert the Good, plate 697;

            George Peabody, plate 696

 

.19       eagle, plates 9, 10, 301, 334, 583, 677

 

.20       eagle, plates 21, 511, 292, 269, 11

 

.21       eagle, plates 15, 16, 245, 444, 530, 531

 

.22       eagle, plates 22, 23, 674, 247, 345, 477

 

.23       eagle, plates 408, 258, 467, 451, 422, 464

 

.24       eagle, plates 397, 406, 259, 636, 13, 14

 

.25       eagle, plates 246, 491, 683, 20, 248, 390

 

.26       plain center, leafy border, plate 504;

            eagle, plates 19, 12, 18, 324

 

.27       eagle, plates 17, 268, 415, 376, 637

 

.28       plow, plates 278, 568;

            bee hive, plates 47, 48, 297

 

.29       thistle, plate 56;

            dog (greyhound?), plate 52;

            “Three Weeks After the Wedding Day,” plate 53;

            anchor, plate 50;

            harp, plate 266;

            stars, plate 79

 

.30       lyre, plates 658, 430, 51;

            E.A. & S.R. Filley, Saint Louis, plate 641;

            Sampson, Lindley & Co., Cincinnati, plate 399

 

.31       roses, plates 54, 55, 271, 429, 613

 

.32       open rose, plates 249, 638, 503, 261

 

.33       daisy, plates 57, 68, 572, 426, 609, 320

 

.34       Henry Clay, plate 676;

            steam coach, plate with no number;

            Gladstone, plate 721

 

.35       hearts pierced with arrows, plates 107, 108, 712;

            curved triangle with diamond shapes, plates 110, 111, 660

 

.36       butterfly, late 109;

            flower with five petals, plate 311;

            leaf roseate, plate 250;

            rose, plate 661;

            flower, plate 668;

            oak leaf and acorn border, plate 545

 

.37       leaves and small flowers, plates 90, 400, 595, 596, 597, 663

 

.38       various leaf designs, plates 89, 91, 93, 468, 560, 579

 

.39       various flower designs, plates 141, 273, 386, 445, 552, 478

 

.40       foliage design, plate 94;

            leaf design, plate 172;

            loops around a flower or multi-point star, plate 199;

berries[?] and leaves, plate 254;

            vine and berry boarder, plate 312;

            foliate design, plate 640

 

.41       flower design, plates 58, 272, 360, 424, 493, 557

 

.42       open rose, plate 62;

            triad design, plate 63;

            thistles, plates 551, 169, 569 (latter two octagonal in shape);

            floral design, plate 567

 

.43       floral design within leaf and berry vine, plates 74, 349, 401, 500, 587, 540

 

.44       grape clusters and leaves, plates 92, 388;

            border of foliage in basket or urn, plate 384;

            flower in center, with flower and leaf border, plates 168, 274, 338

 

.45       heart designs, plates 200, 201, 202, 285, 353, 440

 

.46       heart designs, plates 203, 600, 601, 475, 385, 735

 

.47       cross-hatched heart designs, plates 70, 446, 496, 501, 591

 

.48       heart designs, plates 176, 177, 178, 179, 564

 

.49       heart and star designs, plates 208, 209, 211, 212, 213, 210

 

.50       heart and star designs, plates 204, 205, 206, 207, 267

 

.51       hearts and vine, plate 180;

            rounded hearts, plates 318, 439;

            eight-pointed star-like design with fleur-de-lis border, plates 576, 667

            heart design, plate 577

 

.52       open flowers, plates 72, 319, 565, 346, 682, 151

 

 

Box 2:

 

.53       fancy open flowers, plates 67, 76, 154, 380, 744

 

.54       cross-hatch designs in center, plates 120, 121, 122, 123, 132, 317

 

.55       cross-hatch designs in center, plates 542, 125, 382, 131, 703

 

.56       cross-hatch designs in center, plates 580, 124, 127, 672, 128, 731

 

.57       cross-hatch designs in center, plates 615, 646, 689, 130, 372

 

.58       cross-hatch designs in center, plates 555, 129;

            cross-hatch design with flower in center, plates 497, 427, 368

 

.59       cross-hatch designs with flower in center, plates 71, 410, 423, 592, 126;

            cross-hatch design in center with flower petals forming border, plate 520

 

.60       honey-comb type patterns (of various kinds) in center, plates 251, 507, 458, 396, 462, 605

 

.61       star in center, plates 80, 81, 336, 421, 82 (also with hearts and flowers), 83

 

.62       star in center, plates 533, 155, 514, 414, 253, 157

 

.63       four-pointed star in center, plates 59, 283, 559, 321;

            eight-pointed star in center, plates 156, 589

 

.64       star in center, plates 112, 113, 114, 116, 342, 115

 

.65       star in center, plates 117, 118, 302, 581, 617, 563

 

.66       star and leaves in center, plates 284, 487;

            star and flowers in center, plates 447, 354, 279

 

.67       flower/star with eight petals or points in center, plates 299, 456, 465, 416, 546

 

.68       flower/star with eight petals or points, with balls between points, plates 375, 374, 622, 335, 438, 726

 

.69       flower/star with eight petals or points, with balls between points, plates 450, 670, 163;

            Star in center, plate 639;

flower/star with eight petals or points, with balls and diamond shapes between points, plate 370;

star or flower in center, with lacy border, plate 570

 

.70       flower/star with eight petals or points, plates 186, 716;

            daisy/aster in center, plate 554;

            multi-point star or flower, plates 442, 289, 369

 

.71       daisy/aster in center, plates 181, 182, 585;

            multi-point star or flower, plate 678;

            design unclear, perhaps a star, plate 509;

            plate taken from bottom, perhaps a daisy/aster, plate 652

 

.72       daisy/aster in center, plates 367, 455, 536, 232, 517, 535

 

.73       daisy/aster in center, plates 481, 750, 702, 710, 709, 719

 

.74       multi-point star or flower, plates 164, 290, 166, 541, 148, 550

 

.75       multi-point star or flower, plates 252, 358, 611, 327, 357, 453

 

.76       eight-point star or flower, plates 77, 431, 61, 363, 78, 449

 

.77       daisy/aster, plates 73, 673, 713, 618, 489, 516

 

.78       daisy/aster, plates 454, 350, 593, 748, 66, 606

 

.79       multi-point star or flower, plates 303, 472, 642, 644, 708, 480

 

.80       multi-point star or flower, plates 366, 734, 706, 717, 687, 485

 

.81       swirling design, from center point, plates 88, 425, 679, 561, 499, 373

 

.82       swirling design, from center point, plates 351, 524, 313, 192

 

.83       swirling design, around a center circle, plates 191, 190, 391, 681

 

.84       four-petal flower or other design, plates 147, 148, 343, 146, 147;

            center flower, plate 291

 

.85       four-petal flower or other design, plates 98, 405, 643;

            center flower with borders, plates 99, 490

 

.86       six-petal flower or star, plates 185, 184, 728;

            swirling cross-hatch design, plate 183;

            daisy, with leaf border, plates 633, 149

 

.87       flower, with swirling cross-hatch boarder, plates 100, 101, 102, 104, 307, 326

 

.88       flower, plates 105, 106, 347, 586, 308

 

.89       various sunburst patterns, plates 158, 389, 160, 553, 649, 494

 

.90       circle design, plates 162, 161, 331, 532, 159 (this with sunburst);

            flower, plate 153

 

.91       circle or oval, plates 528, 736, 479, 574, 732, 188

 

.92       mostly plain, plates 189, 549, 645, 377, 730, 648

 

.93       small star with radiating patterns, plates 434, 435, 558;

            small flower and sunburst, plate 659;

            radiating lines and circles, plate 707;

            center unclear, with dimpled borders, plate 508 (taken from bottom)

 

.94       center circles, with various borders, plates 69, 383, 459, 359, 752, 498

 

.95       star/flower with fleur-de-lis border, late 567;

            diamond pattern with balls, plate 575;

            four-pointed figure with flowers, plate 562;

            sunflower, plate 97;

            flower, with diamond in border, plate 95l

            flower, plate 96

 

.96       assorted multi-pointed designs, plates 298, 330, 512, 573, 381, 571

 

.97       circles in center, with balls and small flowers, plates 85, 306, 441, 84;

            eight-pointed stars, plate 60, 341

 

.98       circles with lobed patterns, plates 361, 544, 86, 348, 280, 612

 

.99       rose-type patterns, plates 165, 474, 323, 471;

            triangles with lobed patterns, plates 135, 519

 

.100     patterns with fleur-de-lis, plates 325, 322, 171, 337, 616;

            squares with border to form an eight-point star, plate 295

 

.101     floral design, plates 452, 594, 662;

            Swirls from center, plates 469, 484, 352

 

.102     lobes, plates 174, 749;

            fleur-de-lis, plates 486, 138;

            grape vine and leaves around center, plates 175, 727;

 

.103     open rose, plates 470, 457, 173;

            lobes, plates 332, 428

 

.104     lobes, plates 136, 137, 294, 680, 418, 590

 

.105     six-pointed star or flower with fleur-de-lis, plates 143, 170, 675;

            dogwood flower, plate 607;

            six-sided figure, plate 300;

            eight-side figure, plate 296

 

.106     flowers with loops of leaves and acorns, plates 139, 140;

            six-pointed star and squares, plate 534;

            flower with loops of lilies, plates 142, 395;

            lobed flower petals, plate 495

 

.107     center circle surrounded by circles, plates 411, 432, 566;

            various eight-petal flowers, plates 150, 691, 262

 

.108     flower-like patterns, plates 194, 193, 195, 309, 718, 711

 

.109     octagonal plates with daisy centers, plates 409, 420, 630, 65, 340, 614

 

.110     daisy centers, plates 602, 364, 745, 286, 654

 

.111     five-pointed stars, with swirls from center, plates 448, 437, 196, 625, 197

 

.112     six-compartment designs, plates 64, 362, 699, 522, 510, 152

 

.113     rayed flowers, plates 219, 664, 216, 305

 

.114     rayed flowers, with small flowers between rays, plates 720, 217, 365, 218

 

.115     rayed flowers, plates 75, 221, 584, 666, 222, 665

 

.116     rayed flowers, plates 355, 647, 224, 226, 287, 225

 

.117     rayed flowers, plates 223, 603, 523, 722, 356, 227

 

.118     rayed flowers, plates 255, 419, 220, 398, 228, 624

 

.119     rayed flowers, plates 635, 513, 264, 547, 241, 655

 

.120     rayed flowers, plates 233, 229, 483, 277, 747 (all but last are octagons)

 

.121     rayed flowers, plates 244, 525, 627, 234, 628, 588

 

.122     rayed flowers, plates 239, 230, 631, 242, 314, 529

 

.123     rayed flowers, plates 235, 443, 238, 256, 243

 

.124     rayed flowers, plates 610, 236, 257, 526, 746, 686

 

.125     rayed flowers, plates 632, 537, 626, 237, 240, 629

 

.126     white glass plates with floral or foliage borders, plates 404, 505, 402, 463;

            White glass plate with silhouette of deer hunting scene, plate 705

 

.127     lobed pattern, plate 653;

            plain white glass, plate 316

            white glass with floral border, plates 690, 543, 688 (photographed from bottom)

 

.128     square design, plate 275;

            cross inside starburst, plate 187;

            octagon with ovals forming flower pattern, plate 198;

            various floral-like, plate 231, 276;

            pattern with ovals, plate 87

 

.129     various flower and floral designs, plates 167, 461, 518, 733, 371

 

.130     squares around a star/flower, plate 293;

            flower/floral patterns, plates 281, 506, 417, 282

 

.131     flower within a vine, plates 133, 134;

            star-like patterns, plates 315, 119, 315

 

.132     star/flower designs, plates 698, 695;

            small flowers around a circle, plate 729;

            cross with equal arms, plates 521;

            floral design, with border of lobes, plate 694

 

.133     circles and swirls, plate 715;

            cross patterns, plates 548, 433, 538

 

.134     eagle with grape vine, plate 741;

            leaves in various patterns, plates723, 743, 724;

            hearts pierced by arrows, plate 738;

            harp with grape vine, plate 742;

 

.135     rayed flower, plate 747;

            Star-like flower with circles and swirls, plate 751;

            George Washington, plate 753;

            Star-burst design, plate 754;

            Small flower, plate 755;

            Eight-pointed figure, plate 756

 

.136     four-lobed design, plate 758;

            pots of foliage around a circle, plate 759;

            plow, plate 760;

            eagle, plates 762, 763

 

.137     George Peabody, plate 757;

            Gladstone, for the Million, plate 761;

            four-pointed star, plate 764

 

.138     flower with loops of lilies, plate 765x/77;

            daisy, plate 768x;

            A Present from Liverpool, plate 769x;

            stepped square, plate 767x;

            multi-pointed design, plate 766x

 

.139     Photo number 142 N:

            six-pointed figure, plate 784;

            basket of flowers, plate 785;

            rayed patterns, plates 786, 788, 789 (the latter an octagon);

            cross of swirls, plate 787;

 

.140     Photo number 143 N:

            star with swirls, plate 790;

            Henry Clay, plate 791;

            star and lobes, plate792;

            rayed pattern, plate 793;

            steamboat, plate 794 (octagon);

            sailing ship, plate 295 (octagon)

 

.141     Photo number 149 N:

            eagle, plate 819;

            steamboat Chancellor Livingstone, plate 820;

            ship Benjamin Franklin, plate 821;

            Victoria & Albert, plate 822;

            R.H. Miller & Co., Saint Louis, plate 823

 

.142     photo number A1:

            Ringgold, Palo Alton, plate 725;

            steamboat Chancellor Livingstone, plate 737;

            Victoria & Albert, plate 739

            Victoria, plate 740

 

.143     photo number G:

            kitten in boot, plates 49, 49x;

            cameo bust of a man, on broken star-shaped plate, plate not numbered;

            star with border of people gardening and tending ducks, plates 539, 539x;

            steam coach, plate not numbered;

 

.144     no photo number:

            Thistles, plate 832

 

.145-.146         typed descriptions of plates with hearts

 

.147a-b            typed descriptions of plates 753 (Washington), 757 (Peabody), 721 (Gladstone), 761 (Gladstone), 760 (plow), 762 (eggs), 763 (large eagle)  (2 copies)

 

.148     printed booklet, no title, by Albert C. Marble, listing historical cup plates with which he was familiar.  The categories were Portrait, Cabin, Monuments, Boats, Eagles, and Miscellaneous.

 

                        Under portrait, he listed Washington, Harrison, Ringgold, Clay, and Victoria.

 

                        Under boats, he included the suspension bridge at Niagara Falls, Cadmus (sailing ship), Benjamin Franklin (another ship), Chancellor Livingstone (steamboat with rigging), Pittsburg steamboat (also called “Motto”), Constitution, and Fulton or Claremont or Pennsylvania steamboat.

 

                        Under Monuments, he only listed Bunker Hill Monument.

 

            The booklet includes annotations.