The
The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and
Printed Ephemera
Henry Francis du Pont
5105 Kennett Pike, Winterthur,
Delaware 19735
Telephone: 302-888-4600 or 800-448-3883
OVERVIEW OF
THE COLLECTION
Creator: Marshall & Chipman
Drug and Department Store (Georgetown, Del.)
Title: Decals
Dates: 1926-1929
Call No.: Col. 672
Acc. No.: 02x111
Quantity:
Location: 34 J 4
BIOGRAPHICAL
STATEMENT
The decals were sent to Marshall & Chipman of
Georgetown, Delaware; this was a drug and department store. Chipman was Dr. James Henry Chipman
(1878-1927), a doctor and druggist.
Marshall was not identified. The
store was in the middle of Georgetown.
Decals came from the following companies:
Patterson-Sargent, Felton-Sibley, Freeman-Gibson, and Lewis & Freeman. Patterson-Sargent was based in Cleveland,
Ohio. It sold paints under the name BPS
(for Best Paint Sold). Felton-Sibley
& Co. of Philadelphia made and sold paints.
Freeman-Gibson and Lewis & Freeman were based in Cleveland. Lewis & Freeman sold craft supplies and
unpainted furniture.
SCOPE AND
CONTENT
A collection of decals and business letters sent to
Marshall & Chipman Drug and Department Store of Georgetown, Delaware, in
the 1920s. The decals were to be used to
decorate furniture. They came with
application directions. The designs are
mostly of flowers, but also include birds and windmills. Some decals have prices on them (unclear
whether these were prices from the 1920s, or were a later dealer’s prices). The business letters contain catalogs of
other decal designs. There is also a
sheet advertising “unpainted novelty furniture” which was intended to be
painted and decorated with decals.
ORGANIZATION
Decals found together in an envelope were kept
together, although the original contents of envelopes cannot be determined.
LANGUAGE OF
MATERIALS
The materials are in English.
RESTRICTIONS
ON ACCESS
Collection is open to the public. Copyright restrictions may apply.
PROVENANCE
Purchased
from Carmen Valentino.
ACCESS POINTS
Topics:
Patterson-Sargent Co.
Felton, Sibley
& Co.
Freeman-Gibson
Corp.
Lewis &
Freeman.
Decalcomania.
Decoration and
ornament - Catalogs.
Handicraft.
Flowers in art.
Birds in art.
Windmills in
art.
Furniture painting.
DETAILED
DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION
Location: 34 J 4
All accession numbers begin with 02x111.
Folder 1: BPS
furniture transfers from Patterson-Sargent Co.
.1 folder, with color pictures of the
furniture transfers (decalcomania) on one side (flowers, ships, birds,
children, Oriental scene), and instructions for applying on the other side
Folder 2: Felton-Sibley & Co.
.2a, f folder with black-and-white images of decals
(mostly flowers, also windmill and a fairy)
.2b-e, g same images as above, but the folder
is folded differently and the paper is white, not cream
.2h post card to use for ordering sets of
decalcomania designs
.2i typed circular letter from Felton-Sibley
& Co., Philadelphia, March 22, 1926, which explained what came in a set of
decals; one of the folders above was enclosed with the letter
.2j envelope for above letter, addressed to
Marshall & Chipman, Georgetown, Del.
Folder 3: Freeman-Gibson Corp.
.3a-r decals found in an envelope (.3t) from Freeman-Gibson
Corp.:
a: flowers, 164 A, 4988
(four on one sheet);
b-e: a scene, 2227, from
American Decalcomania Co., Chicago [but found with the Freeman-Gibson decals);
f-i: flowers, 3342;
j-m: flowers, each strip
different, 102 A, B, C, D; only 102 B is marked American Decalcomania Co.,
Chicago;
n-r: vase of flowers,
1674 [see also folder 12]
.3s glassine envelope which came with the
decals
.3t envelope which held all these
Folder 4: Lewis & Freeman
.4a circular letter, including color catalog
of designs, from Lewis & Freeman, Cleveland, Ohio, Sept. 6, 1928; most of
the designs are flowers, but also included are parrots, fairies, Oriental
scenes, babies and toddlers; on back is a promotion advising that “decals will
increase paint and brush sales”; front page of circular includes view of the
Lewis & Freeman store
.4b-c two copies of mostly color catalog of
“Decorative Transfer Pictures,” many florals, but also a ship, parrots,
toddlers, automobile initials, a dragon, etc.; back page has designs in
black-and-white, and includes a picture of furniture decorated with decals
.4d flyer for “Unpainted Novelty Furniture,”
which could be painted and decorated with decals; includes tables, books cases,
hanging shelves, and a spinning wheel
Folder 5: Set 1 [see Felton-Sibley catalog]
.5a-f Set 1: flower sprays or garlands, no. 44,
dated Jan. 22, 1929, made in Philadelphia by National Decalcomania Corp., but
appears to be design 1 from Felton-Sibley catalog
.5g envelope for the set, with application
instructions
Folder 6: Set 4 [see Felton-Sibley catalog]
.6a-j Set 4: flowers in vases, two sizes, no. 36,
made in Philadelphia by National Decalcomania Corp., but appears to be same as design
4 in Felton-Sibley catalog
.6k envelope for the set, with application
instructions
Folder 7: Set 4 [but not Felton-Sibley set 4]
.7a-f Set 4: silhouette of girl playing harp, no.
2270
.7g envelope which held the decals, with
application instructions
Folder 8: Set 6 [see Felton-Sibley catalog]
.8a-b Set 6: bouquet of tulips, no. 126, made in
Philadelphia by National Decalcomania Corp., but appears to be same as design 6
in Felton-Sibley catalog
.8c envelope which held the decals, with
application instructions
Folder 9: Set 10 [see Felton-Sibley catalog]
.9a-l Set 10: different scenes with windmills, in
three sizes, no. 340, 341, 342, 343,
.9m envelope which held the decals, with
application instructions
Folder 10: Set 891 [see Lewis & Freeman catalog]
.10a-g Set 891: sprays of lilies of the valley, some
also with tulips, no. 126, .10g marked [cut off] in Germany, Nurnberger
Abziehbilder-Fabr[cut off]
.10h paper bag which held the decals
Folder 11: Set 1477
.11a-j Set 1477: sprays of lilies of the valley
.11k paper bag which held the decals
Folder 12: Set 1673 [from Freeman-Gibson Corp.]
.12a-d Set 1673: vase with flowers [see also .3n-r,
no. 1674, in folder 3, which was used to identify this as a Freeman-Gibson
Corp. product]
.12e envelope which held the decals
Folder 13: Set 1674 [from Freeman-Gibson Corp.]
.13 Set 1674: envelope only [see also .3n-r,
in folder 3, which are decals numbered 1674]
Folder 14: Set 1739 [apparently from Freeman-Gibson
Corp.]
.14a-c Set 1739: vase or basket with flowers
.14d application instructions, including
directions for applying pictures on cloth
.14e envelope which held these decals; the
envelope is numbered 1741, but the decals are numbered 1729
Folder 15: Set 2134
.15a-n Set 2134: compote with fruit
.15o envelope which held the decals
Folder 16: Set 2251 [see Lewis & Freeman
catalog]
.16a-b Sort no. 2251: flowers in basket
.16c envelope which held the decals
Folder 17: Set 2252 [see Lewis & Freeman catalog
and BPS catalog]
.17a-c Sort no. 2252: flowers in basket
.17d envelope which held the decals
Folder 18: Set 3045
.18a-g Set 3045: small sets, with birds, butterflies,
and flowers
.18h envelope which held the decals
Folder 19: Set 3351 [that is number on back of
decals, although envelope is labeled Set 4; see Lewis & Freeman catalog]
.19a-d Set 3351: floral sprays; two sheets are
labeled [cut off]rik Troeger & Bucking
.19e envelope, with application instructions,
which held the decals, labeled Set 4
Folder 20: Set 3656
[see BPS catalog]
.20a Set 3656: parrot; numbered on back: 18062
and 5058
.20b envelope which held the decal
Folder 21: Set 3671
[see Lewis & Freeman catalog]
.21a-g Set 3671: two different exotic birds, both
with long tail feathers
.21h envelope which held the decals
Folder 22: Set 3676
[see Lewis & Freeman catalog]
.22 Set 3676: floral spray
Folder 23: Set 3691
[see Lewis & Freeman catalog]
.23a-b Set 3691: basket of flowers, marked Made in
Germany
.23c envelope which held the decals
Folder 24: Set 13505 A, 4988 [see Lewis & Freeman catalog]
.24a-b Set 13505 A, 4988: parrots in tree
.24c envelope which held these decals; envelope
marked 39503, which is a similar design to decals 13505 A, 4988