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Finding aid to the Commercial catalogs collection
CC  
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Collection Details
 
Table of contents What's This?
  • Access
  • Publication Rights
  • Preferred Citation
  • Related Ephemera Collections
  • Accruals
  • System of Arrangement
  • Scope and Contents
  • Indexing Terms

  • Title: Commercial catalogs collection
    Date: 1851-1981
    Collection Identifier: CC
    Physical Description: 35 linear feet
    Contributing Institution: California Historical Society
    678 Mission Street
    San Francisco, CA, 94105-4014
    (415) 357-1848
    reference@calhist.org
    URL: http://www.californiahistoricalsociety.org/
    Location of Materials: Collection is stored onsite.
    Language of Materials: Collection materials are mainly in English. A small portion of materials is in Spanish.
    Abstract: Consists of a variety of commercial catalogs and other sales-related ephemera pertaining to California businesses, largely from San Francisco and the greater Bay Area, with significant portions from Sacramento and Los Angeles, and a smaller number from non-California businesses. Manufacturers' and sales catalogs provide detailed information about businesses, commercial life, and material culture in California from 1851 to 1981, with the bulk dating from the mid-nineteenth to the mid-twentieth century. Businesses range from major companies to small enterprises.

    Access

    CHS is not taking appointments for research at this time. Please check the Library's website updates: https://californiahistoricalsociety.org/collections/north-baker-research-library/ 

    Publication Rights

    All requests to reproduce, publish, quote from or otherwise use collection materials must be submitted in writing to the Director of Library and Archives, North Baker Research Library, California Historical Society, 678 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94105. Consent is given on behalf of the California Historical Society as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission from the copyright owner. Such permission must be obtained from the copyright owner. Restrictions also apply to digital representations of the original materials. Use of digital files is restricted to research and educational purposes.

    Preferred Citation

    [Identification of item], Commercial catalogs collection, California Historical Society.

    Related Ephemera Collections

    Kemble Z3 Ephemera Collection
    Menu Collection
    Theater Ephemera Collection

    Accruals

    Future additions are expected.

    System of Arrangement

    Collection is arranged in two series: 1) Unbound catalogs; and 2) Bound catalogs. Within each series, catalogs are arranged in alphabetical order. Catalogs for businesses named after their owners are filed under the owners' surnames; e.g., Byron Jackson Machine Works is filed under "Jackson," not "Byron."

    Scope and Contents

    Consists of a variety of commercial catalogs and other sales-related ephemera related to California businesses, largely from San Francisco and the greater Bay Area, with significant portions from Sacramento and Los Angeles, and a smaller number from non-California businesses. Manufacturers' and sales catalogs provide detailed information about businesses, commercial life, and material culture in California from 1851 to 1981, with the bulk dating from the mid-nineteenth to the mid-twentieth century. Businesses range from major companies to small enterprises. Types of business represented include: mining, manufacturing, agriculture, machinery, utilities, and retail. There are significant holdings for longstanding businesses, including Baker & Hamilton, Dunham, Carrigan & Hayden Co., Holbrook, Merrill & Stetson, General Electric Company, Montgomery Ward & Co., Emporium, and I. Magnin.

    Indexing Terms

    The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog:
    Business enterprises--California.
    California Ephemera Project.
    Manufacturer's catalogs.
    Sales catalogs.