Finding aid for the Product labels and packaging collection 6252
Bo Doub -- with many of the collection's notes adapted from the seller: Johnson Rare Books & Archives
USC Libraries Special Collections
2022 April
Doheny Memorial Library 206
3550 Trousdale Parkway
Los Angeles, California 90089-0189
specol@usc.edu
Contributing Institution:
USC Libraries Special Collections
Title: Product labels and packaging collection
source:
United States. Patent Office
Creator:
Scott Paper Company
Identifier/Call Number: 6252
Physical Description:
6.02 Linear Feet
5 boxes
Date (inclusive): 1929-1930
Abstract: A collection of 610 product labels and packaging created between 1929 and 1930. The material in this collection had been sent
to the United States Patent Office by companies to copyright their artistic and literary creations. After the U.S. Patent
office deaccessioned the labels and packaging, they were held in a private collection for over a decade. The labels and packaging
in the collection were used for advertising and packaging a wide variety of products, including toilet paper, chocolates,
and cockroach poison. The collection shows examples of printing practices, graphic design styles, and innovations in products
and food during the period that the labels and packages were created.
Language of Material:
English
.
Container: 1
Container: 2
Container: 3
Container: 4
Container: 5
Scope and Contents
A collection of 610 product labels and packaging created between 1929 and 1930. The material in this collection had been sent
to the United States Patent Office by companies to copyright their artistic and literary creations. The labels and packaging
in the collection were used for advertising and packaging a wide variety of products, including toilet paper, chocolates,
and cockroach poison.
The size, shape, and color schemes of the collection's material are wide-ranging. Nearly every item has a handwritten number
on the verso, and many carry an oval stamp that reads "Mail Division U.S. Patent Office" with the date received. Most items
also have a small pin hole in them, perhaps from being processed. The labels were deaccessioned from the patent office and
held in a private collection for over a decade.
The collection includes 18 different examples of advertising wrappers for toilet paper from Scott's, which is still in the
toilet paper business, and specialty toilet paper such as Worthman's, billed as a medicated toilet tissue for treating hemorrhoids.
According to Toiletology.com, as early as the mid 1800s, paper was used to clean up after using the toilet. By the late 1800s,
Clarence and E. Irvin Scott developed a type of toilet paper that could be rolled onto a small cardboard tube, speeding and
simplifying manufacturing and packaging processes.
Conditions Governing Access
Advance notice required for access.
Conditions Governing Use
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Department of Special
Collections at specol@usc.edu. Permission for publication is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical
items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.
Rights Statement for Archival Description
Finding aid description and metadata are licensed under an Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license.
Preferred Citation
[Box/folder no. or item name], Product labels and packaging collection, Collection no. 6252, Special Collections, USC Libraries,
University of Southern California
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Purchased from Johnson Rare Books & Archives, March 1, 2022.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Advertising -- United States -- 20th century -- Archival resources
Branding (Marketing) -- California -- Los Angeles -- Archival resources
Food -- Labeling -- United States -- 20th century -- Archival resources
Package printing -- Archival resources
Packaging -- United States -- 20th century -- Archival resources
Labels (identifying artifacts)
Advertisements
Product labels
Product packages
Promotional materials
United States. Patent Office
Scott Paper Company -- Archives
Box 1, Box 2, Box 3, Box 4, Box 5
Product labels
General
The list of items under this series record was generated from a list by the immediate source of the acquisition: Johnson Rare
Books & Archives. A given item in the list could be stored in any of the collection's five boxes.
23 labels for drinks and syrups companies, including a label for California Almond Milk produced in 1930 by Almond Products
of Los Angeles
24 labels for various products from golf balls and typing paper to a popcorn maker and juicer
15 labels for health aids products, including Blue Ribbon Girasol Chips from Albany, New York
8 labels for different products from Dugan's bakeries out of New York and New Jersey for pies, doughnuts, crumb cake and more
2 wax paper labels for fish products including Harvard Brand Luncheon Schrod out of Boston
10 labels for different game products
14 labels for different animal health and pesticide products
9 labels for different hosiery and clothing companies
12 different wax paper product labels for bread
5 soap and shampoo product labels
43 candy, cookie, and baked good product labels
36 cleaning product labels
7 plant and grass product labels
12 flour and starch labels
3 labels for cracker products
10 labels for automotive products, including Silver Shield for used cars by Randall Dodd Auto Company
6 labels for shoe products
5 labels for sheet/pillow products
1 labels for canary food product
4 labels for drinks products
4 labels for various home products
2 labels for stationary products
9 labels for blades and shaving cream products
3 labels for styles of label for black leaf nicotine sulfate for hogs
28 labels for health and shampoo products
18 labels for women's products, including shampoo, hair nets, etc.
21 labels for various household products from foot stools to roofing shingles
25 labels for various food products
9 labels for game products
Box 1, Box 2, Box 3, Box 4, Box 5
Product packaging
General
The list of items under this series record was generated from a list by the immediate source of the acquisition: Johnson Rare
Books & Archives. A given item in the list could be stored in any of the collection's five boxes.
Product packaging for 27 different clothing tag products
Product packaging for 27 butter products
Product packaging for 8 dairy products, including milk and cottage cheese
Product packaging for 5 toothpaste products
Product packaging for 4 coffee and tea products
Product packaging for 7 egg products
