DATE: ca. 19th century - 20th century
CREATOR: various
HISTORY & PROVENANCE: This recently assembled collection of twentieth-century Western and American Indian ephemera was established to augment the Library's strength in nineteenth-century Western Americana.
SCOPE: Collection includes three anonymous scrapbook volumes, "Our Trip West," 1948-50, and includes snapshots, postcards, hotel brochures and stationery, and other vacation ephemera. The collection also includes two boxes containing such items as reproductions of William H. Jackson's chromolithographs for the Detroit Publishing Co., spectacular Western scenes, as well as American Indian portraits; popular periodicals dating from 1904-1930 and include Sunset Magazine, (Leslie's) American Magazine, Peason's Magazine, and other single issue periodicals devoted to the West and the American Indian; postcards; and other ephemera. The collection documents the persistence of the frontier myth in twentieth-century American culture.
SERIES ARRANGEMENT
Series 1: Scrapbooks
Series 1 contains four anonymous scrapbooks. The first scrapbook is a collection of postcards from Los Angeles. The three scrapbook volumes include postcards, snapshots, tourist pamphlets and other ephemera.
Series 2: Native American Photograph Postcards
Series 2 contains sixty-four postcards with photographs of Native Americans; some are labeled but most have no information. About 12 of these photographs included were taken at the Cheyenne-Arapaho fair in Watonga, Oklahoma in September of 1911 and 1912 but Henry C. Chaufty. These images depict sham battles, teepees, etc. The remaining postcards are portrait photographs of Native Americans ranging from babies in cradleboards to groups of men and women. The Native Americans are dressed in a variety of clothing from traditional garments to Western “modern” clothes. All images but two are in black and white.
Series 3: Chromolithographs
Series 3 contains fifteen reproductions of William H. Jackson’s chromolithograph prints for the Detroit Publishing Company of Western landscapes, and Native American portraits, dates range from 1898 to 1907. Series 3 also holds tear sheets from the magazine American West and negatives of the stone of lithograph of J.A. Garfield’s “Apache Chief” from an article in American West.
Series 4: Fruit/Vegetable Crate Labels
Series 4 contains one hundred and five fruit and vegetable crate labels, a tobacco tin label, and a [cigar?] box label. The fruit crate labels advertise lemons, apples, pears, oranges, and grapefruits and the vegetable crate labels advertise asparagus. The crate labels advertise for produce from groves in California, Washington, Oregon, Texas and Florida. Many labels identify produce cooperatives such as the California Fruit Exchange, American Fruit Growers, and the Apple Growers Association. A variety of labels have the mark of Sunkist, Red Ball, Blue Goose, and Pure Gold; a grade standard used by the co-operatives California Fruit Growers Exchange, American Fruit Growers, and Mutual Orange Distributors. Dates range from 1917 to 1950 and are estimates based on stylistic changes between the end of World War I and the mid-1950s. Labels are arranged by produce in alphabetical order and then brand name in alphabetical order.
Series 5: Periodicals
Series 5 contains periodicals dating from 1904 to 1966 and include Pearson’s Magazine, Sunset Magazine, The Illustrated Review, Christian Herald, (Leslie’s) American Magazine, and other single-issue periodicals devoted to the American West and the American Indian. These are also two single pages from periodicals, including a page from an 1845 issue of Godey’s.
EXTENT: Two print boxes of ephemera; 3 volumes
ACCESS: This collection is available for on-site use only in the Rare Book and Manuscripts Reading Room. Some of the material in Special Collection M-212 may be photocopied, digitally scanned or photographed, subject to condition. For collections marked limited access, researchers are advised to contact the library at least three business days in advance of their visit to submit a request to view the physical material.
Researchers are advised to call ahead concerning changes in hours due to University intersessions and holidays. The St. Louis Mercantile Library is located on levels one and two of the Thomas Jefferson Library building.
In observance of security procedures, certain services may not be available shortly before the daily closing time.
Preferred Citation: When citing the material from this collection, the preferred citation is: From the Special Collections of the St. Louis Mercantile Library at the University of Missouri – St. Louis.
