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Fashion print scrapbook collection

 Collection
Identifier: KA-0091-01

Abstract

Consists of 19 scrapbooks containing more than 10,000 prints of fashion illustrations produced between the early 1800s and 1913. The prints primarily depict clothing and accessories designs, with a few depicting theatrical costumes, architectural and sculptural details, and textile designs. Many images were issued as portfolio prints, others cut from books and periodicals, such as Graham's Magazine and Godey's Lady's Book and Magazine.

Dates

  • circa 1800-1913

Creator

Extent

12.7 Cubic Feet (19 scrapbooks)

Language of Materials

English

French

Scope and Contents

The collection consists of more than 10,000 prints mounted into nineteen scrapbooks and loose pages. While a small portion of the prints depicts architecture and the decorative arts, the bulk of the collection centers on costume of the mid to late 1800s and the early 1900s. The majority of the prints depict women's clothing, although men's and children's clothing of the early 1900s is also included. Prints include engravings, lithographs and half-tone photographs, some hand-colored.

The prints in the collection were originally published in American and French pictorial magazines, including The Delineator (May 1898); Fashions: An Illustrated Monthly Journal (October 1902); Ladies Home Journal (July 1892); pages from Gazelle du Bon Ton (1913), Godey's Lady's Book magazine (1848-1952)), Graham's magazine (1840s), Ladies Companion (1840s), Les Modes Parisiennes (1820-1847, 1864), and Un Siecle de Modes Feminines (1894). Other materials pasted into the scrapbooks appear to be advertising materials published by French firms, particularly Daydou Fils.

The scrapbooks were likely assembled by early Parsons The New School for Design administrators or librarians as a reference for students studying costume design. They are particularly useful for the study of fashion design and merchandising history, lifestyle marketing, and the development of commercial illustration and early fashion photography.

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research use. Please contact archivist@newschool.edu for appointment.

Use Restrictions

To publish images of material from this collection, permission must be obtained in writing from the New School Archives. Please contact: archivist@newschool.edu.

Organization and Arrangement

Scrapbooks are arranged by subject and chronologically within each subject area.

Custodial History

Collection probably assembled by Parsons School of Design library staff.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Internal transfer to New School Archives.

Title
Guide to the Fashion print scrapbook collection
Status
Completed
Author
New School Archives and Special Collections Staff
Date
February 15, 2011
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
English