Collections : [University of Michigan William L. Clements Library]

The Gerald T. and Charlotte B. Maxson printed ephemera collection contains over 5,000 pieces of assorted ephemera, the majority of which were commercially printed in the United States during the mid to late 19th-century.

The Gerald T. and Charlotte B. Maxson printed ephemera collection contains over 5,000 pieces of assorted ephemera, the majority of which were commercially printed in the United States during the mid to late 19th-century.

The Maxson collection provides a valuable resource for the study of 19th-century visual culture, commercial advertising, and humor in addition to the role of gender, ethnicity, and race in advertising. American businesses are the predominant focus of the collection, though many international businesses are also represented. While trade cards are by far the most prevalent type of ephemera found in this collection, an extensive array of genres are present including die cut scrapbook pieces, photographs, engravings, maps, serials, and manuscript materials.

The 23 binders that house the Maxson collection were arranged by the collectors themselves. Items are organized somewhat randomly in terms of topical arrangement. While pockets of related materials can be found here and there (for instance, the entirety of Volume 16 contains circus-related items while Volume 11 contains an extensive number of Shaker-related materials), for the most part any given subject may appear in any given volume. In some cases, items are clustered as a result of having been acquired together or due to a documented common provenance. Occasional typed annotations written by the Maxsons help provide additional context for certain items.

The Maxson Collection Subject Index serves as a volume-level subject index for materials found throughout the binders. The subjects indexed here are generally representative of both visual and commercial content. In addition to more general subjects, many names of specific people, places, buildings, events, and organizations that appear in the materials have also been listed. Researchers engaging with this collection should be aware that they will encounter numerous examples of racist caricatures, especially ones depicting African American, Native American, Irish, and Chinese people.

The Hubble family scrapbooks consist of two volumes containing trade cards, clipped engravings, and other scrapbook materials compiled by members of the Hubble family of Monroe, Michigan.

The Hubble family scrapbooks consist of two volumes containing trade cards, clipped engravings, and other scrapbook materials compiled by members of the Hubble family of Monroe, Michigan.

Volume 1: The first volume (35 x 25.5 cm) was originally a copy of the 1876-77 Autumn and Winter edition of Mme. Demorest’s Illustrated Portfolio of the Fashions and has red cloth covers and gilt embossing work on the front and back. “Monroe Hubble” is inscribed on the volume’s first page, while “Willie Hubble” is written on the inside of the back cover; both inscriptions appear to be written in a child’s hand. Two engravings by Kimmel & Voigt made for Demorest’s Monthly Magazine appear towards the front and were part of the original volume. Subsequent pages also reveal numerous illustrations and descriptions of various articles of clothing listed in Demorest’s fashion catalog, though much of this has been obscured by scrapbook items that were pasted in. Compiled materials mainly include various trade cards and scrapbook decorations, but also include several engravings showing scenic and rural landscapes, women’s fashions, portraits, and performance artists (including Smith’s Swiss Bell Ringers). Of particular note are Uncle Tom’s Cabin-related illustrations and cartoons involving racial caricatures of an African American regiment called “The South 5th Rangers.”

Volume 2: The second volume (25 x 20 cm) has red paper covers with “Scrapbook” and decorative designs embossed in gold on the front. A photomechanical reproduction of a portrait of N. B. Hubble as an adult appears on the inside of the front cover. Subsequent materials mostly include trade cards and scrapbook decorations, several of which also appear in the first volume. Many of the trade cards were produced by the Calvert Lithograph Co. of Detroit. Items of note include Shakespeare-related cartoons; an ad for “Mme. Fontaine’s Bosom Beautifier” that incorporates a portrait of Oscar Wilde; a photographic portrait of a baby made to look like a stamp; and scrapbook cutouts including one of a black man (likely supposed to be a Haitian soldier) wearing one boot and components of a French Army uniform as well as one of two women embracing and kissing.

The Pictorial Record of the United States Army Air Forces 90th Bombardment Group consists of two volumes containing 1 manuscript item and approximately 412 photographs documenting the activities of the USAAF 90th Bombardment Group during the New Guinea campaign of War World II.

Materials are housed in plastic sleeves contained in two green-colored 3-ring binders (30 x 33 cm). All photographs are gelatin silver developing-out prints and for the most part measure between 10 x 12 cm and 26 x 20 cm in size. Numerous images bear stamps that state “Passed by U.S. Army Examiners.” Most images do not have captions, though a small number do have typescript captions on their versos.

Volume A:

Volume A contains approximately 186 photographs as well as 1 manuscript item. The volume begins with a one-page typescript document issued ca. 1944 that is addressed to the 400th Bomb Squadron 90th Bomb Group, stating the photographs are intended to be “the Pictorial Record of Our Unit.” The letter is signed by Maj. C. Vernon Ekstrand of the U.S. Army Air Corps. Photographs include a composite portrait of the 90th Bomb Group members, individual and group portraits of 90th Bomb Group members, a group portrait of Japanese military personnel, images of Allied military facilities, Japanese warships being bombed, military aircraft shown both midair as well as on the ground, what appears to be an abandoned Japanese tank, and numerous landscape views. Also present are several images showing aircraft nose art. Of particular interest are various pictures documenting interactions with native Papuan people including individual and group portraits as well as photographs of Papuan settlements and structures (including churches).

Volume B:

Volume B contains approximately 226 photographs. This volume includes a substantial number of pictures of indigenous Papuan individuals, children, and families, including several portraits of nude women (including mothers breastfeeding), as well as images showing traditional Papuan body modifications and tattoos. Of particular note are images that appear to document a Papuan ceremony that showcases elements of traditional Papuan clothing, music, and ritual dance, as well as a photograph of a Papuan trumpet player. Other items of interest include numerous images documenting USO performers (including Bob Hope and Patty Thomas) and a series of aircraft nose art photographs that include several works signed by Cpl. Al G. Merkling. Images of airborne planes and landscape views also feature prominently in this volume.