Scovill Manufacturing Company invoice books
Call Number
Date
Creator
Extent
Language of Materials
Abstract
The collection holds six volumes of invoices representing bills paid by Scovill Manufacturing Company. These bills appear to relate specifically to Scovill's New York City store, which was a significant source of photographic supplies (plates, cases, chemicals, etc.). There are over 12,000 invoices in the volumes, covering the period 1875-1877 and 1879-1881.
Biographical / Historical
The Scovill Manufacturing Company was founded in 1802 and incorporated in 1850. Based principally in Waterbury, Connecticut, the company also had locations in New Haven and in New York City. The company began as a button manufacturer, most notably working with brass. With the emergence of photography in the 1840s, the company expanded into the production of daguerreotype plates and later into cameras. By the time of the records in this collection, the company had established a store in New York City at 419-421 Broome Street for the sale of photographic supplies, which this collection likely relates to. The company still exists, though no longer based in the Northeast nor in the photography business. It is now known as Morito Scovill and has returned to its roots in the business of manufacturing buttons and other forms of fasteners.
(The above note is based on various on-line sources.)
Arrangement
The volumes and their contents are in chronological order.
Scope and Contents
The collection holds 6 volumes of invoices paid by Scovill Manufacturing Company. Though the invoices are not explicit, it seems most likely that these invoices relate to Scovill's store in New York City where photographic supplies such as those invoiced were sold. The invoices are from manufacturers of photograph supplies (paper, glass plates, cards, etc.), picture frames, cases, hardware items (such as thimbles), druggists/chemists, and other suppliers. The suppliers are predominantly from New York City. Among the many companies represented are A.M. Collins, Son, & Co.; E & H.T. Anthony & Co.; Lewis Pattberg & Bros.; Brown & Brothers; and Phenix Plate Co. There are about 12,600 invoices in the volumes. There are a small number of Scovill-generated invoices in the 1879 and 1880 volumes, which show the company's letterhead and imagery; these seem to be directed to Scovill's New York store for payment of expenses incurred by the Waterbury operation on New York's behalf.
Subjects
Access Restrictions
Materials in this collection may be stored offsite. For more information on making arrangements to consult them, please visit www.nyhistory.org/library/visit.
Use Restrictions
Taking images of documents from the library collections for reference purposes by using hand-held cameras and in accordance with the library's photography guidelines is encouraged. As an alternative, patrons may request up to 20 images per day from staff. Application to use images from this collection for publication should be made in writing to: Department of Rights and Reproductions, The New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West, New York, NY 10024-5194, rightsandrepro@nyhistory.org. Phone: (212) 873-3400 ext. 282.
Copyrights and other proprietary rights may subsist in individuals and entities other than the New-York Historical Society, in which case the patron is responsible for securing permission from those parties. For fuller information about rights and reproductions from N-YHS visit: https://www.nyhistory.org/about/rights-reproductions
Preferred Citation
The collection should be cited as: Scovill Manufacturing Company invoice books, MS 549, New-York Historical Society.
Location of Materials
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The source has not been determined.
About this Guide
Processing Information
Inventoried by archivist Larry Weimer in June 2022