Archives Center, National Museum of American History

Guide to the Fisher, Bruce & Company Records

Summary
Photoprints
Photoprints
Collection ID:
NMAH.AC.0370
Creators:
Fisher, Richard
Fisher, Bruce & Company.
Dates:
1920-1940s
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
3 Cubic feet
1 box
Repository:
Fisher, Bruce & Company, importers of china, earthenware, and glassware, were located on Market Street, Philadelphia. The collection contains catalog pages and price lists for china, earthenware, and glassware imported from Belgium, Britain, France, and Italy, and some American ceramics.
Scope and Contents
Scope and Contents
This collection primarily contains catalog pages and pricelists for china, earthenware, and glassware imported from Belgium, Britain, France, and Italy, as well as some American ceramics. The catalog pages consist of color photographs of numbered ceramic items; the pricelists are separate pages keyed to the same numbers. These records, which date from 1939 1940, are arranged in separate folders by nationality.
The Belgian material consists of one catalog page of glassware. The British catalog pages depict Aynsley bone china (breakfast and tea sets), Grimwades earthenware, and "Toby" mugs of U.S. General McArthur and British General Wavell. The French catalog pages show "Quimper" design faience as well as other china and earthenware pieces. The Italian ceramics are primarily earthenware breakfast sets, bowls, baskets, vases, and donkey figures. There is also some Venetian glassware. The U.S. catalog pages show china breakfast sets and other tableware.
In addition, a photoprint in the collection shows the firm's building, ca. 1920s; a second photoprint shows a 1920s display of Pyrex ovenware in one of the building's display windows.
Biographical / Historical
Biographical / Historical
Fisher, Bruce & Company, importers of china, earthenware, and glassware, were located on Market Street in Philadelphia. The firm dates back at least to the year 1880, when it was known as Atherholt, Fisher & Company, and was located at 519 Market Street. The principals in the firm were Thomas C. Atherholt, Samuel Fisher, and his son, Joseph G. A. Fisher. By 1885 the company's name had changed to Fisher, Son & Company. By 1889, after the addition of George H. Ruth to the firm, its name had changed to Fisher, Son & Ruth. The following year, probably following the death of Samuel Fisher, Worthington Bruce joined the firm, and its name was changed to Fisher, Bruce & Company. In the same year the firm relocated to 221 Market Street.
The company continued to prosper in its Market Street location, which extended back to Church Street. By 1930, the adjoining building at 219 Market Street was purchased. The ground floors of numbers 219 221 were used as a showroom and the company's offices were located upstairs. The company stayed in the Fisher family's hands for the remainder of its existence, with E. Monroe Fisher as President of the firm beginning in 1930. In the 1970s the company was sold and the business relocated to New Jersey.
Administration
Author
Craig A. Orr
Immediate Source of Acquisition
These records were donated to the Division of Domestic Life in February 1990 by Mr. Carl Gatter. His father, Herman L. Gatter, had been employed by Fisher, Bruce, for many years. The records were transferred to the Archives Center in March 1990.
Processing Information
This collection is unprocessed.
Using the Collection
Preferred Citation
Fisher, Bruce & Company Records, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Conditions Governing Access
Unrestricted research use on site by appointment.
Probable copyright restrictions.
Conditions Governing Use
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Keywords
Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Sales catalogs Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Show windows Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Stereographs Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Stores, Retail Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Table setting and decoration Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Display of merchandise Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Faience Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Glassware Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Glassware -- Belgian Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Glassware -- Catalogs Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Glassware -- Venetian Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Importers Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Legislation (legal concepts) Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Advertising, Point-of-sale Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Commemorative porcelain Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Colon (Panama) Geographic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Dams -- Panama Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Correspondence -- 1940-1950 Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Ceramic tableware Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Ceramics Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Ceramic Industries -- French Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Ceramic Industries -- Italian Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Ceramic Industries -- Belgian Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Ceramic Industries -- English Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Ceramic Industries -- American Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Locks and dams Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Clay pot cookery Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Philadelphia (Pa.) Geographic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Photographic prints Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Plates (Tableware) Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Porcelain, American Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Porcelain figures Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Porcelain, French Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Porcelain, English Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Porcelain -- Prices Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Porcelain -- 20th century Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Postcards -- 1900-1920 Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Pottery figures Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Pottery, American Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Pottery, English Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Pottery, French Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Pottery, Italian Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Pottery -- Prices Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Price lists Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Pyrex Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Gatter, Carl Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Fisher, Richard, Mrs. Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
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