Archives Center, National Museum of American History

Guide to Dennis Manochio Fireworks Collection

Summary

Collection ID:
NMAH.AC.0533
Creators:
Manochio, Dennis
Dates:
ca. 1920s-1940s.
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
0.5 Cubic feet
2 Boxes
Repository:
Fireworks packaging, labels, wrappers and boxes. Many of the labels contain illustrations and logos with ethnic imagery, often stereotypical, and a variety of other subjects.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
The collection consists of fireworks labels, wrappers, and packaging, part of a crate, and one product catalogue for the Martin's Real Fireworks Displays of Iowa. The majority of the fireworks labels and packaging were made in China or Macao, but some were made in the United States, Canada, and India. The labels are in Chinese, English, French, and German. Many of the labels are for "firecrackers," small noisemaking cylinders that are an inch and a half in length, often strung together with others and fused consecutively. Other types of fireworks include ladyfingers (a small ¾" firecracker), cherry bombs and M-80s (illegal firecracker with a small red sphere an inch in diameter with flash powder), rockets (a cylinder with cone shaped head filled with pyrotechnic materials), shells or bombs (a canister fired out of a mortar), and torpedoes (fulminate of mercury mixed with grit and twisted in a piece of paper). The collection is particular rich in ethnic imagery. Other images include" elephant, birds, cowboys, anchors, pirates, tigers, cats, dogs, camels, cocks, lions, coyotes, dragons, wheels, horses, gorillas, rick shaws, rockets, fishing, and superman to name a few. The collection is divided into one series by fireworks brands and is arranged alphabetically. Information is provided for where the fireworks were manufactured, what company made them and what company distributed them. Most labels are undated.

Arrangement

Arrangement
The collection is arranged into one series.
Series 1: Brands

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
Collector of patriotic ephemera and fireworks dealer.

Administration

Author
Alison L. Oswald
Immediate Source of Acquisiton
The collection was donated to the Archives Center, National Museum of American History through Sgt. Leonard Anderson, Office of the Sheriff, Santa Clara County, California on July 11, 1995.
Processing Information
Collection processed by Alison Oswald, May 2003.
Custodial History
The collection was created by Dennis Manochio Sr., a fireworks dealer and was confiscated by law enforcement officials.

Using the Collection

Restrictions on Access
Colection is open for research and access on site by appointment.
Preferred Citation
Dennis Manochio Fireworks Collection, ca. 1920s, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Terms Governing Use and Reproduction
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
Fishing Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Rickshaws Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Wheels Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Ethnic imagery Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Packaging Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Camels Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Birds Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Cowboys Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Circuses (performances) Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Dragons Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Dogs Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Cats Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Gorilla Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Roosters -- Pictorial works Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Lions Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Tigers Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Elephants Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Labels Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Hawks Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Pirates Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Anchors Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Fireworks Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Logos (Symbols) Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Horses -- Logos (Symbols) Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Coyote (Canis latrans) Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Swallows Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Sambo (Fictitious character) Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Superman (Fictitious character) Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Little Bo-Peep (Fictitious character) Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

Archives Center, National Museum of American History
P.O. Box 37012
Suite 1100, MRC 601
Washington, D.C. 20013-7012
archivescenter@si.edu