Archives Center, National Museum of American History

Preliminary Guide to the Archives Center Poster Stamp Collection

Summary

Collection ID:
NMAH.AC.1125
Creators:
Hoffman, John Nathan, 1923-1982
Dates:
circa 1890s-1960s
Languages:
Collection is in
English
. Some materials in
Afrikaans
,
Czech
,
Dutch
,
French
,
German
,
Hungarian
, Itlaian,
Norwegian
,
Spanish
,
Swedish
, and
Slovak
.
Physical Description:
3 Cubic feet
5 boxes
Repository:
The collection consists of poster stamps (non-denominated stamp-sized miniature posters) advertising or commemorating a large variety of places, events, products, causes, and miscellaneous other subjects, including many international subjects. Some of the stamps are in albums or album sleeves.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
The collection consists of small, loose poster stamps (non-denominated stamp-sized miniature posters) advertising or commemorating a huge variety of places, events (particularly expositions and fairs), products, causes, and miscellaneous other subjects (e.g. sports), including many international subjects. Some of the stamps are in albums or album sleeves which have been maintained.

Arrangement

Arrangement
Collection is arranged alphabetically.

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
The stamps were first issued in Europe in the early nineteenth century to promote events such as fairs and expositions, or to advertise products. Their popularity increased and reached its peak in the 1920s and 1930s. Collectors saved them in special albums designed for collecting poster stamps.

Administration

Author
NMAH Staff
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The collection was donated by John Hoffman to National Museum of American History, Division of Work and Industry, Collection of Agriculture and Natural Resources in 1982.
Processing Information
Preliminary processing by Alison Oswald, archivist, July 2011.
Custodial History
The poster stamps were assembled by former National Museum of American History curator John N. Hoffman. The poster stamps were originally part of the Hoffmania Collection (AC0062) and were removed from the Hoffmania Collection to form the Archives Center Poster Stamp Collection (AC1125) on June 30, 2011.

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research use.
Preferred Citation
Archives Center Poster Stamp Collection, circa 1890s-1960s, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
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
Poster stamps Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Stickers Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Collectibles Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Albums Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Collectors and collecting Topical 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