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Archives Center, National Museum of American History
Wade Corset Collection
Summary
- Collection ID:
- NMAH.AC.1580
- Creators:
-
Wade , Alzira Hewitt Cowardin , 1839-1929
- Dates:
-
1894-1906bulk 1900-1906
- Languages:
-
English.
- Physical Description:
-
.15 Cubic feet1 box
- Repository:
Collection documents the Wade Corset Company of Minneapolis, Minnesota, founded by inventor, Alzira Hewitt Cowardin Wade.
Content Description
Content Description
Ephemera and photographs related to the Wade Corset Company founded by inventor, Alzira Hewitt Cowardin Wade.
Arrangement
Arrangement
The collection is arranged into one series, topically.
Biographical
Biographical
Alzira Hewitt Cowardin Wade (1839-1929), was born in Huntsville, Alabama to Colin Manley Cowardin and Mary Hewitt Morehead. She was one of six children that included Agnes Hunter Cowardin; Mary Elizabeth Cowardin; Margaret Cowardin; Henry Cowardin and Robert Cowardin.
She married Dr. James Howlett Hunter on June 11, 1857 and had two children, Colin Hiram Hunter and Alzira Allie Belle Hunter. Dr. Hunter died of Yellow Fever in 1860. Her second marriage was to William Elijah Wade on June 26, 1866, and the couple had two children, Margaret Ruth Wade and George Munson Wade.
Wade worked as a seamstress and established the Wade Corset Company in Minneapolis, Minnesota, expanding eventually to New York City, Atlantic City, Paris and London. The company offered corset waists, abdominal bands, bust supports, corsage ruffles and girdles. Wade patented an abdominal supporter (US 517,941) in 1894; a reversible corset busk (US 640,839) in 1900; and an apparel corset (US 656,913) in 1900.
Administration
Author
Alison Oswald
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Collection donated by Anne Colby, July 2022.
Processing Information
Collection procesed by Clare McElhaney, intern, and Alison Oswald, archivist, 2022.
Existence and Location of Copies
Collection digitized in July 2022.
Using the Collection
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
Preferred Citation
Wade Corset Collection, 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
| Keyword Terms | Keyword Types | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Corsets | Topical | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
| Ephemera | Genre Form | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
| Photographs -- 20th century | Genre Form | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
| Women inventors -- 20th century | Topical | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
| Colby, Anne | Personal Name | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
| Wade Corset Company | Corporate Name | Search Smithsonian Collections | Search ArchiveGrid |
| Marlowe, Julia, 1865-1950 | 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
Business Number: Phone: 202-633-3270
Fax Number: Fax: 202-786-2453
archivescenter@si.edu
