Collection
This collection focusses on the promotional efforts of
various industrial, commercial and consumer-oriented sectors, primarily in
Montreal and Canada, during the 19th and 20th centuries. It contains numerous
printed blotters, which were commonly used as both desk pads and as blotters to
absorb the excess ink produced when writing with a pen. Several of these
blotters show traces of ink, indicating they were indeed used. The collection
is also made up of brochures, flyers, posters, paper grocery bags, wrapping
paper, printed fans, catalogues and discount coupons, all used to promote a
specific company, business, product, service, or even event. The primary fields
covered by these documents are food, residential, commercial and industrial
activities, finance and insurance, communications, tourism and transportation.
Classification Scheme
C283
Pamphlets and Advertisements
C283/A Food
C283/A,1
Ice suppliers
C283/A,2
Food products
C283/A,3
Grocery stores
C283/A,4
Restaurants
C283/B Residential, Commercial and
Industrial Activities
C283/B1 Real estate
C283/B2 Furniture
and accessories
C283/B3 Maintenance
C283/B3,1
Cleaners
C283/B3,2
Exterminators
C283/B3,3
Cleaning and maintenance products
C283/B3,4
Window cleaning services
C283/B4 Energy use
C283/B4,1
Coal
C283/B4,2
Electricity
C283/C Drugs and Health Care
C283/D Finance and Insurance
C283/D,1
Insurance
C283/D,2
Finance and banks
C283/D,3
Trustees
C283/E Education
C283/E,1
McGill University
C283/E,2
Other schools and organizations
C283/F Communications
C283/F,1
Communications by telephone or cablegram
C283/F,2
Printing companies and stationery shops
C283/F,3
Writing instruments
C283/F,4
Publications
C283/G Alcohol and Tobacco
C283/G,1
Alcohol products
C283/G,2
Tobacco products
C283/H Tourism and Transportation
C283/H,1
Travel agencies
C283/H,2
Luggage
C283/H,3
Accommodation
C283/H,4
Transportation
C283/H,5
Parking
C283/H,6
Fuel
C283/I Arts and Culture
C283/I,1
Musical instruments
C283/I,2
Photographers
C283/I,3
Associations and social clubs
C283/I,4
Special events
C283/J Mechanics and Maintenance
C283/J,1
Mechanics
C283/J,2
Home improvement, renovation and hardware items
C283/J,3
Fabrics and shelters
C283/K Arboriculture and Horticulture
C283/K,1
Garden centres
C283/K,2
Seeds for market gardeners
C283/L Other
C283/L,1
Antiques
C283/L,2
Firearms
C283/L,3
Retail businesses
C283/L,4
Storage
C283/L,5
Scientific instruments
C283/L,6
Personal care
C283/L,7
Miscellaneous and unidentified
Source of title proper: Based on the contents of
the collection.
Immediate source of acquisition: The pamphlets
and advertisements contained in this collection come from various sources. Some
were part of David Ross McCord's original collection, while others were donated
by collectors like Marcel Paquette (2007), Brigitte Gener (2016) and
François-Xavier Dutoy (2016).
Arrangement: The documents in the collection
were organized according to an initial classification scheme in 2004. This was
followed by a second classification exercise in 2016, when some documents were
filed in other collections, notably Recipes and Food (C265), Second World War
(C311), Fashion, Textiles and Clothing (C609) and Games and Leisure (C778).
Language: The documents are in English and
French.
Accruals: Other donations are expected.
Groups of related records: The McCord Museum
holds several fonds and collections that contain advertising documents, such as
the John Wardrop Ross Fonds (P217), the John Warden Fonds (P741), the Expo 67
& Man and His World Collection (C146), the Menus and Gastronomy Collection
(C285), and the Eddy Echenberg Collection (C586).
Last update: August 30, 2017
Information about the objects in our collection is updated to reflect new research findings. If you have any information to share regarding this object, please email reference.mccord@mccord-stewart.ca.Information about rights and reproductions is available here.
This project is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Azrieli Foundation and Canadian Heritage.