Dr. Ivan Gilbert Trade Catalog & Ephemera Collection
A Guide and Inventory
SPEC.RARE.CMS.333
Collection organized by Alyson Sewell.
Inventory created by student assistants employed in Rare Books and Manuscripts.
INTRODUCTION
Dr. Ivan S. Gilbert, Columbus native, medical doctor, entrepreneur, and 2007 inductee in the Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame for fencing, has been a collector his entire life. A collector of art and artifacts, Dr. Gilbert’s greatest collecting area has been books, manuscripts, and ephemera. The Ohio State University Rare Books and Manuscripts Library acquired his extensive trade catalog collection in 2005. Trade catalogs constitute one of the primary sources of material of technology and industry. They are a useful source for the study of subjects ranging from business and family history to the history of advertising. Trade literature can be defined as “promotional material produced by or on behalf of manufacturers or retailers describing goods for sale.” They encourage sales by making advertising claims, describing products, offering testimonials from satisfied customers, and including detailed descriptions as well as images of sale products. The Dr. Ivan Gilbert Trade Catalog and Ephemera Collection, in The Ohio State University’s Rare Books and Manuscripts Library include catalogs and other materials that chiefly span the years 1830s to 1970s. With nearly 10,000 items, the collection is an important resource to educate scholars and students on the rise of American industry and commerce, and concomitantly, the emergence of America’s consumer culture. The Ohio State University’s Rare Books and Manuscript Library is currently organizing the collection and several digital projects are under consideration.
Dr. Jose O. Diaz
April, 2009
Overview of the Collection:
| Repository: | Rare Books and Manuscripts Library |
| Identification: | SPEC.RARE.CMS.333 |
| Creator: | Dr. Ivan S. Gilbert |
| Title: | Dr. Ivan Gilbert Trade Catalog & Ephemera Collection |
| Dates: | 1830s to 1970s |
| Quantity: | approximately 10,600 items |
| Description: | trade catalogs (from both vendors and manufacturers) and sample books |
The guide to the collection is still in process. The catalogs were inventoried in two stages, involving many student assistants. This resulted in some variations in the subject "category" field. We are providing access to this inventory, in the form of an Excel spreadsheet, even as it is under revision to standardize those categories. In the meantime, please bear in mind that multiple terms may have been used for the subject you are searching for, and do let us know if you have any problems downloading or opening the file. There are over 10,600 items in the list.
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