Dyeing catalog collection

Collection

Identifier: MSS 0563

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Dyeing catalog collection comprises 365 trade catalogs related to the European dyeing industry. The dates range from 1893 to 1960, although the largest part of the collection dates to before 1925. Most of the catalogs are in German, but the collection also includes materials in French, Dutch, and English. The catalogs represent a number of German companies, including Agfa, Bayer, Kalle & Co., and the Leopold Cassella Co. Industrial societies, such as the Gesellschaft für Chemische Industrie in Basel, are also represented. British companies include the British Celanese Co., the British Dyestuffs Corporation, and the Imperial Chemical Industries. Most of the catalogs include samples of dye on various types of material, including paper, wood, textiles, yarn, and fur.

Dates

Creation: 1893-1960
Creation: Majority of material found within 1893-1924

Creator

Agfa (Firm) (Organization)
Friedrich Bayer & Co. (Organization)
Kalle & Co. (Organization)
Leopold Cassella & Co. (Organization)
Gesellschaft für Chemische Industrie in Basel (Organization)
British Dyestuffs Corporation (Organization)
Imperial Chemical Industries, ltd. (Organization)

Language of Materials

Materials primarily in German, with some items in French, Dutch, and English.

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Use of materials from this collection beyond the exceptions provided for in the Fair Use and Educational Use clauses of the U.S. Copyright Law may violate federal law. Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. Please contact Special Collections, University of Delaware Library, http://library.udel.edu/spec/askspec/

Historical Note

Although the manufacture of dyes can be traced back to thousands of years, until the nineteenth century, all colorants were of natural origin. The first synthetically made commercial dye, mauve, was developed from aniline, a coal tar derivative, by William Henry Perkin in 1856. His success led other chemists to experiment with aniline derivatives and soon there was a spirited competition among commercial chemists, particularly in England, France, and Germany, to develop new synthetic dyes and to obtain lucrative patents. In the decades prior to World War I, the German dyeing industry was arguably the world leader in the production of synthetic dyes and this collection serves as an important documentary artifact from this period.

Extent

18 linear foot (365 items)

Additional Description

Abstract

The Dyeing catalog collection comprises 365 trade catalogs related to the European dyeing industry in the late 19th and early 20th century, with the bulk of the materials from Germany. Most of the catalogs include samples of dye on various types of material, including paper, wood, textiles, yarn, and fur.

Arrangement

The collection is organized alphabetically by the name of the company or society that published the catalog.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Purchase, 2001

Rights Statement

The text of this webpage is available for modification and reuse under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)