Stanley Home Products Collection
name: label: Creator
content: Stanley Home Products
label: Creator
content: Beveridge, Frank Stanley
label: Donor
content: Perkins, Homer
label: Creator
content: O'Brien, Catherine L.
topic: label: Topic
content: Product demonstrations
label: Topic
content: Marketing
label: Topic
content: Direct selling
label: Topic
content: Sales promotion
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: The collection was donated to the Archives Center by Homer G. Perkins on behalf of Stanley Home Products Company, Incorporated in October, 2001.
creator: label: Creator
content: Stanley Home Products
label: Creator
content: Beveridge, Frank Stanley
label: Donor
content: Perkins, Homer
label: Creator
content: O'Brien, Catherine L.
setName: label: See more items in
content: Stanley Home Products Collection
abstract: label: Summary
content: The collection documents the development of the Stanley Home Products Company, Incorporated its activities and those of its employees. The materials include photographs and photograph albums, speeches and presentations, catalogs and other printed material, inspirational and motivational materials, annual reports, film and audio recordings.
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: Company, started in 1931, which sold brushes and household products Stanley Home Products Company, Incorporated was founded by Frank Stanley Beveridge on August 15, 1931. The direct-selling company began in a small tobacco shed in Westfield, Massachusetts and eventually grew into a multi-million dollar, international business. Stanley Home Products is one of the founders of the direct-selling business. Unlike other direct-selling companies, Stanley Home Products has sold a large variety of products, including brushes, cleaners, small appliances, toiletries, beauty aids, clothes, and furniture.

One of Stanley's greatest contributions to the direct-selling business was the creation of the hostess party plan. The plan focuses on giving a party that allows a dealer to sell his or her products to several people at once instead of door-to-door. This system, which is used by companies like Tupperware, Avon, and Mary Kay, was created by Frank Stanley Beveridge and Catherine L. O'Brien in the early years of Stanley Home Products Company.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 18 Cubic feet (19 boxes)
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1896 - 1999
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives Center, National Museum of American History
identifier: label: Identifier
content: NMAH.AC.0788
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Publications
label: Type
content: Motion pictures (visual works)
label: Type
content: Sound recordings
label: Type
content: Lectures
label: Type
content: Photographs
label: Type
content: Catalogs
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: The collection is arranged into eleven series. 

Series 1, Personal Papers, 1912-1980

Series 2, Corporate Records 1940-1999; undated

Series 3, Financial Records, 1942-1979; undated

Series 4, Sales Records, 1912-1980; undated

Series 5, Advertising Materials, 1935-1982; undated

Series 6, Speeches and Inspirational Material, 1951-1979; undated 

Series 7, Department of Education Records, 1946-1988; undated

Series 8, Photographs Visual Images, circa 1906-1990; undated

Series 9, Newspaper Clippings, 1910-1999; undated

Series 10, Publications, circa 1896-1981; undated

Series 11, Audiovisual Materials, 1951-1971
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: Processed by Alison Oswald, archivist, 2002.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Publications
label: Genre/Form
content: Motion pictures (visual works)
label: Genre/Form
content: Sound recordings
label: Genre/Form
content: Lectures
label: Genre/Form
content: Photographs -- 20th century
label: Genre/Form
content: Catalogs
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: The Stanley Home Products Company, Incorporated Records consist of photographs, financial papers and advertising materials documenting the history of Stanley Home Products its activities and those of its employees, its connection to the local community, and the philosophies of its founders and executives, especially Frank Stanley Beveridge and his close assistant Catherine L. O'Brien. 

The majority of the materials date primarily from the 1960s and 1970s and includes photographs and photograph albums, speeches and presentations, catalogs and other printed material, inspirational and motivational materials, and annual reports. Also film and audio recordings of Stanley "pilgrimages", meetings and other company events. There is a substantial amount of material relating to background information about Stanley Home Products and its founder Frank Stanley Beveridge.
relatedmaterial: label: Related Materials
content: Materials in the Archives Center

Brownie Wise Papers (AC0509)

Earl S. Tupper Papers (AC0470)