American Furniture Industries Survey Collection
name: label: Creator
content: Woodward, Inc.
label: Creator
content: Vaughan Furniture Co., The.
label: Creator
content: Steelcase, Inc.
label: Creator
content: Lane Company, The.
label: Creator
content: Kessler Industries, Inc.
label: Creator
content: Jasper Cabinet Co.
label: Creator
content: Howland, Richard H., Dr. (special assistant to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution (1978-1979))
label: Creator
content: Hooker Furniture Corp.
label: Creator
content: Furniture World.
label: Creator
content: American Heirloom Galleries.
label: Creator
content: Drexel Heritage Furnishings
label: Creator
content: Broyhill Industries.
label: Creator
content: Century Furniture Co., Inc.
label: Creator
content: Bass Brothers Furniture Co.
label: Former owner
content: National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Domestic Life
topic: label: Topic
content: Furniture industry and trade
label: Topic
content: advertising
label: Topic
content: Business -- History
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: Immediate source of acquisition unknown.
creator: label: Creator
content: Woodward, Inc.
label: Creator
content: Vaughan Furniture Co., The.
label: Creator
content: Steelcase, Inc.
label: Creator
content: Lane Company, The.
label: Creator
content: Kessler Industries, Inc.
label: Creator
content: Jasper Cabinet Co.
label: Creator
content: Howland, Richard H., Dr. (special assistant to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution (1978-1979))
label: Creator
content: Hooker Furniture Corp.
label: Creator
content: Furniture World.
label: Creator
content: American Heirloom Galleries.
label: Creator
content: Drexel Heritage Furnishings
label: Creator
content: Broyhill Industries.
label: Creator
content: Century Furniture Co., Inc.
label: Creator
content: Bass Brothers Furniture Co.
setName: label: See more items in
content: American Furniture Industries Survey Collection
bioghist: label: Biographical/Historical note
content: This collection constitutes the raw materials from an attempt to survey the archival holdings of American furniture manufacturers which was undertaken by the office of Dr. Richard H. Howland, Special Assistant to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution in 1978-1979. The survey was intended as a preliminary study of industry owned collections and the possibility of a repository for such material. A letter and schedule were sent to approximately 210 furniture companies in the summer of 1979. In some instances follow up letters were sent in the fall.  Each company was asked to complete a single page schedule and to send a catalogue if available.

Of the approximately 210 companies which received schedules, over 100 companies failed to respond. Forty five schedules were returned and more then 60 companies provided catalogues. Several companies sent brochures, pamphlets or annual reports in addition to or in lieu of catalogues. A few folders contain correspondence relating to prospective visits by the project director, or to preliminary plans for the survey.

The material received was not analyzed and no formal report was written. Funding did not materialize and the project was discontinued.

David A. Hanks, who worked on various projects under Dr. Howland's sponsorship before moving to New York in 1979 and Mrs. Johanna Rieg, a volunteer, worked on the project.

Page 5 of David Hanks paper before the Decorative Arts Archives Conference held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on October 21, 1979 refers to a report by Mrs. Rieg on the initial findings of the survey. A telephone conversation with Mrs. Rieg March 2, 1988 indicated that her statement was an informal one not a written paper. At that time the project was not far enough along for any significant data to be available.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 4 Cubic feet (10 boxes)
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1977-1980
custodhist: label: Custodial History
content: Collection transferred by the Office of the Special Assistant to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution to the Division of Domestic Life (now Division of Cultural and Community Life), 1983; transferred to the Archives Center, January 19, 1988.
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives Center, National Museum of American History
identifier: label: Identifier
content: NMAH.AC.0286
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Schedules
label: Type
content: Sales catalogs
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: This collection is arranged alphabetically by company name.
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: Processed by Grace M. Angle, volunteer, 1988.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Schedules
label: Genre/Form
content: Sales catalogs
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents note
content: The collection consists of the raw materials (completed schedules and catalogues) for a survey of material of historical interest and importance associated with American furniture manufacturers. There is a folder for each of the approximately 210 furniture manufacturing companies asked to participate in the survey, filed alphabetically by company.  

Nearly all of the material has been kept in the original folders (not acid free) which are filed alphabetically by company. It is in excellent condition (1988) but should be transferred to acid free folders if a decision to keep it indefinitely is made).