Drawings of Tools

Summary: Documentation, mostly illustrative, of the numerous china shapes produced by Lenox. The records pertain to both the form of the finished products and their production in terms of tools used and, in some cases, required production times.

Card Files: Arranged into two sets, thereunder in ascending numerical order by shape number.

Hand-drawn illustrations and small-scale photographs of numbered shapes for various china products, affixed to index cards, together with several lists that plot shape numbers by shape type and style. The shapes, numbering from 1 to 3828, include, but are not limited to, dishes and cups of various types, bowls, platters, pitchers and vases. Gaps in the sequences, in the form of either missing cards or blank cards, appear to represent shapes that were never developed or produced.

Located at the end of set one is a card, dated 1973, listing several shapes used in the production of Temperware salt and pepper shakers and butter dishes, including shapes 1291, 1292, 1265 and 1266.

The lists in this sub-series entitled "Dinnerware Shape Numbers" plot shape numbers according to shape type (dinner plate, salad plate, tea pot, etc.) and shape style (standard, coupe, dimension, etc.). Other lists represent shapes developed for giftware or the production of lamps.

Bound Volumes: Arranged into two sets by office of origin; thereunder by ascending shape number.

Volumes of illustrations and procedures documenting the molding and creation of china pieces. The volumes primarily contain hand-drawn shapes for various china products. The shapes, numbering from 933 to 3807, consist of, but are not limited to, dishes and cups of various types, bowls, platters, pitchers and vases. Most drawings bear annotations, often including information regarding shape name, size specifications, date of introduction and for whom the shape was created, if applicable. Included throughout the volumes are occasional small-scale photographs in place of hand-drawn illustrations.

One "volume" from 1969-1970, consisting solely of a stapled packet of reproductions of hand-drawn illustrations with shape numbers, originated in the accounting office rather than the mold shop or design department like the other volumes.

Among the volumes of shape illustrations is a manual of processing times for models and molds, counted in days, for certain shapes up to shape number 2057. The volume includes a hand-drawn illustration of each shape for which a processing time is given.

Lamp Cards: Arranged alphabetically by lamp manufacturer; thereunder in ascending numerical order by shape number.

Documentation of Lenox China pieces sold to four lamp manufacturers, Crest, Davart, Lightolier and Mutual Sunset, between 1940 and 1946, for use as lamp bodies, pedestals, bases and torchiere reflectors. The documents are formatted as 5 x 8 cards that list shape number, order dates, price per unit, and occasionally order sizes, and usually include affixed small-scale photographs of the shape in question. Also included in the sub-series are occasional sales sheets and correspondence relaying sales or order information.

Drawings of Tools: Arranged chronologically by date of drawing.

Hand-drawn illustrations, mostly oversize, of tools used for molding various china shapes, often incorporating a depiction of the shape that the tool was meant to produce. The drawings include, but are not limited to, tools for molding dinner plates, saucers, soup bowls and butter dishes. Dating between 1910 and 1913, the drawings can be attributed to sculptor Isaac Broome. Filed with them are several inventories of tools.

Included among the tool drawings are several shape drawings, primarily of coffee, tea and soup service pieces, with shape numbers ranging from approximately 800 to 1100. They were originally marked as having been disposed of by Paul E. Hedt.