Alabastine Company collection

Collection

Identifier: RHC-100

Staff Only

Content Description

Collection contains ephemera and realia of the Alabastine Company of Grand Rapids, Michigan. The collection primarily contains 70 issues of Brush & Pail, a monthly publication produced by the Alabastine Company. Issues range in date from 1914 to 1926. Collection also includes catalogs, brochures, and other printed materials, as well as a paint sample kit. The materials range in date from 1895 to 1948.

Dates

Creation: 1895-1948

Creator

Alabastine Company (Organization)

Access to Materials

Collection is open for research use. Materials may be accessed by request at Special Collections and University Archives in Seidman House. Materials do not circulate.

Historical Note

Alabastine Company produced a paint-like wall coating from gypsum that was mined from the extensive shale beds abundant in the area surrounding Grand Rapids, Michigan. The company produced colorful advertisements, catalogs, and other promotional material and advertised broadly in magazines such as Ladies Home Journal, the Delineator, and House Beautiful. It advertised its product as a "sanitary" and "hygenic" alternative to more traditional wall coverings of the day.

Though the company was organized in New York in 1879, it derived its name from its largest gypsum quarry near Alabastine, Michigan. The company was in business until about 1948 when it failed due to mismanagement.