[Large Scrapbook Archive of Undergarment Packaging Samples from Consolidated Lithographing Corporation]

Brooklyn, NY: Consolidated Lithographing Corp, 1958. Near fine.. An enormous scrapbook of chronologically-arranged printing samples from the Consolidated Lithographing Corporation of Brooklyn, preserving the company's packaging work for the undergarment industry. Labels include bands, tags, wraps and labels from predominantly women's products: stockings, hosiery, lingerie, bras, panties, and the like. Men's and children's products also represented, however (socks, undershirts, etc.). The printing processes evident in the samples evolve from chromolithography to color lithography to photo mechanical in the later examples - all vivid and exhibiting elegant (truncated) postwar design. Hundreds of brands and products in total: Regent Hosiery, Artemis Underthings, Treo Undergaments, Spick and Span Hosiery, Lowenstein Fabrics, Sport-Wear, The Lone Ranger and Superman Branded Socks, among many others. Consolidated Lithographing Corporation was founded by Jacob A. Voice around 1925 and operated as one of the finest and most prolific American commercial printers of the era, specializing in cigar labels, dust jackets (for Doubleday), liquor labels, garment packaging and more. This rich archive, likely containing the only extant examples of numerous works, offers numerous worthy avenues for future study: from commercial printing methods to mid-century design and marketing. Hardcover. Elephant folio. Grey cloth screw-bound boards. Measuring approximately 24" x 16.5" containing 350+ color lithographed and chromolithographed paper packaging elements in a wide variety of sizes adhesive mounted recto and verso to 38 paper leaves. Additional 65 leaves blank. Top board stamped "Consolidated Lithographing Corporation." Pencil notations recording catalog numbers and dates throughout. Mild handling wear to exterior. Penned notation to cover notes "Set 5, Book 5." Likely one volume from larger company archive. Contents clean, well preserved, and apparently complete. Near fine overall. (Inventory #: 41578)