The Delaware Historical Society is highlighting Delaware’s business history through an exhibit of the Paul Preston Davis Collection of Delaware.
Donated by Davis, a retired Delmarva Power executive, the collection includes a vast collection of rare business trade cards, photography, and rare print materials.
Titled “Collecting Wilmington: Place, Perspective & Memory,” the exhibit relates to Wilmington businesses during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The collection covers five specific areas and includes:
- Roughly 12,000 pieces of Wilmington business ephemera (items of collectible memorabilia, usually paper, that were originally expected to have only short-term usefulness or popularity)
- More than 7,000 rare and early photographs, including the works of most major 19th century Wilmington photographers.
- 230 one-of-a-kind objects and artifacts, ranging from small commemorative and promotional items to a box of beautiful 19th century pocket watches from Delaware watchmakers.
- 40 boxes of African Americana from around the state and Civil War Delawareana that will be added to the collection by late 2020.
The collection reveals a complex picture of 19th century Wilmington life, including materials from multiple communities, businesses, and social organizations. It highlights businesses owned by women and immigrants, and how gender, race, and ethnicity were represented in early advertising.
DHS will exhibit the collection across multiple dates:
- Reveal 1: Business Ephemera, October 1, 2019
- Reveal 2: Rare Books and Print Materials, November 14, 2019
- Reveal 3: Sheet Music, January 14, 2020
- Reveal 4: Watches and Commemorative Objects, March 3, 2020
- Reveal 5: Wilmington Photography, May 6, 2020
“The depth and breadth of the collection is stunning, but that is only part of what makes it so unique,” said DHS Chief Curator Leigh Rifenburg. “Mr. Davis cared so deeply for his collection that he took the time to store each item in archival quality materials. Organized and preserved over four decades with the needs of future researchers in mind, the collection represents the dedication of a meticulous collector with a uniquely focused collecting philosophy.”
