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Inventory of the Arlie R. Slabaugh Collection of Direct Mail Literature, 1921-1953 and undated

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Descriptive Summary

Repository
Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library, Duke University
Creator
Slabaugh, Arlie R.
Title
Arlie R. Slabaugh Collection of Direct Mail Literature, 1921-1953 and undated
Language of Material
Material in English
Extent
3 Linear Feet

450 Items
Abstract
Arlie R. Slabaugh was a publisher, hobby shop dealer and mail order promoter, and collector of periodicals related to the mail order business.
The collection offers an overview of the mail order industry during pre-war and World War II-era in the United States. It is believed to have been created by Arlie R. Slabaugh, who was primarily a collector of coins and paper money, as well as a mail order promoter. The collection contains periodicals, amateur newspapers, hobby catalogs and printed ephemera, primarily from the 1930s-1940s, but also including examples from the 1920s and 1950s. Most are monthly periodicals, published as staple-bound or self-folding newsprint or glossy pamphlets, with some illustrations. Many of the items are regional in scope, possibly originating from major printing centers and distributed to local markets, particularly in the U.S. South, the Midwest and California.
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Administrative Information

Access Restrictions
Collection is open for research.
However, access to some materials is limited to preservation use copies available in the collection.
Collection may contain materials to which the Acknowledgment of Legal Responsibilities and Privacy Rights form applies. Patrons must sign this form before using this collection.
Also, all or portions of this collection may be housed off-site in Duke University's Library Service Center. Consequently, there may be a 24-hour delay in obtaining these materials.
Please contact Research Services staff before visiting the Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library to use this collection.
Copyright Notice
The copyright interests in this collection have not been transferred to Duke University. For more information, consult the copyright section of the Regulations and Procedures of the Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Arlie R. Slabaugh Collection of Direct Mail Literature, Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library, Duke University.
Provenance
The Arlie R. Slabaugh Collection of Direct Mail Literature were received by the Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library as a purchase in 2007.
Processing Information
Processed by Jessica Wood, December 2008
Encoded by Jessica Wood, December 2008
Accession 2007-0098 was processed and described in this finding aid.
Descriptive sources and standards used to create this inventory: DACS, EAD, NCEAD guidelines, and our local Style Guide.
This finding aid is NCEAD compliant.
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Biographical Note

Arlie R. Slabaugh of Oakland, Maryland, and Virginia, was born in 1925. He worked as a publisher, hobby shop dealer and mail order promoter. He was also a numismatic historian, an expert on Confederate States paper money, monies and medals from prisoners of war, and Japanese invasion money and wrote a book entitled Confederate States Paper Money, first published in 1961 by Whitman Publishing Company. During the 1930s and 1940s, he also published his own collector magazine, Hobby Spotlite.

1925Born
1941Joined the American Numismatic Association (ANA)
1954Appointed the Associate Editor of Numismatic Scrapbook Magazine
1967Began work for Franklin Mint
1981Won the Numismatic Literary Guild Clemy Award
1989Won the Krause Publications Ambassador Award
1991Won the ANA's Medal of Merit
1997Won the ANA's President's Award
2004Won the ANA's Lifetime Achievement Award
2007Died in Springfield, Pa.

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Collection Overview

The collection offers an overview of the mail order industry during pre-war and World War II-era in the United States. It is believed to have been created by Arlie R. Slabaugh, who was primarily a collector of coins and paper money, as well as a mail order promoter. The collection contains periodicals, amateur newspapers, hobby catalogs and printed ephemera, primarily from the 1930s-1940s, but also including examples from the 1920s and 1950s. Most are monthly periodicals, published as staple-bound or self-folding newsprint or glossy pamphlets, with some illustrations. Many of the items are regional in scope, possibly originating from major printing centers and distributed to local markets, particularly in the U.S. South, the Midwest and California.

Collection Arrangement

Items are arranged alphabetically by title into two series. The Pamphlets and Catalogs series contains printed materials and preservation use copies of original newsprint items, arranged alphabetically by title. The Oversize Originals series includes items in newspaper format that were separated into a restricted access oversize box for protection; copies of these items were filed among the open-use portion of the collection.

Restrictions on Access: Original newsprint items in oversize box are closed to researchers. Use copies are available in the collection.
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Subject Headings

These are searchable subject entries for this collection. Performing a search on these subjects in the Duke University Libraries online catalog will bring up other related research materials.
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Related Material

Related materials can be found in the J. Walter Thompson Company collections of: Marketing Vertical Files; and the Ted Wilson Papers. Other materials can be found in the American Association of Advertising Agencies Records the Abercrombie & Fitch Quarterly Catalog Collection; and the Sears, Roebuck and Company Catalog Collection.
List of Series in Collection
Pamphlets and Catalogs, 1921-1953 and undated
Oversize Originals, 1934-1942 [Restricted]
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Detailed Description of Collection

Pamphlets and Catalogs, 1921-1953 and undated

5 Boxes
Contains periodicals, amateur newspapers, catalogs, handbills, coupons and other printed ephemera, primarily from the 1930s-40s, but also including examples from the 1920s and 1950s. Most are monthly periodicals, published as staple-bound or self-folding newsprint or glossy pamphlets, with some illustrations. Pencil notations appear in some items. Arranged alphabetically by title.
Box 1
ACME: Information Budget and Business Aid. Gordonsville, Va.: Square Deal Press, undated
Ad-Guide. Chicago, Ill.: Chicago Union Advertising Agency, 1941
Ad-Lines. Indianapolis, Ind.: Ad-Man Press, Jan.-Feb. 1932
Advertiser 8, no. 3 (1938)
Advertisers' Mail Order Bulletin 1, nos. 9, 10 (undated)
Advertisers' Press 2, no. 37 (1941) (Preservation use copy)
Arrival 3, no. 8 (undated). Pasadena, Calif.: Association of American Writers
Austin Advertiser. Cambridge, Mass.: Henry Stone, Aug. 1941
Associated Syndicate Newspapers. Detroit, Mich.: Midwest Publications, 1941-1942 (Preservation use copy)
[Includes vol. 1, no. 12; vol. 2, no. 4]
Bell's Gold Nuggets. Marysville, Calif.: Luther C. Bell, undated
Blake's Advertiser. Burlington, Iowa: G. Blake Company, Sept. 1941
Burdge Press 5, no. 5 (1954). Camden, N.J.: J. Milton Burdge
California Advertiser. San Francisco, Calif.: California Advertiser, Apr. 1930
Central Mail Advertiser. Oakland, Md.: Arlie Slabaugh, Aug. 1941-Mar. 1945
Clarion. St. Louis, Mo.: Standard Press, Sept. 1937
Consolidated Money Making Opportunities 2, no. 9 (1932). Mobile, Ala.: Elyod Publishing Company
Co-operative Ad-Circulator 163 (1942)(Preservation use copy)
Co-operative Market, Aug. 1941
Daily Dollar. Chicago, Ill.: Arthur Sizemore, undated
Direct Mail Success. Dallas, Tex., 1941-1945.
[Includes vol. 2, no. 8; vol. 3, nos. 9-10, 12; vol. 4, no. 5]
Dollar Fax 3, no. 1 (1940)
Emergency Money Collector 2, nos. 2-3 (1953)
Empire Mail Trade News 2-7 (undated). Gloucester City, N.J.: Mail Mart
Evers Earner 10, nos. 1-2 (1938). Elmhurst, N.Y., Harry Evers
Exchange 8, no. 1 (1942)
Good News 1, no. 7 (1941)
Guide to Good Reading, 1941-1952
Hobby Humor 1, nos. 1-4 (1943-1944). New York, N.Y.: American Publishers
Hobby Spotlite 2-3 (1942-1943). Oakland, Md.: Spotlite Publications
Home Industries. Omaha, Neb.: C. C. Melota, 1934-1938
[Includes vol. 2, no. 7; vol. 6, no. 1]
Home Worker 9-40. Chicago, Ill.: Arthur Sizemore, undated
Box 2
Home Worker 41-67. Chicago, Ill.: Arthur Sizemore, undated
Hutter's Advertiser. New York, N.Y.: William Hutter, 1942-1943
[Includes vol. 1, nos. 9-10; vol. 2, no. 2]
I Want to Buy. River Forest, Ill.: Forest Print Shop, 1940-1941
[Includes vol. 1, nos. 9-10; vol. 2, no. 2]
Income Increaser. Boston, Mass.: George W. Bucknam, 1936
Increasing Sales by Mail. Edited by William C. Summers. Progressive Publications, undated
Independent Salesman 16, no. 8 (1939). Cincinnati, Ohio: Independent Salesman
Inner Circle: Behind the Scenes in the Mail Order Field. Atchison, Kan.: Mark Warden, undated
Keystone Mail Service 2, no. 1 (1934)
Lady Guide 1, nos. 3, 8 (1941)
Latest Moneymakers 2, nos. 10-11 (undated). Seattle, Wash.: C. A. Bryant
Liberty Mail Order Digest 3, no. 5 (1932)
Mail Order Advertiser 4, no. 11 (1934)
Mail Order Business 5 (1935) (Preservation use copy)
Mail Order Chat, 1931-1932
[Includes vol. 1, no. 7; vol. 2, no. 7]
Mail Order Digest Syndicate 59-73 (undated)
Mail Order Iconoclast 12-22 (undated). Little Rock, Ark.: Associated Commission Mailers
Mail Order Ideas 1, no. 1 (1932)
Mail Order Journal, Sep. 1942-Dec. 1943. Edited by Nicholas De Vore
Mail Order Man 1-6 (1941-1942). Chicago, Ill.: Illinois Association of Mail Order Men
Mail Order Man's Timely Tips 3-14 (1931-1942). Paulding, Ohio: O.E. Brune
Box 3
Mail Order Men's News 8, no. 3 (1937). Oyster Bay, N.Y.: Mail Order Men's Service
Mail Order News, undated
Mail Order Opportunities Magazine. Parkersburg, W. Va.: Herbert R. Gant, 1942
[Includes vol. 2, nos. 3-4]
Mail Order Salesman 1, no. 3 (1937)
Mail Order Selling: Trade Journal of the Mail Order Business. Chicago, Ill.: Lind Publishing Company, 1939
Mail Order Selling: The Modern American Salesman, 1928-1933
[Includes vol. 7, no. 6; vol. 12, no. 3; vol. 13, nos. 1-2]
Mail Order Speculator 5, no. 6 (1935). Chicago, Ill.: Sliss Speculations
Mail Order Success: A Magazine for the Circular Mailer 8, nos. 6, 8, 10, 11 (1934)
Mail Order Success: A Monthly Publication for the Mail Order Trade 5, no. 8 (1934). Pirates Cove, Fla.: Thomas MacPherson
Mail Order World, 1944, 1947
Mail Sale Advertiser 7-23 (1941-1953). Jefferson City, Mo.: Dixon Advertising Agency
Mail Trade 2 (1941). Waterbury, Conn.: James Ives
Mail Trade Mimeos, Aug. 1941
Mailindustries 1 (1941). Vicksburg, Miss.: Mailtrade Company
Marketing by Mail 10, no. 3 (1939). Jackson Heights, N.Y.: Darion System
Midget Collector 1, no. 2 (1921). Swayzee, Ind.: Gale Zirkle
Miscellaneous circulars, 1934 and undated
Miscellaneous leaflets, handbills and coupons, ca. 1940s-1950s
Money-Making Ideas 4 (1934) (Preservation use copy)
Money by Mail 19 (undated). Vancouver, B.C.: Pacific Advertising Service
Money by Mail 21-30 (undated). Somerville, N.J.: Blackstone Press
Monthly Confidential Bulletin 3 (undated). Little Rock, Ark.: Associated Commision Mailers
National Mail Order Advertising and Selling, 1941-1943
National Opportunity 110-111 (undated)
New Times 1, no. 2 (1937). New York, N.Y.: New Times Company
Opportunity Dollars Work Book 8, no. 1 (1940). Burlington, Kan.: James R. Varvel
Opportunity Seekers Manual: Big Profit Moneymakers. Portland, Or.: Bagley Publications, 1941-1942
Box 4
Palmer's Magazinette. Chicago, Ill.: Palmer's Publications, 1939, 1942
Partners, 1941-1942
[Includes vol. 5, no. 7; vol. 7, no. 11]
Philatelic Mail. Chicago, Ill.: Charles Palmer & Son, 1941, 1942
Popular Advertiser. Buffalo, Minn.: Bison Research Service, 1941, 1942
Productive Postage. Gettysburg, Pa.: Battlefield Press, 1933-1937
Profitable News 2, no. 11 (1938)
Profits 2, no. 3 (1934). Laurel, Md.: Patuxent Press
Profits from Classified Advertising, undated
Progressive Mail Trade, 1941-1946
Prosperity Magazine 10, nos. 7-10 (1939). Chicago, Ill.: Arthur Sizemore
Publicity. New York, N.Y.: Samuel K. Gibbs, Nov. 1937
Reliable Circular Mailer's Bulletin, 1933-1934
Relics: The Magazine for Hobbyists. Sacramento, Calif.: P. Smith, Sr., May-Dec. 1945
Roadman's Guide. J. C. Burrow, undated
Rural Printer. Hampton, Va.: Rural Print Shop, 1938-1942
[Includes vol. 15, 19-20]
Box 5
Sales Opportunities 1, no. 5 (1935). Albert Lea, Minn.: George Hopkins
Schemer. Alliance, Ohio: Lewis Patterson, 1932-1951
Shop Bulletin 1, nos. 1-6 (1946). Romney, W. Va.: Printing Shop
Spare Time Industries, Feb. 1938
Spare Time Selling Magazine, Sept.-Oct. 1932
Spring Magazine Bargains, 1951-1952
Something Different 33, no. 5 (1937). South Whitley, Ind.: Stump Printing Company
Southwestern Mail Order Journal 2, no. 1 (1942). Denton, Tex.: Southwestern Publishing Agency
Success Advertiser. Cleveland, Ohio: Art Publishing Company, 1934 and undated
Swapper's Friend 9-10 (1938-1939)
Three M Service. Argyle, Wis.: undated
Tidewater Advertiser. Hampton, Va.: E. C. Wood, 1942-1943
[Includes June, July 1942; Jan. 1943]
Tip Top Salesman 25-27 (1951-1952)
Universal Times 4, no. 11 (1942). Chelsea, Mass.: Royal Advertising Service
Western Advertiser. San Francisco, Calif.: Mail Order Studio, 1943
Winner Mail Order Digest 4, no. 3 (1933). New York, N.Y.: John H. Winn

Oversize Originals, 1934-1942 [Restricted]

1 Box
This series contains original amateur newspapers removed from previous boxes. Accewss is restricted to Use Copies available in previous series.
Box 6
Advertisers' Press 2, no. 37 (1941)
Associated Syndicate Newspapers. Detroit, Mich.: Midwest Publications, 1941-1942
[Includes vol. 1, no. 12; vol. 2, no. 4]
Co-operative Ad-Circulator 163 (1942)
Mail Order Business 5 (1935)
Money-Making Ideas 4 (1934)