Arrangement
Arranged by product type (ie: airlines, shoes, etc.), then by brand, and finally by date.
Abstract
The newest acquisition, the Woodward Collection of Advertising, is also the world's largest with approximately 4 million ads. It was donated in 1989 by Garry Woodward, a Chicago businessman. It is similar to the D'Arcy collection but much more comprehensive. It is contained in approximately 250 filing cabinets. The collection includes ads from the late 1800's through the 1980's.
The collection was started by Reginald Vance Coghlan, a creative director for the Ruthrauff and Ryan advertising agency. He was a friend of John Breck who offered him several thousand magazines in which the Breck Girl Shampoo advertising appeared.
Coghlan separated all the magazines, compiled, and collated the advertisements and began a service organization offering historical copies of ads, usually covering a whole product category or multiyear history of a brand. Coghlan subsequently subscribed to various national magazines and newspapers and clipped ads for approximately forty years. Details on how the collection was maintained for the next 60 years are unavailable.
Access Restrictions
The collection is housed at the Oak Street storage facility and will be available for access in the Oak Street Reading Room ONLY.
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