Archives Center, National Museum of American History
Paint By Number Collection
Schiffman, Jacquelyn
Palmer Paint Company
NMAH.AC.0544
Archival Resource Key
5 Cubic feet
16 boxes
circa 1952-1957, undated
Collection documents the business activities of the Palmer Paint Sales Company creators and manufacturers of Craft Master Paint by Number kits. Materials Include mail order forms, photographs, advertisements, product information, newspaper and magazine articles, invoices, original artwork, trade literature, and scrapbooks.
English
.
Paint By Numbers Collection
Biographical / Historical
The concept of paint by number was conceived in 1949 by Max Klein (1922-1993) engineer and owner of the Palmer Paint Sales Company and commercial artist John Daniel (Dan) Robbins (1925-2019). Klein was interested in increasing paint sales when he presented Dan Robbins, the company's creator of package designs and children's book illustrations, the challenge. Under the Craft Master name, they created kits with the assistance of other artists who helped Robbins with the task of making the outlines, creating transparent overlays, painting, printing, and proofing artwork. Both Klein's and Robbins's wives spent time painting samples for Craft Master to test and display. In 1959 Klein sold Craft Master which he set up as a separate company after the product became so successful. It has since gone through several ownerships.
Arrangement
Collection is arranged in fourteen series.
Series 1, Advertising and Promotional Materials, 1952-1955, undated
Series 2, General Motors Corporation, undated
Series 3, Newspaper Articles, 1953-1954, undated
Series 4, Photographs, 1954, undated
Series 5, Transparencies, undated
Series 6, Painting and Sketch Sets, undated
Series 7, Sketches, undated
Series 8, Paintings, undated
Series 9, Paintings with Color Sketches, undated
Series 10, Paintings, Transparencies, and Sketches, undated
Series 11, Sketches, undated
Series 12, Scrapbooks, 1953-1957, undated
Series 13, Paint By Number Kits, undated
Series 14, Sheet Music, undated
Scope and Contents
Collection documents the history and business activities of the Palmer Paint Sales Company primarily the sale of its products and in particular the Craft Master paint by number kits. The kits were sold as boxed sets starting with a canvas and later board printed with a blue line drawing. The drawing's numbered sections corresponded to specific paint colors which were also included in the kits along with brushes and instructions. The paint by number kits varied in size, detail, skill level, and targeted audience. The Palmer Paint Sales Company was not the only merchandiser of paint by number kits, but it was the largest and most prolific probably due to Klein's marketing skills and the artistic talents of the company's employees. The collection includes advertisements, newspaper and magazine articles, invoices, mail order forms, scrapbooks, photographs, original artwork, and trade literature. It is arranged in fourteen series: Series 1, Advertising and Promotional Materials, 1952-1955, undated; Series 2, General Motors Corporation, undated; Series 3, Newspaper Articles, 1953-1954, undated; Series 4, Photographs, 1954, undated; Series 5, Transparencies, undated; Series 6, Painting and Sketch Sets, undated; Series 7, Sketches, undated; Series 8, Paintings, undated; Series 9, Paintings with Color Sketches, undated; Series 10, Paintings, Transparencies, and Sketches, undated; Series 11, Sketches, undated; Series 12, Scrapbooks, 1953-1957, undated; Series 13, Paint By Number Kits, undated; and Series 14, Sheet Music, undated
Terms Governing Use and Reproduction
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Collection donated by Jacquelyn Schiffman, September 21, 1997.
Related Materials
Materials at the Archives Center, National Museum of American History
Every Man a Rembrandt! Episode 188, May 1954, demonstrates manufacturing painting sets with numbers. Palmer Paint Sales Company, Detroit, Michigan.
Materials at the Smithsonian Institution Archives
Division of Social History, Exhibition Records Accession 04-069
Office of Exhibits Central, Exhibition Records Accession 08-051
Division of Social History, National Museum of American History
See http://americanhistory.si.edu/paint/reminiscence.html
Materials at Other Organizations
Paint By Numbers Museum
Detroit Historical Society
Detroit Historical Museum
Museum of Modern Art
Separated Materials
Related objects located in the Division of Home and Community Life (now Division of Cultural and Community Life).
Preferred Citation
Paint By Numbers Collection, circa 1952-1957, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Processing Information
Collection processed by Ida Jones, 1999.
Clippings
Designs
Layouts -- 1930-1960
Sheet music -- 1920-1960
Art, American -- 1930-1960
Leisure -- United States
Painting -- 1930-1960
Photographs -- 20th century
Advertising and Promotional Materials, 1952-1955, undated
Series 1
Archival Resource Key
Scope and Contents
Contain printed and visual materials for products sold and marketed by the Palmer Paint Sales Company. Materials include invoices, mail order forms, cartoons, paint sales inventory, art script pamphlets, and advertisements for Toleware, PANN, Craft Master, Paint the Number (PTN), Tile-n-Frame, and Publishers Montage products. Of interest is the materials relating to personal portrait kits. The personal portrait kits were custom created for consumers from the photographs they sent to Palmer Paint Sales Company who would then produce a paint by number kit. In addition, there are materials relating to the artist Kathi Urbach. Materials are arranged in chronological order.
Invoices
Archival Resource Key
1952
1
1
Personalized portrait advertisements
Archival Resource Key
1952-1955
1
12
Artist supplies
Archival Resource Key
1952-1955
1
13
Paint By Number, advertisements
Archival Resource Key
1952-1955
1
15
Tile-n-Frame, painting set advertisements
Archival Resource Key
1952-1955
1
16
Advertisements
Archival Resource Key
1953
1
3
Publishers Montage
Archival Resource Key
1953-1954
1
18
Publishers Montage
Archival Resource Key
1953-1954
1
19
Craft Master, advertisements
Archival Resource Key
1954
1
4
Palmer Paint Sales Company, paint sales inventory
Archival Resource Key
1955
1
17
PTN master, undated
Archival Resource Key
1
2
Advertisements, undated
Archival Resource Key
1
5
Paint A Number, advertisements, undated
Archival Resource Key
1
6
Craft Master, mail order form, undated
Archival Resource Key
1
7
Palmer Paint Sales Company, PANN, mail order form, undated
Archival Resource Key
1
8
Toy train catalog
Archival Resource Key
1
9
Paint By Number, cartoons, undated
Archival Resource Key
1
10
PANN, product mail order, undated
Archival Resource Key
1
11
Toleware by Craft Master
Archival Resource Key
1
14
Portrait art script, promotional materials
Archival Resource Key
1
20
Kathi Urbach, artist, pamphlet, undated
Archival Resource Key
1
21
General Motors Corporation, undated
Series 2
Archival Resource Key
Scope and Contents
Contains information about Max Klein's previous employer and possible source of his marketing knowledge and skills. Materials are arranged in chronological order.
Company literature
Archival Resource Key
1
22
Newspaper Articles, 1953-1954, undated
Series 3
Archival Resource Key
Scope and Contents
Contain newspaper articles from various sources documenting the use and popular culture surrounding Paint-By-Number kits. The articles include advertisements and marketing campaigns used by the Palmer Paint Sales Company. In addition, there are user testimonies. Materials are arranged in chronological order.
User testimonies, Paint By Number
Archival Resource Key
2
4
Newspaper clippings
Archival Resource Key
1953
2
5
Newspaper clippings
Archival Resource Key
1953-1954
2
4
Newspaper clippings
Archival Resource Key
1954
2
2
Newspaper clippings
Archival Resource Key
1954
2
3
Photographs, 1954, undated
Series 4
Archival Resource Key
Scope and Contents
Consist of photographic prints and negatives documenting the creation of paint by number kits in the factory, paintings, painting demonstrations, advertisements, and displays of painting designs. Of interest is a demonstration of personal portrait usage, a painting kit developed from a photograph of an individual, by President Dwight D. and Mamie Eisenhower. Images of other well-known people include American radio and television broadcaster and entertainer Arthur Morton Godfrey (August 31,1903-March 16,1983) and American actor, comedian, singer, and pianist James (Jimmie) Francis Durante (February 10,1893-January 29,1980). In addition, there are images of Max Klein. Materials are arranged in alphabetical order.
Craft and toy show displays
Archival Resource Key
1954
3
3
Craft Master art mobile
Archival Resource Key
3
7
Jimmy Durante and woman
Archival Resource Key
3
11
Arthur Godfrey and Paint By Number demonstration
Archival Resource Key
3
10
Max Klein
Archival Resource Key
3
8
Paint By Number, exhibit of paintings
Archival Resource Key
3
6
Paint By Number, factory production
Archival Resource Key
3
9
Paint By Number, portrait advertisements
Archival Resource Key
3
5
Painting demonstrations
Archival Resource Key
undated
3
2
Paintings
Archival Resource Key
undated
3
1
Paintings, negatives
Archival Resource Key
3
12
Sales and advertisements
Archival Resource Key
3
4
Transparencies, undated
Series 5
Archival Resource Key
Scope and Contents
Include the transparent overlay sheets, in most cases over sketches, created by company artists from the original artwork. The transparency was placed over the original painting to outline the shapes for each hue and shade. Each segment was then assigned a number and corresponding color. Some of the transparencies include paint information such as color numbers, color samples, and color diagrams. Materials are approximately 8.5" x 11" and, in some cases, have a box kit number.
Color numbers
Archival Resource Key
4
1
Color samples
Archival Resource Key
4
2
Sketch transparency
Archival Resource Key
4
3
Transparency with color samples
Archival Resource Key
4
4
Transparency with color samples
Archival Resource Key
4
5
Sketches, K-12A-12B
Archival Resource Key
4
6
Sketches, K-13A-13B
Archival Resource Key
4
7
Sketches, K-14A-14B
Archival Resource Key
4
8
Sketches, K-15A-15B
Archival Resource Key
4
9
Sketches, K-17A-17B
Archival Resource Key
4
10
Sketches, K-19A-19B
Archival Resource Key
4
11
Sketches, K-20A-20B
Archival Resource Key
4
12
Sketches, K-22A-22B
Archival Resource Key
4
13
Sketches, K-23A
Archival Resource Key
4
14
Sketches, BNA 105 P 503 P 505
Archival Resource Key
4
15
Sketch, P521B
Archival Resource Key
4
16
Sketches, unnumbered
Archival Resource Key
4
17
Sketch color diagram
Archival Resource Key
4
18
Sketch color diagram
Archival Resource Key
4
19
Sketch color diagram
Archival Resource Key
4
20
Sketch color diagram
Archival Resource Key
4
21
Sketch color diagram
Archival Resource Key
4
22
Sketch color diagram
Archival Resource Key
4
23
Painting and Sketch Sets, undated
Series 6
Archival Resource Key
Scope and Contents
Consist of sets of at least two copies of one image. Each set includes a 9.5 x 12 sketch without color and the matching painted version. The sets are titled and have item numbers but are undated. Materials arranged in alphabetical order by title.
Blossom Time, K-24A
Archival Resource Key
5
1
Blossom Time, K-24B
Archival Resource Key
5
2
Feline Fun, K-22A
Archival Resource Key
5
3
Feline Fun, K-22B
Archival Resource Key
5
4
Feline Fun, K-22B
Archival Resource Key
5
11
Feline Fun, K-22B
Archival Resource Key
6
4
Flight South, K-26A
Archival Resource Key
5
5
Flight South, K-26B
Archival Resource Key
5
6
Meditation-Good Shepherd, K-25A
Archival Resource Key
5
7
Meditation-Good Shepherd, K-25B
Archival Resource Key
5
8
Still Life, unknown number
Archival Resource Key
5
12
Still Life, unknown number
Archival Resource Key
6
5
Tropical Skies, K-23A
Archival Resource Key
5
9
Tropical Skies, K-23B
Archival Resource Key
5
10
Winter Snow, K-20
Archival Resource Key
6
1
Winter Snow, K-20
Archival Resource Key
6
2
Painting and transparency, unidentified scene
Archival Resource Key
6
3
Sketches, undated
Series 7
Archival Resource Key
Scope and Contents
Include a small number of boards that have not been painted. Some of the boards have titles and others just have numbers. Materials are arranged first in alphabetical order by title or subject and then by number.
Banquet of Flowers, K-21 A
Archival Resource Key
6
15
Dog, number unknown
Archival Resource Key
6
17
Unknown title, P521-B
Archival Resource Key
6
16
Paintings, undated
Series 8
Archival Resource Key
Scope and Contents
Consist of materials that have been painted primarily illustrating landscapes. Other subjects include animals and a dancer. Subject ideas for paint by number kits were provided by the customers. Materials are arranged in alphabetical order by title or subject.
Cat, unknown number
Archival Resource Key
6
14
Dancer, unknown number
Archival Resource Key
6
8
Dancer, unknown number
Archival Resource Key
6
9
Dog, unknown number
Archival Resource Key
6
10
Flight South, K-26A
Archival Resource Key
6
13
Landscape, unknown number
Archival Resource Key
6
6
Landscape, unknown number
Archival Resource Key
6
7
Landscape with Lighthouse, unknown number
Archival Resource Key
6
11
Seascape, unknown number
Archival Resource Key
6
12
Paintings with Color Sketches, undated
Series 9
Archival Resource Key
Scope and Contents
Include paintings with corresponding color sketches of various subjects including animals, the Mediterranean, landscapes, and the Versailles Chateau. Materials arranged in alphabetical order by title or subject.
Animals Portraits, KB-203A
Archival Resource Key
7
1
Animals Portraits, KB-203B
Archival Resource Key
7
2
Ballet Modes, KB-203A
Archival Resource Key
7
3
Ballet Modes, KB-203B
Archival Resource Key
7
4
Mediterranean, unknown number
Archival Resource Key
7
5
Mediterranean, unknown number
Archival Resource Key
7
6
Mediterranean, unknown number
Archival Resource Key
7
10
Peaceful Countryside, KB-201A
Archival Resource Key
7
9
Post Revolutionary, unknown number
Archival Resource Key
7
8
Seabreezes, KB 202A
Archival Resource Key
7
7
Versailles Chateau, unknown number
Archival Resource Key
7
11
Versailles Chateau, unknown number
Archival Resource Key
7
12
Versailles Chateau, unknown number
Archival Resource Key
7
13
Paintings, Transparencies, and Sketches, undated
Series 10
Archival Resource Key
Scope and Contents
Consist of paintings with the corresponding transparency and sketch. Subjects include the Mediterranean, post-revolutionary war era, still life, and Versailles Chateau. Materials arranged in alphabetical order by title.
Mediterranean, unknown number
Archival Resource Key
8
8
Mediterranean, unknown number
Archival Resource Key
8
5
Portrait, unknown number
Archival Resource Key
8
2
Post Revolutionary, unknown number
Archival Resource Key
8
6
Post Revolutionary, unknown number
Archival Resource Key
8
7
Scene, unknown number
Archival Resource Key
8
1
Still Life, unknown number
Archival Resource Key
8
3
Versailles Chateau, unknown number
Archival Resource Key
8
4
Sketches, undated
Series 11
Archival Resource Key
Scope and Contents
Contain large graphics that have not been painted laid out in a typical paint by number format. Subjects primarily illustrate landscapes. Materials are arranged in alphabetical order by title or subject.
Peaceful Countryside, KB-201A
Archival Resource Key
8
9
Sacred Hearts, unknown number
Archival Resource Key
8
10
Seabreezes, KB 202B
Archival Resource Key
8
11
Scrapbooks, 1953-1957, undated
Series 12
Archival Resource Key
Scope and Contents
Include bound and loose-leaf pages of materials relating primarily to paint by number advertising and popular culture. Materials are arranged in chronological order.
Paint By Number
Archival Resource Key
circa 1953-1955
9
3
Craft Master advertisements
Archival Resource Key
circa 1954
10
2
Tile-'n-Frame
Archival Resource Key
circa 1957
10
1
Bound volume with loose pages, undated
Archival Resource Key
9
1
Bound volume, undated
Archival Resource Key
9
2
Craft Master and Tile-'n-Frame, bound volume, undated
Archival Resource Key
undated
11
1
Bound volume with loose pages, undated
Archival Resource Key
12
1
Illustrated bound volume with loose pages, undated
Archival Resource Key
13
1
Paint By Number Kits, undated
Series 13
Archival Resource Key
Scope and Contents
Contain materials used to package and promote the paint by number products including a ballet dancer kit, personalized portrait kit, and kit with packaged paints. Materials are arranged in alphabetical order.
Ballet dancer kit with sketch, unknown number
Archival Resource Key
14
1
Personalized portrait kit, marketing packet
Archival Resource Key
16
1
Sellable kit with packaged paints
Archival Resource Key
15
1
Sheet Music, undated
Series 14
Archival Resource Key
Scope and Contents
Consist of a music score composed by Frank and Dorothy Daniels relating to the possibilities of paint by number probably used for promotional purposes.
Song composed by Frank and Dorothy Daniels
Archival Resource Key
1
1