Archives Center, National Museum of American History
Virginia "Jimmie" Booth Collection
Booth, Virginia
NMAH.AC.0729
Archival Resource Key
3 Cubic feet
6 boxes, 3 map folders
1936-1999, undated
Papers relating to Virginia "Jimmie" Booth's career as a buyer for Lord and Taylor, where she worked for Dorothy Shaver. Papers include correspondence; photographs; original drawings by designer Clare Potter; printed material including articles, magazine advertising and catalogs; a scrapbook of clippings and memorabilia.
English
.
Arrangement
Collection is organized into seven series.
Series 1: Personal Papers, 1936-1999, undated
Series 2: Hillandale Handweavers, 1948-1949, 1972, undated
Series 3: Lord & Taylor Country Clothes Shop, 1950s-1960s, undated
Series 4: Irish Materials, 1958-1999, undated
Series 5: American Designers, 1944-2000, undated
Series 6: European Designers and Textile Manufacturers, 1955-1997, undated
Series 7: Miscellaneous, 1962
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open for research use.
Scope and Contents
Collection primarily documents Booth's career as a buyer for Lord & Taylor. It includes correspondence, photographs, drawings, clippings, and a scrapbook. There are materials relating to American born designers Claire McCardell (May 24, 1905- March 22, 1958) and Clare Potter (July 7, 1903- January 5, 1999). There is also information relating to European designers including Irish born Sybil Connolly (January 24, 1921- May 6, 1998) and Swedish born Countess Ebba Von Eckermann (April 19, 1921-February 2, 2018). In addition, materials relating to textile manufacturing and weaving, particularily in Ireland, can also be found among the materials. The collection is arranged in seven series: Series 1, Personal Papers, 1936-1999, undated; Series 2, Hillandale Handweavers, 1948-1949, 1972, undated; Series 3, Lord & Taylor Country Clothes Shop, 1950s-1960s, undated; Series 4, Irish Materials, 1958-1999, undated; Series 5, American Designers, 1944-2000, undated; Series 6, European Designers and Textile Manufacturers, 1955-1997, undated; and Series 7, Miscellaneous, 1962.
Preferred Citation
Virginia "Jimmie" Booth Collection, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution.
Conditions Governing Use
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning intellectual property rights. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The collection was donated by Virginia "Jimmie" Booth, in May 2000.
Processing Information
Processed by Anne Jones, volunteer, 2003; supervised by Vanessa Broussard-Simmons, archivist.
Related Materials
Materials in the Archives Center
Dorothy Shaver Papers NMAH.AC0631
Carolyn and Donald Grepke Paper Doll Collection NMAH.AC0752
Estelle Ellis Collection NMAH.AC0423
Joseph Magnin Poster Collection NMAH.AC0355
Ming-Ju Sun Garfinckel's Fashion Drawings NMAH.AC0897
Henry Booth Collection, NMAH.AC0726
Priscilla of Boston Collection NMAH.AC0557
California Shop Records NMAH.AC0572
National Cotton Council of America Photographs and Films NMAH.AC01177
Division of Costume Audiovisual Collection NMAH.AC0801
Warshaw Collection of Business Americana NMAH.AC0060
Biographical / Historical
Virginia Wagoner Booth, known as Jimmie Booth, was born June 20, 1922 in Bronxville, New York, the daughter of John and Josephine Wagoner. She studied printing and engineering at Syracuse University. An engineer with Pratt & Whitney during World War II, she entered the fashion world as a bridal consultant at G. Fox in Hartford in 1945.
In 1952 Dorothy Shaver, of Lord & Taylor, hired Booth for the Hartford store and asked her to develop and manage The Country Clothes Shop in the 5th Avenue store in New York. There, Booth collaborated with and promoted such American designers as Clare Potter, Bonnie Cashin, and Claire McCardell. Booth also worked extensively with European designers.
Married to H. Robert Booth (Bob) Booth of Hillandale Handweavers, Jimmie promoted the use of both American and European hand-loomed fabrics by her designers. She frequently modeled the fashions herself. Her casual, yet elegant, style is the epitome of "the American Look" still popular today.
In 1998, Jimmie Booth, Dorothy Shaver, and other creators of The American Look were saluted in the exhibition, "Designing Women: American Style 1940-1960" at the Wadsworth Atheneum in Hartford.
In addition to her design work, Booth was a violinist with the Hartford Symphony in the 1940s, and later became the chef at the Brooklyn, Connecticut, Golden Lamb Buttery, which she and her husband, H. Robert Booth (Bob), owned and operated. She died January 2011 at the age of eighty-nine in Hartford, Connecticut.
Scrapbooks -- 20th century
Photographs -- 1940-1970
Correspondence -- 20th century
Costume design
Design drawings
Lord & Taylor
Potter, Clare
McCardell, Claire
Davies, Donald
Personal Papers
Series 1
Archival Resource Key
1936-1999, undated
Scope and Contents
Consist of materials primarily relating to Booth's college days and her fashion career. Materials include correspondence, Syracuse University publications, newspaper and magazine articles, a biography, and photographs. There is little relating to her personal life other than photographs of her wedding announcement. In addition, there are theatre and horse show programs. Materials are arranged in chronological order.
Souvenir theatre programs
Archival Resource Key
1936
1
3
Syracuse University publications
Archival Resource Key
1942 February 1
1
2
College materials and correspondence
Archival Resource Key
1944-1999, undated
1
1
Articles from This Week
Archival Resource Key
1950-1952
2
1
Newspaper articles
Archival Resource Key
1951 June 14
undated
1956 August 16
1
6
Article about Jimmie Booth from This Week
Archival Resource Key
1952 June 15
2
2
Horse show programs
Archival Resource Key
1953
1
4
Jimmie Booth in Sligo Ltd. advertisement in Town & Country
Archival Resource Key
1955 September
2
3
Photographs of Virginia Wagoner and Robert Booth and wedding announcement
Archival Resource Key
1956 November 1
1
5
Photographs of Jimmie Booth
Archival Resource Key
1958, undated
1
7
Glamour magazine
Archival Resource Key
1959 July
1
9
Biography of Jimmie Booth, school project
Archival Resource Key
1997
1
10
Gallery guide, "Designing Women" show
Archival Resource Key
1998
1
11
Photographs of Jimmie Booth at "Designing Women" show
Archival Resource Key
1998
1
12
Photographs of Jimmie Booth modeling
Archival Resource Key
undated
1
8
Photographs of Jimmie Booth modeling
Archival Resource Key
undated
2
4
Hillandale Handweavers
Series 2
Archival Resource Key
1949-1997, undated
Scope and Contents
Consists of advertisements, articles, and correspondence relating to the company founded by Booth's father-in-law, Henry Booth. Hillandale Handweavers was a textile manufacturing company that operated out of an old carriage barn in Brooklyn, Connecticut. It produced hand woven wool fabrics used by PhotoMetriC (a custom tailoring system) retail outlets. H. Robert (Bob) Booth Sr. opened a retail outlet on the premises which featured a PhotoMetriC fitting room that operated until the mid-1970s. In addition, there is information relating to the Golden Lamb Buttery Restaurant operated by Jimmie and Bob Booth. Materials are arranged in chronological order.
New England Homestead
Archival Resource Key
1949 October
1
14
PhotoMetriC article, Time magazine
Archival Resource Key
1958 June 7
1
13
Hillandale Handweavers, correspondence
Archival Resource Key
1969-1970, undated
1
18
Yankee magazine
Archival Resource Key
1972 September
1
16
Connecticut magazine
Archival Resource Key
1972 October
1
17
Hillandale Barn, Golden Lamb Buttery
Archival Resource Key
1975-1997, undated
1
20
Magazine article
Archival Resource Key
undated
1
15
Advertisements
Archival Resource Key
undated
1
19
Lord & Taylor Country Clothes Shop
Series 3
Archival Resource Key
1950s-1960s, undated
Scope and Contents
Consists primarily of photographs, advertisements, original illustrations, and a catalogue. The photographs are images of the store interior and document window displays dating from the 1950s-1960s. Advertisements relate to the "Pride of Ireland" and "British Fortnight" campaigns. There are also Clare Potter designs and original illustrations created by Dorothy Hood for printed advertisements. In addition, there is a Christmas catalogue featuring the Country Clothes Shop. Materials are arranged in chronological order.
Window displays
Archival Resource Key
1950s
1
22
Vogue and Lord & Taylor dress
Archival Resource Key
1952 July
2
6
Clare Potter advertisement
Archival Resource Key
1955 April 15
2
5
Lord & Taylor Christmas catalogue featuring Country Clothes Shop
Archival Resource Key
1956
2
7
Dorothy Hood illustrations for advertisements, original
Archival Resource Key
1957-1958
1
Dorothy Hood illustrations for advertisements, original
Archival Resource Key
2
Dorothy Hood illustrations for advertisements, original
Archival Resource Key
3
Lord & Taylor, "British Fortnight," campaign, 1958
Archival Resource Key
2
8
Window displays
Archival Resource Key
1960s
1
23
Window displays
Archival Resource Key
1960s
1
24
Lord &Taylor advertisements, "Pride of Ireland," campaign, 1963 October 6
Archival Resource Key
1
26
Newspaper articles, "Pride of Ireland" campaign
Archival Resource Key
1963 October
1
27
Country Clothes Shop, images of interiors
Archival Resource Key
undated
1
21
Fashion photographs
Archival Resource Key
undated
1
25
Irish Materials
Series 4
Archival Resource Key
1958-1999, undated
Scope and Contents
Contain articles and photographs primarily relating to the clothing manufacturing and textile weaving trades in Ireland. In addition, there are photographs of Ireland including Blarney Castle in County Cork and James Joyce's Tower in Dublin. Materials are arranged in chronological order.
General interest magazines
Archival Resource Key
1958-1999
1
30
General
Telefood Magazine, Fine Foods from Ireland issue, 1966 September
Cara: the travel magazine of Aer Lingus-Irish Airlines, Volume 2, Number 1, 1969 January-March
Village Life in Ireland, Syracuse University Alumni Association, Inc., 1999 April 18-26
Irish edition catalog from Scottish Lion Import Shop, 1998 Fall/1999 Winter
Sports Illustrated, 1958 August 25
Northeast: the Hartford Courant, 1988 September 11
Queen, 1965 December 1
Ireland magazine
Archival Resource Key
1960s
1
29
Newspaper articles about Irish crafts
Archival Resource Key
1960s
3
4
Newspaper articles about Ireland
Archival Resource Key
1960s
3
5
Time magazine
Archival Resource Key
1963
1
28
Photographs, clothing manufacturing, Shannon, Ireland [probably Sligo, Ltd.]
Archival Resource Key
undated
2
9
Photographs, clothing manufacturing, Ireland
Archival Resource Key
undated
2
10
Photographs, Edward Doughty & Sons (Drogheda, Ltd.), handweavers, Donegal
Archival Resource Key
undated
2
11
Photographs, handweavers, Enniskerry, County Wicklow
Archival Resource Key
undated
2
12
Photographs, Irish linen workers
Archival Resource Key
undated
2
13
Photographs, Irish craftsmen
Archival Resource Key
undated
3
1
Photographs, Irish women in Woolshop, Irish village
Archival Resource Key
undated
3
2
Photographs, Irish scenes of Blarney Castle, County Cork, and James Joyce's Tower, Dublin
Archival Resource Key
undated
3
3
American Designers
Series 5
Archival Resource Key
1944-2000, undated
Scope and Contents
Materials primarily consist of advertisements, original sketches, fabric swatches, a scrapbook, newspaper articles, obituary, and photographs relating to Clare Potter (July 7, 1903- January 5, 1999) who is credited as being one of the inventors of American sportswear. In addition, there is an article relating to Claire McCardell (May 24, 1905- March 22, 1958) designer of ready-to-wear clothing and a small number of materials relating to other designers. Materials are arranged first in alphabetical order and then in chronological order within each person.
Claire McCardell, article in Life magazine, page 103
Archival Resource Key
1948 June 7
3
20
Clare Potter, sketches, resort
Archival Resource Key
1951-1952
4
1
Clare Potter, sketches, resort and holiday
Archival Resource Key
1953
4
2
Clare Potter, sketches
Archival Resource Key
1954 Fall
4
3
Clare Potter, Lord & Taylor advertisement
Archival Resource Key
1955 April 15
4
4
Clare Potter, scrapbook of articles and advertisements
Archival Resource Key
1955-1957
6
Clare Potter, newspaper article and obituary from the New York Times
Archival Resource Key
1999 January 11
undated
4
5
Clare Potter, photographs in her home, includes Halsman contact sheet
Archival Resource Key
undated
4
6
[Fashion portraits of Clare Potter : photographs.]
Archival Resource Key
Halsman, Philippe
1 Item
10 x 8 in.
English.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Silver gelatin on paper.
Conditions Governing Access
When processing is completed, unrestricted research use on site by appointment. Photographs must be handled with cotton gloves unless protected by sleeves.
Scope and Contents
Contact sheet of 11 exposures on #120 film, with one frame cut out.
Costume design
Contact sheets
Photographs -- 1950-2000 -- Black-and-white photoprints -- Silver gelatin
Potter, Clare
Phelps Leather Goods, William and Elizabeth Phelps
Archival Resource Key
1944-1989
4
7
Other American designers
Archival Resource Key
1959-2000
4
8
European Designers and Textile Manufacturers
Series 6
Archival Resource Key
1955-1997, undated
Scope and Contents
Consist of materials primarily relating to Donald Brook Davies the Welsh clothing manufacturer headquartered in Enniskerry, County Wicklow, Ireland. His company created clothing designed by his wife Mary Davies. Materials include magazine articles, photographs, printed advertisements, promotional literature, fabric swatches, photographs, a shopping bag, store drawing, newspaper articles, and a management consultants report.
There are also photographs of designs and newspaper articles relating to Countess Ebba Von Eckermann (April 19, 1921-February 2, 2018) Swedish fashion designer and owner of Ebba von Eckermann Textilier a company that created woven fabrics for the retail trade. An article printed in Victoria magazine relates to Sybil Connally (January 24, 1921- May 6, 1998), a Dublin-based fashion designer who was known for creating clothing using traditional Irish textiles and styles. In addition, there are photographs of models in Irish fashions. Materials are arranged first in alphabetical order and then in chronological order within each person.
Sybil Connally, article in Victoria magazine
Archival Resource Key
1997 March
3
6
Donald Davies, management consultants report
Archival Resource Key
1955
3
14
Donald Davies, photographs of Davies and others
Archival Resource Key
1958
undated
3
15
Donald Davies, magazine articles
Archival Resource Key
1962
1968
undated
3
13
Donald Davies, photographs of designs
Archival Resource Key
1963 September 20
3
9
Donald Davies, advertising and promotional materials
Archival Resource Key
1965-1967, undated
3
7
Donald Davies, advertisements in American newspapers
Archival Resource Key
1966-1968
3
11
Donald Davies, articles in British newspapers
Archival Resource Key
1966-1968
3
12
Donald Davies, advertisement for Lord & Taylor, New York Times
Archival Resource Key
1967
5
2
Donald Davies, fabric swatches
Archival Resource Key
undated
3
8
Donald Davies, shopping bag, photograph, and drawing of store
Archival Resource Key
undated
3
10
Donald Davies, photograph of estate, Enniskerry, County Wicklow, Ireland
Archival Resource Key
undated
5
1
Countess Von Eckermann and weavers, Ripsa, Sweden
Archival Resource Key
undated
3
16
Countess Von Eckermann, newspaper articles
Archival Resource Key
1962-1972
3
18
Countess Von Eckermann, photographs of designs
Archival Resource Key
undated
3
17
Photographs of models in Irish fashions
Archival Resource Key
undated
3
19
Miscellaneous
Series 7
Archival Resource Key
1962
Scope and Contents
Contains an issue of the trade publication The Ambassador a British magazine that promoted textiles and fashion.
The Ambassador, number 9
Archival Resource Key
1962
4
9