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Fogg Art Museum Scrapbook, January 1929-December 1931

ARCH.2003.25, Rendition: 794294

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The image is a newspaper clipping from the "Crimson" dated October 14, 1931. The headline reads: "Chinaware of Various Colleges May Be Put on Exhibition at Fogg Museum—Fragments Unearthed in Yard Used for Models."

The article discusses plans to exhibit a collection of dinner plates issued by various colleges and schools, including those sold to graduates. It mentions a project initiated by President Lowell four years prior, which involved unearthing fragments of China from a tunnel under the heating system, found to be part of the blue Staffordshire china used in the College dining hall about a century ago. The plan was to use this china for new dishes with the same border of flowers and fruits, and engraved with Harvard scenes in the center.

The article also notes that although the cost of the engravings was found to be prohibitive, the estimated revenue from selling 500 dozen plates at $12 a set could cover the cost of the finer china. Despite modest notices in the Alumni Bulletin and columns in newspapers, the project was successful, with over 6,000 dozen plates sold. The dining halls were provided with new china by contemporary representatives of Wedgewood, and an extra supply was laid in to prevent breakage.

The article concludes by mentioning that the plan had been taken up by executives of other colleges, including Yale, Princeton, M.I.T., the University of Seattle, Bryn Mawr, and Vassar.

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The image shows a printed article on a piece of aged, light-colored paper. The article is titled "Chinaware of Various Colleges May Be Put on Exhibition at Fogg Museum—Fragments Unearthed in Yard Used for Models." The text discusses the possibility of exhibiting a complete set of dinner plates issued by various colleges and schools, which were sold to their graduates. The article mentions that this exhibition would be a result of a project initiated by President Lowell four years ago.

The article describes how President Lowell noticed workmen unearthing fragments of China from a tunnel being dug for the heating system. Upon investigation, these fragments were found to be part of blue Staffordshire china, decorated with engravings of Harvard buildings, used in the College dining hall about a century ago. The article also mentions the cost and sales figures related to the dinner plates and the involvement of other colleges such as Yale, Princeton, MIT, the University of Seattle, Bryn Mawr, and Vassar.

At the bottom left of the paper, there is handwritten text that reads "Crimson October 14 1931," indicating the source and date of the article. The paper is placed on a light gray surface.

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This image displays a single, aged sheet of off-white or cream-colored paper, likely a clipping from a newspaper or a typed document, presented against a neutral, light gray background. The paper shows signs of aging, with slightly darker, yellowed edges.

The content is a news article or report, printed in black ink. Its headline reads:

Chinaware of Various Colleges May Be Put on Exhibition at Fogg Museum—Fragments Unearthed in Yard Used for Models

The article details a project initiated by President Lowell four years prior to 1931, concerning the potential exhibition of collegiate dinner plates at the Fogg Museum. It recounts how fragments of blue Staffordshire china—decorated with engravings of Harvard buildings and used in the College dining hall a century earlier—were discovered during excavation for a heating system. President Lowell envisioned furnishing modern dining halls with new china made by Wedgwood, featuring the same floral border and Harvard scenes.

The article notes that despite the high cost of engraving new plates, a plan to sell 500 dozen plates at $12 a set was estimated to be feasible, and this would supply halls with fine china at a reasonable cost. The project saw modest promotion in the Alumni Bulletin and newspapers, ultimately leading to the sale of approximately 5,000 dozen plates. It also mentions that other colleges—including Yale, Princeton, MIT, the University of Seattle, Bryn Mawr, and Vassar—had taken up the plan.

At the bottom left of the article, there is handwritten text in ink that reads:

Crimson October 14 1931

This likely indicates the source (The Harvard Crimson) and the original publication date of the article. The article is formatted in two narrow columns of text.

Overall, the image captures a historical document providing insight into collegiate traditions, fundraising initiatives, and material culture at Harvard in the early 20th century.

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The image is of a page from a newspaper or magazine. The page is titled "Chinaware of Various Colleges May Be Put on Exhibition at Fogg Museum-Fragments Unearthed in Yard Used for Models." The article discusses the possibility of exhibiting dinner plates issued by various colleges and schools in the Fogg Museum. The article mentions that the cost of the engravings would be prohibitive, but if 500 dozen dinner plates were sold at $12 a set, the cost could be covered by supplying the finer china at a reasonable cost. The article also mentions that the dining halls were provided with new china made by the contemporary representatives of Wedgewood, and an extra supply was laid in against years of breakage. The plan has been taken up by executives of other colleges, including Yale, Princeton, M.I.T., the University of Seattle, Bryn Mawr, and Vassar.

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A page of a newspaper with an article written in black text on a beige background. The article is titled "Chinaware of Various Colleges May Be Put on Exhibition at Fogg Museum—Fragments Unearthed in Yard Used for Models." The article is about the possibility of putting chinaware from various colleges on exhibition at the Fogg Museum. The article also mentions that fragments of chinaware were unearthed in the yard used for models.

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The image depicts a page from a newspaper or publication titled "The Crimson," dated October 14, 1931. The article is titled "Chinaware of Various Colleges May Be Put on Exhibition at Fogg Museum—Fragments Unearthed in Yard Used for Models."

Description of the Content:

  1. Headline and Context:

    • The article discusses the possibility of displaying a complete set of dinner plates from various colleges at the Fogg Museum.
    • These plates were unearthed during construction work near a heating system, where fragments of chinaware were discovered.
  2. Key Points:

    • Discovery: The fragments were found by workmen in a tunnel being dug for the heating system. Among the fragments, some were identified as part of the blue Staffordshire china set, which was used to decorate the College dining hall about a century earlier.
    • Historical Significance: The chinaware was originally part of an exhibition initiated by President Lowell four years prior (approximately 1927).
    • Potential Exhibition: The article suggests that the Fogg Museum may exhibit these fragments, which could include new engravings of Harvard scenes. However, the cost of producing these engravings was deemed prohibitive.
    • Financial Considerations: It was estimated that if 500 dozen dinner plates could be sold at $12 a set, the halls could be supplied with finer china at a reasonable cost. Despite this, only 5,000 dozen plates were sold, and the project was considered a failure due to limited advertising and newspaper coverage.
    • Contemporary Use: The dining halls were equipped with new china made by contemporary representatives of Wedgewood, and an extra supply was held in reserve against future breakage.
    • Expansion of the Plan: The plan to use similar chinaware in dining halls has been adopted by several other institutions, including Yale, Princeton, the University of Seattle, Bryn Mawr, and Vassar.
  3. Visual and Layout:

    • The page is printed on aged, light-colored paper, giving it a vintage appearance.
    • The text is typeset in a classic serif font, consistent with early 20th-century printing styles.
    • The article is structured in a standard newspaper format, with a clear headline, subheadings, and body text divided into paragraphs.

Overall Impression:

The image portrays a historical news article discussing the discovery and potential exhibition of chinaware fragments at the Fogg Museum. It highlights the intersection of archaeology, institutional history, and the challenges of preserving and displaying historical artifacts. The article also touches on the financial and logistical aspects of such projects, reflecting the era's approach to cultural preservation and institutional collaboration.

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The image shows a newspaper clipping with the headline "Chinaware of Various Colleges May Be Put on Exhibition at Fogg Museum—Fragments Unearthed in Yard Used for Models." The article discusses the possibility of displaying chinaware from various colleges at the Fogg Museum, which was unearthed in the museum's yard. The clipping is dated October 14, 1931.

Here are the key points about the image:

  • Headline: The headline is in bold font and reads "Chinaware of Various Colleges May Be Put on Exhibition at Fogg Museum—Fragments Unearthed in Yard Used for Models."
  • Article: The article discusses the discovery of chinaware fragments in the Fogg Museum's yard and the possibility of displaying them at the museum.
  • Date: The clipping is dated October 14, 1931.
  • Background: The background of the image is a light gray color.
  • Clipping: The clipping is a rectangular shape with a slight shadow around it, giving it a 3D appearance.

Overall, the image appears to be a scanned copy of a newspaper clipping from 1931, featuring an article about the discovery of chinaware fragments in the Fogg Museum's yard.

Meta, us.meta.llama3-2-90b-instruct-v1:0

The image is a newspaper clipping from the Crimson, dated October 14, 1931. The headline reads "Chinaware of Various Colleges May Be Put on Exhibition at Fogg Museum - Fragments Unearthed in Yard Used for Models."

The article discusses the discovery of fragments of chinaware in the yard of Harvard University, which may be used to create models for an exhibition at the Fogg Museum. The fragments are believed to have been used as dinner plates by many colleges and schools, and sold by them to their graduates. The project was initiated by President Lowell four years ago, and the President noticed from his office window some workmen unearthing fragments of China from a tunnel being dug for the heating system. Upon investigation, it was found that they were part of the blue Staffordshire china, decorated with engravings of Harvard buildings, used in the College dining hall about a century ago.

The plan has been taken up by executives of other colleges, including Yale, Princeton, M.I.T., the University of Seattle, Bryn Mawr, and Vassar. The article concludes by stating that the exhibition may be put on at the Fogg Museum, and that the fragments will be used to create models for the exhibition.

Overall, the article provides information about the discovery of fragments of chinaware in the yard of Harvard University, and the potential use of these fragments in an exhibition at the Fogg Museum.

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The image presents a vintage newspaper clipping on a beige background, with the clipping itself appearing to be from an old newspaper. The clipping is positioned in the upper-left corner of the beige background.

Clipping Details:

  • Title: "Chinaware of Various Colleges May Be Put on Exhibition at Fogg Museum - Fragments Unearthed in Yard Used for Models"
  • Content: The article discusses the potential exhibition of chinaware from various colleges at the Fogg Museum, highlighting the discovery of fragments in a yard used for models.
  • Date: The clipping is dated October 14, 1933, as handwritten below the article.

Beige Background:

  • Color: The background is a light beige color.
  • Size: The background is larger than the clipping, leaving a significant amount of empty space around it.

Overall Impression:

The image appears to be a scanned or photographed copy of a historical newspaper clipping, possibly preserved in a scrapbook or archive. The beige background and the clipping's placement in the upper-left corner suggest a deliberate arrangement, potentially for display or documentation purposes.

Meta, us.meta.llama4-scout-17b-instruct-v1:0

The image presents a vintage newspaper clipping, likely from the Harvard Crimson, featuring an article about the potential exhibition of chinaware at the Fogg Museum. The clipping is set against a light gray background.

  • Newspaper Clipping
    • Color: Yellowed with age
    • Shape: Rectangular with slightly curved edges
    • Size: Approximately 2/3 of the image width and 1/2 of the image height
    • Content:
      • Title: "Chinaware of Various Colleges May Be Put on Exhibition at Fogg Museum—Fragments Unearthed in Yard Used for Models"
      • Text: Discusses the possibility of exhibiting dinner plates issued by various colleges and schools at the Fogg Museum
      • Statistics:
        • 500 dozen dinner plates could be sold at $12 a set
        • 5,000 dozen plates were sold
    • Handwritten note: "Crimson October 14 1931" in black ink at the bottom left corner

The article discusses the potential exhibition of chinaware at the Fogg Museum, including the history of the china and its possible display. The handwritten note provides context for the clipping's origin and date. Overall, the image showcases a piece of Harvard's history and the significance of preserving cultural artifacts.