Francis W. Carpenter papers

Collection — Box: 1-5

Identifier: 109.15291

Collection Scope and Content Note

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The Francis W. Carpenter papers document the life and work of an American cast-iron toy inventor and manufacturer during the late 19th-century. Comprised of both business records and personal papers, the Carpenter papers present a thorough picture of the day-to-day operation of Carpenter’s business during the 1880s and 1890s through correspondence, business records, advertising materials, and a handful of patent-related materials. The personal papers span a period from 1860 through 1934 and include family papers (correspondence, bills, property maps, and family photographs), documents relating to Francis W. and Hannah Carpenter’s personal bankruptcy filing in 1904, and biographical and genealogical materials.

The Francis W. Carpenter papers have been arranged into five series, with one series further divided into two subseries. The physical materials are housed in five boxes. Additional scope and content information can be found in the “Collection Inventory” section of the finding aid.

Dates

Creation: 1860-1934
Creation: Majority of material found within 1880 - 1897

Creator

Carpenter, Francis W. (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research use by staff of The Strong and by users of its library and archives.

Conditions Governing Use

The majority of the materials in this collection have entered the public domain. For those not in the public domain, The Strong has been given permission to make copies in all media for museum, educational, and research purposes.

Biographical Note

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Toy inventor and manufacturer Francis W. Carpenter was born in New York City of Quaker parents in 1844, and died in 1925 in Greenwich, New York. His mother was a direct descendant of Stephen Hopkins, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. He married Hannah L. Field and they had five daughters and three sons.

Carpenter set up shop in Rye, New York, and was one of the first two manufacturers to apply for a patent on a cast iron toy locomotive, filing an application on October 1, 1879—the same date as rival Jerome Secor. In private correspondence, Secor proposed that Carpenter withdraw his application and admit that “I am the first inventor of the cast locomotive…as though you had not applied for a patent.” Then Secor would license Carpenter “to make the cast iron locomotive you described to me, viz. cast in halves and without a mechanical movement.” His intent was that “you and I would have the field.” Carpenter agreed, and the date June 8, 1880, is found on toys of both men. Carpenter’s patent applications, dated May 4 and May 25 of that year, depict a simple train set which was apparently never produced.

Carpenter’s toy company had two predominant lines: horse-drawn toys (carts, wagons, carriages, and fire engines) and trains, made of malleable iron. The toys were cast at the Connecticut foundry of Bridgeport Malleable Iron. Company records show that the first train made was the Rapid Freight Train produced in 1879.

Carpenter moved his operations to Harrison, New York, in 1882. He enjoyed his peak production years there from 1884 through 1888, when he moved to Port Chester, New York. In 1890 the business was turned over to Pratt and Letchworth (P and L) of Buffalo, which manufactured Buffalo brand toys. P and L produced Carpenter trains at least through 1896; some and possibly all were sold under the XL brand name. While Carpenter began making toys once again in 1892, none were trains. Carpenter and his wife filed for bankruptcy in 1904.

In his lifetime Carpenter was granted some 267 patents, only some of which were for toys. He was interested in farming, and one of his patents, granted late in life, was for a feed hopper for chickens. He was also involved in real estate, both in New York City and the Port Chester area.

Carpenter’s toy patents are:

227216 – Toy Railway Train, May 4, 1880

227956 – Toy Railway Train, May 25, 1880

234534 – Toy Horses and Wagons, November 16, 1880

241188 – Toy Horse, March 28, 1881

244433 – Toy Horse and Wagon, July 19, 1881

245702 – Toy Locomotive and Cars, August 16, 1881

251093 – Toy Horses and Cart, December 20, 1881

251763 – Toy Building Blocks, January 3, 1882

267773 – Toy Sleigh, November 21, 1882

287095 – Toy Horse and Cart, October 23, 1883

298446 – Toy [Horse and Cart], May 13, 1884

389364 – Toy [Locomotive], September 11, 1888

432693 – Toy Figure [Fireman on Hose Cart], July 22, 1890

467332 – Toy Fire Escape, January 19, 1892

475486 – Toy [Fire Escape], May 24, 1892

809092 – Toy [Fire Escape], January 2, 1906

981977 – Toy [Firehouse with Horse-Drawn Fire Engine], January 17, 1911

Carpenter’s toys are considered highly collectible. In 2005, Carpenter’s Tally Ho toy (consisting of a carriage, four horses, driver, and six passengers) sold at auction for $92,000. At the same auction, his intricate Burning Building toy sold for $54,625.

Extent

3.0 Linear Feet (5 boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

This collection consists of the papers of Francis W. Carpenter, a cast-iron toy inventor and manufacturer during the late 19th century. The materials are dated from 1860 to 1934, with the bulk of the materials dated from 1880 to 1897. The papers are comprised of correspondence, photographs, financial ledgers, receipts, patents, and more.

System of Arrangement

Series I: Business records, 1876–1925

Subseries A: Financial records, 1884-1897

Subseries B: Correspondence, 1876-1925

Series II: Trade sheets and catalogs, undated

Series III: Patents, 1878–1883

Series IV: Family papers, 1860–1934

Series V: Miscellaneous, undated

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The Francis W. Carpenter papers were donated to the Strong in 2009, as a gift of Diane Olin. The collection was formally accessioned by the museum as Object ID 109.15291 on October 19, 2009.