S. S. White Centennial Banner

WLMD ID: amvo

Founded in 1844, the S. S. White Dental Manufacturing Company quickly became one of the nation’s leading makers of dental equipment. Outlasting many competitors, the company maintained its dominance through the 1960s. White made some of the earliest anesthesia equipment for use by dentists and physicians.

Based in Philadelphia, White was an exhibitor at the Centennial International Exposition held in that city in 1876. The Exposition honored the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.  It also celebrated the reunification of the country, and showcased the strength of its economy, a decade after the Civil War.  The Exposition was open from May to November, 1876, and was attended by nearly ten million people. This banner is one of a pair, and can be seen hanging on the left in a rare photograph of White’s exhibit in the Exposition’s Main Building.

Catalog Record: S. S. White Centennial Banner

Access Key: amvo

Accession No.: 2015-03-05-2

Title: The S. S. White Dental Mfg. Co’s exhibit Philadelphia.

Title variation: Alt Title
Title: S. S. White centennial international exposition banner.

Publisher: Philadelphia : S. S. White Dental Manufacturing Company, 1876.

Physical Descript: 1 banner : silk, cotton, metallic thread, wood, metals ; 107 x 70 x 4 cm

Subject: Samuel S. White Dental Manufacturing Company.
Subject: Anesthesia, Dental.
Subject: History, 19th Century – United States.
Subject: Centennial Exposition (1876 : Philadelphia, Pa.).
Subject: Memorabilia.

Note Type: General
Notes: This banner is one of a pair that was displayed at the Centennial
International Exposition in 1876. Both are owned by the WLM. This artificial
accession number is subject to change.

Note Type: Citation
Notes: Keane HC. A Century of Service to Dentistry, 1844-1944. Philadelphia: S. S.
White Dental Manufacturing Company, 1944.

Note Type: Citation
Notes: Samuel S. White-Dentists’ Supplies. Free Library of Philadelphia website,
Centennial Exposition Digital Collection. https://libwww.library.phila.
gov/cencol/Details.cfm?ItemNo=c032463. Accessed December 1, 2015.

Note Type: Physical Description
Notes: One banner made of dark blue silk, backed with dark blue cotton; The cloth
measures 88 x 59 centimeters (cm); The silk is fragile and has split in many
places due to age and neglect; The front of the banner is sewn in
gold-colored metallic thread: “The S. S. White [new line] S S W [new line]
Dental Mfg. Co’s [new line] Exhibit [new line] Philadelphia”; Above the word
“Exhibit”, the letter “W” overlaps the letters “S S” (this arrangement of
overlapping initials is a trademark often used by the company); Between the
words “Exhibit” and “Philadelphia” is sewn a design of two crossed bars;
Below the word “Philadelphia” is sewn a conventional sunburst design;

The front of the banner is bound on all edges with gold-colored metallic
ribbon; Four loops made of the same ribbon are attached by metal grommets to
the binding on the top edge of the banner; A wooden rod is inserted through
these loops; There is a wooden, acorn-shaped finial at the left end of the
rod; The right end is shaped to hold a matching finial, but that is missing;
A cord wrapped in gold-colored thread is attached to the wooden rod by a
grommet at each end; This cord is approximately 86 cm long, and is frayed in
several places; The bottom edge of the banner is scalloped in five sections,
reminiscent of medieval heraldry; A fringe of tightly coiled metallic threads
is sewn to the bottom edge; These threads are approximately 4 cm long; Some
threads of the fringe are missing.

Note Type: Reproduction
Notes: Photographed by Mr. Steve Donisch, June 9, 2015.

Note Type: Historical
Notes: Founded in 1844, the S. S. White Dental Manufacturing Company quickly became
one of the nation’s leading makers of dental equipment. Outlasting many
competitors, the company maintained its dominance through the 1960s. White
made some of the earliest anesthesia machines for use by dentists and
physicians.

Based in Philadelphia, White was an exhibitor at the Centennial International
Exposition held in that city in 1876. The Exposition honored the 100th
anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. It also
celebrated the reunification of the country, and showcased the strength of
its economy, a decade after the Civil War. The Exposition was open from May
to November, 1876, and was attended by nearly ten million people. This banner
is one of a pair, and can be seen hanging on the left in a rare photograph of
White’s exhibit in the Exposition’s Main Building.

Note Type: Reproduction
Notes: Selected for the WLM website (noted December 1, 2015).