Eli Lilly collection of Civil War envelopes
Collection — Folder: S2609
Identifier: S2609
Scope and Contents
This collection contains 65 envelopes created during the Civil War with unique illustrations. Most of them are blank, but three are addressed to James H. Luther and four are addressed to members of the Waymire family.
Dates
- 1861-1865
Creator
- Lilly, Eli, 1885-1977 (Collector, Person)
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Legal title, copyright, and literary rights reside with Rare Books and Manuscripts, Indiana State Library, Indianapolis, IN. All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Rare Books and Manuscripts.
Biographical / Historical
"Publication of Civil War envelopes began as early as the mid-1850s, when north-south divisions began to take shape, but ended prior to the war's conclusion because most believed that it was too indulgent and expensive to continue production in a time of war...The subjects illustrated on these envelopes varied from the Stars and Bars of the Confederacy, to caricatures of important war heroes."
Source:
"Civil War Envelopes." The American Antiquarian Society, Accessed August 15, 2019. https://www.americanantiquarian.org/cwenvelopes.htm.
"The volume of mail ticked upward with letters to distant homes, and when it was time to send a letter, soldiers and civilians alike reached for a new kind of envelope, freshly printed and decorated with red and blue flags, delicate engravings of eagles, poems about the girl left behind, or the faces of generals, whom people at home might never have seen...These patterns range from simple flags and mottos to macabre revenge fantasies, with the hanged bodies of Southern generals lining the road to Washington."
Source:
Greenwood, Veronique. "Civil War Envelopes Are Works of Art—And Propaganda." National Geographic. December 10, 2015. Accessed August 15, 2019. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2015/12/151210-civil-war-envelopes-art-propaganda-artifacts.
Source:
"Civil War Envelopes." The American Antiquarian Society, Accessed August 15, 2019. https://www.americanantiquarian.org/cwenvelopes.htm.
"The volume of mail ticked upward with letters to distant homes, and when it was time to send a letter, soldiers and civilians alike reached for a new kind of envelope, freshly printed and decorated with red and blue flags, delicate engravings of eagles, poems about the girl left behind, or the faces of generals, whom people at home might never have seen...These patterns range from simple flags and mottos to macabre revenge fantasies, with the hanged bodies of Southern generals lining the road to Washington."
Source:
Greenwood, Veronique. "Civil War Envelopes Are Works of Art—And Propaganda." National Geographic. December 10, 2015. Accessed August 15, 2019. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2015/12/151210-civil-war-envelopes-art-propaganda-artifacts.
Extent
0.01 Cubic Feet (1 folder)
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
This collection is arranged by subject.
Custodial History
This collection was received by Rare Books and Manuscripts as a donation from Eli Lilly on 1935/06/11.
Accruals
No further additions are expected.
Existence and Location of Copies
Digital reproductions of (materials digitized) are available electronically in Indiana Memory:
Historical Context Note
The Indiana State Library strives to provide extensive access to our diverse collections, in person and online. Materials within these collections appear as they were originally published or created and may include content that that some viewers find offensive or objectionable. These materials are preserved and presented to provide a true historical representation of their time and should be viewed in the context in which they were created.
Processing Information
Collection processing completed 2019/08/15 by Lauren Patton. EAD finding aid created 2019/08/15 by Lauren Patton. EAD finding aid revised 2024/01/18 by Brittany Kropf.
Creator
- Lilly, Eli, 1885-1977 (Collector, Person)
- Title
- Eli Lilly collection of Civil War envelopes
- Status
- Completed
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Repository
Contact:
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
