In 1890 Edward and Josephine Nordhoff moved from Chicago to Seattle and opened their store the Bon Marché. The name means “good market” and was chosen as a reference to the Maison à Boucicault au Bon Marché, a store Nordhoff had greatly admired as a young man living in Paris. Originally located in the Belltown district of Seattle at First and Cedar streets it moved downtown in 1896. Starting with the Nordhoff’s savings of $1,200, thirty-three years later in 1923 annual sales were up to $8 million. The Nordhoffs worked together in striving for success keeping the store open from 7am to 9pm most days. Josephine worked in the store and learned the Chinook trade language to better help Native American customers. Edward brought pennies from the East Coast, introducing the one-cent coin to Seattle shoppers and thus was able to price products for less.
After moving downtown the Bon acquired an entire block and expanded upward with notable construction happening in 1911, 1929, 1950, and 1955. In 1911 an eight-story building designed by John Graham Sr. was erected connecting with two other buildings also belonging to the Bon. In 1929 an Art Deco building also designed by Graham Sr. was erected taking up an entire block and cementing the Bon’s place as an important downtown landmark. The Northgate branch opened in 1950 and it was an integral part of one of the first malls in the nation. In 1955 the downtown store expanded upward by three floors creating the seven-story building found there today.
After Edward Nordhoff’s death in 1899 Josephine remarried to Frank McDermott and they along with Edward’s brother Rudolf Nordhoff continued to run the Bon until 1928 when it was sold to Hahn Department Stores. Five years later Hahn Stores was bought by Allied Stores Corporation. The store continued to do well with branches opening all over Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. In 1992 Federated Department Stores, Inc., which also owned Macy’s, bought Allied Stores Corp.. It wasn’t until 2003 that a name change was introduced; the Bon-Macy’s name didn’t last long and in 2005 it was officially changed to Macy’s.
The collection consists of textual materials, scrapbooks, photographs, and one 16mm film reel from the Bon Marché (now Macy’s) department store in downtown Seattle. The scrapbooks cover branch openings at Northgate, Southcenter, and Tacoma stores, as well as events, art exhibits, and window displays from the downtown store. Textual materials include ledgers, payrolls, annual reports, staff newsletters, newspaper clippings, papers, catalogs, and ephemera. Photographs are broken down into the following subseries’: branch stores, exteriors of the downtown Seattle store, interiors of the downtown Seattle store, construction, Santa Claus appearances, parades, the Bon Marche stables, Faraway staff picnic, portraits, and slides. Many prints have accompanying copy negatives. Much of the material present is also included in the centennial publication “1890-1990: A Century of Success” published in 1989 for the Washington Centennial. The film reel depicts Christmas scenes inside the downtown store circa the 1970s
With no apparent original order, the collection was arranged into ten series:
View selections from the collection in digital format by clicking on the camera icons in the inventory below.
The collection is open to the public by appointment.
The Museum of History & Industry is the owner of the materials in the Sophie Frye Bass Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from MOHAI before any reproduction use. The museum does not necessarily hold copyright to all of the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from the copyright owners.
Bon Marché Collection, Museum of History & Industry, Seattle
Gift of Macy's, Inc. 2009
Scrapbooks dissassembled, photographs removed from frames
These materials are part of a donation that also included an artifact, a commemorative scarf from the 1928 sale of the Bon Marché to Hahn Department Stores. This artifact is cataloged and stored separately by MOHAI's Collections Department.
Approximately 55 copies of Counter Chat from 1950-1961 and 1 copy of the employee newsletter "Happening" from 1987 are also available in the repository, in collection 2008.27, Bon Marché Newsletters.
A 1910 Christmas catalog received in 2013 (accession number 2013.58.5) is housed in Box 1 of the collection.
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings.
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.
Newspaper clippings; 21 photographs of 1954 groundbreaking on Bon Marchè roof
Newspaper clippings; covers building of and opening; 25 photographs with three negatives; also contains loose envelope with informational packet
Newspaper clippings; 23 photographs with captions of grand opening
Tobey Exhibit April 23 - May 3 introduction of “Idea House” in the Bon Marchè, newspaper clippings; 12 photographs
Newspaper clippings; thank you notes; 79 photographs
125 photographs, of events, performances, kite flying, interiors; newspaper clippings; press release
Invites; newspaper clippings; 30 photographs from event
Memos and press releases; newspaper clippings; 39 photographs
Removed from scrapbook; store display Christmas 1959; press releases; 31 photographs; newspaper clippings
Removed from scrapbook; newspaper clippings
Counter Chat was a company publication for employees
Approximately 55 copies of Counter Chat from 1950-1961 and 1 copy of the employee newsletter "Happening" from 1987 are also available in the repository, in collection 2008.27, Bon Marché Newsletters.
General catalog (1914); toy catalog (1959); housewares catalog (1971); home sale catalog (1979); Everett Mall store catalog (circa 1980s); Imports catalog (undated).
Letter from Santa in envelope (1903), packer’s slip (1917), contract and sales slips (1949), address label on part of a box (circa 1930s), billing for charga-plate 8 May 1951
“Ziegfeld Follies 1919”, “Carmelita”, “Turn back the universe and give me yesterday”, “We’ll never let our old flag fall”, “I hate to lose you I’m so used to you now”
“The navy took them over and the navy will bring them back”, “My Belgian rose”, “Any bonds today?”
Hobartizer (July 1950), press release for 1950 opening, history, newspaper clippings
Newspaper clippings, store opening invite, information packet
Various skybridge information, French article and other newspaper clippings, memos on radio broadcasts, heliport
Invites, newspaper clipping, memos on
News releases for 1984 August opening, Premiere East benefit, thank you letters - check orders
Newspaper clippings; guide; award for Christmas decorations (1965), Certificate of Commendation (1966)
~28 design drawings for Christmas star, angels, nativity scene, one photograph of the Christmas star
Newspaper clippings, thank you letters
Encore (1981), Century of success fashion exhibit inventory (1980s), Rodin (1970)
News releases for I, II, III, invitation for II
Newspaper clippings
pamphlets, letters
"Tacoma" Northwest Black Pioneers: A Centennial Tribute publication; "Northwest Black Pioneers: A Centennial Tribute" pulication; pamphlet; copies of newspaper clippings
pamphlets; inventory, calender and directory of Centennial opportunities, events; certificate awarded to the Bon for participation
1 of 4; C.C. Anderson, Boise, ID; Bon Marché, Eugene, OR; The Paris of Montana, Great Falls, MO; C.C. Anderson, Lewiston, ID; all photos three hole punched
2 of 4; Bon Marché, Longview, WA; C.C. Anderson, Ogden, UT; C.C. Anderson, Pendleton, OR; C.C. Anderson, Richland, WA (one large, one postcard); all photos three hole punched except postcard
3 of 4; Bon Marché Palace, Spokane, WA (drawing); Bon Marché, downtown Tacoma; C.C. Anderson, Idaho Falls, ID; C.C. Anderson, Twin Falls, ID; Bon Marché; all photos three hole punched
4 of 4; Walla Walla, WA; Bon Marché, Yakima, WA; Bon Marché, downtown Seattle, WA; all photos three hole punched
Four 8"x10" photographs of drawings / presentation for the remodeled 1987 Bellevue Bon
Five 8"x10" photographs of presentation for the remodeled 1987 Bellevue Bon, one 8"x10" of exterior of remodeled Bon at Bellevue Square with negative
One 8"x10" of 1957 building, downtown Bellingham with negative
on verso - “old BOB until 1988”
Two 8"x10"copies of Columbia Center Bon with negative
One 8"x10" photograph of drawing of distribution center
One 8"x10" with matting, “The Bon Marché Eugene” on matting former Russell’s department store
Building used to house Rumbaugh-MacLaine. One 8"x10" photograph and one 8x5 photograph of same image (2009.20.104), 8"x10" on verso - “EOB before 1969 face lift”; 8"x10" of interior toy department with negative (2009.20.105); One 1977 8"x10" photograph of exterior with negative (2009.20.103)
One 8"x10" photograph of drawing of an independent Home Store with negative; negative of Home Furnishings Clearance store; negative of Home Store
One 8"x10" photograph of Longview branch, building used to house Longview Merk. In 1987 was replaced by Bon in Three Rivers Mall
8"x10" of exterior, with negative; 8"x10" of ribbon cutting, with negative; 8"x10" of ribbon cutting with negative; 8"x10" of group in office signing contracts, Rex Allison standing in pinstripes with negative
2009.20.108 - written on verso - “1950 Northgate Grand opening prizes”; 2009.20.109 - written on verso - “Principals - left - Rex Allison, center - Frank Radford, right - Mrs. Radford (strike through), Mrs. Winifred Hines" ; 2009.20.110 - written on verso - “2-hour TV show day of opening Northgate store” “l to r - Frank Radford, Mrs. Radford [Winifred Hines], Rex Allison, Bill O’Mara (King TV)”
8"x10" of night time exterior of 1950 building with 1950s cars in foreground; 8"x10" of night time exterior of 1950 building with fireworks, full parking lot in foreground with two negatives
Written on verso of night time exterior without fireworks: “NOB original store 1950”, “First shopping center! in the country!!”
Amoeba shaped cutout from photograph depicting shoe department; 8"x10" of lunchtime modeling; 8"x10" male in army(?) uniform and female eating cake; 8"x10" of female clerk assisting male patron
8"x10" of kitchen with crew; 8"x10" of stock boys; 8"x10" of women stocking shelves; 8"x10" of how-to demonstration with crowd
written on verso of how-to demonstration photograph - “Monday nite Applesmae? Dept Deep Freeze Demonstration”
two 8"x10"s of first anniversary cake with crowd, with negative; 8"x10" of men and boys looking at TV displays; 8"x10" of fashion show in auditorium with band and various appliances - stoves, fridges, washing machines; 8"x10" of Davy Crocket display with customers (1952)
written on verso of TV watching photograph - “Wed. nite Northgate Capehart display”
8"x10" “Everett Consumer Council meets at Northgate 1950s” with negative; 8"x10" crowd watching TV in store with negative; 8"x10" of interior, Christmas crowd with negative; 8"x10" of ceramics section with staff (5 women, 2 men)
8"x10" view of Northgate walkway; 8"x10" of “Pickard 200 Deluxe Sedan” giveaway with car and four women for “C-Day Jubilee”, note with it about using it for advertising; two 8"x10"s of interiors of housewares center sans people with one negative; two 8"x10"s of men and women stocking, or packing products
8"x10" exterior with empty parking lot, on verso - “NOB after 1963 remodel”; color 8"x10" of exterior from full parking lot; 6x10 photograph of color drawing of exterior of remodeled Northgate Bon Marché; 8"x10" photograph with cardboard backing, exterior
8"x10" interior Christmas display decorative gifts section; two 2"x4" photographs of “Go’in Quackers” display with realistic male mannequin at Northgate Duck Shop
3"x10" photo of color drawing of exterior of a Bon Marché with parking lot
written on verso - “Sea-Tac Mall” “FMB”
8"x10" exterior; night time street level exterior shot; 8"x10" night time exterior Christmas display, Virgin and child image under “BM”; two 8"x10"s with backing, of exterior with one negative
The old Palace took the Bon Marché name in 1948 but didn’t become a Bon branch until 1963
written on verso of exterior - “The Bon Marché Palace - Spokane, Wash. June 19, 1948”
8"x10" exterior of downtown Tacoma building with negative; One 4"x6" interior photograph of opening at mall with negative; 8"x10" photograph of exterior on opening day with full parking lot and crowds with negative; One 8"x10" with backing of exterior and parking lot with two negatives
Five 3"x4" night time photographs of exterior of Bon at Tacoma Mall with Christmas decorations from parking lot; 4"x10" photograph of drawing of exterior from parking lot taped to paper; 4"x6" photograph of same drawing in color; 8"x10" color exterior photograph from parking lot; two 8"x10"s color photographs of exterior, one night time; 8"x10" B/W of the daytime exterior
10"x12" transparency of Tacoma mall Bon Marché
Three 2"x4"s of exterior; One 8"x10" with backing exterior circa 1960s
One 8"x10" of exterior with negative
two 8"x10"s copies of “1890” exterior with (from left to right starting with tallest man in doorway - A. M. Schillestad, Oliver S., Mr. Bart, Miss, Miss Luc, Miss Rig, Mrs. Patte, Miss Bart, Miss Boy, Mr. West, Mr. Atkinson, Mr. Nordhoff, Miss Simpe, Mr. Wheeler, Miss Horg, Miss Sp, Miss Doty) with negative; One 8"x10" copy close-up of three people, (one man in between two women) in a doorway at the 1890 Bon Marché building at First and Cedar Streets
8"x10" exterior Second and Pike; One 8"x10" copy and 3x6 of exterior Second and Pike circa 1900 with negative
One 8"x10" and two 8"x10" copies (one exact, one close up) of exterior 1896 building at 2nd and Pike Streets
6"x8" with matting of exterior
8"x10" copy corner window display at entrance for “The Bon Marché Men’s & Boys Store” with negative; 6"x8" with matting of window display featuring a replica of the 1902 three story Bon Marché building with negative
Drawing from photograph, exterior of Bon Marché at 2nd and Pike (3 stories)
10"x18" with black matting
two 8"x10" copies; one 8"x10" with matting; with negative
10"x12" and 8"x10" photograph of exterior of 1904 building
6"x8" with matting with negative
One 10"x12" and two 8"x10"s of exterior
8"x10"
in poor condition
two 8"x10" copies with negative
12 1/2"x14 1/2" photograph with broken backing of the Bon Marché from the south looking north along Second Ave 1911 building with negative
written on verso - “after 1911, 3 buildings of the Bon Marché, 8 story on left, 5 in middle, 4 at North end of block - all connected”
12"x19" with black backing
written on verso - "1912 buildings which made up the Bon Marché from 1911 to 1929"
One 8"x10" of 1911 exterior (2009.20.89); one cardboard backed photo almost same image (2009.20.90) with negative
written on verso of 2009.20.90 - “1912 before electric signs were re-installed”
8"x10"; 8"x10" copy, exterior of 1911 building with streetcars with negative
Bon Marché employees on rooftop with negative
One 8"x10" with touched up copy of exterior, 1929 building
Exterior of 1929 Bon Marché
two 8"x10"s of exterior with one negative, one 3"x5"; one negative with billboard advertisting "12 acres of floor space, new home of the Bon Marché"
One 3"x4" of glove window display with two people in display
Three photographs of exterior
two 8"x10" photographs of exterior
one with type written note: "On August 5, 1929 the new 4-story Bon Marché opened occupying a full city block between 3rd and 4th Avenues..."
two 8"x10"s, one of view from 3rd ave entrance doors with poster promoting new fifth and sixth floors; one of young woman taking a pamphlet from a stand alone poster promoting the new fifth and sixth floors; two 8"x10"s of two well dressed women just outside the Bon Marché door, Bon Marché nameplate in center with one negative
two 8"x10"s, one of drawing of the expanded Bon March, one a night time photograph of exterior with negative; five 2"x3" - three exteriors, two interiors of home section
Six 8"x10"s, some aerials of parking garage, some of helicopters landing on garage; 4"x6" transparency of aerial view of garage; strip of five negatives of parking garage with note
typewritten note to Paul Unmacht (at Bon Marché) from Rus Young (at Seattle Times) reads: "Jim got some postcards, colored pictures of your garage and we made black and white slides of them for use at the New Orleans annual Newspaper Advertisiting Executives Association convention in a presentation on what to do about downtown..." dated 25 January 1965
Four 8"x10"s, two photographs of drawings of the skybridge, one exterior with skybridge in center Bon Marché on right; 6"x7" street level of skybridge
Seven 8"x10"s of exterior, four after 1955 expansion, one with window display “Carnevale”; one with view looking west down pine – Bon Marché on right; negative with Brockman store at lower left, "Olympian Hiawatha" billboard at lower right
Four 8"x10", five 3"x4"s of exterior with flags for the World’s Fair
Three 8"x10" with two negatives, one color 3"x5" of Christmas star at dusk
Aerial photograph of Bon Marché with Christmas star and downtown extending east and north
Three 8"x10"s, two of Orient Expressed banners on exterior, one of staff photo at corner of Pine and Fourth
One 6"x8" with matting, exterior with crowd out front and in second story windows, before Santas arrival with negative
One 6"x8" with matting, exterior with crowd out front and in second story windows, Santas arrival in Bon Marché carriage with negative
One 9"x12" photograph with backing of Santa Claus outside Bon Marché, on back “after 1912” with negative
One 8"x10" photograph with matting, “The Home of Santa Claus Presents for Everybody”
One 8"x10" with matting, Santa on carriage “To the Bon Marché”, in a back lot, sign in middle ground reads “To McDonald’s Carriage Shop” with negative
Photograph with matting in poor condition showing business open during expansion construction
two 8"x10"s, one of night time excavation for 1929 Bon Marché, on front - “Teufel & Carlson night crew - on new Bon Marché", on verso - “1:30 A.M.”, one of daytime excavation, on front - “Teufel & Carlson, bldg. contractors - Rushing work on the New Bon Marché” with negative
1955 expansion, 8"x10" of rooftop groundbreaking. Shows 18 men including Rex Allison to the left of center and Mayor Allan Pomery to the right of center breaking ground with negative.
1955 expansion, 8"x10" of rooftop groundbreaking. Shows four men - left to right - Larry Lean, Allan Pomery, Rex Allison, John Graham Jr., on front signed “To Rex Allison with best wishes Mayor Allan Pomery 1954” with negative.
1955 expansion. two 8"x10"s, one with building just about finished; one with construction just started; one 2 ½" x 2 ½" of rooftop workers; Six 3"x5"s of interior during construction; negative showing new three floors during construction
1955 expansion. Six 8"x10"s street views of workers, lumber, one of sign listing the companies working on the expansion
Downtown mall project. Four 8"x10" photographs of drawings pertaining to the “downtown mall project”. Two of blueprints, two of drawings, note along with the photographs from Wells B. McCurdy to Rex Allison saying these are for Allisons personal files
Four 8"x10"s showing the skybridge being lifted into place
8"x10" copy of “Seattles Greatest Department Store The Bon Marché” carriage with driver and horses; 4"x6" of almost exact same photo except has a billboard in the background for Standard Furniture Co.; 8"x10" copy of carriage and horses in front of the “Bon Marché Garage” on Western
8"x10" copy, 4"x6" original of Bon delivery wagon with driver and horses. Colman Dock in background
8"x10" photograph with matting, sepia toned with negative
8"x10" photograph with matting
8"x10" photograph with matting
One 8"x10" photograph with matting
One 6x8 photograph with matting, “Seattles Greatest Department Store The Bon Marché” carriage with driver and horses on street, sign for “The Home of Santa Claus” in background
written on verso - “Bon Marché ‘free bus’ carriage circa 1908”
One 4 1/2"x6" photograph with matting, “Associated Tea & Coffee Co.” on small carriage, man, horse
written on verso - “Wm G. Robinson 555 Galen ‘Bess’, 1910”
Four 8"x10" copies of interiors of various departments without people with one negative, Café on the sixth floor of the Union Street Store; Ladies’ Rest and Writing Room; the Daylight Bakery
Five 8"x10" copies of interiors of various departments without people; the first three depict - “Men’s and Boy’s clothing” = the main floor of the Union Street block; canned goods; the millinery salon
Seven 8"x10" copies of interiors, two showing staff, five showing female and child mannequins, “Where little folks are clothed” with two negatives; One 8"x10" copy showing window display of bridal dresses
One 6"x8" photograph with matting and two copies of interiors with negative
One 6"x8" with matting, copy of skylight in rotunda area with negative
written on verso - “light well looking out from 2nd floor Bon Marché Seattle, Wa.”
One 6"x8" with matting, interior
One 6"x8" with matting, interior, “The New Bon Marché” is written on the wall with a light fixture for the “o”
One 8"x10" interior with triangular Christmas trees
One 8"x10". Flower decorations and five putti dolls with outstretched arms surround 24 birthday cakes each with an increasing number of candles. Behind the cakes is a sign advertising 24th anniversary sales.
Five 8"x10" photographs of drawings of 1929 interiors with captions with three negatives;
One 8"x10" of escalator with crowd, on verso - “1929 first escalators in Seattle, The Bon Marché” with negative
Four enlarged copies of illustrations for the publication "The Story of the Bon Marché"
One 8"x10" group of children sitting in a circle, Christmas decorations on ceiling, to the right group of on lookers
One 8"x10" of very large group eating dinner at long tables in the downtown Bon Marché with negative
One 8"x10" of “Tube room”, cash office in basement backhall where tubes connected to each register location, with negative
Three 8"x10"s, two state “Ivy[?] bon sale dec 17” on verso one with the year 1943, the other 1944 with one negative; One of three men and one woman standing in front of the “Boyo Corral”, man on left dressed as cowboy pointing a gun at man in middle who is getting a rubber lasso put over his head by the woman, all are laughing, on verso - “Hopalong Cassidy 1953 (struck through) 1949” with negative
Six 8"x10"s, one with crowd around Bendix store demonstration (1949); one with crowd and sign for “King County Sheriff Posse”; one of display for “A Cavalcade of Progess - 1929”; one group shot of kids and young adults for the “Bon Marché Alvino Rey Show with negative; one 4"x6" interior with mannequins “The Northwest Rooms”; of big crowd inside store
One 8"x10" of boy selling newspapers in a crowd; One 2"x3" of girl and grandma in childrens shoe department
Sixteen paper copies of 8"x10" images, one color, one 8"x10" (no people with columns decorated as trees (1954)), most of puppet displays, train models, some night time exteriors with 26 negatives
One photo of empty interior, the other of eight young men who participated in a study for the Varsity Shop
written on verso - “Sitting left to right - Gary Rauen, Seattle; Camden Hall, Ballard; Pete Werle, Queen Anne; Standing left to right - John Coast, Lincoln; Wayne Booth, West Seattle; Rich Eisen; Dennis Collins, Franklin; Jerry Akita, Cleveland”
Four 8"x10", three of fashion modeling on first floor of downtown store, one shows an in-store demonstration with three negatives; three strips of fashion show original negatives (in box 4)
Four 8"x10"s, one of bridal show, one of fashion show at Olympic Hotel (early 1960s), fashion show (1956), Lunch time fashion show at the Jet Room Restaurant
One 8"x10", one 4"x6", nine 2"x3", 8"x10" of Dick Keplinger radio host, one of the 2"x3" is of him in radio booth; 4"x6" features Rex Allison on left; the other eight 2"x3"s are of people walking on the skybridge
Four 8"x10", one is of a boy looking at a newspaper ad with negative, one is of a woman looking at a newspaper ad, two show the first customers to enter the Bon via the skybridge
Four 8"x10"s, two of in-store TV personality appearances by Brakeman Bill and Miss Elaine with negative, Bozo the Clown, Stan Boreson, Wunda Wunda with negative; one of crowd entering from Pine Street entrance with roses with negative; interior with crowd from Christmas 1967 with it is a business card from Seattle Times “pully power of the Seattle Times” James T. Dillon
Five 8"x10"s of crowd visiting Santa and the Grinch, one is contact sheet
Five 8"x10" of Dr. Seuss book displays, one of elevator to Toytropolis, Christmas 1970
Three 8"x10"s of crowds with Grinch and Santa, one 3"x3" of Santa and Grinch, negative strips
Eight 8"x10"s, three of crowds with Grinch and Santa; Five showing people waiting in line for Dr. Seuss Time Machine
Three 8"x10"s of Toytropolis elevator, Grinch cave, crowd and Santa and Grinch
Twelve 2"x2" wallet photos of kids with the Grinch and Santa
Three 4"x6", two 2"x3" of Dr. Seuss characters
Two 9"x11" contact sheets with four photos on each; remodeled interiors with four negatives
Seven 8"x10", Six of newly remodeled interiors with four slips of paper describing the changes and materials used, one of shopping bags with Bon logo
Ten 2 1/2"x4" of metro level tunnel opening
Four contact sheets of photographs of children at Christmas
Three photographs
Seven copy negatives of interior sketches with captions
One 5"x7" with matting, women in car covered in flowers, in background “Golden Potlatch Seattle 97" seal
One 5"x7" with matting, car covered in flowers, stuffed polar bear, “King of the North”
One 8"x10" with matting, view of parade with Bon Marché in background. 1908 photograph of the Great White Fleet (Atlantic Fleet) parade. The Fleet was sent by President Teddy Roosevelt on a peacetime goodwill tour around the world beginning December 16, 1907 and ending February 22, 1909. The parade in Seattle had an attendance of over 300,000 people and included members of the Army, National Guard, and fraternal orders.
One 8"x10" with matting, view of parade with Bon Marché in background. 1908 photograph of the Great White Fleet (Atlantic Fleet) parade. The Fleet was sent by President Teddy Roosevelt on a peacetime goodwill tour around the world beginning December 16, 1907 and ending February 22, 1909. The parade in Seattle had an attendance of over 300,000 people and included members of the Army, National Guard, and fraternal orders.
Duplicate of 2009.20.206
One 7"x9" street view of parade with Bon Marché in background
Two 7"x9" street views looking north above parade with Bon Marché on left, cars covered in flowers, large flags in center
One 8"x10" with matting photograph of 29 piece band with American and British flags
Photographs from scrapbook of staff picnic at the McDermotts summer property on the Olympic Peninsula near Longbranch
Five 7"x9" photographs with cloth backing from scrapbook, two of dock with people arriving “Faraway”; One interior; one portrait of girl with flower hat with negative; one of view of Puget Sound
Six 7"x9" photographs with cloth backing from scrapbook; four of games; one of group of seven girls eating with negative; one of landscaped grounds with Puget Sound in background
Four 7"x9" photographs with cloth backing from scrapbook - two of tennis courts; one group shot; one of swimming with Bainbridge ferry (?) in background
Five 7"x9" photographs with cloth backing from scrapbook - four of swimming beach area with crowd; one of treehouse
Five 7"x9" photographs with cloth backing from scrapbook - two full length portraits of man in woman's dress with one negative; two group photos of eight men dressed as women with one negative; one photo of two men standing
Two 8"x10"s copies of full length portrait of Josephine Nordhoff McDermott (1871-1920) with one negative; two 8"x10"s copies of bronze plaque dedicated by employees to Josephine Patricia McDermott; 8"x10" copy of portrait of Rudolf Nordhoff (original 1926 Seattle Times, this one made for the Bon Marché Centennial exhibit) with negative; One 8"x10" copy, one reproduction from undated publication, portrait of Edward Nordhoff with one negative
Written on verso of photograph of bronze plaque - “founder of the Bon Marché Josephine Patricia Nordhoff McDermott bronze plaque from employees - was in previous store - is currently in center of elevator wall, under the clock in Seattle store.”
with negative
One 8"x10" copy of painted seated portrait of Frank Radford; 4"x6" of Mrs. Schmitz
Written on verso of photograph of Frank Radford - “Pic #1 Mr. Radford 1870-1952, pres. Bon Marché 1929 to 1948, Started as a ‘wrapper’ in 1906
One 8"x10" of Laurence (Larry) Lean (managing director) sitting at desk about to write; 8"x10" of John Graham (architect) looking at photo of 1929 Bon Marché and drawing of Bon after upward expansion; 8"x10" of Lean and Rex Allison (VP Allied Store Corp., Western Group manager) looking at large drawing of the Bon after expansion, Allison has left hand up above the drawing; 8"x10" portrait of Lean standing with open binder with picture of 1929 building; 8"x10" of (left to right) seated Graham, standing Lean, seated Allison with negative; 8"x10" of Rex Allison smiling on the telephone; 8"x10" of (left to right) seated at desk Graham, Lean, Allison with blueprints on desk with negative
Five 4"x6"s, Three of Robert Campeau with one negative; one of Wilbur J. Fix; one of Mr.Graves (buyer) and Miss Kafenbuger(?) (buyer) with negative, two original negatives of Mr. Walsh
Eleven 4"x7"s of event at Four Seasons Olympic, Robert Campeau in most photographs
Six 8"x10"s of September Affair II
Six 8"x10"s of September Affair II - two of dining tables in volunteer park Seattle Art Museum (SAM), four with attached captions – Portrait of Luis Estevez; group portrait: seated SAM hostess Mrs. Richard E. Lang and chairman Mrs. Robert S. Beaupre; half of the executive committee - Mrs. Robert W. Thomas, Mrs. Charles Kaplan, Mrs. Robert B. Dootson, Mrs. Robert S. Beaupre, Mrs. John J. Beaupre, Mrs. Robert E. Miller, Mrs. David Bingham; part of executive committee – Mrs. Robert M. Miller, Mrs. Robert B. Dootson, Mrs. Robert W. Thomas, Mrs. Charles Kaplan
Seven 8"x10" copies of pamphlet for the Bon showing how the exterior has changed and photos of the interior with captions and some historical information
One 4"x6" backed photo, “Ruins of Yesler Block, Seattle, Wash” on front, on back "Jenny Eelandsson, from H.C.W."
Photograph with matting from the Alaska Yukon Pacific Exposition
Three 8"x10"s of various Seattle views, one depicts view from Sorrento Hotel, on verso - “Diners at the hotel Sorrento’s ‘Top O’ Town’ enjoy a view of the snow-bright, rugged Olympic Mountains across Puget Sound”, one of sailboats on Lake Washington, on verso - “Seen here are one of many sail boat races held during the spring, summer and fall.”, one Of a steamer on Puget Sound, on verso - “Alaska Steamship Company steamer ‘Iliamna’ is seen clearing Pier 42, Seattle, with a deck load of seventeen 40-foot trailer vans for Alaska.”
Six postcards: circa 1910 exterior from street; 1929 exterior on verso - “1949”; Bon Marché baseball team; Blakley Mill with Bon Marché advertisement on back; two postcards of Paris Bon Marché taped together with two negatives
on verso of Paris postcard typed message from Bessie Campbell to Mr. Walsh - “Mr. Walsh: several years ago when I was in Paris, I stepped out of my left bank hotel and looked down the street, I was amazed to see in blazing lights BON Marché. Since I store was named for this Store I thought you might enjoy these two views of our Mother Store. Bessie Campbell
Firehouse at 3rd and Pine with negative, bust of Chief Seattle, exterior of 1907 downtown building with negative, exterior of proposed 1955 expansion, interior of 1989 remodeling
16mm film with sound
Eleven slides for special events second floor with envelope
Seventy-Nine slides of exteriors, staff, credit cards, Christmas star, night time aerials with Christmas star