Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

PARCEL TAPE DISPENSER

Date Range From

1970

Date Range To

1990

Materials

STEEL, PAPER, ALUMINUM

No. Pieces

3

Height

22.3

Length

33.9

Width

13.0

Description

TWO SIDES, MADE OF RED PAINTED STEEL, SUPPORT A CRADLE BETWEEN THEM. EACH SIDE HAS AN INVERTED TRIANGLE CUT OUT OF IT. ABOVE THIS, EACH SIDE HAS A PIECE THAT EXTENDS ABOVE THE REST OF THE SIDE, TO SUPPORT A ROLL OF BROWN PARCEL TAPE, THAT RESTS IN CRADLE. IMPRESSED INTO EACH OF THESE EXTENDED PIECES OF METAL IS A TRIANGLE, WITHIN WHICH ARE TWO "4"S, BACK TO BACK (ONE IS BACKWARDS). AT BACK OF DISPENSER IS AN ORANGE ROLLER, MADE OF WOOD. THE PARCEL TAPE IS WOUND AROUND THIS ROLLER. ON FRONT OF DISPENSER IS A CUTTER, MADE OUT OF A FLAT PIECE OF SILVER METAL. ETCHED ONTO CUTTER IS "TRADE PACKER MARK MADE BY BETTER PACKAGES INC. SHELTON.CONN. MAKERS OF COUNTERBOY AUTOMATIC MOISTENING EQUIPMENT U.S. PAT.#1914375 - CANADIAN PAT.#327421 -OTHER PATS. PEND'G". UNDER CUTTER IS AN ORANGE ROLLER MADE OF WOOD. BEYOND THE CUTTER IS A SILVER COMPARTMENT, SHAPED LIKE 1/4 CIRCLE. WITHIN THIS IS A SIMPLE BRUSH, WITH SOFT BROWN BRISTLES; HAS NO HANDLE.

Subjects

MULTIPLE USE ARTIFACT

Historical Association

RETAIL TRADE

History

MUSEUM OBTAINED ITEMS FROM LETHBRIDGE EATON'S STORE IN 1999. DUE TO COMPANY BANKRUPTCY, EATON'S STORES ACROSS CANADA WERE CLOSED, INCLUDING THE LETHBRIDGE LOCATION IN PARK PLACE MALL. *UPDATE* IN 2014 COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT JANE EDMUNDSON CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF ART OBJECTS, INCLUDING THOSE ASSOCIATED WITH THE T. EATON COMPANY STORES IN LETHBRIDGE. THE FOLLOWING BRIEF HISTORY OF LETHBRIDGE'S EATON'S STORE WAS DEVELOPED WITH INFORMATION FROM GALT ARCHIVES AND LETHBRIDGE HERALD ARTICLES FROM THE FALL OF 1988. THE T. EATON COMPANY WAS FOUNDED IN TORONTO IN 1869 BY TIMOTHY EATON. THE FIRST LETHBRIDGE EATON'S 'TECO' STORE WAS OPENED IN 1927 IN THE BASEMENT OF THE DOMINION BLOCK ON THE CORNER OF 4 AVENUE AND SIXTH STREET SOUTH. AFTER A FIRE, THE BUILDING WAS RENOVATED AND COMPLETELY TAKEN OVER BY THE EATON'S STORE, WHICH OPERATED IN THAT LOCATION UNDER PERIODIC RENOVATIONS FROM 1929 UNTIL THE OPENING OF THE PARK PLACE MALL IN 1988, IN WHICH EATON'S WAS AN ANCHOR RETAILER. IN 1989 A PORTION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE ART COLLECTION WAS TEMPORARILY PUT ON DISPLAY IN THE VACANT EATON'S BUILDING, AND PROPOSALS WERE MADE TO MAKE THE INSTALLATION PERMANENT, BUT EVENTUALLY THE PROPERTY WAS SOLD AND DEMOLISHED TO MAKE WAY FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A BANK OF MONTREAL BRANCH. IN 1999 THE EATON'S STORE IN PARK PLACE MALL CLOSED JUST PRIOR TO THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE BANKRUPTCY OF THE LARGER T. EATON COMPANY LIMITED. SEE PERMANENT FILE P19930072001 FOR HARDCOPIES OF SOURCE MATERIAL.

Catalogue Number

P19990061025

Acquisition Date

1999-10

Collection

Museum

Less detail