Collection inventory

Overview of the Collection
Creator:	Foster Grant (Firm)
Title:	Foster Grant Collection
Inclusive Dates:	1900s-1989
Quantity:	4 linear ft.
Abstract:	Foster Grant was an American plastics molding and manufacturing firm specializing in eyewear. Originally founded in 1919 by Sam Foster to produce ladies hair accessories, the first piece of eyewear sold in 1929 at the Woolworth in Atlantic City. Collection contains company publications and sales materials including a training binder from the 1970s containing photographs and handwritten directions on how to create an epoxy mold; and photographs of die molds, Foster Grant products from World War II and sales displays.
Language:	English, French
Repository:	Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries 222 Waverly Avenue Syracuse, NY 13244-2010 https://library.syracuse.edu/special-collections-research-center

Biographical History

Foster Grant was an American plastics molding and manufacturing firm specializing in eyewear. Originally founded in 1919 by Sam Foster (who had worked for Viscoloid) to produce ladies hair accessories, its first piece of eyewear was sold in 1929 at the Woolworth in Atlantic City. In 1934, Foster Grant became the first American company to adopt injection molding. Their famous ad campaign from the 1960s, "Who's Behind Those Foster Grants?" made them a household word. The original Foster Grant molding operation focused on manufacturing a variety of sunwear frames with glass. In the early 1970's Foster Grant introduced molded acrylic lenses and later developed silicone hardcoats to protect the lenses from scratching.

The company was briefly (1974-1975) owned by United Brands, Inc., who sold it to Hoechst A.G. of Germany, which wanted the company for its plastics and petrochemicals business. By 1982, Foster Grant no longer manufactured glass lenses for eyewear and by the late 1980's the company had begun to focus on the safety and military markets. In 1986 the company was bought by Andlinger & Co., and four years later in August 1990, Foster Grant Corporation declared bankruptcy. Almost a year later, the Technical Products Division of Foster Grant was sold to Fosta-Tek Optics, Inc., a newly-created company headed by John Morrison Jr., President and majority stockholder. Accessories Associates, Inc. purchased Foster Grant in 1996, and the brand was eventually acquired by FGX International, which in turn is owned by the Italian-French conglomerate EssilorLuxotica (which also owns Ray-Ban). It has since returned to its eyewear roots, including the reintroduction of its iconnic "Who's Behind Those Foster Grants?" campaign.

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Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Foster Grant Collection contains company publications and sales materials (including a training binder from the 1970s with photographs and handwritten directions on how to create an epoxy mold), photographs of die molds, Foster Grant products from World War II and sales displays.

Corporate materials consists of Foster Grant's annual reports, the company newsletter, and items related to the company's history.

Correspondence is comprised of miscellaneous Foster Grant order forms and manufacturer letters, including those from the Mazzucchelli company as well as letters related to the Foster Grant Heart-Lung Pump between Dr. Sigmund Wesolowski, Dr. Herman Sugarman, and Robert Ward.

The Photographs consist of both personal and product related items as well as Foster Grant manufacturing machinary. Also included are 200+ photographs of die molds.

Product literature consists of manufacturer information related to Foster Grant products, including handwritten directions on how to create an epoxy mold. In addition, there are sunglass advertisements and catalogues, including their famous "Who's Behind Those Foster Grants?" campaign; advertisements and illustrations related to the Foster Grant Heart-Lung Pump, and various other product literature.

The Miscellaneous documents consist of notes belonging to Emilio Iacoboni regarding Foster Grant and various items pertaining to the Foster Grant company.

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Arrangement of the Collection

Corporate materials are arranged alphabetically and chronologically within, correspondence is arranged alphabetically by subject and chronologically within, photographs are arranged by subject, and product literature is arranged alphabetically by subject and chronologically within.

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

The majority of our archival and manuscript collections are housed offsite and require advanced notice for retrieval. Researchers are encouraged to contact us in advance concerning the collection material they wish to access for their research.

Use Restrictions

Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

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Related Material

Special Collections Research Center has numerous holdings in the areas of plastics and industrial design. Please refer to the SCRC Subject Index for a complete listing.

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Subject Headings

Corporate Bodies

Subjects

Genres and Forms

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Foster Grant Collection,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

Transfer from National Plastics Center and Museum, 11/06/2008. Originally, gift of Fosta-tek Optics, Inc.

Finding Aid Information

Created by: DGI/MM
Date: 2006
Revision history: Feb 2009 - converted to EAD (MRC); 4 Feb 2011 - reprocessed the collection, added material, and updated the finding aid. (CEG); 11 Feb 2011 - oversize material added. (CEG); 27 April 2011 - added material and updated the finding aid. (CEG); 25 Jun 2024 - addittions, prepped for SULF (MRC)

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Inventory

	Corporate materials
Box 1		Annual reports 1959-1973 (2 folders)
Oversize 1		Binder - printed with a Foster Grant Logo on its cover
Box 1		Building plans/drawings 1933-1979 (20 drawings)
Box 1		Clippings 1965-1993, undated
Box 1		Company history 1974, undated - company stationery, annual meeting of stockholders booklet, company timeline and history clipping, and 3 commemorative 50 year anniversary booklets (circa 1969)
Box 2		Company newsletter, "American Hoechst Reporter" 1980-1981 - includes an unidentfied group portrait of twenty or thirty people, possibly AH's Foster Grant division
Box 2		Company newsletter, "Forum and Gazette" 1965-1984 (5 folders)
Box 2		A guide to Foster Grant consumer products division 1953 - org charts, plant layout, sales, manufacturing, planning control, etc.

	Correspondence
Box 2		Heart-lung pump 1950-1957 - correspondence between Dr. Sigmund Wesolowski, Dr. Herman Sugarman, and Robert Ward (2 folders)
Box 2		Miscellaneous 1970-1989 - Company order forms and manufacturer letters, including those from the Mazzucchelli company

	Photographs
Box 3		Buildings 1987 - photographs and negatives of Foster Grant company
Box 7		Die molds - series number unknown (10 photographs)
Box 7		Die molds - incomplete series 7-287, some include an article number (example: Die Mold #245, Article #345) (99 photographs)
Box 8		Die molds - incomplete series 291-549, some include an article number (example: Die Mold #291, Article #335) (103 photographs)
Box 9		Die molds - incomplete series 554-1092, some include an article number (example: Die Mold #613, Article #834) (102 photographs)
Box 3		Heart lung pump (2 folders)
Box 3		Molds (2 folders, 16 items)
Box 3		Sunglasses 1958-1988 - photographs and negatives of displays and models (2 folders)
Box 3		Miscellaneous eyeglasses - ski goggles and eye shields
Box 3		Miscellaneous products - gas mask lenses/valves, combs, Gillette safety razor box, match box, card holder
Box 3		Miscellaneous - photographs and negatives of beach scene and typed letters

	Product literature
Box 4		Combs - catalogs
Box 4		Cups circa 1961 - catalogs
		Heart-lung pump
Box 4			Advertisements circa 1953 - "Uses Unlimited" bulletin and "The Graham Dial" monthly bulletin
Box 4			Clippings 1950-1954 - features an artist rendering and with accompanying article on "A Second Heart"
Box 4			Technical drawings and notes 1950-1957, undated (2 folders)
Map-Case 97			Technical drawings and notes 1952 - blueprints (4 drawings)
Box 4			Miscellaneous - booklet for State Mutual Life insurance, "A Pump For Artificial Maintenance of the Circulation" booklet, two photographs of mechanical object
		Manufacturing
Box 4			"The making of a prototype epoxy mold" - photographs with handwritten captions and instructions.
Box 4			Molds and moldmaking - molds and moldmaking machinery machinery; troubleshooting guide for molding defects.
Box 4			Resins and polystyrenes - specifications, advertisements, promotional/informational material for various resins, polystyrenes, etc. (3 folders)
		Sunglasses
Box 4			Ad copy 1951-1966 - advertising schedule, media schedule, ad plan letters, articles and accompanying photographs
Box 4			Advertisements circa 1955-1965 - magazine ads, photocopied newspaper ads, window display ads, brochure about quality and safety
Oversize 1			Advertisements 1960s - magazine ads
Box 4			Catalogs 1958-1961 - features famous "Who's Behind Those Foster Grants?" ad campaign (2 folders)
Box 5			Catalogs 1961-1983 - includes sports, military, kids, skiiing, etc. (12 folders)
Box 6			Catalogs 1984, undated - includes sports, military, kids, skiiing, etc. (12 folders)
Box 6			Clippings 3 Oct 1966 - article from Management & Selling regarding new suntower display units
Box 6			Dealer literature - order forms, displays, price listings, sample sets. sales incentives and strategies, etc. (4 folders)
Box 6			Packaging - adult and child sunglass cards

	Miscellaneous
Box 6		Glossary of plastics terms [1960]
Box 6		Iacoboni / Foster 1934, 1974, undated - photographs and handwritten notes about Sam Foster by Emilio Iacoboni; photographs of Emilio Iacobini and Sam Foster as well as unidentified factories (2 folders)
Box 6		State of the plsatics industry in the greater Leominster area 1996 - report issued by city of Leominster

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