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Hippolyte Dussauce papers

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Held at: University of Delaware Library Special Collections [Contact Us]181 South College Avenue, Newark, DE 19717-5267

This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the University of Delaware Library Special Collections. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.

Overview and metadata sections

Hippolyte Dussauce, industrial chemist and author, was born in France on an unknown date and died in New Lebanon, New York on June 20, 1869. He studied chemistry under Michel Eugene Chevreul in Paris, France. Prior to 1860 he was appointed to several significant scientific posts by the French government.

Dussauce emigrated to the United States in 1860 and worked as a chemist in several firms, including Tilden Company. Later Dussauce established his own Laboratory of Industrial Chemistry in New Lebanon, New York. Through his laboratory he provided formulaic and analytic consultations throughout North America.

Dussauce was the author of numerous authoritative treatises published by Henry C. Baird, including A Practical Guide for the Perfumer (1868), A New and Complete Treatise on the Arts of Tanning, Currying, and Leather Dressing (1865), A General Treatise on the Manufacture of Vinegar (1868), General Treatise on the Manufacture of Every Description of Soap (1869), A Complete Treatise on the Art of dyeing Cotton and Wool (1863), and A Practical Treatise on the Fabrication of Matches, Gun-Cotton, Colored Fires, and Fulminating Powders (1864).

The Hippolyte Dussauce Papers reflect the life and work of the chemist during the years of 1860-1869. The papers include letters of inquiry from chemists, inventors, druggists and others to Dussauce for formulae and advice. Several copy books kept by Dussauce reflect his responses to some of these inquiries. The correspondence section also contains the letters of Henry Carey Baird, Dussauce's publisher, to Dussauce.

The second section of the papers consists of numerous autograph technical manuscripts, notes, receipts, and drawings. The technical writings reflect Dussauce's research in the fields of soapmaking, tanning, dyeing, vinegar, coffee, glue, inks, and filters.

The third section of material in the collection consists of an account book and drafts of advertisements written by Dussauce for his business. Section IV contains copies of several printed pamphlets, promotional material, and articles written by Dussauce. This section also contains 2 copper and lead plate engravings of technical drawings made by Dussauce.

Section V consists of material related to Dussauce's appointment as the United States Commissioner to the Universal Exhibition in Paris in 1867. Section VI contains the citation presented to Dussauce by the Societe Libre des Beaux-Arts in 1854. Section VII consists of original or true copy manuscripts of patents granted by various individuals for processes in which Dussauce was interested.

Section VIII includes the manuscripts and an illustration for the Goux public toilet system. Section IX consists of various miscellaneous periodicals, catalogs, and illustrations.

Boxes 1-11: Shelved in SPEC MSS manuscript boxes Removals: Shelved in MSS oversize boxes (32 inch)

Purchase, 2007.

Processed by Anita A. Wellner, 1990. Encoded by Lauren Connolly, July 2015, and Tiffany Saulter, November 2015.

Publisher
University of Delaware Library Special Collections
Finding Aid Date
2015 November 6
Access Restrictions

This collection is open for research.

Use Restrictions

Use of materials from this collection beyond the exceptions provided for in the Fair Use and Educational Use clauses of the U.S. Copyright Law may violate federal law. Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. Please contact Special Collections, University of Delaware Library, http://library.udel.edu/spec/askspec/

Collection Inventory

Scope and Contents

Includes letters of inquiry from chemists, inventors, druggists, etc. regarding Dussauce's formulae and advice; correspondence with Henry Carey Baird; tissue copy books of letters by Dussauce and other miscellaneous correspondence.

Scope and Contents

from chemists, inventors, druggists, entrepreneurs, etc. from thirty-two states and territories, as well as Canada, regarding Dussauce's own formulae and technical advice in many fields.

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically.

1860-1867.
Box 1 Folder F1
Physical Description

12 items (12 leaves) 25 pp

1868: January.
Box 1 Folder F2
Physical Description

12 items (13 leaves) 19 pp.

1868: February.
Box 1 Folder F3
Physical Description

18 items (18 leaves) 21 pp.

1868: March-April.
Box 1 Folder F4
Physical Description

18 items (18 leaves) 19 pp.

1868: May.
Box 1 Folder F5
Physical Description

12 items (12 leaves) 16 pp

1868: June.
Box 1 Folder F6
Physical Description

10 items (11 leaves) 16 pp.

1868: July.
Box 1 Folder F7
Physical Description

11 items (11 leaves) 14 pp.

1868: August.
Box 1 Folder F8
Physical Description

19 items (19 leaves) 25 pp.

1868: September.
Box 1 Folder F9
Physical Description

11 items (12 leaves) 17 pp.

1868: October.
Box 1 Folder F10
Physical Description

15 items (15 leaves) 26 pp.

1868: November.
Box 1 Folder F11
Physical Description

13 items (13 leaves) 19 pp.

1868: December.
Box 1 Folder F12
Physical Description

18 items (19 leaves) 29 pp.

1869: January.
Box 2 Folder F13
Physical Description

27 items (27 leaves) 42 pp.

1869: February.
Box 2 Folder F14
Physical Description

30 items (31 leaves) 44 pp.

1869: March.
Box 2 Folder F15
Physical Description

22 items (22 leaves) 32 pp.

1869: April.
Box 2 Folder F16
Physical Description

12 items (12 leaves) 13 pp.

1869: May-June.
Box 2 Folder F17
Physical Description

13 items (13 leaves) 16 pp.

Scope and Contents

Philadelphia. Baird was a Philadelphia industrial publisher and economist. He writes concerning the publication of Dussauce's own books, as well as Dussauce's translations and editorial contributions.

1863: March-May.
Box 3 Folder F18
Physical Description

16 items (17 leaves) 50 pp.

1863: June-August.
Box 3 Folder F19
Physical Description

11 items (12 leaves) 33 pp.

1863: September-December.
Box 3 Folder F20
Physical Description

10 items (11 leaves) 33 pp.

1864: January-May.
Box 3 Folder F21
Physical Description

15 items (17 leaves) 38 pp.

1864: June-December.
Box 3 Folder F22
Physical Description

9 items ( 9 leaves) 20 pp.

1865.
Box 3 Folder F23
Physical Description

19 items (21 leaves) 37 pp.

1866-1867.
Box 3 Folder F24
Physical Description

13 items (13 leaves) 24 pp.

1868: January-July.
Box 3 Folder F25
Physical Description

14 items (14 leaves) 17 pp.

1868: August-December.
Box 3 Folder F26
Scope and Contents

14 items (14 leaves)21 pp.

1869 & n.d. or fragments.
Box 3 Folder F27
Physical Description

17 items (17 leaves) 27 pp.

Scope and Contents

Letters to Dussauce concerning a wide variety of subjects, including soap-making and fish guano. Also includes a few letters from family members. Includes four letters from the owner of a West Virginia oil field, two from Joseph C.G. Kennedy (statistician, census chief and friend) and chemist James Gibbs of Buffalo regarding soap making.

1845-1868.
Box 4 Folder F28
Physical Description

13 items (15 leaves) 33 pp.

1869.
Box 4 Folder F29
Physical Description

16 items (17 leaves) 34 pp.

[n.d.].
Box 4 Folder F30
Physical Description

16 items (16 leaves) 24 pp.

Scope and Contents

Two tissue leaved copy books preserving approximately 500 letters written by Dussauce. Includes letters to his publisher Baird, responses to the inquiries (see Series I.1), advertising for his laboratory, letters to french correspondents as well as family members. Two letters are written regarding the controversy over his editorship of the

Journal of Science.
Copy Book A., June-November [18]67.
Box 4 Folder F31
Scope and Contents

Letters dated from June-November [18]67 and September 25, 1865. Also includes 8 sketches (one by Frank Dassingan). The back cover lists information dated 1928 by a Burroughs and Robert R. Ruggles 13 letters (31 leaves) by Dussauce.

Copy Book B., 1867: September-1868: September.
Box 4 Folder F32
Scope and Contents

Includes an index to letters (at the beginning of the copy book). Names beginning with the same initial letter are grouped together and the page numbers on which particular letter appear are indicated.

Physical Description

12 leaves (23 pp.) of index. 488 letters (298 leaves).

Scope and Contents

Includes 14 processes with numerous duplicates (autograph) of most of the process; probably of the type Dussauce sent as responses to inquires (see Series I.1). The various titles of manuscripts are arranged alphabetically. Length ranges from 1-20 pages.

Cocoa Oil Soap.
Box 5 Folder F33
Physical Description

4 copies (3 leaves each)

Different Manipulations to which is Submitted the Paste of Crude Soap to Transform It Into Toilet Soap.
Box 5 Folder F34-F36
Physical Description

3 copies (12 leaves each)

Essence of Soap.
Box 5 Folder F37
Physical Description

5 copies (2 leaves each)

Formulas to Perfume and Color Toilet Soaps.
Box 5 Folder F38
Scope and Contents

One copy is incomplete with pp. 3-5 only.

Physical Description

5 copies (4 copies with 5 pp. each and one copy with 3 pp.).

Gray Soap of Cocoa and Palm Oil.
Box 5 Folder F39
Physical Description

3 copies (1 leaf each).

Half Palm Oil or Half Palm Soap. Same text, but title varies.
Box 5 Folder F40-F42
Physical Description

3 copies (4 leaves each)

Light Soap.
Box 5 Folder F43
Physical Description

3 copies (1 leaf each)

Marble Soap: Preparation of the Lyes.
Box 5 Folder F44-F47
Physical Description

4 copies (number of leaves in each varies but the text is the same, 17 leaves, 19 leaves, 20 leaves, and 17 leaves)

Mixture of Essential Oil and Colors with Soap.
Box 5 Folder F48
Physical Description

One copy incomplete, p. 1 only. 5 copies (2 leaves each except 1 copy with 1 leaf)

Palm Oil Soap.
Box 5 Folder F49-F50
Physical Description

3 copies (4 leaves each)

Rose Soap.
Box 5 Folder F51
Physical Description

2 copies (1 leaf each)

Soap of Bone Tallow.
Box 6 Folder F52-F53
Physical Description

2 copies (number of leaves vary, but text is the same, 3 leaves and 4 leaves)

Soap of Oleic Acid.
Box 6 Folder F54-F57
Physical Description

4 copies (number of leaves vary, but text is the same, one copy with 15 leaves and 3 copies with 18 leaves).

Soap with Cocoa Oil.
Box 6 Folder F58
Physical Description

2 copies (3 leaves each)

Soap by the Cold Process.
Box 6 Folder F59
Physical Description

3 copies (7 leaves each)

Soft Soap.
Box 6 Folder F60
Physical Description

1 copy (10 leaves)

Tallow Soap.
Box 6 Folder F61-F62
Physical Description

2 copies (5 leaves each)

Toilet Soaps/White Soaps with Lard or Toilet Soaps with Lard/White Soaps with Lard.
Box 6 Folder F63-F65
Physical Description

3 copies (same text, 6 leaves each)

Transparent Soap.
Box 6 Folder F66-F71
Physical Description

6 copies (3 leaves each)

Utensils Requisite for a Soap Factory.
Box 6 Folder F72-F73
Physical Description

2 copies (10 leaves each)

White Soap with Olive Oil.
Box 6 Folder F74-F77
Scope and Contents

Same text but the number of leaves vary

Physical Description

4 copies (with 5 leaves) and 3 copies (with 4 leaves).

Yellow Soap of Cocoa and Palm Oil.
Box 6 Folder F78
Physical Description

3 copies (1 leaf each)

Yellow Soap of Tallow and Rosin or Family Soap.
Box 6 Folder F79
Physical Description

1 copy (9 leaves)

Cover for a portion of the soap-making receipts and miscellaneous drawings.
Box 6 Folder F80
Physical Description

3 items (2 leaves)

Includes extensive autograph notes between cut and pasted clippings of printed text .
Box 7 Folder F81
Scope and Contents

Changes portions or adds to the text

Physical Description

1 item (7 leaves)

Autograph on blue folio sheets.
Box 7 Folder F82-F83
Physical Description

Cover is in a separate folder. Multiple receipts are found on some leaves. Consists of hundreds of receipts. 88 leaves.

Scope and Contents

Possibly related to Dussauce's education.

Notebook with blue cover (with drawings on the back cover).
Box 7 Folder F84
Physical Description

1 item (88 pp.)

Notebook with green cover.
Box 7 Folder F85
Physical Description

1 item (80 pp.)

Chemical notes are possibly about dyes.
Box 8 Folder F86
Scope and Contents

Some of the notes are in French. A later owner of the notebook used it for storing clippings and patterns for knitting, crocheting and cross-stitch. In a number of cases the patterns are pasted over Dussauce's notes. The notebook bears evidence that numerous pages have been removed.

Physical Description

17 leaves of notes

Scope and Contents

Includes an incomplete treatise on glue-making and other fragments on inks, dyeing, tanning, vinegar, coffee and other topics. Part of the notes are in French.

De la Preparation...Oseigene.
Box 8 Folder F87
Physical Description

1 item (12 leaves)

Lubricating Greases.
Box 8 Folder F87
Physical Description

1 item (4 leaves)

Sanons Surfs.
Box 8 Folder F87
Physical Description

1 item (32 leaves)

Fabrication of Common Glue (missing p. 5-6).
Box 8 Folder F88
Physical Description

1 item (38 leaves)

Analyses of Coffee.
Box 8 Folder F88
Physical Description

1 item (4 leaves)

Assay of Vinegar.
Box 8 Folder F88
Physical Description

1 item (6 leaves)

Writing Fluid.
Box 8 Folder F88
Physical Description

1 item (17 leaves)

Bleaching of Lard Oil.
Box 8 Folder F89
Physical Description

1 item (1 leaf)

Lubricating Oils.
Box 8 Folder F89
Physical Description

1 item (6 leaves)

Operation for Taking the... .
Box 8 Folder F89
Physical Description

1 item (6 leaves)

Untitled & Incomplete.
Box 8 Folder F89
Physical Description

7 items (31 leaves)

Process with Malt...
Box 8 Folder F90
Physical Description

1 item (1 leaf)

Process to Harden and Purify tallow.
Box 8 Folder F90
Physical Description

1 item (2 leaves)

Washing blue with Prussian blue.
Box 8 Folder F90
Physical Description

1 item (1 leaf)

Dyeing with Saffron.
Box 8 Folder F90
Physical Description

1 item (4 leaves)

Soda and Salts of Soda.
Box 8 Folder F90
Physical Description

1 item (1 leaf)

Description of the Filter.
Box 8 Folder F90
Physical Description

1 item (1 leaf)

Untitled and Incomplete.
Box 8 Folder F90
Physical Description

7 items (12 leaves)

Drawings are unidentified but one includes a commentary about filters.
Box 8 Folder F91
Physical Description

4 items (4 leaves)

Autograph bound account book kept by Dussauce (with child's scribbling), 1866.
Box 9 Folder F92
Physical Description

17 leaves

Scope and Contents

Includes advertisements

Autograph drafts of some of Dussauce's various advertisements, business cards or other promotional material related to his Laboratory of Industrial Chemistry.
Box 9 Folder F93
Physical Description

Sheets are stitched together and a few clippings of the printed advertisements are pasted in. 1 item (10 leaves).

Scope and Contents

Includes articles, pamphlets, and promotional material.

"Ichthyo Guano, or Fish Manure. It's Advantages and Superiority over Peruvian Guano and other Artificial Manures." .
Box 9 Folder F94
Scope and Contents

(Hudson: Daily Register and Weekly Gazette Press, 1867).

Physical Description

1 item (10 pp.)

Scope and Contents

Two of the articles are continued in several issues

"Metallic Alloys.", Sept. 16, 1868 .
Box 9 Folder F95
Scope and Contents

Sept. 16, 1868 p. 149; Sept. 23, 1868 pp. 162-3; Sept. 30, 1868 pp. 178-179

Physical Description

5 leaves

"Beet Sugar", Oct. 7, 1868.
Box 9 Folder F95
Scope and Contents

Oct. 7, 1868 pp. 194-195; Oct. 14, 1868 p. 210; Oct. 21, 1868 pp. 226-227; Oct. 28, 1868 p. 246.

Physical Description

6 leaves

"Bleaching of Silk", Jan. 27, 1869.
Box 9 Folder F95
Scope and Contents

p. 58

Physical Description

1 leaf

"Colors Obtained from Copper", Feb. 10, 1869.
Box 9 Folder F95
Scope and Contents

p. 90.

Physical Description

1 leaf

Pamphlet. "Laboratory of Industrial Chemistry" .
Box 9 Folder F96
Scope and Contents

(Hudson: Office Gazette and Daily Register, 1869). Miniature pamphlet with a printed description of the prices and services of his laboratory.

Physical Description

1 item (15 pp.)

Leaflet. "New Process for Bleaching Wools and Cottons.".
Box 9 Folder F97
Scope and Contents

Promotional advertisement.

Physical Description

1 page each. 578 copies. 578 items (578 leaves).

Untitled item concerning the fabrication of vinegar (in the form of a printed letter), June 1867.
Box 9 Folder F98
Physical Description

1 item (1 leaf).

"Petroleum Oil Companies.".
Box 9 Folder F98
Physical Description

1 item (1 leaf)

Printed letter with envelope concerning his return from Europe and availability to accept work.
Box 9 Folder F98
Physical Description

1 item (1 leaf).

Blank Stationary for his Laboratory of Industrial Chemistry, 1868.
Box 9 Folder F99
Physical Description

12 leaves

Printed leaflet (letter-size). "The Works of Professor Dussauce".
Box 9 Folder F100
Scope and Contents

Philadelphia: Henry Carey Baird, [1868]). Lists various books by Dussauce and includes descriptions.

Scope and Contents

2 copies (2 leaves) 8 pp

Seven original engraved plates, 1860.
Box 10 Folder F101-F103
Scope and Contents

technical drawings or illustrations of work by Dussauce and one lead printing plate for the announcement of the opening of Dussauce's "Laboratory of Industrial Chemistry"

Physical Description

8 items

Includes the official appointment document signed by President Andrew Jackson and by William Seward, a cover letter from Seward which accompanied the appointment, Dussauce's business card as commissioner and an autograph cheque written in French, Typed Letter Signed 1866: Oct 10.
Box 10 Folder F104
Physical Description

4 items (4 leaves).

Citation to Dussauce , 1854: May 28.
Box 10 Folder F105
Scope and Contents

from the Societe Libre des Beaux-Arts. The Societe presented Dussauce with a bronze medal and this citation for his new Indian red vegetable dye.

Physical Description

1 item (1 leaf)

Scope and Contents

Autograph copies of patents involving various processes in which Dussauce was interested. Processes include sugar and syrup making; plating metal, aniline dyes, dyeing and colors, vinegar production and phosphate production

Patent 49586, 1865: August 22.
Box 11 Folder F106
Scope and Contents

DeGrasse and Herbert E. Fowler, "...Useful improvements in Tinning, Plating and Galvanizing Woodscrews.

Physical Description

1 item (9 leaves).

Patent 49749, 1865: September 5.
Box 11 Folder F107
Physical Description

Frederick W. Goessling, "Improved Process for Making Syrup and Sugar from Indian Corn or other Grain."

Patent 49750, 1865: September 5.
Box 11 Folder F108
Scope and Contents

Frederick W. Goessling, "Improved Method of Making Sugar from Indian Corn or Grain."

Scope and Contents

1 item (5 leaves).

Patent 49751, 1865: September 5.
Box 11 Folder F109
Scope and Contents

Frederick W. Goessling, "Improved Process for Making Syrup from Indian Corn or other Grain."

Physical Description

1 item (5 leaves)

Patent 49958, 1865: September 12.
Box 11 Folder F110
Scope and Contents

August Samuel Leopold Leonhardt, "Improved Method of Preparing Aniline Colors for Dyeing and Printing."

Physical Description

1 item (5 leaves)

Patent 50495, 1865: October 17.
Box 11 Folder F111
Scope and Contents

George H. Reed, "Improved Preparation and Manufacture of Dyes and Colors."

Physical Description

1 item (6 leaves).

Patent 83423, 1868: October 27.
Box 11 Folder F112
Scope and Contents

Henry A. Tilden, "Improvement in the Manufacture of Vinegar."

Physical Description

1 item (3 leaves)

Patent 71256, 1867: November 19.
Box 11 Folder F113
Scope and Contents

Charles P. Williams and George T. Lewis, "Improvement in the Manufacture of Phosphate of Soda and Other Products."

Physical Description

1 item (3 leaves)

Patent 61978, 1867: February 12.
Box 11 Folder F114
Scope and Contents

Harry P. Witbeck, "Improvement in the Manufacture of Vinegar."

Physical Description

1 item ( 1 leaf)

Two technical manuscripts and two folio illustrated litho-calligraphed prospectus regarding Goux's Public Toilet System and a plan for turning human waste into an odorless fertilizer.
Box 11 Folder F115
Scope and Contents

The autograph and printed material are in French. There are two letters from Dussauce to Goux in his copy book (Series I.4, Box 4)

Physical Description

4 items (18 pp.)

Scope and Contents

Includes periodicals, book dealers' catalogs, illustrations, a program and a drawing.

Printed Broadside.
Box 11 Folder F116
Scope and Contents

Conservatoire Imperial des Artes and Metiers. "Programme des Cours. dont l'Ouveture aura lieu Dimanche 20 Novembre 1853-1854."

Physical Description

1 item (1 leaf).

Unidentified ink and watercolor drawing of a technical illustration.
Box 11 Folder F117
Physical Description

1 item (1 leaf)

Unidentified autograph pencil seating arrangement for a dinner, on cardboard.
Box 11 Folder F118
Physical Description

1 item (1 leaf)

Scope and Contents

Two in English, three in French. Some bear autograph markings, perhaps by Dussauce.

Librarie Encyclopedique de Roret..., May 1868.
Box 11 Folder F119
Physical Description

1 item (70 pp.)

Bibliotheque des Professions Industrielles et Agricoles (Lacroix) Collection de Guides Pratiques..., March 1866.
Box 11 Folder F119
Physical Description

1 item (36 pp.)

Bibliotheque des Ingenieurs, des Architectes des chefs d'usines industrielles des eleves des ecoles Polytechnique et Professionnelles et des Agriculteurs...Lacroix.
Box 11 Folder F119
Physical Description

1 item (71 pp.)

Bailliere Brothers' third supplementary catalogue. Foreign & American Books, on Medicine, Anatomy, Surgery,.... , May 1864.
Box 11 Folder F119
Physical Description

1 item (18 pp.)

Bailliere Brothers' First Supplementary Catalogue of Recent Foreign Books on Medicine, Anatomy, Surgery, Physiology, etc.... .
Box 11 Folder F119
Physical Description

1 item (62 pp.)

Printed Material. Includes clippings, tear sheets and a business card.
Box 11 Folder F121
Scope and Contents

Business Card for Haseltina, Lake & Co., clippings of advertisements for books, clipping from a French newspaper, tear sheet of a technical drawing.

Physical Description

5 items (5 leaves).

Physical Description

4 issues

Two copies of Revue des Cours Scientifiques de la France et de l'etranger, 1866: January 27.
Box 11 Folder F122
Physical Description

2 items (16 pp. and 20 pp.).

Two copies of Bulletin de la Societe d'Encouragement pour l'Industrie Nationale, 1860: May and February.
Box 11 Folder F122
Physical Description

2 items (ca. 70 leaves each)

Unidentified Account Book. Autograph in bound leather book.
Box 11 Folder F123
Scope and Contents

Not in Dussauce's hand. Some pages are dated in the 1870s. Includes a receipt titled: "Treatment for Scarlet Fever."

Print, Suggest