SOUTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES
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Briggs Library Special Collections
Vera Way Marghab collection
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COLLECTION SUMMARY Title: Vera Way Marghab collection Dates: 1923-1985, [n.d.] (bulk 1933-1979) Creator: Vera Way Marghab Physical description: 25.22 linear feet—25 containers Collection number: MA 25 Language: Collection material in English. Repository: South Dakota State University Archives, Hilton M. Briggs Library, South Dakota State University, Brookings, S.D. Abstract: Collection is composed of business records, personal records and photographs. ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION Provenance: This material was donated to the library by D.J. Cline, Vera Way Marghab's biographer. The material was left to the Vera Way Marghab Trust, which was administered by D.J. Cline, Kenneth B. Way and Marion S. Pierpont upon Vera's death. D.J. Cline used much of the material for her biography of Vera, and she retained it until its completion and subsequent publication. She was given permission by the trust to donate materials to the archives in 1998. After attempting a rudimentary sort of the material, D.J. donated it to the archives in 1999. Access Restrictions: This collection is closed until one year after it is fully processed. This collection is housed at an off-site facility. Requests to view this material must be made at least 24 hours in advance. Copyright Status: Copyright 2008 by South Dakota State University and SDSU Archives. Please credit the SDSU Archives if you copy or reproduce material from this finding aid. It is the responsibility of anyone reproducing material to determine the copyright holders and obtain permission from them if necessary. Archives staff will provide available copyright information on request. Please note that most collections, especially those received before 1997, may not have complete information on file. (Revised 15 SEP 2003) Preferred Citation: [identification of item]. Vera Way Marghab collection, MA 25, South Dakota State University Archives, South Dakota State University, Brookings, S. D. Processing Information: This collection was processed by Crystal J. Gamradt and Elizabeth B. Scott on 8 February 2000. SELECTED SEARCH TERMS The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the subject guide. They are grouped by name of person or organization, by subject or location, and by occupation and listed alphabetically therein. Names:
Subjects:
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BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE Vera Way Marghab was co-founder and president of Emile Marghab Inc., New York, and Marghab, Ltd., Madeira. This business produced linens designed by Mrs. Marghab and embroidered by skilled artisans in Madeira. She was born to Stitzel X. Way and Kathryn Bacon Way on August 21, 1900 in Wesley, Iowa. Begun in 1934 by Mrs. Marghab and her husband, Emile, the business sold linens exclusively in fine shops around the world. After Mr. Marghab's death in 1947, Mrs. Marghab managed the business alone until the political situation in Madeira forced her to close in 1984. Shortly thereafter, she returned to Watertown, S.D. where she expanded her childhood home "Wayland" on Lake Kampeska, and settled into the community. In 1921, Emile Mogabgab, a British subject and native of Cyprus, began to manage the L. Tweel Importing Co. House, a manufacturer and importer of hand embroideries in Funchal, Madeira. After a brief stint with this company, Emile moved to F. M. Jabara & Bros., another embroidery firm in Funchal. Eventually, Emile and a friend, Gabriel Farra, organized a new business called Farra and Mogabgab Ltd., manufacturers of fine embroidery. The business operated in connection with the Jabara Company. In 1930, they leased the factory from Jabara and began to operate the business independently. By this time, they had buyers in England and in New York with Syrian-run firms and other importers. After Vera Way and Emile Marghab (Emile changed his name from Mogabgab at the insistence of Vera) were married in 1931, Emile's business began a period of healthy growth. The newly married couple began to live part of the year in Madeira. Vera began to show interest in Emile's business with ideas for management and production. By 1933, Gabriel Farra decided to sell his interest in the business. Emile took Vera on as a partner, and Vera and Emile immediately undertook a wide range of improvements. The new company, now called Marghab Ltd., began to expand and improve its business. Emile and Vera attempted to raise the standard of the linens by purchasing the finest quality linen possible. Irish weavers provided linens that lived up to Marghab quality. Fine linen was not enough, however, so Vera and Emile also embarked on a quest to find a new fabric that would work well. The result was Margandie, a fabric patented by the Marghab Company. It was designed by Swiss weavers and made of the finest Egyptian cotton. Vera Marghab was interested not only in the fabric, but also in the designs on the linens. Madeira embroiderers were held to exacting standards while embroidering designs created by Vera. Designs were repeated year after year to form a collection, an innovation of which Marghab, Ltd. was very proud. This was unheard of in the industry at the time, and helped set Marghab apart from other linen companies. Another important improvement of the new company was the opening of a U.S. branch in 1934. Located in New York City, Emile Marghab Inc. began to work extensively on marketing the products produced in Madeira. The marketing of Marghab linens was the most distinctive feature of the business. Instead of offering the linens for sale in any shop that wished them, Vera devised a plan of creating Marghab Shops within certain larger stores. Stores chosen to house Marghab Shops had to adhere to strict standards, and agreed not to alter the very precise policy of the Marghab Shops. Among a number of strict guidelines, this policy included plans for shop layout and rules governing the display of linens. All shops were under the direction of a shop manager, personally trained by Vera Marghab. The special plan for marketing the linens did not end with the establishment of the shops. All advertising was strictly limited as well. Shops could not advertise without prior approval of Vera. Standards for all aspects of the marketing were extremely high and under the iron hand of Vera. The strict monitoring of the business maintained the high quality of the Marghab product and somewhat improved the business by 1947, when Emile Marghab passed away. At that time, the Board of Directors, with Vera Marghab at the helm, decided to continue the businesses. Vera continued to exercise utter control over all aspects of the business, especially the design and marketing of materials. The Marghab business peaked around the time of Emile's death in 1947. After his death, the business started a gradual decline and the number of shops carrying Marghab linens slowly dropped off. Attitudes toward formal linens were changing, and the strict adherence to Marghab rules led to a decline in the shops. In addition, the Madeira embroidery guild, the (Gremio) made increasing demands that Vera found difficult to accept. Finally, by the late 1970's, these changes, coupled with political events in Portugal and Madeira, forced Vera to close the business and leave Madeira. Both businesses were fully dissolved by 1984. Marghab linens, unsurpassed in quality, were world-famous. Many of the designs were used in palaces and embassies. Several are in the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. A complete collection, 1,918 pieces and 282 designs, is in the South Dakota Art Museum in Brookings, S.D. Related Material: Cline, D. J., Perfection, never less : the Vera Way Marghab story, Brookings, S.D. : South Dakota Art Museum, 1998. TS1725.C54 1998 Hass, Nancy J. and Lisa Rae Lindell, Marghab rare book collection : Hilton M. Briggs Library, Brookings, S.D. : Hilton M. Briggs Library, South Dakota State University, 1996. Z1029.M37 1996 South Dakota Memorial Art Center. Marghab Gallery, Ideals wrought in linen : the story of Marghab, Brookings, S.D. : Marghab Gallery, South Dakota Memorial Art Center, South Dakota State University, [1970]. NK9201.B7 S6 SCOPE and CONTENTS NOTE This collection encompasses the entire life of Vera Way Marghab. It documents her life before meeting Emile Marghab, including her childhood in South Dakota and her life as a piano student in New York City. Correspondence with her suitors, including her eventual husband Emile, is also included. While the bulk of the collection is related to her personal life, Vera's work at the helm of the Marghab companies is also represented, as are the official records of the businesses. Vera kept copious written records throughout her life, and much of that material is found in this collection. Her personal and business lives were closely related, and this collection represents that, although the material has been divided into logical, manageable parts. Due to the size of this collection, a decision was made to separate it into logical sub-groups while striving to maintain original order: Business records, Personal records, and Photographs. The Business records subgroup (MA 25.1) is composed of ten subseries: Beginnings, Closing, Correspondence, Design, Emile Marghab, Inc. Emile Marghab, Ltd., Employees, Financial, Marketing, and Shops. Material in this portion of the collection relates to all aspects of the business, official and unofficial, for the companies Emile Marghab, Inc. and Emile Marghab, Ltd. The Personal records subgroup (MA 25.2) is not yet processed and is available to researchers. The Photographs subgroup (MA 25.3) is not yet processed and is available to researchers. ARRANGEMENT of the PAPERS This collection is arranged into three series: Business records, Personal records, and Photographs SERIES I: BUSINESS RECORDS, 1923-1985, [n.d.] (bulk 1933-1979) This series relates to all aspects of the Marghab business official and unofficial, for the companies Emile Marghab, Inc. and Emile Marghab, Ltd. and is arranged into ten sub-series: Beginnings, Closing, Correspondence, Design, Emile Marghab, Inc., Emile Marghab, Ltd., Employees, Financial, Marketing, and Shops. Beginnings, 1923-1941, [n.d.] This series is composed of the official and unofficial records for the beginnings of Emile Marghab, Inc. and Emile Marghab, Ltd. Folder contain unofficial records such as correspondence between Emile, Vera and other important figures involved in the structuring of Emile Marghab, Inc. and Emile Marghab, Ltd. Also included are clippings, incorporation papers, and notes on the initial years at Marghab. Folders are arranged in chronological order. Box 1.
Closing, 1961-1984, [n.d.] This series is composed of official and unofficial records dealing with the closing of Emile Marghab, Inc. and Emile Marghab, Ltd. Folders contain correspondence, employee contracts, power of attorney, shipping lists and travel expenses. The bulk of the material deals with the final disposition of the property in Madeira. Items of interest include notes on liquidation, clippings of the revolution in Portugal, and Vera's notes on the revolution and its affects on Marghab. Folders are arranged in chronological order. Box 2.
Box 3.
Correspondence, 1961-1984, [n.d.] This series is composed of composed of correspondence dealing the Marghab businesses. Folders contain general correspondence with business associates, telegrams, letters to and from private customers, and Vera's correspondence with Helen Moore. Ms. Moore was a shop manager whose job performance closely matched the ideals of Marghab. The bulk of the material is between Vera Marghab and business associates, although some of the material is from or to friends. Since Vera devoted little time to things apart from her business interests, most of the seemingly personal correspondence actually relates to the business. Much of this material is very fragile, especially items preceding 1950. In order to view certain items, assistance by a staff member may be necessary. Folders are arranged alphabetically and thereunder chronologically. Box 3.
Box 4.
Box 5.
Box 6.
Box 7.
Box 8.
Box 9.
Box 10.
Box 11.
Design, 1937-1979, [n.d.] This series is composed of materials dealing with many aspects the Marghab design process. There are several items dealing with copyrights and trademarks. Among these are records on the design process for trademark names used for Marghab materials, such as Margandie and Marlace. The legal aspect of Marghab designs is represented as well. Included in this series is a private code for use in correspondence, mainly telegrams, to prevent other firms from stealing Marghab designs and concepts. Written descriptions of designs also appear. Of particular note in this series is material dealing with the Mayflower cloth. This design was a tablecloth designed especially for the Mayflower II voyage from England to Plymouth, Mass. in 1957. This material includes clippings and correspondence. The clippings consist of newspaper and magazine articles about the voyage of the Mayflower II and the cloth designed by Vera Way Marghab for this voyage. There are also some articles and advertisements for display of the cloth at various locations throughout the United States. The correspondence includes material from 1957 dealing with the design, and transportation of the cloth to the ship and material from 1969 when the cloth was on exhibit at the World's Fair in Australia. Folders are arranged alphabetical order Box 11.
Box 12.
Box 22.
Emile Marghab, Inc., 1934-1970 This series is composed of records from the New York side of the Marghab business. These records are from the administrative side of the business, including by-laws, stockholders, and the board of directors. Folders contain are minutes of annual stockholders and board of directors meetings, an early background of the company, by-laws, stock certificates and president's reports. The president's reports highlight developments in the history of the business in both New York and Madeira. Folders are arranged alphabetical order Box 12.
Box 22 .
Emile Marghab, Ltd. 1933-1977 This series is composed of records from the Madeira side of the Marghab business. The records deal mainly with the factory, shipping, and the tourist trade in Madeira. Folders contain correspondence, information from Madeira social events, material on ambassador visits, legal documents, and materials on business with the U.S. Navy. Also included are architectural plans of Casa Marghab, the factory in Madeira. An item of note is a file on a cruise ship, the Monte Brazile, which transported Marghab linens. There was a fire on board, which caused damage to the Marghab linens. Folders are arranged alphabetical order. Box 12.
Box 13.
Employees, 1936-1976 This series is composed of material related to the employees of Marghab. Folders contain material on individual employees who corresponded with Mrs. Marghab or with whom there were problems. Also included are notes on the need for new employees, dismissals, and pensions. Folders are arranged alphabetical order. Box 13
Financial, 1926-1985 This series is composed of material related to the finances of the Marghab business. Folders contain balance sheets, cash receipts, accountant reports, payroll information, and tax records. Also included are files dealing with legal issues affecting the business, which includes embezzlement. Folders are arranged alphabetical order. Box 13
Box 14.
Box 22.
Box 24.
Box 25.
Marketing, 1935-1979, [n.d.] This series is composed of material dealing with the unique plan for marketing Marghab linens. Folders contain advertisements for Marghab and other linens, price books, a guide to ticketing, and the Marghab policy that was sent to all shop managers. The policy includes several revisions made throughout the years. An item of note is a folder on problems that occurred due to the Marghab policy and high standards. Also included are several Christmas folders, another innovation of Marghab marketing. Folders are arranged alphabetical order. Box 15.
Box 16.
Box 23.
Shops, 1935-1980, [n.d.] This series is composed of correspondence between Vera and shop managers at the numerous shops throughout the United States and the world. Folders contain correspondence from shops that Vera Marghab would not allow to carry Marghab linens. Notes on the possibility of Vera and Emile opening their own shop also appear. Items of interest include reports of visits to shops by the Marghab's and studies of shop design. A few invoices were retained as a sample of the types of orders shops made, but the bulk was discarded. Folders are arranged alphabetical order. Box 16.
Box 17.
Box 18.
Box 19.
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