Fascinating lot of 6 pieces of original 1930s inventor and patent-related direct mail ephemera associated with Fred Prosch of Vancouver, Washington.
The group spans approximately 1933 through 1938 and includes material relating to the National Inventors Congress, patent services, inventor meetings, exhibitions, and promotional events.
Among the pieces is a July 19, 1933 typed patent-service solicitation from Washington, D.C. referencing the difficult economic conditions of the Depression and offering preparation of a complete patent application for a simple invention for $15.
Other pieces advertise or reference events including:
- National Inventors Congress
- Minneapolis, Minnesota events and meetings
- Inventors Pre-Congress Rally at the Hotel Radisson
- Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Chicago New Ideas / New Inventions & New Products exhibition at the Hotel Stevens
Postmarks visible include dates from 1935, 1936, and 1938, with locations including Minneapolis, Grand Rapids, and Chicago.
The pieces were found together and appear to have been mailed to or retained by Fred Prosch of Vancouver, Washington. I have not been able to confirm whether Prosch himself held a patent, so no claim is being made that he was an inventor. However, the repeated inventor-related correspondence makes this an intriguing little archive of Depression-era American invention culture.
Condition
- Vintage condition with expected age toning, handling wear, light spots, marks, and edge/corner wear.
- Several pieces are postally used with original postmarks and addressing.
- Printing and typography remain quite readable and display well.
- Please review photos closely for individual condition.
From patent dreams to inventor conventions, this little group captures the wonderfully optimistic side of Depression-era entrepreneurship. Browse our other vintage letters, advertising pieces, photographs, and paper ephemera for more unusual slices of everyday history.
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