Tape from the travel wardrobe trunk used by Cab Calloway: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

A roll of Mystik Gift Wrap Tape from the travel wardrobe trunk used by Cab Calloway. The roll of cloth tape is inside partially torn, clear, cellophane packaging. The packaging is primarily yellowed clear cellophane. Printed on the front is a graphic that features a large, orange, center circle ringed with white and black concentric circles. Printed inside the orange circle are two banners: a black banner with white printed text that reads [MYSTIK / TAPE] and a white banner below with orange text printed inside that reads [? SELF-STIK / ? CLOTH]. Printed below the white banner is the price, [15¢], in black ink. Black text printed along the top edge of the orange circle reads [SEALS ? REPAIRS ? DECORATES] at the top and [MYSTIK ADHESIVE PRODUCTS CHI[---?]. A white ring around the center orange circle features black text that reads [? PLASTIC COATED ?] at the top, and [WASHABLE ? ASSORTED COLORS] at the bottom. The back of the packaging has a stamped, black rectangle at the center with [115R] printed below. Inside the cellophane packaging is the black cloth tape nestled inside a small, square, cardboard backing. The tape is mounted on a white cardboard spool with repeating green text printed on the spool’s interior that reads [Made in U.S.A. / MYSTIK ADHESIVE / CHICAGO 39, ILLINOIS] and [MYSTIK ® TAPE / BRAND]. The backing features light green text and illustrations of the various uses of the tape. The top and bottom of the backing have been folded up to protect the tape. Printed on the light green exterior of these tabs is white text that reads [MYSTIK GIFT WRAP TAPE / SEALS ? TRIMS ? DECORATES] on one side, and [MYSTIK / GIFT WRAP TAPE / [---?] x 108”] and [? SELF-STIK / ? WASHABLE / ? CLOTH] on the other.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: before 1980
• Manufactured by: Mystik Adhesive Products, Inc., American
• Owned by: Cab Calloway, American, 1907 - 1994
• Type: tapes (binding components)
• Medium: pressure-sensitive tape on cardboard with plastic
• Dimensions: H x W x D: 2 1/4 × 2 5/16 × 9/16 in. (5.7 × 5.9 × 1.5 cm)
• Place made: Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Band (Music)
• Topic: Clothing and dress
• Topic: Conductors (Musicians)
• Topic: Costume
• Topic: Entertainers
• Topic: Jazz (Music)
• Topic: Singers (Musicians)
• Object number: A2015.273.1.1.40
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Cabella Calloway Langsam
• Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The underlying object's rights statement is: No known copyright restrictions Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.