The Potter and Mellen, Inc. Records, 1923-ca. 1990s and undated, consist of customer ledger books and giftware directories.
This collection will be useful to researchers studying the history of business, entrepreneurship, and jewelry design and sales in Cleveland, Ohio, during the 1920s and 1930s. The customer ledger books provide a comprehensive view of the customer base of Potter and Mellen, Inc., including wealthy individuals in northeast Ohio and on a national level. The customer ledger books also provide a listing of companies and businesses in northeast Ohio and nationally that ordered jewelry from Potter and Mellen. The giftware directories provide information on the types of specialized gifts sold at Potter and Mellen after Ellen Stirn purchased the Potter and Mellen in 1989, and the companies she represented in the store.