The Xerox exhibit is a collection of rare items, representing the evolution of human written communication, from ink on prehistoric caves to engraved plaques on spacecraft heading beyond the solar system. The exhibit was on display in the lobby of Xerox world headquarters (Stamford, CT) from 1977-2007.

View the catalog (419 MB pdf).

exhibit catalog cover

Foreword

The planning for a newly constructed corporate headquarters of Xerox started in

  1. Management decided to authorize collection of objects that would represent the evolution of human efforts to communicate in writing. It would be in this context that we would illustrate the advances in the written message to Xerox employees and to headquarters visitors.

The Xerox exhibit was assembled entirely by Xerox personnel, led by Paul A. Strassmann. A list of desired objects was compiled based on a book published on the occasion of the 500th anniversary of the invention of printing, Hendrick D.L. Vervliet’s (editor) “The Book Through Five Thousand Years” (Phaidon, 1972). A desired list was circulated to foremost dealers in rare books as well as to the General Managers of Xerox subsidiaries who would be expected to contribute objects representing their countries.

Collection of the exhibit started in 1977, with the objective of placing items in custom-made climate controlled cases in the lobby of Xerox headquarters. Objects were acquired from diverse sources including a few donations. A few gaps in the collection were filled with loans from museums. These loans have been now returned but are nevertheless included in this catalogue as facsimile copies to complete the historical sequence.

On November 1, 2007 Xerox decided to move to a more modest location. Strassmann was recalled from retirement to oversee the placement of the entire Xerox collection under terms to be settled by negotiation. We are offering the collection as a set, not as individual pieces.

The enclosed catalogue illustrates the entire collection, with text contributed by Prof. Alvin Eisenman from Yale University.