Leo P. Bott, Jr. was born in 1897 to Leo and Linnie Bott, who owned a “Sweet Shop” at Third and Main Streets in Little Rock. During World War I, Bott wrote a column for the newspaper at Camp Pike, which is now Camp Robinson. In 1917, he founded Bott Advertising and remained in that field of work until his retirement in 1986.
In the 1920’s, Mr. Bott made several trips to Alaska, and from his agency he produced some of the earliest tourism and promotional materials for Alaska Territory.
Mr. Bott moved his business to Chicago in the 1930’s and remained there until his retirement. He received much recognition for his ideas on direct mail advertising. Some of his letters were published in instructional manuals on the subject. He is also know for his articles and short stories, which have appeared in many magazines.
Mr. Bott died in 1987. His wife, Hannah Bott, survives him. The bulk of this collection consists of examples of his advertising and articles written by Mr. Bott. There are also samples of his creative writings and some of his materials concerning Alaska. Most of the collection spans the years 1920-1950.
Note: When requesting these materials, please specify the collection number (M88-6), the box number, and file number.
Tracings: Bott Jr., Leo P.; Leo P. Bott Jr.; Cities and Towns – Little Rock; Writers, Advertising; Business Letters that Click compiled by the Editors of Printer’s Ink; Effective Business English by Alta Gwinn Saunders; Business Letters that turn inquiries into Sales by Ferd Nauheim; 200 Best sales and promotion letters, The National Research Bureau Inc.; The Dartnell Collection of 250 Tested Sales Letters; 250 successful sales and promotion letters
Box 1
File 1 – Biographical, newspaper article in the Arkansas Gazette (Jun. 14, 1987)
File 2 – Advertising Samples (1923-1939)
File 3 – Advertising Samples (1945-1954)
File 4 – Advertising Samples (1955-1976)
File 5 – Advertising Samples (undated)
File 6 – Advertising Samples (undated)
File 7 – Advertising Samples (undated)
File 8 – Advertising Samples (undated)
File 9 – “McIlhenny’s Tabasco Sauce Recipes” recipe book (15 pages) – New Iberia, LA (1926) & published advertising by Leo Bott
File 10- Published articles on Advertising by Leo Bott (1926-1947)
File 11- Published articles on Advertising by Leo Bott (1948-1960)
File 12- Published materials on Advertising by Leo Bott (1961-1968 & undated)
File 13- Correspondence regarding advertising (1923-1967 & undated)
File 14- Alaskan promotion correspondence (1923-1947 & undated)
File 15- Alaskan promotion printed matter (1924-1933 & undated)
File 16- Newspaper articles concerning Leo Bott and Alaska (1924-1930)
File 17- Creative writing and published articles (1914-1935)
File 18- Creative writing and published articles (1936-1966 & undated)
End of Box 1
Box 2
File 1 – Creative writings, liberty articles and correspondences (1928-1929)
File 2 – Creative writings, system magazine correspondence (1917-1930)
File 3 – Correspondence with publishers (1918-1936)
File 4 – Bott as “Jerry Miah” in the “Spinal Column” (Dec. 1936 – Jun. 1937)
File 5 – Bott as “Jerry Miah” in the “Spinal Column” (Jul. 1937 – Jun. 1939)
File 6 – Bott as “Jerry Miah” in the “Spinal Column” (Jul. 1939 – Dec. 1944)
File 7 – Christmas Cards
File 8 – Civic Organizations Materials (1922-1951)
File 9 – Business Letters that Click compiled by the Editors of Printer’s Ink (c. 1948)
File 10- Effective Business English by Alta Gwinn Saunders (c. 1949)
File 11- Business Letters that turn inquiries into Sales by Ferd Nauheim (c. 1957)
File 12- 200 Best sales and promotion letters, The National Research Bureau Inc. (c. 1954)
File 13- The Dartnell Collection of 250 Tested Sales Letters (c. 1964)
File 14- 250 successful sales and promotion letters (undated)
End of Box 2
End of Collection