This series contains samples of various interior design materials received by William Pahlmann Associates between 1946 and 1976. Most of the samples were received directly from the manufacturers, but a significant portion of them were obtained through distributors. A majority of the manufacturers represented by these samples were based in the New York City metropolitan area, but William Pahlmann Associates also received samples from manufacturers and distributors throughout the United States and overseas. It appears that most of the samples in this series were requested by William Pahlmann Associates, but it also appears that some of them were sent to the firm without solicitation.

The samples in this series are representative of the various materials William Pahlmann Associates used and/or had access to for its interior design projects. A handful of samples are identified as examples of materials actually used by William Pahlmann Associates for specific clients. This series also contains a few samples of materials that were designed by William Pahlmann himself.

The contents of the Samples Series provide a large amount of information about the interior design and business practices of William Pahlmann Associates. The samples reveal that William Pahlmann Associates used high end interior design materials to satisfy the demands of its affluent clientele. They also shed light on which manufacturers and products were favored by the firm. Price lists accompanying some of the samples highlight the difference between the wholesale and retail market for interior design materials. Interior design firms like William Pahlmann Associates benefited from bulk rates on materials that the average consumer could not obtain.

Researchers should note that samples also exist in other series, particularly the "Clients' Working Files."