Records, 1894-1993
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Records, 1894-1993 Finding aid prepared by Smithsonian Institution Archives Smithsonian Institution Archives Washington, D.C. Contact us at [email protected] Table of Contents Collection Overview ........................................................................................................ 1 Administrative Information .............................................................................................. 1 Historical Note.................................................................................................................. 1 Descriptive Entry.............................................................................................................. 2 Names and Subjects ...................................................................................................... 2 Container Listing ............................................................................................................. 4 Records https://siarchives.si.edu/collections/siris_arc_217143 Collection Overview Repository: Smithsonian Institution Archives, Washington, D.C., [email protected] Title: Records Identifier: Record Unit 580 Date: 1894-1993 Extent: 10 cu. ft. (10 record storage boxes) Creator:: National Postal Museum Language: English Administrative Information Prefered Citation Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 580, National Postal Museum, Records Historical Note The philatelic collections date back to 1887, when Spencer F. Baird bequeathed his personal stamp collection to the Institution. The stamps were placed in the custody of A. Howard Clark, Curator of the Section of Historical Relics, United States National Museum (USNM). The collections then fell under various successor units: the Section of Historical Collections (1889-1897), the Division of History and Biography, Department of Anthropology (1897-1904), and the Division of History (1904-1948). In 1908, David W. Cromwell, a well-known New York philatelist, began making a series of donations to the Smithsonian Institution, which by 1915 housed some twenty thousand United States and foreign postage stamps. These stamps, as well as Baird's collection and others acquired by the Division over the years, were placed on display at the Arts and Industries Building. In 1911, the Post Office Department began transferring to the USNM holdings of stamps and related objects from its Postal Museum. This collection eventually amounted to some two hundred thousand items, mostly consisting of domestic and foreign stamps, envelopes, and postal cards as well as albums of models, photographs of Post Office facilities, and die proofs. The Post Office Department agreed to make periodic transfers of United States issues and foreign stamps to the Smithsonian, to insure the continual growth of what became known as the National Postage Stamp Collection. From 1913 to 1921, Joseph B. Leavy served as the first Philatelist of the Collection. The Collection was organized as the Section of Philately in the Division of History through 1947, and became the Division of Philately in the new Department of History in 1948. In 1957, the Division was renamed Philately and Postal History (changing again to Postal History in 1969). It was affiliated with the Departments of Civil History, 1957-1968, Applied Arts, 1969-1977, and National History, 1978-1979, as a result of museum reorganizations. In 1980, the Division was organized as the National Philatelic Collection (NPC) in the National Museum of American History, reporting to the Director. A decade later, in 1990, the National Philatelic Collection became the National Postal Museum (NPM). Page 1 of 22 Records https://siarchives.si.edu/collections/siris_arc_217143 Curators at the National Postal Museum research the history of the American postal system and collect American postage, special stamp editions of famous individuals or subjects, postal stationery, Post Office equipment and uniforms, and foreign stamps primarily for what they show about American history. Curators and staff included Joseph B. Leavy, Philatelist, 1913-1921; Catherine L. Manning, Philatelist, 1921-1943, Assistant Curator of Philately, 1944-1951; Franklin R. Bruns, Jr., Assistant Curator of Philately, 1951, Associate Curator in charge, 1952-1957, Associate Curator, 1971-1977, and Supervisor, 1978-1979; Francis J. McCall, Assistant Curator of Philately, 1957, Acting Curator, 1958, Associate Curator, 1959-1963; George T. Turner, Acting Curator of Philately, 1959-1961, and Associate Curator, 1962; Richard H. Howland, Acting Curator of Philately, 1962-1963; Carl H. Scheele, Assistant Curator of Philately, 1960-1963, Acting Curator, 1964-1968, Associate Curator, 1969, Curator in charge, 1970-1977; Reidar Norby, Assistant Curator of Philately, 1969, Associate Curator, 1970-1983, Curator, 1984-1988; Robert G. Tillotson, Executive Director of the National Philatelic Collection, 1980-1982; Herbert R. Collins, Executive Director of the National Philatelic Collection, 1982-1990, Director of the National Postal Museum, 1990; and James R. Bruns, Curator, 1984-1989, and Deputy Executive Director, 1990, of the National Philatelic Collection, and Acting Director of the National Postal Museum, 1991- . Descriptive Entry These records consist of staff correspondence and memoranda of the National Postal Museum and its predecessors; early photographs of exhibitions; planning information for the Hall of Philately; newspaper clippings, articles, and research files documenting the origin and extensive history of the National Postal Museum; proposals, preliminary contracts, minutes of meetings, and blueprints for a National Postal Museum; and administrative files. Names and Subject Terms This collection is indexed in the online catalog of the Smithsonian Institution under the following terms: Subjects: Museum exhibits Postal museums Stamp collecting Types of Materials: Architectural drawings Black-and-white photographs Clippings Manuscripts Names: Arts and Industries Building (Washington, D.C.) Baird, Spencer Fullerton, 1823-1887 Bruns, Franklin R., Jr. Bruns, James H. Clark, A. Howard Collins, Herbert Ridgeway, 1932- Cromwell, David W. Howland, Richard Hubbard Leavy, Joseph Britton, 1872-1921 Page 2 of 22 Records https://siarchives.si.edu/collections/siris_arc_217143 Manning, Catherine L. McCall, Francis J. Museum of History and Technology (U.S.). Department of Civil History Museum of History and Technology (U.S.). Division of Philately and Postal History National Museum of American History (U.S.). Hall of Philately National Museum of American History (U.S.). National Philatelic Collection National Museum of History and Technology (U.S.). Department of Applied Arts National Museum of History and Technology (U.S.). Department of National History National Museum of History and Technology (U.S.). Division of Postal History National Postage Stamp Collection National Postal Museum (U.S.) Norby, Reidar Scheele, Carl H. Tillotson, Robert G. Turner, George T. United States National Museum. Department of Anthropology United States National Museum. Department of History United States National Museum. Division of History United States National Museum. Division of History and Biography United States National Museum. Division of Philately United States National Museum. Section of Historical Collections United States National Museum. Section of Historical Relics United States. Post Office Department Page 3 of 22 Records https://siarchives.si.edu/collections/siris_arc_217143 Container Listing Box 1 Box 1 of 10 A-Z, 1960-1961 (24 folders) Box 1 of 10 Allegheny Airlines - Peter D. Brennan Box 1 of 10 ASDA Show Box 1 of 10 Bradbury, A. G. & Harwood, R. K. Box 1 of 10 Avv. Prof. Federico Bigi, Republica di San Marino Box 1 of 10 L. W. Christenson Box 1 of 10 Curtice, Kolbe Box 1 of 10 Mrs. B. Larocque-Demers Box 1 of 10 des Grange, Mrs. Jane Box 1 of 10 Elbe File & Binder Company Box 1 of 10 Fidelma, Sister M Box 1 of 10 Graham, Richard B. Box 1 of 10 Ghana Philatelic Agency, Ltd. Box 1 of 10 Heinmuller, John P. V. Box 1 of 10 H. E. Harris & Company (Lindstrom, Richard, Esq.) Box 1 of 10 Homan Krassa Company, Inc. Box 1 of 10 Hart, Milton Box 1 of 10 National Highway Post Office Society Box 1 of 10 Government Service Plan Page 4 of 22 Records https://siarchives.si.edu/collections/siris_arc_217143 Box 1 of 10 Inventory Box 1 of 10 Labor Department - O. L. Harvey Box 1 of 10 Lehmann, Manford Box 1 of 10 Library Box 1 of 10 McCall, Francis J. Box 1 of 10 Dr. Garvan Box 1 of 10 Dr. Richard H. Howland Box 1 of 10 The Registrar Box 1 of 10 Mr. McCall Box 1 of 10 Dr. Carmichael Box 1 of 10 Mr. Taylor Box 1 of 10 Dr. Kellogg Box 1 of 10 Oehser, Paul H. Box 1 of 10 Peryton, Bernard Box 1 of 10 Mr. Ruhoff Box 1 of 10 Mr. McCall Box 1 of 10 Other S. I. Personnel Box 1 of 10 Personnel - Joseph B. Leavy, 1915-1921 Box 1 of 10 Personnel - Mrs. Manning Box 1 of 10 McCall, Francis J. Box 1 of 10 Press Release, 1961 Box 1 of 10 Skottowe Lists Page 5 of 22 Records https://siarchives.si.edu/collections/siris_arc_217143 Box 1 of 10 Sardine Council, Maine Box 1 of 10 Shipping Orders Box 1 of 10 Simpler, Albert A. Box 1 of 10 Smith, Waddell F., Pony Express Box 1 of 10 Snider, Harry H. Box 1 of 10 Travel - Trips - Mr. Scheele Box 1 of 10 Inverted Air Mail Stamp Box 1 of 10 Ward, Phillip H., Jr. Box 1 of 10 Wilhelm, A. H. Estate Box 1 of 10 Regular Correspondence, 1933 Box 1 of 10 Official Correspondence, 1937-1939 Box 1 of 10 Correspondence, 1934 Box 2 FY 1958-FY 1960 Box 2 of 10 A Box 2 of 10 B Box 2 of 10 C Box 2 of 10 D (3 folders) Box 2 of 10 E Box 2 of 10 F Box 2 of 10 G (2 folders) Page 6 of 22 Records https://siarchives.si.edu/collections/siris_arc_217143 Box 2 of 10 H Box 2 of 10 J Box 2 of 10 K Box 2 of 10 L Box 2 of 10 M Box 2 of 10 Mc Box 2 of 10 N Box 2 of 10 O Box 2 of 10 P Box 2 of 10 R Box 2 of 10 S Box 2 of 10 T Box 2 of 10 U Box 2 of 10 V Box 2 of 10 W Box 2 of 10 Y Box 2 of 10 Mr. Bruns Box 2 of 10 Broadcasts Box 2 of 10 Condemnation Committee Box 2 of 10 Contests Box 2 of 10 Exchanges Box 2 of 10 Judge Harlan Papers Page 7 of 22 Records https://siarchives.si.edu/collections/siris_arc_217143 Box 2 of 10 Heinmuller, John P.