ARF photo prints and negatives, 1951-1964
Negatives and contact prints of black and white images documenting scientists and research projects of Armour Research Foundation (later, IITRI).
- Negatives are 2¼" sq. and 4x5" and are housed in paper envelopes with numbers corresponding to the images in the index list below. Negatives also have an inventory number (3 or 4 digits) which is different from that on the envelope. This appears to be a earlier numbering system, probably consecutive numbers in chronological order by the date of the photo; e.g., A-2715 = 869 which was taken April 1956. The register of negatives (catalogued as IIT Archives Accession No. 1998.225) as originally found is as follows (Note that not all negatives were found. Location of the remaining negatives is unknown.), but as of April 27, 2008, the negatives have all been put into alpha-numeric order. They are stored in five boxes as follows: Box 1 A2611 to A2886Box 2 A2887 to B3291Box 3 C2200 to D2490Box 4 D2491 to G3739 Box 5 G3740 to K4029. Original Register of Negatives in Acc. No. 1998.192Tab Numbers on paper envelope2000 E-2000 to E-2099; C-2200 to C-2440; P-2458 to P-24992500 P-2500 to P-25492550 P-2550 to P-25992600 P-2600 to P-2610; A-2611 to A-26492650 A-2650 to A-26992700 A-2700 to A-27502750 A-2750 to A-27992800 A-2800 to A-28972900 A-2900 to A-2939; B-2942 to B-29492950 B-2950 to B-29993000 No negatives 3050 B-3085 only 3100 B-3131 to B3133 only 3150 B-3150 only 3200 No negatives 3250 K-3290 only 3300 No negatives 3350 K-3364 to K33993400 K-3400 to K34293450 B3458 to B34993500 B-3500 to B35883600 G-3611 to G-36753700 G-3726 to G-37993800 G-3800 to G-38993900 G-3900 to G-3921 [or 3922]; A-4007; K-4409 to K-4029 Prints are ca. 2¼" and smaller and are mounted on 4 x 6" index cards, each of which has an identifying number; most of the photos are labeled and some are dated as well. See register below which records the coded number and label information. The major categories (as identified on the original drawer labels) were as follows:Drawer A / 5 / Physics [Box A also includes: T/Life Sciences; L/New Products; S/Space (i.e., aerospace); W/Technical & Information Services; R/Research Services; F/AeroSpace Commission] Drawer G / 6 / GeneralDrawer C / 7 / Chemistry Drawer K / 4 / Mechanics Drawer E / 3 / Electronics Drawer P / 8 / Management Research & Fluid Dynamics & Systems [Box P also includes: D/Fluid Dynamics and B which perhaps belongs in Drawer B below] Drawer B / 9 / Metals & Ceramics For a Register of [Contact] Prints in Acc. No. 1998.192, see the series level records for this accession. NOTE: There appear to be numerous mis-spellings in this document; I corrected many common word, but left spellings of names and technical/scientific terms as they were typed until they can be checked for accuracy. I am uncertain if the errors are a result of the typing errors when this electronic document was created or if the spelling errors occur on the typed cards from which this information was copied. In either case, doing a word search for a name or term may fail to show any (or all) occurrences of the name or term in this register if the name or word as entered below is misspelled. Catherine Bruck, University Archivist Oct. 5, 2004
Dates
- Creation: 1951-1964
Creator
- Armour Research Foundation (U.S.) (Organization)
Conditions Governing Access
Available for Research
Collection Size
8000 Photographs
Biographical Note
Armour Research Foundation (ARF) was one of the first private, not-for-profit contract research laboratories in the United States. Begun in Chicago in 1936 by Armour Institute of Technology (AIT), ARF was acquired by Illinois Institute of Technology in 1940 when IIT was created by the merger of AIT and Lewis Institute. Re-named Armour Research Foundation of Illinois Institute of Technology, it was later reorganized as the IITRI (IIT Research Institute). Under all its iterations, the laboratory conducted research for commercial and government sources, eventually expanding to an international operation. Recently (2002), significant portions of the operation were sold with IIT retaining the life sciences department which continues to operate at the original location on IIT's South State St. campus.
Provenance
Formerly 1998.192
Processor
Catherine Bruck, University Archivist
Creator
- Armour Research Foundation (U.S.) (Organization)
Part of the Paul V. Galvin Library. University Archives and Special Collections Repository