Summary Information
Fred Wittner Papers 1928-1972
U.S. Mss 139AF; PH 4713
5.6 c.f. (14 archives boxes) and 0.2 c.f. of photographs (1 archives box)
Wisconsin Historical Society (Map)
Papers of the founder of Fred Wittner Company, a New York advertising, marketing, and public relations firm which specialized in industrial clients. Over half the collection relates to the operation of this firm and consists of memos, advertising schedules and copy, clippings, company publications, client files, and a company diary kept by Wittner, 1944-1949. The client files primarily date from the 1960s, with coverage best for Eastman Chemical Products, Inc., and Moore Special Tool Company. Documenting Wittner's personal involvement with the company are articles, speeches, correspondence, and clippings. The remaining portion of the papers deals with Wittner's career prior to the foundation of his own firm in 1939. These records include sports stories sent to such periodicals as the Brooklyn (New York) Daily Eagle, The New Yorker, Sports Illustrated and American Golfer, and writings done in collaboration with other sports writers. Also located here are client files which document his early work as an independent consultant and as a member of the firms of Benjamin Sonnenberg and F. Darius Benham. Prominent clients during this period include George Palmer Putnam and Amelia Earhart. English
http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-us0139af ↑ Bookmark this ↑
Biography/History
Fred Wittner founded (1939) a New York advertising firm which early earned a reputation for comprehensive marketing and public relations efforts for its business and industrial clients. Though a relatively small firm, it grew steadily over the years and even expanded operations into foreign countries.
Fred Wittner was born August 26, 1909 in Brooklyn, New York, and graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 1931 (B.A., Journalism). Wittner's early aspirations were not toward advertising and public relations; he was much more interested in journalism, especially sports writing. Before attending the University of Wisconsin he had already spent some time on the staff of the Brooklyn (New York) Daily Eagle; and while at Wisconsin helped establish the Badger News Bureau. Upon graduation, he joined the New York Herald-Tribune as a sports writer.
Throughout the 1930s Wittner made repeated attempts, usually unsuccessful, to have articles accepted by magazines such as Esquire, The New Yorker, Quill, and Readers Digest. He also collaborated with other aspiring writers and tried to publish his own book on sports writing.
In 1935 Wittner joined the staff of the New York public relations firm of Benjamin Sonnenberg. While there, he handled the publicity for the Seagram Distillers Corporation and a number of other clients. In the following year he became associated with George Palmer Putnam, the publisher, and Amelia Earhart, the aviatrix, as a ghost writer and publicity man. At the same time he served as associate editor for Sports Illustrated and American Golfer magazine and worked on the Knox Gelatin account for the public relations firm of F. Darius Benham. After the disappearance of Amelia Earhart in 1937, Wittner did some freelance writing for Literary Digest and Today magazines and continued as a public relations consultant. In 1939, however, he set off on his own by establishing an advertising agency in New York City with the help of his wife Miriam.
Wittner's firm, which changed its name from Fred Wittner Advertising to Fred Wittner Company in 1959, concerned itself for the most part with industrial clients (notable exceptions being the U.S. government savings bond program, 1962, and a visit to New York by Premier Ross Thatcher of Saskatchewan, Canada, 1965). The Wittner firm considered itself a pioneer in industrial advertising by virtue of its comprehensive service to clients. This included the production of sales and technical literature, public relations and publicity, and sales development techniques, providing an “integrated service,” touching all aspects of a client's activity.
By the late 1960s and early 1970s, Fred Wittner Company began to expand its efforts to Europe and South America, and had divided into two separate firms. The latter development, prompted by Wittner's desire to return to a smaller operation which might afford him more personal contact with clients, was completed in May, 1971. Fred Wittner died in July 1972.
Scope and Content Note
The papers of Fred Wittner fairly well document his activities both as a writer and in advertising, marketing, and public relations. The papers are divided into five series: general, early writing career, early advertising career, Fred Wittner Company, and photographs.
The GENERAL section contains correspondence, news clippings, and notes, as well as articles and speeches (dating from the 1950s onward) of Fred Wittner. Also found here is correspondence and related material concerning his trip to Yugoslavia in 1958 as a member of the United States Trade Mission, reception of a University of Wisconsin Service Award in 1964, and membership in the American Association of Advertising Agencies and Audit Bureau of Circulation.
The EARLY WRITING CAREER section, replete with examples of Wittner's writings, is divided into two major divisions. The first concerns his contributions to a variety of periodicals, e.g., the Brooklyn (New York) Daily Eagle, The New Yorker, and Sports Illustrated. The second documents his efforts in collaboration with other aspiring writers as well as an attempt to publish a book on sports writing. In both divisions his writings are supplemented by correspondence. The EARLY ADVERTISING CAREER series contains files for Wittner's various clients, all non-industrial, held before the establishment of his firm. The documentation is rather thin, especially for the Amelia Earhart and Knox Gelatin accounts, but there is enough for many of the others, in the form of correspondence, advertising copy and news stories, to indicate the nature of Wittner's operation in this early period.
The FRED WITTNER COMPANY series includes a great variety of materials relating to the firm: client and personnel lists, memos, advertising schedules, news clippings, company publications and advertisements about its activities, and other general information about operations. Especially worthy of note is a company diary kept by Wittner from 1944-1949. For the most part, however, documentation of the Fred Wittner Company's business is neither extensive nor complete. The client files, mainly for the 1960s, bulk largest. Frequently, they contain correspondence, memos, reports, advertising copy and news releases; but only for certain companies, e.g. Eastman Chemical Products, Inc., New York and the Moore Special Tool Company, Bridgeport, Connecticut, do the records reveal the full range of Wittner's services to clients.
The PHOTOGRAPHS series contains visual materials, circa 1937-1962, relating to Fred Wittner. Production and client photographs include views of the Wittner offices in New York and products such as the Ford Thunderbird. Also included are photographs of clients from his work as an independent consultant, including Amelia Earhart and Rose Knox.
Administrative/Restriction Information
Presented by Fred Wittner, New York, New York, February 1968 and July 1972. Accession Number: MCHC68-12 and MCHC72-84.
Processed by R.H. Tryon, October 26, 1976.
Contents List
U.S. Mss 139AF
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Series: General
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Box
1
Folder
1-8
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Correspondence, 1928-1972
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Box
1
Folder
9-10
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Articles by Fred Wittner, 1944-1970
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Box
2
Folder
1
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Speeches by Fred Wittner, 1953-1971
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Box
2
Folder
2-4
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U.S. Trade Mission to Yugoslavia, 1958 (1958-1962)
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Box
2
Folder
5
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University of Wisconsin Service Award, 1964
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Box
2
Folder
6
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American Association of Advertising Agencies, 1958-1961
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Box
2
Folder
7
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Audit Bureau of Circulation, 1962-1965
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Box
2
Folder
8
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Newsclippings and articles about Fred Wittner, 1937-1971
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Box
2
Folder
9
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Miscellaneous notes
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Series: Early Writing Career, 1927-1940
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Periodicals
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Box
2
Folder
10
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Associated Collegiate Press Syndicate, 1937-1938
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Box
2
Folder
11
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Brooklyn (N.Y.) Daily Eagle, 1927-1930
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Box
2
Folder
12
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Collegiate Digest, 1937-1940
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Box
2
Folder
13
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Esquire, 1935-1936
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Box
2
Folder
14
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New York Herald-Tribune,ca. 1931-1941
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Box
2
Folder
15
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The New Yorker, 1934-1939
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Box
2
Folder
16
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Quill,1935-1939
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Box
3
Folder
1
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Readers Digest, 1937-1939
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Box
3
Folder
2
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Sports Illustrated and the American Golfer, 1935-1937
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Box
3
Folder
3
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Today, 1936
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Other
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Box
3
Folder
4-5
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Book manuscript (unpublished) of boxing career of Benny Leonard, by Leonard and Fred Wittner, 1937-1938
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Box
3
Folder
6-7
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Book manuscript (unpublished) on sports writing by Fred Wittner, 1938-1939
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Box
3
Folder
8
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Collaboration with Jack Lovelock, New Zealand Olympic athlete, on an article about sports in the U.S., 1937
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Box
3
Folder
9-10
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Collaboration with Major Robert Ginsburgh on various articles and stories, 1939-1940
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Box
3
Folder
11-12
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Miscellaneous articles in manuscript form
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Series: Early Advertising Career, 1935-1941, 1946
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Box
4
Folder
1-2
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Amelia Earhart, 1935-1941
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Box
4
Folder
3
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F. Darius Benham, Inc., Miscellaneous Accounts, 1936-1938
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Box
4
Folder
4
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Bernard H. Cooley (Cuban Commercial Attache), 1938-1941
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Box
4
Folder
5
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Guild of Prescription Opticians of America, 1938
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Box
4
Folder
6
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Van Campen Heilner (sportsman and explorer), 1937-1941
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Knox Gelatin Company
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Box
4
Folder
7
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General, 1939
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Box
4
Folder
8
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Eightieth Birthday of Mrs. Knox, 1937-1938
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Box
4
Folder
9
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Paula Lecler (war correspondent), 1940
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Box
4
Folder
10
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Norman Lee (first regular passenger to circle the world on scheduled commercial airlines), 1939
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Box
4
Folder
11
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Newsweek, 1939
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Box
4
Folder
12
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Outpost Inn, Ridgefield, Connecticut, 1946
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Box
4
Folder
13-14
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Penn Publishing Company, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1939-1942
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George Palmer Putnam
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Box
4
Folder
15
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Publication of article on authorship of Shakespeare's plays, 1935-1936
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Box
4
Folder
16
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Correspondence, 1935, July - 1938, April
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Box
5
Folder
1
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Correspondence, 1939, May - 1940, April
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Box
5
Folder
2
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Readers Choice Book Club, 1938
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Box
5
Folder
3
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Arthur Rodzinski (White Goat Farm, Stockbridge, Massachusetts), 1940
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Box
5
Folder
4
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Dr. Joshua Rossett, Brain Research Foundation, 1939
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Box
5
Folder
5
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Gordon Brown Scheibell, Inventor, 1936-1939
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Box
5
Folder
6
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Seagram Distillers Corporation, 1935
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Box
5
Folder
7
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Triest Construction Company (N.Y.), 1937
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Series: Fred Wittner Company
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Subseries: General
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Box
5
Folder
8
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Client lists
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Box
5
Folder
9
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Personnel lists
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Box
5
Folder
10-12
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Memos, 1941-1971
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Company diary (kept by Fred Wittner)
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Box
5
Folder
13-14
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1944
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Box
6
Folder
1-3
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1945-1949
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Box
6
Folder
4-6
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Advertising Schedules, 1944, 1945, and 1953
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Box
6
Folder
7
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Client testimonials, 1955-1958
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Box
6
Folder
8
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Correspondence concerning change of name, 1959
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Box
6
Folder
9
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Twentieth anniversary, 1960
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Box
6
Folder
10
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Correspondence concerning metalworking handbook produced by Fred Wittner Company, 1963
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Box
6
Folder
11
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Collaboration with Cole and Weber, Inc. (advertising public relations), 1969
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Box
6
Folder
12-13
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Reorganization and move to new quarters, 1971
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Box
7
Folder
1
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Newsclippings and articles
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Box
7
Folder
2
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Miscellaneous financial information
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Box
7
Folder
3
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Miscellany
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Subseries: Advertisement about activities
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Box
7
Folder
4
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How Wittner Does It,n.d.'s
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Box
7
Folder
5
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Advertising that Makes News,1951-1957 and undated
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Box
7
Folder
6-7
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Who What When Where at Fred Wittner,1959-1968
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Box
7
Folder
8
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Miscellaneous publicity
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Subseries: Client files
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Box
7
Folder
9
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Air Reduction Company, New York, 1970
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Box
7
Folder
10
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Allen Tool Corporation, Syracuse, New York, 1960-1969
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Box
7
Folder
11-13
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Alliance Tool and Die Corporation, Rochester, New York, 1965-1969
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Box
8
Folder
1
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American Air Liquide, Inc., New York, 1959-1966
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Box
8
Folder
2
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American Gilsonite Company (mining), Salt Lake City, Utah, 1959-1963
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Box
8
Folder
3
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American Machine and Foundry Company, New York, 1954-1959
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Box
8
Folder
4
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American Type Founders Company, Elizabeth, New Jersey, 1957-1959
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Box
8
Folder
5
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Atols Tool and Mold Corporation, Schiller Park, Illinois, 1962-1963
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Babcock and Wilcox Company (Industrial equipment and tools) Rockford, Illinois, 1959-1970
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Box
8
Folder
6
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Correspondence, 1969-1970
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Box
8
Folder
7
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Reports and Memos, 1969-1970
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Box
8
Folder
8
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Miscellaneous (including advertising copy)
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Box
8
Folder
9
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Barnes Engineering Company, Stamford, Connecticut, 1955-1957
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Box
8
Folder
10
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Eric R. Brackman Company (machine tools), New York, 1968-1969
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Box
8
Folder
11-12
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Buhrke Tool and Engineering Company, Arlington Heights, Illinois, 1969-1971
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Box
8
Folder
13
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Clay-Adams, Inc. (hospital equipment), New York, 1953-1959
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Box
8
Folder
14
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Daco Instrument Company, Brooklyn, New York, 1953-1959
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Eastman Chemical Products, Inc., New York, 1955-1970
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Box
9
Folder
1
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Correspondence, 1955-1969
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Box
9
Folder
2
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Memos, 1955-1970
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Reports
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Box
9
Folder
3
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1955-1966
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Box
9
Folder
4
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1967
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Box
9
Folder
5-7
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Miscellany (including advertising copy)
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Box
9
Folder
8
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Electric Regulator Corporation, Norwalk, Connecticut, 1953-1956
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Box
9
Folder
9
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Fitchburg Paper Company, Fitchburg, Massachusetts, 1961-1963
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Box
9
Folder
10
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Greenville Industries, Inc. (business equipment), Wilmington, Delaware, 1967-1968
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Box
9
Folder
11
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W. & L.E. Gurley Engineering Industries, Troy, New York, 1953-1967
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Box
9
Folder
12
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Harbrace Publications, Inc., New York, 1968-1970
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J. M. Huber Corporation (ink and paper products), New York.
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Box
9
Folder
13
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Correspondence, 1947-1970
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Box
10
Folder
1
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Reports, 1965-1970
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Box
10
Folder
2
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Kalium Chemicals, Ltd., Atlanta, Georgia, 1965-1971
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Box
10
Folder
3
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Mallay Tool Service Corporation, Freeport, Texas, 1970-1971
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Box
10
Folder
4
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Master Manufacturing Corporation (machine tools), Hutchinson, Kansas, 1962-1970
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Box
10
Folder
5-6
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Mechanical Specialties Company (tool and precision machines), Los Angeles, California, 1960-1963
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Box
10
Folder
7-8
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Motor Terminals, Inc. and National Fitch Company, New York and Cincinnati, Ohio, 1939-1940
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Moore Special Tool Company, Bridgeport, Connecticut, 1945-1972
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Box
11
Folder
1-8
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Correspondence, 1960-1972
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Box
11
Folder
9
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Memos, 1965-1970
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Box
11
Folder
10-11
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Reports, 1945, 1953-1957, and 1963-1972
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Box
12
Folder
1
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Programs and presentations by Fred Wittner, 1964 and 1968
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Box
12
Folder
2
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Promotion for Foundation of Mechanical Accuracy by Wayne Moore, 1970-1971
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Box
12
Folder
3-7
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Publicity, 1944-1971
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Box
12
Folder
8
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National Tool and Die and Precision Machine Association, Washington, D. C., 1943-1968
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Box
12
Folder
9
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NIFE, Inc. (batteries), New York, 1966-1967
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Box
12
Folder
10
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Parsons and Whittemore, Inc. (paper), 1953-1965
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Box
12
Folder
11
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Perkin-Elmer Corporation (optics), Norwalk, Connecticut, 1952-1958
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Box
12
Folder
12
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Potters Photographic Applications Company, New York, 1963-1964
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Box
12
Folder
13
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Printing Developments, Inc., New York, 1959-1961
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Box
13
Folder
1-2
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Producto Machine Company, Bridgeport, Connecticut, 1967-1971
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Box
13
Folder
3
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Quality Machines, Inc., Elmwood, Illinois, 1968-1970
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Box
13
Folder
4
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Reigel Paper Corporation, Charlotte, North Carolina, 1969-1971
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Box
13
Folder
5
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Riverside Research Institute, New York, 1968-1969
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Box
13
Folder
6
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Simmons Machine Tool Corporation, Albany, New York, 1941-1963
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Box
13
Folder
7
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Stora Koppaberg Corporation (Swedish-owned, paper and steel), New York, 1964-1967
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Box
13
Folder
8
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Premier Ross Thatcher, Saskatchewan, Canada (visit to New York), 1965
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Box
13
Folder
9
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U.S. Government Savings Bonds, 1962
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Box
13
Folder
10
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U.S. Trade Missions Brochure, 1960
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Box
13
Folder
11-12
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Vidmar, Inc. (industrial storage cabinets), Williamsport, Pennsylvania, 1954-1968
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Box
13
Folder
13
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Winkstrom Machines, Inc. (automatic welding machines), New York, 1967-1968
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Box
13
Folder
14
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Others
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Subseries: Client files - Foreign
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Box
14
Folder
1
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Brazil, Romi Industries (lathe builders), 1970-1971
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Box
14
Folder
2
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England, 1966
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Box
14
Folder
3-4
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Others (European), 1965-1966
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PH 4713
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Series: Photographs
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Box
1
Folder
1
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Aviation clients
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Box
1
Folder
2
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Earhart, Amelia, 1937
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Fred Wittner Company
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Box
1
Folder
3
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Executives
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Box
1
Folder
4
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Production and clients, 1958-1962
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Box
1
Folder
5
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Simmons presentation, undated
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Box
1
Folder
6
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Yugoslavia trip, 1958
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Box
1
Folder
7
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Knox, Rose and Knox Gelatine headquarters, 1937
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