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Records of other RCA divisions

Creation: 1908-2001
 Collection
Accession: 2464-80

Abstract

The Radio Corporation of America (renamed RCA Corporation in 1969) was best known for its pioneering radio and television development and manufacturing. In addition to consumer electronics, RCA was a major player in the development of electronics for industrial and military applications. The Records of other RCA divisions include documentation of RCA's research and development before the Second World War, as well material from the famous patent dispute case Armstrong v. Radio Corporation of America and National Broadcasting Company.

Dates

  • Creation: 1908-2001

Creator

Extent

7 Linear Feet

General Physical Description (AVD portion only)

(AVD portion only) 27 photographic prints : b&w ; 8 x 10 in. 37 photographic prints : b&w ; 5 x 7 in. 40 photographic prints : b&w ; 3 x 5 in. and smaller. 15 inkjet digital prints : color ; printed on office paper. 3 inkjet digital prints : b&w ; printed on office paper.

Historical Note

The Radio Corporation of America (renamed RCA Corporation in 1969) was best known for its pioneering radio and television development and manufacturing. In addition to consumer electronics, RCA was a major player in the development of electronics for industrial and military applications. It was also prominent in radio and television broadcasting, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, NBC. Originally created in 1919 as a government sponsored radio monopoly, RCA operated until 1986, when it was acquired by GE and broken up.

For more information, see the historical note for accession 2069, RCA Corporation records: http://findingaids.hagley.org/xtf/view?docId=ead/2069.xml

Arrangement

This collection is organized into nine series:

I. Joseph Giardina NBC Collection

II. Edward O. Johnson papers

III. Loren F. Jones Papers

IV. William H. Offenhauser, Jr. papers

V. RCA Americom Library records

VI. RCA Patent Law Department files on Armstrong v. Radio Corporation of America and National Broadcasting Company, Inc.

VII. Arthur F. Van Dyck diaries, journals, and notebooks

VIII. Richard W. Young Papers

IX. General

Scope and Content

This collection contains records from various RCA divisions, including the papers of five RCA researchers, records from the RCA Americom Library, and legal files in the famous patent dispute case Armstrong v. Radio Corporation of America and National Broadcasting Company.

The correspondence, diaries, writings, and other materials from Loren F. Jones, William H. Offenhauser, Jr., and Arthur F. Van Dyck are particularly valuable for their documentation of RCA research and development prior to the Second World War.

This collection is organized into nine series: Joseph Giardina NBC Collection; Edward O. Johnson papers; Loren F. Jones Papers; William H. Offenhauser, Jr. papers; RCA Americom Library records; RCA Patent Law Department files on Armstrong v. Radio Corporation of America and National Broadcasting Company, Inc.; Arthur F. Van Dyck diaries, journals, and notebooks; Richard W. Young Papers; and General.

The Joseph Giardina NBC collection is composed of correspondence, invoices, tests, schematics, and notes related to the broadcasting tower on top of the Empire State Building. The collection also contains correspondence and patents related to Armstrong v. Radio Corporation of America and National Broadcasting Company.

The Edward O. Johnson papers consist of Johnson’s research, correspondence, and technical reports while at RCA. His correspondence includes weekly activity reports to his supervisor and letters to colleagues.

The Loren F. Jones papers contain correspondence, diaries, patents, and writings documenting his career at RCA, especially from the 1930s to 1950s. Particularly valuable is the correspondence and writings that document his unique perspective of the Soviet Union gained during his work on the Moscow television station in 1937-1938.

The William H. Offenhauser, Jr. papers are composed of notes, schematics, and correspondence from his work at RCA Photophone on recording sound on motion picture film. The papers include licensing agreements, meeting reports on the progress and problems of Photophone technology, parts catalogs, RCA press materials like the booklet, “RCA, who we are and what we do,” and a copy of his patent for “Sound Reproduction” by light (2,018,315). Of special note is a list of movie theaters with sound motion picture projection rooms in New York in 1928.

The RCA Americom Library records consist of directories, catalogs, promotional materials, internal publications, and memos of RCA Americom.

The RCA Patent Law Department files on Armstrong v. Radio Corporation of America and National Broadcasting Company, Inc. contain court-issued documents, correspondence, depositions, and notes regarding the case as housed by RCA’s Patent Law Department.

This collection contains photocopies of Arthur F. Van Dyck's professional diaries, journals, and notebooks related to his work with RCA, Marconi Wireless, General Electric, and the U.S. Navy.

The Richard W. Young papers include RCA ephemera and reports. Also included are liquidation reports for the CORAC Junior Achievement Company sponsored by RCA.

The General series includes RCA advertisements, photographs, internal publications and reports, and ephemera documenting the varied history of RCA.

Access Restrictions

This collection contains material from the Manuscripts and Archives Department (M&A) and the Audiovisual Collections and Digital Initiatives Department (AVD). Box prefixes indicate which department holds an individual file or item.

Records subject to 25-year time seal.

Related Material

The Records of other RCA divisions are part of the David Sarnoff Library collection (Accession 2464). The collection includes nineteen other finding aids:

Consumer electronics history collection (Accession 2464.79), Manuscripts and Archives Department, Hagley Museum and Library.

David Sarnoff Library records (Accession 2464.73), Manuscripts and Archives Department and Audiovisual Collections and Digital Initiatives Department, Hagley Museum and Library.

David Sarnoff Research Center records (Accession 2464.09), Manuscripts and Archives Department and Audiovisual Collections and Digital Initiatives Department, Hagley Museum and Library.

Charles B. Jennings photographs, scrapbook boards, and other materials (Accession 2464.21), Manuscripts and Archives Department and Audiovisual Collections and Digital Initiatives Department, Hagley Museum and Library.

Alexander Magoun advertising collection (Accession 2464.81), Manuscripts and Archives Department, Hagley Museum and Library.

Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company of America engineering drawings (Accession 2464.83), Manuscripts and Archives Department, Hagley Museum and Library.

RCA Astro-Electronics Division records (Accession 2464.70), Manuscripts and Archives Department and Audiovisual Collections and Digital Initiatives Department, Hagley Museum and Library.

RCA Camden records (Accession 2464.76), Manuscripts and Archives Department, Hagley Museum and Library.

RCA Corporation collection of television and company history photographs and audiovisual materials (Accession 2464.78), Audiovisual Collections and Digital Initiatives Department, Hagley Museum and Library.

RCA Harrison records (Accession 2464.71), Manuscripts and Archives Department and Audiovisual Collections and Digital Initiatives Department, Hagley Museum and Library.

RCA Missile and Surface Radar Division photographs (Accession 2464.31), Audiovisual Collections and Digital Initiatives Department, Hagley Museum and Library.

RCA News and Information Department photographs (Accession 2464.68), Audiovisual Collections and Digital Initiatives Department, Hagley Museum and Library.

RCA product information (Accession 2464.77), Manuscripts and Archives Department, Hagley Museum and Library.

RCA publications (Accession 2464.82), Manuscripts and Archives Department, Hagley Museum and Library.

RCA Solid State Division records (Accession 2464.75), Manuscripts and Archives Department and Audiovisual Collections and Digital Initiatives Department, Hagley Museum and Library.

RCA technical reports (Accession 2464.69), Manuscripts and Archives Department, Hagley Museum and Library.

RCA/Thomson Lancaster records (Accession 2464.74), Manuscripts and Archives Department and Audiovisual Collections and Digital Initiatives Department, Hagley Museum and Library.

David Sarnoff papers (Accession 2464.55), Manuscripts and Archives Department and Audiovisual Collections and Digital Initiatives Department, Hagley Museum and Library.

Robert W. Sarnoff papers (Accession 2464.04), Manuscripts and Archives Department and Audiovisual Collections and Digital Initiatives Department, Hagley Museum and Library.

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Provenance

In 2009, along with the rest of the archival collections of the David Sarnoff Library, the Records of other RCA divisions were donated to the Hagley Museum and Library.

Finding Aid & Administrative Information

Title:
Records of other RCA divisions
Author:
Daniel Michelson and Kenneth Cleary
Date:
2016
Description rules:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description:
English
Script of description:
Latin
Sponsor:
The collection was processed with support from the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) Cataloging Hidden Special Collections and Archives grant.

Repository Details

Repository Details

Part of the Manuscripts and Archives Repository

Contact:
PO Box 3630
Wilmington Delaware 19807 USA
302-658-2400