This album documents a fire test conducted by the Bureau of Standards concerning the effect of fire on steel furniture, possibly among other things. The Bureau of Standards, now known as the National Institute of Standards and Technology, is a non-regulatory federal agency under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Commerce. Its mission is "to promote U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards, and technology in ways that enhance economic security and improve our quality of life."

Gordon M. Kline (1903-1996) was highly involved in the plastics industry, beginning in its infancy. He worked in the plastics section of the National Bureau of Standards, editor of Modern Plastics, and with the U.S. government on preservation of significant historical items. The papers document his professional career with the National Bureau of Standards, along with material describing his work with the Society of the Plastics Industry, the American Society for Testing Materials, and the International Standards Organization.