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Alfred Victor Verville Papers

Creator:
Verville, Alfred V.  Search this
Verville Aircraft Company  Search this
Former owner:
Buhl (Buhl-Verville Aircraft Co, Buhl Aircraft Co)  Search this
Names:
Sperry Co.  Search this
Extent:
55.67 Linear feet (106 containers: 92 legal size document boxes, 2 shoeboxes, 11 flatboxes, 1 large format folder)
5 Film reels (1 35mm, two 16mm, and 2 8mm films)
50.008 Cubic feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Film reels
Date:
1886-1969
Summary:
This collection contains Verville's personal papers. The material relates mainly to his various aeronautical concerns as well as his involvement with military aviation. The collection includes a large number of photos tracing the development of Curtiss aircraft and Naval Aviation, and especially documenting the design, construction, and flights of a replica of the Navy's first aircraft, the Curtiss A-1 'Triad', built under Verville's direction by the Bureau of Aeronautics to commemorate the Fiftieth Anniversary of Naval Aviation in 1961. Also included are a large number of blueprints and photos of Verville-designed aircraft, especially those developed by the Verville Aircraft Co. in 1928 - 1931
Scope and Contents:
Contents of this collection include blueprints, drawings, technical manuals, reference material, correspondence, financial information, event programs, photographs, newspapers and clippings, magazines, pamphlets, brochures, journals, books.

The researcher should note that the collection also contains 35mm, 16mm and 8mm films. These films are not included in the container list but a NASM Archives staff person can assist you regarding access.
Arrangement:
Organized into series:

SERIES 1: Correspondence

SERIES 2: Institute of the Aerospace Sciences (IAS) - Navy National Naval Aviation Meeting 1961 commemorating the 50th Anniversary of Naval Aviation in San Diego CA featuring the A-1 Replica

SERIES 3: Technical Materials

SERIES 4: Drawings

SERIES 5: Other Papers

SERIES 6: Publications

SERIES 7: Photographs

SERIES 8: Scrapbooks, Oversize Materials

SERIES 9: Additional Material

This collection was arranged at the time of processing to better reflect its main areas of subject matter as there was very little original order preserved. Original folder titles were kept when they appeared; archivists' folder titles are in brackets. Archivist's description appears below folder titles.

Series 9 represents an accrual of documents found within the archive in 2024.
Biographical / Historical:
Alfred Victor Verville (1890-1970), aviation pioneer and aircraft designer, was responsible for a number of important inventions in aircraft design, including welded-steel-frame fuselages and retractable landing gear. He began work with the Curtiss Aeroplane Co in 1914 and, by the end of World War I had moved through a number of manufacturers, including Curtiss (1914), T-M Airplane Co (1915), General Airplane Co (1915-17), and Fisher Body Corp, Airplane Division (1917-18). In 1918 he became involved in military aviation at the United States Army Air Corp Engineering Division, McCook Field , OH (1918-25) and served as advisor to Colonel William Mitchell during his inspection trip to Europe (1922). In 1925 he co-founded the Buhl-Verville Aircraft Co (1925-27) before striking out on his own with the Verville Aircraft Co (1928-31). Through the 1930s and 1940s he acted in a number of capacities, including periods as a consultant (1932, 1939-41); at the Bureau of Air Commerce, United States Department of Commerce (1933-36); Douglas Aircraft (1937-38); Curtiss Wright Corp (1941-42), Snead Aircraft, Technical Division (1942); and Drexel Aviation Co (1942-45). In 1945 he served as a member of the Naval Technical Mission to Europe and later joined the Navy's Bureau of Aeronautics (1946-61). He retired in 1961, but continued to support aviation and aeronautics until his death.
Provenance:
Alfred Verville, gift, 1954
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.
Topic:
Verville Aircraft  Search this
Alfred V. Verville  Search this
Aeronautics  Search this
Buhl-Verville Aircraft Co  Search this
Aircraft industry  Search this
Aeronautics, Commercial -- United States  Search this
Citation:
Alfred Victor Verville Papers, Acc. XXXX-0173, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
NASM.XXXX.0173
See more items in:
Alfred Victor Verville Papers
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg23776ee1d-329f-45da-8290-8158702e1cc5
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nasm-xxxx-0173
Online Media:

George Miller Dyott Papers

Creator:
Dyott, George Miller  Search this
Extent:
1.17 Cubic feet (1 document case, 1 slim document case, 1 flat box, 1 glass plate box, and 1 map folder)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Manuscripts
Photographs
Correspondence
Diaries
Date:
Circa 1910-1946
Summary:
George Miller Dyott (1883--1972) was an early aviator; veteran of the Royal Naval Air Service; aircraft designer; and explorer. This collection contains approximately 1 cubic foot of material pertaining to Dyott's aviation career including correspondence; photographs; financial records; technical drawings; military records; news clippings; a World War I field diary; calling cards; and an annotated manuscript entitled, "Flying," written by Dyott.
Scope and Contents:
This collection contains approximately 1 cubic foot of material pertaining to George Miller Dyott's aviation career including correspondence; photographs; financial records; technical drawings; military records; news clippings; a World War I field diary; calling cards; and an annotated manuscript entitled, "Flying," written by Dyott. Photographic formats include black and white prints of various sizes (some of which are mounted on cardstock or matted) and 5 by 7 inch glass plates. Many of the photographs, including one entire album, are devoted to Dyott's service with the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) during World War I. Aircraft pictured in the photographs include the Dyott Monoplane; Dyott Bomber; Walden IV 1910 Monoplane (identfied here as the Walden-Dyott Monoplane); an unidentfied model of Deperdussin; Nieuport 17; Vickers (UK) E.F.B.5 Gunbus; a Sopwith Baby fitted with Le Prieur Rockets; Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2; Handley Page O/400; Morane-Saulnier Type L (Mo.S.3); Blériot XI; Farman (Henry) H.F.20 (Type Militaire Biplane); and a later photo of a Bellanca Pacemaker CH-300. There are also photographs of a Royal Navy non-rigid airship and the wreck of the Zeppelin LZ 76 (Navy L 33), as well as early equipment such as searchlights; anti-aircraft guns; an anti-aircraft armored vehicle; and various types of bombs. In addition to Dyott, other well-known people in the photographs include Henry W. Walden; Patrick Hamilton; Francisco Madero (33rd President of Mexico); Arthur W. Bigsworth; and Reginald A. J. Warneford. The collection also contains one photograph of Harriet Quimby. There are also four technical drawings dating to 1914 in the collection ranging in size from approximately 24.25 by 15.5 inches up to 41 x 14 inches. Three of the drawings are on coated cloth and one is on waxed paper. Two are for a small promotional aircraft made from an ale bottle and powered by an 80-hp Gnome engine, one is marked "Worthington Ales" and the other is marked "Little Peter." The third drawing is a three-view of a "Hydro-Aeroplane for Tropical Rivers" powered by two 100-hp Mercedes engines, and the fourth is a side drawing of an unspecified type of biplane (undated). In addition to the drawings, there is a graph on waxed paper (14.5 by 13.25 inches) tracking altitude, time, and speed for an unknown aircraft (undated). The collection also includes records relating to the design and production of the Dyott Monoplane and Dyott Bomber.
Arrangement:
Some of the material in this collection arrived grouped together in folders or envelopes. This material was housed accordingly and original folder titles were kept where applicable. The rest of the collection is organized by type of material. Folder titles created by archivist, or additional information added to original folder titles by archivist, are in brackets. Within folders, material is arranged chronologically.
Biographical / Historical:
George Miller Dyott (1883--1972) was an early aviator; veteran of the Royal Naval Air Service; aircraft designer; and explorer. Dyott was born in New York in 1883 to an American mother and a British father. Dyott was educated in the United Kingdom before returning to the United States where he learned to fly at Curtiss Field in New York. Dyott was awarded Royal Aero Club aviator's certificate 114 in August of 1911. Around this time, Dyott partnered with Henry W. Walden designing monoplanes. In the autumn of 1911, Dyott and Patrick Hamilton began making a tour of exhibition flights with two Deperdussin monoplanes (one single and one double seater) which started in New York and included stops in the Bahamas and Mexico, where they carried then-President Francisco Madero as a passenger. Dyott then returned to the United Kingdom where he designed the Dyott Monoplane, manufactured by Hewlett & Blondeau, which he brought to the United States to fly a six month demonstration tour beginning in April 1913. Dyott entered military service in 1914 and served as a squadron commander for the Royal Naval Air Service during World War I. Around this time, Dyott designed a large twin-engine biplane for use in exploring. The Royal Naval Air Service saw a potential in this design for military use so Dyott made some modifications and two prototypes were ordered from Hewlett & Blondeau in 1916. The two Dyott Bomber prototypes were built and flight tested with various engines and armament, with the second being service tested in France, but the model never entered production. After World War I, Dyott became an explorer and joined the Royal Geographical Society. In 1927, Dyott was hired to lead an expedition retracing the steps of the Roosevelt–Rondon Scientific Expedition which confirmed Theodore Roosevelt's claims about the group's discovery and exploration of the Rio Roosevelt ("River of Doubt"). In 1928, Dyott led an expedition into Brazil searching for missing explorer Percy Fawcett. Dyott also founded Dyott & Company, Ltd. in Lima, Peru taking aerial photographs and other scenic views that were sold as post cards. Dyott wrote several books about his adventures (one of which was adapted into a feature film, Manhunt in the Jungle, in 1958), and also starred as himself in two documentary films (Hunting Tigers in India in 1929 and Savage Gold, which he also co-wrote, in 1933). In the mid-1930s, Dyott retired to Ecuador where he lived largely in isolation. He conducted two expeditions searching for Inca treasure in the late 1940s before returning to Ecuador where he stayed until returning to New York to reunite with his wife and children shortly before his death.
Provenance:
Michael Dyott, Gift, 2016, NASM.2016.0019.
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access.
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests
Topic:
Aeronautics  Search this
World War, 1914-1918 -- Aerial operations  Search this
Dyott Bomber (1916)  Search this
Dyott Monoplane (1913)  Search this
Aircraft  Search this
Walden IV 1910 Monoplane  Search this
Genre/Form:
Manuscripts
Photographs
Correspondence
Diaries -- 20th century
Citation:
George Miller Dyott Papers, NASM.2016.0019, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
NASM.2016.0019
See more items in:
George Miller Dyott Papers
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg25a904b57-d4c2-42cf-9c30-5d0a6b3640e7
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nasm-2016-0019
Online Media:

Sherman Fairchild Collection of Aeronautical Photographs

Creator:
Fairchild, Sherman M.  Search this
Extent:
10 Cubic feet (( ))
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Photographs
Date:
bulk 1900-1945
Scope and Contents:
This collection consisted of 10 cartons of photographs that were at first loaned, and then donated, from the Institute of Aeronautical Sciences (IAS) in 1968 when they were dissolving their library. After the photographs arrived at NASM, they were divided and placed in the Technical Files. As of 2009, 817 images have been identified and cataloged as being from the Sherman Fairchild Collection. The images include shots of balloons, gliders, airships, aircraft, aircraft instruments, engines, uniforms, aerial photographs, and early concepts of flight.
Biographical / Historical:
Sherman Fairchild (1896-1971) had a long and varied aviation career; included in his many contributions to the aerospace field was his work with aerial cameras and his aircraft companies, including Fairchild Industries.
Provenance:
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), Gift, 1968
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access.
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests
Topic:
Aeronautics  Search this
Balloons  Search this
Gliding and soaring  Search this
Aerial photography  Search this
Aeronautical instruments  Search this
Airships  Search this
Genre/Form:
Photographs
Citation:
Sherman Fairchild Collection of Aeronautical Photographs, Accession XXXX-0952, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
NASM.XXXX.0952
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2bdedb606-88e7-49b0-9335-244eb46d9680
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nasm-xxxx-0952
Online Media:

Evelyn Way Kendall Early Aviation and Balloon Collection

Creator:
Kendall, Evelyn Way  Search this
Extent:
4.41 Cubic feet (8 boxes; 1 map folder)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Date:
1783-1969
Summary:
The Evelyn Way Kendall Early Aviation and Balloon Collection documents early aeronautical history from the 18th century to the 1960s in art, prints, photographs, posters, manuscripts, and ephemera.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of eight boxes of material, comprising approximately 4.41 cubic feet of material, consisting of works on paper – photographs, sheet music, broadsides and handbills, postcards, trade cards, newspapers and magazines. Fine art – paintings, prints and engravings, and objects – were retained in the National Air and Space Museum's Art Collection.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged by size of the collection material, from small to large.
Biographical / Historical:
The Evelyn Way Kendall Early Aviation and Balloon Collection documents early aeronautical history from the 18th century to the 1960s. From the early 1920s to the 1960s, Evelyn Way Kendall amassed over 1,000 works of art, prints, photographs, posters, objects, manuscripts, books, and ephemera documenting the history of flight. The artworks and archival material in her collection convey a sense of the wonder and excitement experienced by those who witnessed the birth of flight during the ballooning era, and at the dawn of powered flight in the 20th century. 
Provenance:
Archives of the Norfolk Charitable Trust, Gift, 2015, 2015.0053
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.
Topic:
Aeronautics in art  Search this
Aeronautics -- History  Search this
Ballooning  Search this
Balloons -- History  Search this
Citation:
Evelyn Way Kendall Early Aviation and Balloon Collection, Acc. 2015.0053, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
NASM.2015.0053
See more items in:
Evelyn Way Kendall Early Aviation and Balloon Collection
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2c021aa13-9ca6-4cc5-8390-2336e623aa48
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nasm-2015-0053
Online Media:

Early Aviation Collection [Arango]

Creator:
Arango, Javier, 1962-2017  Search this
Extent:
4.46 Cubic feet
0.641 Gigabytes
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Gigabytes
Catalogs
Diaries
Manuals
Maps
Programs
Photographic postcards
Photographs
Scrapbooks
Date:
1900-1955
bulk 1905-1918
Summary:
Early aviation catalogs, photographs, periodicals, class notes, and scrapbooks as well as other materials collected by Javier Arnago detailing the evolution of early aircrafts built before and during World World I.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of early aviation materials, collected by Javier Arango, pertaining to the development of early 20th century aircrafts. The bulk of the material consists of air meet programs and memorabilia, engine and aeroplane catalogs, articles and periodicals, maps and charts, postcards and correspondence, class notes and technical manuals, scrapbooks and journals, and a variety of photographs. Materials in English, French, German, and Dutch. Aviators pioneers include: the Wright Brothers, Henry Farman, Louis Bleriot, Hubert Latham, Glenn Curtiss, Louis Paulhan, and other French and American pilots. Aircraft manufacturers represented include: Wright Brothers, Curtiss-Wright, Blériot (France), Antoinette (Société Anonyme Antoinette) (France), Deperdussin (France), Farman, Voisin (France), and other American, French, German, and British inventors prior to World War I.
Arrangement:
Collection organized into eight sections by material type. The first three sections 'Aeroplane Catalogs,' 'Engine Catalongs,' and 'Air meet Programs' are in original order, which is alphabetically arranged by company, aircraft, or engine name and thereunder chronologically by year. The 'Periodicals' section is also alphabetically arranged by title and thereunder chronologically by year. 'Additional Text Materials,' 'Scrapbooks and albums,' and 'Class notes and journals' alphabetically arranged by creator's surname or title. The 'Photographs' section is organized by subjects or event, orginially grouped by Arango, and thereunder alphabetically arranged.
Biographical / Historical:
Javier Arango (1962-2017) was an investment consultant, aircraft collector, avid pilot, and board member of the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum. Graduating at Harvard University, he studied the history of science and became an authority of World War I aviation focusing on the progression of warplanes. Establishing his Aeroplane Collection with the construction of a triplane in 1980, he began collecting original materials from the 1900s and 1910s. With a passion for understanding and preserving the history of flight, Arango amassed an exemplary study of the evolution of early aviation.
Provenance:
Javier Arango Living Trust, Gift, 2022, NASM.2022.0033
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.
Topic:
Aeronautics  Search this
Aeronautics -- Competitions  Search this
Aircraft supplies industry  Search this
Airplanes -- Design and construction  Search this
Airplanes -- Motors  Search this
Antoinette Aircraft Family  Search this
Bleriot Aircraft Family  Search this
Breguet Aircraft Family  Search this
Bristol Aircraft Family  Search this
Burgess Aircraft Family  Search this
Curtiss, General, Aircraft  Search this
Deperdussin Aircraft Family  Search this
Ford Tri-Motor Family  Search this
Gallaudet Type C Military Tractor Biplane Family  Search this
Lockheed Aircraft Family  Search this
Moisant (Monoplane Co) 1914 Bluebird Monoplane  Search this
Nieuport Aircraft Family  Search this
Sloane Aircraft Family  Search this
SPAD Aircraft Family  Search this
Voisin Aircraft Family  Search this
Genre/Form:
Catalogs
Diaries
Manuals
Maps
Programs
Photographic postcards
Photographs
Scrapbooks
Citation:
Javier Arango Early Aviation Collection, NASM.2022.0033, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
NASM.2022.0033
See more items in:
Early Aviation Collection [Arango]
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2a7794054-9fbe-430c-8b18-ec5aa5cd48e7
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nasm-2022-0033
Online Media:

Bleriot of Van Dersarl

Collection Creator:
Arango, Javier, 1962-2017  Search this
Container:
Box 7, Folder 2
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
circa 1909, 1930
Scope and Contents:
Group of photographs depicting the Blériot XI monoplane circa 1909. Physical materials include a portrait of Louis Blériot from ACME Newspictures circa 1930s with two comtemporary print copies as well as two mounted photographs from J. de Parada and seven black and white prints with the photographers' stamps (either Maurice Rol or Agence RAPID) and handwritten captions on verso.

This subseries also contains a CD-R of digital image files, which include portaits of the Van Dersarl siblings - John, Jules, Frank, and Forrest - and their Blériot monoplane circa 1910.
Collection Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Collection Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.
Collection Citation:
Javier Arango Early Aviation Collection, NASM.2022.0033, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
Early Aviation Collection [Arango]
Early Aviation Collection [Arango] / Photographs
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg216812046-e876-4a92-977d-61f2fcd8771e
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-nasm-2022-0033-ref191

William J. Hammer Collection

Creator:
Hammer, William J. (William Joseph), 1858-1934 (electrical engineer)  Search this
Names:
Hudson-Fulton Celebration (1909)  Search this
Curtiss, Glenn Hammond, 1878-1930  Search this
Hammer, William J. (William Joseph), 1858-1934 (electrical engineer)  Search this
Wright, Wilbur, 1867-1912  Search this
Extent:
5.66 Cubic feet (13 boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Drawings
Scrapbooks
Publications
Manuscripts
Correspondence
Photographs
Date:
1881-1934
bulk 1905-1915
Summary:
The collection is the result of Major Hammer's passion for amassing material related to aeronautics and technology, and it is arranged into eleven series: articles, clippings, correspondence, drawings and blueprints, leaflets, legislation, minutes, miscellaneous, photographs, programs and publications. Housed in 23 folders, the correspondence is the most comprehensive series, reflecting the original order which grouped the letters into series by topic. Much of the correspondence concerns the planning of the Hudson-Fulton Celebration of 1909, and the involvement of Wilbur Wright and Glenn Curtiss. There is also a scrapbook of black and white photographs providing front and side views of specified airplanes. Each page has 3 photos showing different views of the same plane accompanied by a label with additional information. (See written copy for details. Also, please see information written on 8x11 notebook paper.)
Scope and Contents:
The William J. Hammer Collection reflects Hammer's great interest in aeronautics --a passion he cultivated for several decades by accumulating a veritable storehouse of materials. Hammer's important contributions to the early development of aviation are also evident in this collection.

The collection of materials listed in the finding aid is arranged into two series. The first series includes correspondence, reports, handbooks, drawings, brochures, programs, leaflets, magazines, articles, newspaper clippings and miscellaneous materials. The second series is comprised of photographs of various sizes, scrapbooks, scrapbook pages and miscellaneous materials (the front pages of newspapers, certificates, posters, etc.).

Hammer's papers are arranged both chronologically and alphabetically. Correspondence, drawings, brochures, programs, leaflets, miscellaneous materials, scrapbook pages, articles and newspaper clippings are organized by the former method. Reports, handbooks, magazines and booklets are grouped alphabetically by either title of publication or author. Photographs are arranged either by subject or chronologically.

The reader should note that at some point, Hammer produced a series of large format photographs. These mounted photographs are duplicates. Due to the very fragile condition of these particular images, the photographs and are not available to researchers.

Additional photographic material regarding Hammer Collection photographs can be found in the NASM Archives Images database. An Archives staff member will assist you with research using this database.

Box 13 of the William J. Hammer Collection has not been scanned.

Note: The digital images in this finding aid were repurposed from scans made by an outside contractor for a commercial product and may show irregular cropping and orientation in addition to color variations resulting from damage to and deterioration of the original objects.
Arrangement:
The William J. Hammer Collection is arranged by content type.
Biographical/Historical note:
William J. Hammer was born in Cressona, Pennsylvania, on February 26, 1858, was an associate of Thomas Edison and an early aviation supporter and enthusiast. He began his career as an assistant to Edward Weston of the Weston Malleable Nickel Company. In 1879, he moved on to a new position as laboratory assistant to Thomas Edison at Menlo Park, New Jersey. His duties ranged from aiding in conducting experiments on such devices as the phonograph, telephone and ore separator to acting as Edison's key person in further developing the incandescent electric lamp. By 1880, he was made chief engineer of the Edison Lamp Works. A year later, Edison dispatched Hammer to London to be chief engineer of the English Electric Light Company. In this position, he helped construct the Holborn Viaduct Central Electric Light Station in London. This was the first central station ever built for incandescent electric lighting. In 1883, Hammer became chief engineer for the German Edison Company. This task included planning and supervising the construction of all Edison plants in Germany. He returned to the United States late in the following year and acted as chief inspector of central stations of the parent Edison Electric Light Company. In 1886-87, Hammer was general manager and chief engineer of the Boston Edison Electric Illuminating Company. In 1888, he worked as an independent engineer and supervised the completion of the then-largest isolated electric lighting plant, located at the Ponce de Leon Hotel in St. Augustine, Florida. During that year, Hammer also was chosen as consulting electrical engineer to the Cincinnati Centennial Exposition. Subsequently, Edison selected him as his personal representative to the Paris Exposition of 1889. This assignment rounded out Hammer's eleven years with Edison. During his time as one of Edison's most trusted and important employees, Hammer devised a number of innovations to the incandescent electric lamp. He designed and built the first electric sign, which spelled out the name "Edison". While in Germany, he invented the automatic motor-driven flashing electric lamp sign. This particular sign flashed the word "Edison" letter by letter and then all at once. At the International Electrical Exhibition, held in Philadelphia in 1884, Hammer also constructed the first flashing column of electric lights.

Upon his return to the U.S. in 1890, Hammer worked as an independent consulting electrical engineer by assisting in a variety of electrical projects, carrying out tests, giving lectures and providing expert testimony in patent disputes. He based this modest enterprise in an office in New York City and continued in this occupation until 1925. His career as an electrical engineering consultant was interrupted by World War I. In June 1918, he was commissioned a major in the U.S. Army. He was assigned to the Inventions Section of the War Plans Division of the General Staff in charge of Aeronautical and Electrical Inventions at the Army War College, Washington, D.C.. By December of that year, he was attached to the Operations Division General Staff at the War Department (Inventions Section). During the war and on into 1919, Hammer also worked for the U.S. Patent Office by identifying any aviation-related patents likely to convey too much information to potential enemies. In conjunction with his War Department duties, he acted as a member of the Advisory Board of Experts affiliated with the Alien Property Commission.

Busy as he was with his private consulting work, Hammer also immersed himself in other scientific activities. He took a particular interest in radium after visiting Pierre and Marie Curie in Paris in 1902. The two discoverers of radium gave him some samples of this substance. Soon after returning to the United States, Hammer experimented with radium. His research yielded numerous useful applications for this material such as radium-luminous powders and paints that were used to coat everything from watch and clock dials to aeronautical instruments, switches and toys. Hammer also advocated the use of radium for cancer and tumor treatment. Beyond his interest in this material, he invented selenium light-sensitive cells and recommended many practical uses for them. He also conducted a great deal of laboratory work on X-rays, ultraviolet and cathode rays, phosphorescence and wireless communications. Accordingly, he lectured and published extensively on many of these fields of research and study.

Hand in hand with his overall interest in science and technology, Hammer had a particular passion for aeronautics. Beyond paying careful attention to the rapid progress made in this field at the turn of the twentieth century, he also played an active role as participant and supporter. He made his first balloon flight over France during the Paris Exposition of 1889. His last lighter-than-air journey took place in 1931 aboard the U.S. Navy dirigible Los Angeles. Moreover, he attended and officiated over many balloon, airship and airplane exhibitions and races. Hammer was a member of the Aero Club of America and a director of the Aeronautical Society. This latter group made the first ever purchase of an airplane in January 1909. He served as expert and secretary of the Aeronautics Committee on the Hudson-Fulton Celebration Commission of 1909 and wrote the contracts for Wilbur Wright and Glenn Curtiss to fly their airplanes for this event. This occasion in New York was important as it marked the first time a large gathering of people in the U.S. witnessed heavier-than-air powered flight. As a friend of the Wright brothers, Hammer testified as an expert witness on their behalf during various patent litigation suits. His contact with aviation pioneers went beyond the Wrights and Curtiss. He also knew and interacted with, among others, Samuel Langley, Alberto Santos-Dumont, Henri Farman and Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin. Even his work with radium had applications for aviation. Hammer developed radium-based luminous compounds and used them on aircraft instruments so pilots could more easily view their cockpits' dials and gauges.

Hammer's last years were filled with serving as Historian General of the Military Order of the World War, as well as participating in many scientific, engineering and aeronautical committees and societies. During this time, he was the recipient of numerous honors and awards, including the Elliott Cresson Gold Medal, John Scott Medal from the Franklin Institute and the Cross of the Legion of Honor from France. Up until his death on March 24, 1934, he also labored in his efforts to organize a vast personal collection of rare and valuable scientific artifacts, photographs and other materials accumulated since his days with Edison. Following Hammer's death, this important collection was left in the care of his daughter Mabel (his wife of twelve years, Alice, having died in 1906). Some years later, International Business Machines (IBM) acquired it. In 1962, IBM donated the William J. Hammer Scientific Collection to the Smithsonian Institution. The bulk of the collection resides with the National Museum of American History's Archives Center. In the mid 1980s, the aeronautical portion of this collection was transferred to the National Air and Space Museum (NASM) Archives.
Provenance:
IBM (Mr. William J. Hammer Collection), gift, 1961, XXXX-0074, not NASM
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.
Topic:
Aeronautics -- Exhibitions  Search this
Aeronautics -- 1903-1916  Search this
Periodicals  Search this
Aeronautics  Search this
Genre/Form:
Drawings
Scrapbooks
Publications
Manuscripts
Correspondence
Photographs
Citation:
William J. Hammer Collection, Acc. NASM.XXXX.0074, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
NASM.XXXX.0074
See more items in:
William J. Hammer Collection
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2b19d3684-d8df-43fc-ba10-9da9e20ed7c2
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nasm-xxxx-0074
Online Media:

1908 Aeronautic Society Exhibition and Tournament and Championship Motorcycle Races Program

Extent:
0.05 Cubic feet (1 folder)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Date:
November 3, 1908
Summary:
Official program issued by The Aeronautic Society in conjunction with the Federation of American Motorcyclists for the "Aeronautic Society Exhibition and Tournament and Championship Motorcycle Races" held at the Morris Park Aerodrome, New York, on November 3, 1908.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of an official program, bound in a hard-cover library binding, issued by The Aeronautic Society in conjunction with the Federation of American Motorcyclists for the "Aeronautic Society Exhibition and Tournament and Championship Motorcycle Races" held at the Morris Park Aerodrome (formerly the Morris Park Racetrack), Westchester, New York, on November 3, 1908. The front cover features a reproduction of the front cover of the September 1908 edition of Aeronautics magazine showing the US Army "Signal Corps No.1" (SC-1) (Baldwin) airship in flight during US Army trials at Fort Myer, Virginia, in August 1908. Interior pages include a list of events (alternating aeronautic activities and motorcycle races) and information about The Aeronautic Society.
Arrangement:
Single item catalogued as NASM Archives item number NASM-9A20341. Digital scans are presented in page number order.
Biographical / Historical:
The Aeronautic Society was founded in New York in July 1908 to promote interest in and support the development of aeronautics by assisting its members in carrying out experiments, encouraging investors, bringing together people working in related aeronautical fields, and providing facilities where experimenters could carry on their work. A committee immediately set to work to find a suitable location for these activities, eventually settling on a defunct racecourse just north of New York City. Morris Park Racecourse had operated as a fashionable horse racing facility beginning in 1889 but closed in 1904 due to lack of attendance. In September 1908 The Aeronautic Society leased the property from the City of New York for two years for use as the Morris Park Aerodrome. The Society wasted no time in organizing its first public event, to be held at their new Aerodrome on Election Day of the same year, November 3, 1908. They joined with the Federation of American Motorcyclists to present the "Aeronautic Society Exhibition and Tournament and Championship Motorcycle Races," interspersing aeronautic events with motorcycle races over the course of the day. The air show was a rousing success with the public, with over 20,000 people filling the stands and the infield.

The Aeronautic Society (later known as The Aeronautical Society of America) secured a second location for use as a flying ground at Mineola, Long Island, New York, in January 1910; in April 1910 a fire damaged much of the Morris Park Aerodrome facility. The property was eventually sold to developers and the land subdivided into building lots. Morris Park was originally part of Westchester County, New York, but later became part of The Bronx, the northernmost of the five boroughs which make up New York City. The Aeronautical Society appears to have disbanded in 1918 at the end of World War I.
Related Materials:
Additional information on The Aeronautics Society (later known as The Aeronautical Society of America) and the 1908 Morris Park event can be found in the William J. Hammer Collection, NASM.XXXX.0074, https://sova.si.edu/record/nasm.xxxx.0074:

Series 1: Professional Materials, 1.1 Correspondence, Box 1, Folder 8: Correspondence, Hammer and the Aeronautical Society, November 1908 - July 1933. https://sova.si.edu/record/nasm.xxxx.0074/ref58

Series 1: Professional Materials, 1.7 Leaflets, Box 3, Folder 17: Leaflets and handbooks, The Aeronautical Society, 1911-1920. https://sova.si.edu/record/nasm.xxxx.0074/ref111

A cleaner copy (NASM 00139297) of the 1908 Morris Park event program can be found in the Hammer collection in Series 1: Professional Materials, 1.6: Programs, Aeronautic Society Exhibition and Tournament and Championship Motorcycle Races. https://sova.si.edu/record/nasm.xxxx.0074/ref835 NOTE: NASM 00139297 (NASM-2A39297) includes the back cover of the program featuring an advertisement for N.S.U. Motorcycles; in the case of NASM-9A20341 the back cover is obscured by the library binding and is not visible.
Provenance:
Smithsonian Institution Libraries, transfer, 2010, NASM.XXXX.0956
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.
Topic:
Aeronautics -- 1903-1916  Search this
Aeronautics -- Competitions  Search this
Motorcycles  Search this
Citation:
1908 Aeronautic Society Exhibition and Tournament and Championship Motorcycle Races Program, NASM.XXXX.0956, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
NASM.XXXX.0956
See more items in:
1908 Aeronautic Society Exhibition and Tournament and Championship Motorcycle Races Program
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2c36c2ee8-f0dd-45e2-8a49-a9d40d23630e
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nasm-xxxx-0956
Online Media:

Badges, passes and tickets for aeronautical exhibitions

Collection Creator:
Hammer, William J. (William Joseph), 1858-1934 (electrical engineer)  Search this
Container:
Box 4, Folder 1
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1908-1931
Collection Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Collection Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.
Collection Citation:
William J. Hammer Collection, Acc. NASM.XXXX.0074, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
William J. Hammer Collection
William J. Hammer Collection / Series 1: Professional materials / 1.10: Miscellaneous materials
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg22ee5a482-e361-41d8-947c-d5e5acc83e98
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-nasm-xxxx-0074-ref136

Proceedings, meetings of the Aeronautical Society

Collection Creator:
Hammer, William J. (William Joseph), 1858-1934 (electrical engineer)  Search this
Container:
Box 4, Folder 2
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
November-December 1909
Collection Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Collection Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.
Collection Citation:
William J. Hammer Collection, Acc. NASM.XXXX.0074, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
William J. Hammer Collection
William J. Hammer Collection / Series 1: Professional materials / 1.10: Miscellaneous materials
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg297ad787d-5a4f-42d9-a708-53fb4fa0f4b1
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-nasm-xxxx-0074-ref137

Articles, miscellaneous [1]

Collection Creator:
Hammer, William J. (William Joseph), 1858-1934 (electrical engineer)  Search this
Container:
Box 4, Folder 17
Type:
Archival materials
Text
Date:
1901-1942
Collection Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Collection Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.
Collection Citation:
William J. Hammer Collection, Acc. NASM.XXXX.0074, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
William J. Hammer Collection
William J. Hammer Collection / Series 1: Professional materials / 1.11: Articles and newspaper clippings
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg243fee0f2-df17-44c2-9f59-b780dc533e57
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-nasm-xxxx-0074-ref154

Articles, miscellaneous [2]

Collection Creator:
Hammer, William J. (William Joseph), 1858-1934 (electrical engineer)  Search this
Container:
Box 4, Folder 18
Type:
Archival materials
Text
Date:
1901-1942
Collection Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Collection Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.
Collection Citation:
William J. Hammer Collection, Acc. NASM.XXXX.0074, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
William J. Hammer Collection
William J. Hammer Collection / Series 1: Professional materials / 1.11: Articles and newspaper clippings
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2fb5fd793-540f-4ea1-a1e1-b92bdde00a7c
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-nasm-xxxx-0074-ref155

Articles, miscellaneous [3]

Collection Creator:
Hammer, William J. (William Joseph), 1858-1934 (electrical engineer)  Search this
Container:
Box 4, Folder 19
Type:
Archival materials
Text
Date:
1901-1942
Collection Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Collection Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.
Collection Citation:
William J. Hammer Collection, Acc. NASM.XXXX.0074, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
William J. Hammer Collection
William J. Hammer Collection / Series 1: Professional materials / 1.11: Articles and newspaper clippings
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg263056514-b98e-446d-a942-2aba3c62afb8
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-nasm-xxxx-0074-ref156

Articles, miscellaneous [4]

Collection Creator:
Hammer, William J. (William Joseph), 1858-1934 (electrical engineer)  Search this
Container:
Box 4, Folder 20
Type:
Archival materials
Text
Date:
1901-1942
Collection Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Collection Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.
Collection Citation:
William J. Hammer Collection, Acc. NASM.XXXX.0074, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
William J. Hammer Collection
William J. Hammer Collection / Series 1: Professional materials / 1.11: Articles and newspaper clippings
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2bd9415a8-2495-4e01-9eff-8ab1b7ff38bf
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-nasm-xxxx-0074-ref157

Articles, miscellaneous [5]

Collection Creator:
Hammer, William J. (William Joseph), 1858-1934 (electrical engineer)  Search this
Container:
Box 4, Folder 21
Type:
Archival materials
Text
Date:
1901-1942
Collection Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Collection Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.
Collection Citation:
William J. Hammer Collection, Acc. NASM.XXXX.0074, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
William J. Hammer Collection
William J. Hammer Collection / Series 1: Professional materials / 1.11: Articles and newspaper clippings
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2ccb0704d-9f6f-42b1-9295-3ecc4f133338
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-nasm-xxxx-0074-ref158

Newspaper clippings, miscellaneous

Collection Creator:
Hammer, William J. (William Joseph), 1858-1934 (electrical engineer)  Search this
Container:
Box 5, Folder 1
Type:
Archival materials
Text
Date:
1892-1928
Collection Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Collection Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.
Collection Citation:
William J. Hammer Collection, Acc. NASM.XXXX.0074, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
William J. Hammer Collection
William J. Hammer Collection / Series 1: Professional materials / 1.11: Articles and newspaper clippings
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg28d6659c7-fe4e-417e-a12a-adf1c954b49d
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-nasm-xxxx-0074-ref159

Newspaper clippings, miscellaneous

Collection Creator:
Hammer, William J. (William Joseph), 1858-1934 (electrical engineer)  Search this
Container:
Box 5, Folder 2
Type:
Archival materials
Text
Date:
1904-1923
Collection Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Collection Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.
Collection Citation:
William J. Hammer Collection, Acc. NASM.XXXX.0074, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
William J. Hammer Collection
William J. Hammer Collection / Series 1: Professional materials / 1.11: Articles and newspaper clippings
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg23a339669-b238-4c46-b22d-d9bda4613b9c
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-nasm-xxxx-0074-ref160

Professor Samuel P. Langley observing demonstration of Alberto Santos-Dumont's airship, Saint-Cloud, France

Collection Creator:
Hammer, William J. (William Joseph), 1858-1934 (electrical engineer)  Search this
Container:
Box 8, Folder 1
Type:
Archival materials
Photographs
Date:
September 1900
Collection Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Collection Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.
Collection Citation:
William J. Hammer Collection, Acc. NASM.XXXX.0074, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
William J. Hammer Collection
William J. Hammer Collection / Series 2: Photographs and other materials / 2.2: Photographs [11 x 15 inch flat boxes]
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2c4b7a401-0948-426a-820f-adacdc734560
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-nasm-xxxx-0074-ref222

Santos-Dumont's dirigible balloon, Saint-Cloud, France - Visit of International Aeronautical Engineers

Collection Creator:
Hammer, William J. (William Joseph), 1858-1934 (electrical engineer)  Search this
Container:
Box 8, Folder 7
Type:
Archival materials
Photographs
Date:
September 19, 1900
Collection Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Collection Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.
Collection Citation:
William J. Hammer Collection, Acc. NASM.XXXX.0074, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
William J. Hammer Collection
William J. Hammer Collection / Series 2: Photographs and other materials / 2.2: Photographs [11 x 15 inch flat boxes]
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg21174b65d-4e20-489e-b298-6e635263fb41
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-nasm-xxxx-0074-ref228

Santos-Dumont's dirigible balloon demonstration for Samuel Langley, Saint-Cloud, France

Collection Creator:
Hammer, William J. (William Joseph), 1858-1934 (electrical engineer)  Search this
Container:
Box 8, Folder 8
Type:
Archival materials
Photographs
Date:
September 21,1900
Collection Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Collection Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.
Collection Citation:
William J. Hammer Collection, Acc. NASM.XXXX.0074, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
See more items in:
William J. Hammer Collection
William J. Hammer Collection / Series 2: Photographs and other materials / 2.2: Photographs [11 x 15 inch flat boxes]
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg22788239e-4888-4e44-ba83-a1bbff9002e0
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-nasm-xxxx-0074-ref229

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