This donation includes the following: eighteen diaries of Sellers, 1899-1903 and 1907-1909; his laboratory daybook in which he wrote many of the details of his aeronautical work; Sellers' personal correspondence, 1899-1917; photographs, including images of Sellers quadruplane hang gliders, wind tunnels, and biplane; photographs by Sellers of the Wright Model A at the 1909 Fort Myer Military Trials; miscellaneous reports; and family papers.
Biographical / Historical:
Matthew Bacon Sellers II (1869 - 1932) received a LL.B. from Harvard Law School in 1893 and during 1893-94 studied chemistry, physics, and mechanical arts from the Lawrence Scientific School at Harvard University, and Drexel Institute. From childhood, Sellers exhibited an interest in artificial flight, making his own kites, hot-air and hydrogen balloons, and various kinds of 'mechanical birds.' In 1903 Sellers began to direct his full attention to aeronautical research and invention. From 1903 to 1925, Sellers was involved with building gliders, aircraft and wind tunnels to accurately measure lift and drag of various airfoil curves. Sellers made his first powered hop in 1908 and among the mechanical innovations that he received patents on was an undercarriage design featuring retractable wheels. He was considered a leading authority on aerodynamics and was appointed to several boards, including the Aerodynamic Laboratory Commission, and the Naval Consulting Board as an expert on aviation and related matters. Sellers was also the technical editor of 'Aeronautics' and authored 30 articles on aerodynamics.
General:
NASMrev
Provenance:
John Clark Sellers and Matthew Bacon Sellers III, Gift, 1986, 1986-0050, 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
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:
Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. Collection, Acc. 1992.0023, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
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:
Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. Collection, Acc. 1992.0023, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
The US Army Signal Corps advertised for bids for a two-seat observation aircraft and in 1908 and 1909, the Wrights flew the Wright 1908 Military Flyer at official Army trials at Fort Myer, Virginia. This collection consists of 45 black and white photographs, of varying sizes and including some duplicates, taken by photographer W. S. Clime at the 1908-1909 official army trials.
Scope and Contents:
The US Army Signal Corps advertised for bids for a two-seat observation aircraft and in 1908 and 1909, the Wrights flew the Wright 1908 Military Flyer at official Army trials at Fort Myer, Virginia. On September 17, 1908, Orville Wright and Lieutenant Thomas Etholen Selfridge made a flight as a part of these trials. While in the air, a blade on the propeller broke and the aircraft fell from 75 feet up and landed on Wright and Selfridge. Both men sustained severe injuries. Wright broke a leg and several ribs, and Selfridge was taken off the field unconscious. Selfridge died shortly after the accident from his injuries and became powered flight's first fatality. The Army was to purchase the Wright (Co) Type A Military (Signal Corps No. 1) for $30,000 in 1909.
Arrangement:
Collection is in original order.
Biographical / Historical:
This collection consists of 45 black and white photographs, of varying sizes and including some duplicates, taken by photographer W. S. Clime at the 1908-1909 official army trials at Fort Myer, Virginia. Shown in the images are the Wright 1908 Military Flyer in flight and on the ground; the crash that injured Orville Wright and killed Thomas Selfridge; and Thomas S. Baldwin with an Army dirigible. Other persons shown in the photographs include mechanic Charles W. Taylor; Major George O. Squier; Lieutenant Frank P. Lahm; Lieutenant Benjamin D. Foulois; Augustus Post; and Mrs. M. Longworth. The collection also contains one unrelated photograph of A. Roy Knabenshue making a flight over Washington, DC.
Provenance:
A. S. Clime, Gift, Unknown, NASM.XXXX.0904
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:
Wright (Co) Type A Military (Signal Corps No. 1) Search this
Genre/Form:
Photographic prints
Citation:
Fort Myer Army Trial Flight Photographs, NASM.XXXX.0904, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
The original glass plate is available for inspection if necessary in the Archives Center. A limited number of fragile glass negatives and positives in the collection can be viewed directly in the Archives Center by prior appointment.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
The original glass plate is available for inspection if necessary in the Archives Center. A limited number of fragile glass negatives and positives in the collection can be viewed directly in the Archives Center by prior appointment.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
The original glass plate is available for inspection if necessary in the Archives Center. A limited number of fragile glass negatives and positives in the collection can be viewed directly in the Archives Center by prior appointment.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
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:
Thomas DeWitt Milling Collection, NASM.XXXX.0133, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
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:
Thomas DeWitt Milling Collection, NASM.XXXX.0133, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
African Americans -- Washington (D.C.) Search this
Type:
Archival materials
Ledgers (account books)
Place:
Washington (D.C.) -- 20th century
Date:
1928-1935
Scope and Contents:
Job Numbers: 21,500-27,200
Series 8: Business Records, Subseries 8.1: Studio Session Registers are restricted. Digital copies available for research. See repository for details.
Listing of photo orders.
Subseries Restrictions:
Series 8: Business Records, Subseries 8.1: Studio Session Registers are restricted. Digital copies available for research. See repository for details..
Series Rights:
When the Museum purchased the collection from the Estate of Robert S. Scurlock, it obtained all rights, including copyright. The earliest photographs in the collection are in the public domain because their term of copyright has expired. The Archives Center will control copyright and the use of the collection for reproduction purposes, which will be handled in accordance with its standard reproduction policy guidelines. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Genre/Form:
Ledgers (account books) -- 20th century
Series Citation:
Scurlock Studio Records, Archives Center, National Museum of American History. Smithsonian Institution
Sponsor:
The collection was acquired with assistance from the Eugene Meyer Foundation. Elihu and Susan Rose and the Save America's Treasures program, provided funds to stabilize, organize, store, and create digital surrogates of some of the negatives. Processing and encoding funded by a grant from the Council on Library and Information Resources.
The administration of the United States National Museum required curators to submit regular reports on the activities of the departments, divisions, and sections. Prior
to about 1900 these reports were often made monthly and semiannually as well as annually. The reports were traditionally submitted to the Director of the National Museum to
be used in preparing the published Annual Report of the United States National Museum. The individual reports, however, were not reproduced in their entirety in the published
Annual Report and generally contain more information than is to be found in the published version.
Reports were stored by the Office of Correspondence and Reports (later known as the Office of Correspondence and Documents), and then by the Office of the Registrar.
Includes reports submitted to the Director of the United States National Museum by curators and administrators.
