This collection consists of postcards gathered by Dr. Victor A. Blenkle, a twentieth century physician. The postcards primarily concern geographical locations and landmarks in the United States and Western Europe, but also include materials from six other continents.
Scope and Contents:
The Blenkle Collection consists of 29 boxes of postcards, principally about geographical locations, landmarks, monuments and other buildings of interest around the world. The bulk of the cards are about the United States and Western Europe, but countries in 6 continents are represented. The earliest cards included date from the late 1880s and the latest card date from the mid-1970s. The cards are arranged in alphabetical order by state name, name of country, and then specific locations.
Arrangement:
The collection is divided into four series:
Series 1 includes 16 boxes of cards about geographical locations within the United States. These cards are organized first by state in alphabetical order, secondly by city or place name (for example, Grand Canyon). Cities or locations with fewer than three postcards are arranged into general categories such as "Cities". Cards with no clear location are grouped by illustrated subject, such as "Winter Scenes."
Series 2 consists of 9 boxes of cards about places outside the United States. These cards are in alphabetical order by name Of country, and then by city, location or geographical name,also in alphabetical order. The names of countries are used as listed on the card. For example, most of the German cards appear to date from before the division into East and West Germany, consequently, the name is listed as Germany, with no regard for the location of a place between 1945 and 1990.
Series 3 consists of 4 boxes of cards organized by subject. These are the only cards without specific geographical locations.
Series 4 consists of 1 box of cards and letters written by Dr. Blenkle or what appear to be members of his family.
Divided into 3 series: (1) U.S.A., (2) Foreign (mostly Europe), (3) Subjects. Arranged geographically and alphabetically.
Biographical / Historical:
The Blenkle Collection of Postcards was collected by Dr. Victor A. Blenkle, who lived in New Jersey. Little was known about Dr. Blenkle until Ms. Lorraine Clemente, his great-niece, supplied biographical information in 2006. All relevant curators involved in this acquisition are now deceased. Through processing, some conclusions were reached based on evidence contained within the collection itself.
Victor A. Blenkle (born December 15, 1900; died April 15, 1978) was one of six children; his siblings were Ferdinand, Herbert, Albert, Helene, and Julius. His parents, Ferdinand and Bertha, probably emigrated to the United States from Germany in the 1890s (his father was born in 1871). Victor Blenkle practiced medicine in Teaneck, N.J., where he was affiliated with Holy Name Hospital; his wife's name was Elsie. Blenkle was active in medical organizations and was a founder of Family Practice of New Jersey. He served in both World Wars, attaining the rank of lieutenant colonel. Many of the postcards in this collection were from Blenkle's patients, as well as family members. (Ms. Lorraine Clemente, great-niece of Victor Blenkle, supplied biographical information in 2006.)
We do not know when Dr. Blenkle began collecting postcards, but cards sent to him or with what appears to be his handwriting begin in the 1920s. It seems as if Blenkle also either purchased or traded for collections that were originally owned by others. For example, within the overall Blenkle collection, there are three smaller groups of cards of earlier origin. Some of these include the earliest materials in the collection, dating from the late 1880s and 1890s. These three smaller groups include a group of cards sent to (and some sent by) a Reverend Leach in Noroton, Connecticut who was a Lutheran minister. He also apparently ran some kind of a Bible study by mail program and so received a number of cards from those interested in the Bible. Another group of cards sent to addresses in Elgin, Illinois and other related Midwestern locations by members of an extended family and some of their friends between about 1895 and 1910. A third set of cards includes smaller group of cards sent by a group of family and friends in Wisconsin, apparently centering on Milwaukee. All of these include messages written on front or back and postmarks.
Provenance:
Bequeathed to the Smithsonian Institution by Victor A. Blankle in 1977.
Restrictions:
The collection is open for research use.
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.
Approximately 100 cubic feet of photographs, slides, postcards, scrapbooks, brochures, artwork, drawings, and other ephemera documenting engine-powered vessels of the international maritime industry.
Brochures: The brochures are from international passenger lines and cruise lines. They detail both individual ships and shipping lines; they also detail features and services offered by the ship and crew.
Photographs: The photographs, which are captioned, depict ships of all kinds and sizes and in various locales. Some are of specific elements and equipment in the ships, including design elements.
Scrapbooks: Contain photographs, postcards, menus, brochures and flyers, advertisements and clippings. The majority cover passenger and cargo lines, whlie others are on regions or specific topics.
Postcard: include both commercially printed images and photographic postcards sent to Rau by friends.
Drawings and oversized materials, include blueprints of ships, dock and harbor facilities; artwork; posters; maps and charts; maritime calendars, large photographs, and miscellany.
Arrangement:
The collection is divided into five series.
Series 1: Scrapbooks
Series 2: Brochures
Series 3: Photographs and slides
Series 4: Postcards
Series 5: Drawings and oversized materials.
Biographical / Historical:
Rau was a Navy veteran and later an officer of the court for New York State and New York City until he retired in 1989. From 1989-2006, he served as the editor of the maritime historical publication of the Steamship Historical Society of America.
Provenance:
Collection donated by Katherine Ellis, daughter of William Rau, through his estate, 2013.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research.
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.
Electricity and Modern Physics, Division of, NMAH, SI. Search this
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1910s-1940s
Scope and Contents note:
Series 8 contains articles; booklets; catalogs; correspondence; descriptions of stations and equipment; extracts; histories; newspaper and magazine clippings; notes; pamphlets; photographs; postcards; releases; RCA Radio Pageant, 1929; statistics; and summaries of data about specific broadcast stations, AM and FM, and about broadcasting studios. This series includes information about government and commercial stations, lists of which are in Series 109.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research but a portion of the collection remains unprocessed and is stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.
Gloves must be worn when handling unprotected photographs, negatives, and slides.
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.
Collection Citation:
George H. Clark Radioana Collection, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
