Corning Glass Works Photograph Collection, BIB

Transcription

1 Corning Glass Works Photograph Collection, BIB This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on August 19, Describing Archives: A Content Standard Special Collections & Archives Rakow Research Library Corning Museum of Glass 5 Museum Way Corning, NY archives@cmog.org URL:

2 Table of Contents Summary Information... 3 Biographical / Historical... 3 Scope and Contents... 4 Arrangement... 5 Administrative Information... 5 Controlled Access Headings... 6 Collection Inventory... 6 Series I. Original Factory... 6 Series II. Reconstructed Factory Page 2 -

3 Summary Information Repository: Creator: Special Collections & Archives Corning Glass Works Title: Corning Glass Works Photograph Collection, ID: BIB Date [inclusive]: Physical Description: Physical Description: Language of the Material: Preferred Citation 2 Boxes 4.3 Linear Feet English {item name and box/folder# if available}. Corning Glass Works Photograph Collection, Rakow Research Library, The Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, NY. Biographical / Historical Corning Glass Works was founded in 1868 in Corning, NY, by Amory Houghton, Sr. The original building was a two-story brick building with two smokestacks and a Mansard roof. In 1876, the roof was replaced after a fire caused damage, and a major flood in 1889 damaged the factory and forced the company to rebuild. By 1890, five hundred people were employed by Corning Glass Works, and in the following years the factory produced a variety of products, including glass bulbs for Thomas Edison s electric light bulb. In 1908, Dr. Eugene Sullivan was appointed Head of Research and Development at Corning Glass Works and established one of the first research departments in the United States. He earned his PhD at the University in Leipzig in Germany and was in charge of researching German borosilicate glass. In order to better understand the properties of glass, Sullivan hired physicists, chemists, and optical scientists to collaborate in the research department. The current research facility is named Sullivan Park after Dr. Sullivan. - Page 3-

4 Throughout the twentieth century, Corning Glass Works continued to gain a worldwide reputation for its innovation. Corning Glass Works produced a highly durable cookware and laboratory glass product known as Pyrex, which is still available today. In 1935, Dr. George McCauley, a Corning physicist, designed and produced a two-hundred inch mirror blank, regarded as the world s largest piece of glass at the time, for the Hale Telescope at Mount Palomar. Corning also mass produced TV picture tubes, a contribution that led to millions of people being able to afford televisions. In 1994, Corning received the National Medal of Technology for life-changing and life-enhancing inventions. The company is now known as Corning Incorporated and produces advanced optics products, science equipment such as microplates and petri dishes, optical cables, environmental filters, pharmaceutical tubing, and much more. Corning Incorporated has research centers distributed throughout North America, Europe, and Asia. The Corning Glass Works tower that once produced thermometer tubes, fondly known as Little Joe, still stands over the town of Corning today. Scope and Contents The provenance of this collection is unknown. The bulk of the photographs, which are mostly of the factory s exterior, date from 1868 to around Some photographs in fragile condition have been conserved. The collection has been divided into two series. The first series includes photographs from the original factory and several glassmakers at work, and the second series includes photographs of the construction site and newly rebuilt factory taken after the flood of The dates of some photographs have been determined by the number of factory smokestacks. It is known there were five in 1888, eight in 1891 and 1898, ten in 1903, and twelve in Using this information, some photographs have been given tentative dates. The first series contains photographs of the original Corning Glass Works factory. Most of the photographs depict the exterior of the factory, but there are a few photos of glassmakers at work. The earliest photo dates anywhere from 1869 to before the fire in There are only two smokestacks in the background. The photo from 1889 depicts the disastrous effects of the flood and the damage it caused to the factory. There are two copies of a photograph of glassmakers with an unknown date. The man in the center of the photograph is Elsworth J. Van Etten and it is noted that he was the first in the region to blow ruby red glass. There is a photo of another glassblower, but his name and the date are unknown. The second series contains photographs of Corning Glass Works construction sites and the newly rebuilt factory. One of the photographs depicts construction workers in 1889 rebuilding the factory after the flood. There are five smokestacks in the background. Another photograph depicts construction being done to the factory, with eight smokestacks in the background and a possible date of There is a photograph depicting construction workers between the years 1900 and 1905 adding an additional two smokestacks. There are also two photos that compare the original factory from 1868 to the factory at the end of the nineteenth century. - Page 4-

5 Arrangement This collection is arranged in two series. Series I. Photographs of the original Corning Glass Works factory. Series II. Photographs of the reconstructed factory. Administrative Information Publication Statement Special Collections & Archives Rakow Research Library Corning Museum of Glass 5 Museum Way Corning, NY archives@cmog.org URL: Custodial History Provenance is unknown. Conditions Governing Access This collection is open to researchers. Conditions Governing Use The Copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specified conditions is that the reproduction is not to be "used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research." If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of "fair use," that user may be liable for copyright infringement. The user agrees to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the Corning Museum of Glass and the - Page 5-

6 Rakow Research Library against all claims, demands, costs and expenses incurred by copyright infringement or any other legal or regulatory cause of action arising from the use of Library materials. Controlled Access Headings Corning Glass Works -- Buildings -- Pictorial Works Corning Glass Works -- Employees -- Pictorial Works Corning (N.Y.) -- History -- 19th century Corning (N.Y.) -- History -- 20th century Collection Inventory Series I. Original Factory Scope and Contents This series contains photographs of the original Corning Glass Works factory. Most of the photographs depict the exterior of the factory, but there are a few photos of glassmakers at work. The earliest photo dates anywhere from 1869 to before the fire in The photo from 1889 depicts the disastrous effects of the flood and the damage it caused to the factory. There are two copies of a photograph of glassmakers with an unknown date. The man in the center of the photograph is Elsworth J. Van Etten and it is noted that he was the first in the region to blow ruby red glass. There is a photo of another glassblower, but his name and the date are unknown. Title/Description Instances Various Views of the Factory, Undated box 1 folder 1 Glass workers, Undated box 1 folder 2 "The Corning Glass Works Factory as it Appeared in 1868." box 1 folder 3 "Walnut St. Gate, Looking South." Circa 1872 box 1 folder 4 Sepia Toned Image of Factory Damaged by Flood 1889 box 1 folder 5 Main Plant in Corning with Mansard Roof Circa box 1 folder 6 Series II. Reconstructed Factory - Page 6-

7 Scope and Contents This series contains photographs of Corning Glass Works construction sites and the newly rebuilt factory after the flood of One of the photographs depicts construction workers in 1889 rebuilding the factory. Another photograph depicts construction being done to the factory, with eight smokestacks in the background and a possible date of There is a photograph depicting construction workers between the years 1900 and 1905 adding an additional two smokestacks. There are also two photos that compare the original factory from 1868 to the factory at the end of the nineteenth century. Title/Description Instances Various Photographs of the Reconstructed Factory, Undated box 2 folder 1 Workers Pose at Corning Glass Works Construction Site Circa 1889 box 2 folder 2 Factory Buildings and Smokestacks Circa box 2 folder 3 box data_value_missing_bbb5e33d0 Workers Pose Near Smokestacks Circa box 2 folder 4 - Page 7-