Eastman-Butterfield collection
Scope and Contents note
The Eastman-Butterfield Collection consists of a series of notes in nine notebooks, four boxes, and one package. Roger Butterfield assembled the notes in the early 1950s to serve as the resource material for a proposed biography of George Eastman. Although Butterfield never wrote the Eastman biography, he did publish an article, "The Prodigious Life of George Eastman," in the April 26, 1954 issue of Life magazine.
The first eight notebooks contain notes and correspondence arranged in chronological order. These notebooks cover the period from c.1830 until George Eastman's death in 1932. The ninth notebook is comprised of a subject file of key elements of Eastman's life.
Researchers using the notebooks can determine the sources of Butterfield's information by looking at the initial code in the upper left-hand corner of each page. Butterfield's general information came either from the Eastman House (EH) or from the Eastman Kodak Company (EK) files. Material from either of these sources that was derived from examining letters (correspondence) can be distinguished by the presence of an L before the main initials (i.e. LEH and LEK). The Eastman Kodak Company further divided Eastman's letters into personal correspondence boxes and general (mostly business) correspondence boxes. LB stands for Letter Box, the general file, while PLB denotes the Personal Letter Box. Much of the Eastman Kodak Company correspondence collection had already been excerpted and transcribed by Kodak employees before Butterfield began his research. Butterfield notes in the text of the notebooks which letters he has only seen in incomplete transcribed versions. The Eastman House files were transferred to the Department of Rare Books, & Special Collections and can now be found in D.138, the Eastman (George) Papers.
The collection also contains four boxes and one package. The first three boxes include interviews, notes, newspaper clippings, pamphlets and other research materials. The first box contains a series of interviews and interview notes gathered by Butterfield. The interviews shed light on Eastman's private and public life, on his management of the Eastman Kodak Company, and on the continuing development of the Company since his death. The second box contains Butterfield's notes and printed materials having to do with George Eastman himself. The third box contains notes and clippings about the development of photography in general, and some specific information about the Eastman Kodak Company. This box also contains printed material distributed by Eastman Kodak to its stockholders. The last box contains copies of Butterfield's book contracts for the writing of the Eastman biography and correspondence pertaining to the proposed book.
Creator
- Butterfield, Roger, 1907-1981 (Person)
Dates
- Creation: 1950's
Language of Materials
English
Extent
4 box(es) (4 boxes, 9 volumes, and 1 package)
Restrictions on Access
The Eastman-Butterfield Collection is open for research use. Researchers are advised to contact the Rare Books Special Collections & Preservation Department prior to visiting. Upon arrival, researchers will also be asked to fill out a registration form and provide photo identification.
Restrictions on Use
In consultation with a curator, reproductions may be made upon request. Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from a curator. Researchers are responsible for determining any copyright questions.
Immediate Source of Acquisition note
This collection was the gift of Roger Butterfield in September, 1971.
Preferred Citation
[Item title, item date], Eastman-Butterfield Collection, D.4, Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation, River Campus Libraries, University of Rochester
Subject
- Eastman, George, 1854-1932 (Person)
- Eastman Kodak Company (Organization)
- Title
- Eastman-Butterfield collection
- Author
- Finding aid prepared by Rare Books and Special Collections staff
- Date
- undated
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Library Details
Part of the Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation Library