Howard Head Papers
name: label: Creator
content: Head, Howard, 1914-1991 (inventor, business executive)
label: Names
content: Head Ski Company.
label: Names
content: Prince Manufacturing, Inc.
label: Names
content: Bruner, Wally, 1931-
label: Names
content: Budge, Dan
label: Names
content: Cash, Pat
label: Names
content: Cosby, Bill, 1937-
label: Names
content: Douglas, Mike, 1925-
label: Names
content: Ford, Gerald R., 1913-2006
label: Names
content: Francis, Arlene
label: Names
content: Savalas, Telly, 1924-
label: Names
content: Shore, Dinah, 1917-1994
label: Names
content: Shriver, Pam
label: Names
content: Tiriac, Ian
label: Names
content: Van Patten, Dick, 1928-
label: Names
content: Watson, Tom
topic: label: Topic
content: Tents
label: Topic
content: Inventions -- 20th century
label: Topic
content: Philanthropists
label: Topic
content: Rackets (Sporting goods)
label: Topic
content: Sporting goods industry
label: Topic
content: Skis and skiing
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: This collection was donated to the National Museum of American History by Martha Head and The Howard and Martha Head Fund, Inc., May 19, 1997.
creator: label: Creator
content: Head, Howard, 1914-1991 (inventor, business executive)
setName: label: See more items in
content: Howard Head Papers
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: Howard Head was born July 31, 1914 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He attended William Penn Charter and graduated from Harvard in 1936 with a degree in engineering. From 1939 to1947, Head worked for Glenn L. Martin Company as a riveter and engineer. He left Martin and founded the Head Ski Company in Timonium, MD in 1948. The former aircraft engineer, developed, designed, manufactured, and marketed the first metal laminate skis in 1950 called the "Head Standard" which revolutionized the ski industry. These skis were made of two layers of aluminum bonded around a core of plywood at very high pressure; the outer layer was made of plastic. By 1952, Head introduced skis with edges made of tempered steel. His skis were lighter and faster than wood and earned the nickname "cheaters" by the industry. In 1969, Head introduced a fiberglass/metal ski, but this ski combined with a diversified product line of javelin and aluminum tennis rackets could not strengthen his company nor stop a takeover by AMF in 1970. In 1968, Head formed a tennis division of Head Sports Inc., to develop a metal tennis racket which he introduced at the U.S. Open in 1969. After Head sold his interests in Head Sports Inc., he became chairman of the board for Prince Manufacturing Inc., in 1971. He decided to enlarge the width and length of the traditional tennis racket, more than doubling its "sweet spot." He developed and patented a line of new aluminum rackets and introduced the "Prince Advantage" in 1976. The Prince racket company was sold to Cheesebrough Ponds in 1982. Head, who died in 1991, revolutionized both the ski and tennis industries.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 11 Cubic feet (25 boxes, 1 oversize folder)
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1926-1991
label: Date
content: bulk 1955-1991
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives Center, National Museum of American History
identifier: label: Identifier
content: NMAH.AC.0589
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Videodiscs
label: Type
content: Tax records
label: Type
content: Patents
label: Type
content: Advertisements
label: Type
content: Audiocassettes
label: Type
content: Clippings
label: Type
content: Dictaphone cassettes
label: Type
content: Drawings
label: Type
content: Correspondence
label: Type
content: Photographs
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: The collection is divided into eight series. 

Series 1: Biographical Materials, 1926-1991

Series 2: Correspondence and Writings, 1943-1991

Series 3: Head Ski Company Records, 1943-1990

Series 4: Head Ski Company Reunion Materials, 1986

Series 5: Prince Manufacturing, Inc. Records, 1971-1991

Series 6: Historical Collection Materials, 1986-1991

Series 7: Posters, undated

Series 8; Audiovisual Materials, 1940s-1991
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: Collection processed by Alison Oswald, 1998.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Videodiscs
label: Genre/Form
content: Tax records
label: Genre/Form
content: Patents
label: Genre/Form
content: Advertisements
label: Genre/Form
content: Audiocassettes
label: Genre/Form
content: Clippings
label: Genre/Form
content: Dictaphone cassettes
label: Genre/Form
content: Drawings -- 20th century
label: Genre/Form
content: Correspondence -- 1930-1950
label: Genre/Form
content: Photographs -- 20th century
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: The Head Papers, 1926-1991, consist of correspondence, calendars, notes, company records (Head Ski Company and Prince Manufacturing Inc.), drawings, sketches, advertisements, product information, photographs, and slides documenting the development and design of both the Head ski and Prince oversized tennis racket. The collection is arranged into eight series:
relatedmaterial: label: Related Materials
content: Artifacts donated to the National Museum of American History, Division of Cultural History (now Division of Cultural and Community Life)  on May 19, 1997, include downhill skis, ski poles, ski boots, ski bindings, cross sections of downhill skis, competition medals, Prince tennis rackets, and racket covers.
separatedmaterial: label: Separated Materials
content: Materials at the National Museum of American History

Artifacts were donated to the Division of Cultural History (now Division of Cultural and Community Life) on May 19, 1997,and include downhill skis, ski poles, ski boots, ski bindings, cross sections of downhill skis, competition medals, Prince tennis rackets, and racket covers.