James Knights Co. Records
name: label: Creator
content: James Knights Co.
topic: label: Topic
content: Clocks and watches
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: Collection donated by Gary Van Cleave in 2002.
creator: label: Creator
content: James Knights Co.
setName: label: See more items in
content: James Knights Co. Records
abstract: label: Summary
content: Collection documents proposed legislation regulating the import and export of watch components. Also included is a film entitled "Crystals for the Critical".
bioghist: label: Historical
content: The James Knights Company of Sandwich, Illinois was founded in 1942 to develop and manufacture crystal-controlled oscillators. In creating the company, James Knights and Leon Faber were responding to the enormous demand for frequency control in military radio and telephone communications during World Ware II. Faber, a utility company employee, had previous experience making quartz crystal control units for amateur radio enthusiasts, also known as "hams." James Knights owned a local electrical supply store.

After the war James Knights produced crystal units for military aircraft radios. The firm became a subsidiary of CTS (Chicago Telephone Supply) in 1964 and the company name changed to CTS Knights. In addition to supplying crystals for use in military applications, the company manufactured crystal oscillators for use in a variety of other electronic devices including computers. During the early 1970s, the company was interested in the use of crystals in watches and clocks. The paper documents in the collection focus primarily on this effort.

The company continued to produce crystal units as a division of CTS, now a global electronics firm, until 2002 when it was shut down.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 0.6 Cubic feet (1 box)
label: Extent
content: 1 Film reel
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1951-1981
custodhist: label: Custodial History
content: Collection transferred from the Division of History of Technology (now known as the Division of Work and Industry) to the Archives Center in 2003.
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives Center, National Museum of American History
identifier: label: Identifier
content: NMAH.AC.0847
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Film reels
label: Type
content: Memorandums
label: Type
content: Specifications
label: Type
content: Notes
label: Type
content: Business letters
label: Type
content: Financial records
label: Type
content: Motion pictures (visual works)
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: Collection is arranged into one series.
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: Collection processed by Wendy Shay, September 2004.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Memorandums
label: Genre/Form
content: Specifications
label: Genre/Form
content: Notes
label: Genre/Form
content: Business letters
label: Genre/Form
content: Financial records
label: Genre/Form
content: Motion pictures (visual works)
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents note
content: The collection comprises internal company documents primarily concerning the company's efforts in producing crystals for watches. Documents include correspondence with customers, suppliers, potential and active partners, technical specifications and notes, reports, financial records, and market research. One large file contains correspondence and memoranda relating to proposed legislation regulating the import and export of watch components.

The company produced the 1951 film, Crystals for the Critical, as a marketing and employee relations tool. It documents all aspects of the work of the James Knights Company.
relatedmaterial: label: Related Materials
content: Materials in the Archives Center

Walter Guyton Cady Paper, 1903-1974 (NMAH.AC.0046)

Virgil Eldon Bottom Collection, 1936-1983 (NMAH.AC.0148)