Oscar W. Richards Collection
name: label: Creator
content: Richards, Oscar W., Dr.
label: Names
content: American Optical Company Armed Forces Institute of Pathology
label: Names
content: Richards, Oscar W., Dr. (biologist)
topic: label: Topic
content: Microscopy
label: Topic
content: Microscopes
label: Topic
content: Microbiology
label: Topic
content: Biology
label: Topic
content: Microbiologists
label: Topic
content: Biologists
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: Collection donated by Dr. Richard E. Richards, May 25, 1989.
creator: label: Creator
content: Richards, Oscar W., Dr.
setName: label: See more items in
content: Oscar W. Richards Collection
abstract: label: Summary
content: This collection is made up of materials collected by Dr. Oscar W. Richards on various topics related to microscopes.
accruals: label: Accruals
content: Approximately 1.5 cu. feet of material was added to the collection between 2017-2018.  Its immediate source of acquisition is unknown. Materials transferred from Division of Work and Industry.
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: Oscar W. Richards (1902-1988) was a biologist and researcher on optics and microscopy.  Born at Butte, Montana, Richards received his B.A. (1923) and M.A. (1925) from the University of Oregon and a PhD in Zoology from Yale in 1931.  Richards worked as a professor and lecturer at various academic institutions, including the University of Oregon (1925-1926), Clark University (1928-1930) and Yale University (1931-1937) and Pacific University after 1967.

Richards also worked with the American Optical Company, where he conducted research on microscopes and related instruments.  His research focus shifted over time to encompass optics and human vision, especially as they related to night driving of automobiles.  In addition to his teaching and work in optics, Richards was also a long-time consultant at the Medical Museum of the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, where he advised on the museum's collection of historical microscopes.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 6 Cubic feet (18 boxes)
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1848-1989
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives Center, National Museum of American History
identifier: label: Identifier
content: NMAH.AC.0343
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Articles
label: Type
content: Trade catalogs
label: Type
content: Photographic prints
label: Type
content: Reprints
label: Type
content: Sales catalogs
label: Type
content: Correspondence
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: This collection is arranged into 6 series.

Series 1:  Historical Materials, 1848-1989

Series 2: Bibliographies, 1916-1973

Series 3: Topics in Microscopy, 1887-1988

Series 4: Trade Literature, 1926-1976

Series 5: Slides and Clippings, 1890-1947

Series 6: Card Catalogue, 1923-1988
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: Collection processed by Robert Ageton, 1990.  Collection reprocessed by Miles Lawlor; supervised by Alison Oswald, archivist, July 2019.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Articles -- 20th century
label: Genre/Form
content: Trade catalogs
label: Genre/Form
content: Photographic prints
label: Genre/Form
content: Reprints
label: Genre/Form
content: Sales catalogs -- 1900-1960
label: Genre/Form
content: Correspondence -- 1930-1950
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: This collection consists of materials related to Richards' consulting work on the history and development of microscopes.  Included are scholarly articles, publications, trade literature, photographs and negatives, photographic slides, correspondence, conference programs, bibliographies, advertising clippings, and a card catalogue.  Prior to acquisition, Richards organized his materials into folders by subject.  Where possible, folders reflect his organizational methods, but with new folder titles to provide clarity.