National Air and Space Museum Archives

Glenn H. Curtiss Collection

Summary

Collection ID:
NASM.XXXX.0053
Creators:
Curtiss, Glenn Hammond, 1878-1930
Dates:
1905-1931
bulk 1911-1930
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
2.7 Cubic feet
6 boxes
Repository:
This collection consists of documents and memorabilia relating to Curtiss during the years of his active aviation pursuits. The bulk of the material relates to patent suits, including Wright v. Curtiss, Herring v. Curtiss, and Curtiss v. Janin.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
This collection consists of the personal papers of Glenn H. Curtiss. These papers relate to his career as an aviation pioneer and aircraft manufacturing business owner. This collection also includes a small amount of personal correspondence. Moreover, materials pertaining to patents filed by Curtiss and the Wright brothers, as well as legal documents and testimony, are found in this collection.

Arrangement

Arrangement
  • Series 1: Professional materials
  • Subseries 1.1: Corporate correspondence
  • Subseries 1.2: Personal correspondence
  • Subseries 1.3: Miscellaneous corporate materials
  • Subseries 1.4: Patent materials
  • Subseries 1.5: Reports
  • Subseries 1.6: Photographs
  • Subseries 1.7: Menus, programs and tributes
  • Subseries 1.8: Books, journals, newsletters, and miscellaneous materials
  • Subseries 1.9: Newspaper clippings and articles
  • Series 2: Legal materials
  • Subseries 2.1: Curtiss versus Herring
  • Subseries 2.2: Curtiss versus Wright Brothers
  • Subseries 2.3: Lena P. Curtiss versus Herring

Biographical/Historical note

Biographical/Historical note
Glenn Hammond Curtiss (1878-1930) is best known as an aviation pioneer and inventor and founder of the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Co. Initially a bicycle repairman and designer, by 1902 Curtiss had begun to manufacture motorcycles using a lightweight internal combustion engine of his own design and founded the Curtiss Manufacturing Co. By 1904 Curtiss' engine had been co-opted by Thomas Baldwin for his airship experiments. This activity led to a connection between Curtiss and Alexander Graham Bell and, in 1907, to the foundation of the Aerial Experiment Association. In 1909 Curtiss joined with Augustus M. Herring to form the Herring-Curtiss Co to manufacture powered vehicles, but Herring's unsubstantiated claims to priority over the Wright Brother's aeronautical patents led to the Wright and Curtiss patent suits which continued until the merger of Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor with Wright Aeronautical in 1929. Curtiss and Herring split after the Wright's filed suit and Herring sued Curtiss, claiming that Curtiss had failed to turn his air race winnings over to the company. Despite these, and other, suits, Curtiss continued to advance the cause and technology of aviation, founding the first public flying school (1910) and later a chain of schools across the US, inventing the aileron (1909), the dual-control trainer (1911) and the hydroaeroplane (1911). In 1920 Curtiss retired from active aviation pursuits. After Curtiss died, his wife continued the legal fight on her husband's behalf until a judge decided in Herring's favor (1931).

Administration

Author
Mark Kahn
Processing Information
The collection is arranged into two broad series. First, is the material relating to Curtiss' professional life. This includes corporate correspondence, miscellaneous corporate materials, reports, photographs, programs and tributes, books, journals, newsletters, newspaper clippings, patent materials and a scrapbook. The second series contains items pertaining to legal cases involving Curtiss, Augustus M. Herring and the Wright brothers.
In Series 1, correspondence, miscellaneous corporate and non-corporate materials, reports, photographs, menus, programs, tributes, books, journals, newsletters, patent materials and legal documents are arranged chronologically. The small amount of personal correspondence found in this collection follows the corporate correspondence in the finding aid. Newspaper clippings, journals, newsletters and articles are grouped by title of publication. Photographs are grouped by subject and then chronologically. Patent materials are organized into two groups: patent applications filed by and issued to Curtiss and those filed by and issued to the Wright brothers. In Series 2, the legal documents are organized chronologically by specific legal case.
Immediate Source of Acquisition note
Glenn H. Curtiss, Jr., gift, 1963, XXXX-0053

Using the Collection

Preferred Citation
Glenn H. Curtiss Collection, Acc. XXXX-0053, National Air & Space Museum, Smithsonian Inst.
Conditions Governing Access note
No restrictions on access
Conditions Governing Use

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Patent suits Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Drawings Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Aeronautics Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Aircraft industry Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Financial records Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Aeronautics, Commercial -- United States Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Curtiss, Glenn Hammond, 1878-1930 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Aerial Experiment Association Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Curtiss-Wright Corporation Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Bell, Alexander Graham, 1847-1922 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Herring, Augustus Moore, 1867-1926 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Herring-Curtiss Co. Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

National Air and Space Museum Archives
14390 Air & Space Museum Parkway
Chantilly, VA 20151
NASMRefDesk@si.edu