Author

Foreward

This register marks the culmination of a complex, extensive project. To catalog the life's work of a single photographer can be a formidable task, especially one with such idiosyncratic methods and goals as Donald Sultner-Welles. Our intrepid project archivist, Laurie A. Baty, approached this challenge with perseverance, alacrity, and a sense of humor which was as strong as her sense of purpose. She was aided in arranging, cataloguing, and preserving the collection by Anne Peterson, who assisted with manuscript materials, and Allan Janus, who worked on the photographs.

Although many hands were involved in the preparation of this register, or catalog, and the videodisc which accompanies it, it is substantially the work of Laurie Baty. She is in every sense the author of this book. Details of its preparation were completed after special funding for her position ended and it became impossible for her to perform this work personally. A number of interns, volunteers, and contractors performed much of the post-preparation of the manuscript under my direction. Because the "Detailed Container List" was intended to perform the additional function of identification for the videodisc images, it was necessary to await the manufacture of the disc before the frame numbers could be added to the register. This work was begun by Eunice Spry and Milton Dolinka, but the major portion was done by Joanne Wilson, Lynne Wilson, Janis Weiher, and Debra Hashim, all of whom also did much proofreading. I performed most of the final editing and manuscript preparation and assume responsibility for any remaining errors (as well as new ones which might have been inadvertently introduced since Laurie Baty completed her final draft). However, Anne E. Peterson was an invaluable editorial assistant in the final stage of the project, tying up many loose ends, offering valuable suggestions, insights, and research and final factchecking, and spurring me to apply my own finishing touches. She coordinated other facets of the project, including the database, and she prepared the handsome color brochure for the collection. We welcome the advice of readers who detect errors, problems, or inconsistencies in the text, as we shall continue making corrections and additions to the computer database, as well as any future editions of the register.

Brad Tesh from this Museum's Computer Services Center provided untiring and goodhumored technical support and advice and loaded word processing documents into our microcomputer and converted them into database records which could actually drive the videodisc. This is an added feature which we did not even envision when the Sultner-Welles videodisc project began. I believe that Allan Janus, our trusty ally and admirer of the "red shirt school of photography," was the first to suggest doing this, and achieved a working model at his current base of operations, the National Air and Space Museum, and collaborated with Brad Tesh to make this database a reality. Several of Mr. Janus's colleagues at NASM offered additional advice.

Acknowledgements

The Donald H. Sultner-Welles Collection came to the National Museum of American History in the summer of 1982, following Donald Sultner's death in 1981. The collection, under the care of the Archives Center since that time, was officially transferred to the Archives Center from the Division of Photographic History in 1986. I would like to thank the staff of that Division, particularly Lynn Novick and Peter Liebhold, for their assistance in the intricacies of the transfer.

Several members of the Archives Center gave invaluable assistance to this project: Robert Harding, Head, Manuscript Collections, Jane Odom, Archivist, and David Haberstich, Head, Photographic Collections. I could not have completed the arrangement and description of this voluminous collection without the able assistance of two contractors, Allan Janus and Anne E. Peterson. Ms. Peterson wrote the manuscript section of the finding aid and prepared a preliminary biography of Sultner, while Mr. Janus assisted with the photographic sections.

I am especially grateful to John Fleckner, Chief Archivist, for his support, encouragement, and assistance throughout the laborious task of preparing the collection for use.

Processing Information

Series 1 contains restricted letters to Sultner from friends. These materials will become available to the public in the year 2031.

Twenty-three document boxes of clippings and magazine articles found in standard magazines and newspapers (e.g., , , , , etc.) were destroyed. These materials represented general articles being published on a number of topics during Sultner's lifetime. A list of subject file headings Sultner used is with the manuscript mate-rials.

A second grouping of materials destroyed were nine filing cabinet drawers of travel material--maps, guide books, and other tourist pamphlets used by Sultner on his travels. This material, as with the first group of material, was of the common variety easily found. Any books or pamphlets found with the clippings were sorted out and sent to Smithsonian Institution Libraries. Other library material that came in with the estate was sent immediately to the library and disposed of through their channels. Any office equipment, such as filing cabinets and supplies, etc., has been put to use in the National Museum of American History.

Conditions Governing Use

Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research but a portion of the collection is stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.

A small number of letters and photographs are restricted until the year 2031. Identification list in box.