Archives Center, National Museum of American History

Guide to the Danish Film Stills of American Motion Pictures

Summary

Collection ID:
NMAH.AC.0543
Dates:
circa 1915-1986
Languages:
Collection is in
English
. Some materials in
Danish
and
German
.
Physical Description:
10 Cubic feet
23 boxes
Repository:
The collection contains primarily black-and-white silver gelatin photographic prints, produced by film studios and distributors for advertising and theater lobby display purposes. The films are mostly American, although the collection includes some European and Japanese films. Some films are accompanied by small booklets in Danish.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
The collection contains primarily black-and-white silver gelatin photographic prints, produced by film studios and distributors for advertising and theater lobby display purposes. The films are mostly American, although the collection includes some European and Japanese films. Many prints were used for display purposes and have tack-holes in the corners. Some are in poor condition with tears, creases and folds; others are in excellent condition. Some images occur as glossy color photomechanical prints, but hand-tinted black-and-white prints are also included. There are often duplicate prints. Many prints are embossed or blind-stamped ASTATENS FILMCENSUR, with a date date. Some films include small booklets in Danish that lists the major actors and the plot of the movie. The collection has been divided into two series.
Series 1, Film Stills, is arranged alphabetically by film title, one motion picture per folder. The subjects range from pre-World War I silent films to comedies with Mickey Rooney, and European romances.
Series 2, Unidentied Film Stills, contains stills from films that can not be identified by archivists within the Archives Center. The series also contains a catalog that allows one to purchase books, pamphlets, programs, periodicals, and photographs of various films, actors, and directors.

Arrangement

Arrangement
The collection is arranged into two series.
Series 1, Film Stills, 1915-1986
Series 2, Unidentified Film Stills, undated

Administration

Author
David. Haberstitch.
Custodial History
Photographs originally acquired in the 1970s as a gift from a museum in Denmark, and were collected by David Haberstich for the Division of Photographic History (now Division of Work and Industry), National Museum of American History and later transferred to the Division of Community Life, (formerly the Division of Home and Community Life in July, 1985 and now the Division of Cultural and Community Life). The collection was subsequently transferred to the Archives Center at an unknown date.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Collection donated by a museum in Denmark, circa 1970s.
Processing Information
Processed by David Haberstich, archivist, and Maria Timm (volunteer), December 2, 1998. Updated by Lydia Chiro (intern) and Allyssa Tidwell (intern), August 2011; supervised by Alison Oswald, archivist.
Original storage for this collection was in paper envelopes, generally one per film. These envelopes were removed and discarded at various times while this collection has been in the custody of the National Museum of American History. The envelopes bore pencilled numbers whose function is unknown; these numbers are transcribed at the end of each film entry; occasionally there was no number on the envelope or it has been lost.

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Use
Copyright status of items varies. Collection items are available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning intellectual property rights. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research but 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.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Gloves must be worn when handling unprotected photographs and negatives.
Preferred Citation
Danish Film Stills of American Motion Pictures, circa 1915-1986, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
advertising -- Motion pictures Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Motion pictures, American Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Photographs -- Black-and-white photoprints -- Silver gelatin -- 19th-20th century Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Motion picture stills Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Film stills Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Denmark -- motion pictures Geographic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Danske filminstitut Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

Archives Center, National Museum of American History
P.O. Box 37012
Suite 1100, MRC 601
Washington, D.C. 20013-7012
Business Number: Phone: 202-633-3270
Fax Number: Fax: 202-786-2453
archivescenter@si.edu