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Michael A. Spencer Bromeliad Research Collection, 1754-2014

 

Summary

Creator:
Spencer, Michael A.
Abstract:
Michael A. Spencer assembled this collection of publications, photographs, drawings, correspondence programs and other materials focusing on the discovery, taxonomy and cultivation of bromeliads. Mulford B. Foster, Racine Foster and Lyman B. Smith are among the significant bromeliad collectors whose work is documented here.
Extent:
130 Linear Feet 259 boxes, 2 flat files
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

Michael A. Spencer Bromeliad Research Collection, Special Collections and University Archives, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida.

Background

Scope and content:

Series I: Mulford and Racine Foster Files, 1910-1991 documents the work of these two individuals in discovering and propagating bromeliads. Correspondence, publications, notebooks, drawings, research materials, memorabilia and photographs show all aspects of their work including plant collecting, landscape designing and publishing. Photographs may be black and white or color prints, negatives or slides. Additional materials about the Fosters may be found in Series II and III.

Series II: Subject Files, 1880-2003 contains catalogues, journals, photographs, memorabilia and correspondence that Michael Spencer brought together under his chosen subject headings and arranged alphabetically. Many of the materials in this series originally came from Mulford and Racine Foster, which means that there is some overlap with the previous series. Spencer's own collecting interest lay in documenting the importance of bromeliads in society, and he collected many common items that showed bromeliads, especially pineapples.

Series III: Author Files, 1754-1997 includes a variety of media used for research, such as articles, books, magazines, newspaper clippings, and photographs. There are a significant number of materials authored by Mulford and Racine Foster and Lyman B. Smith, including original manuscripts.

Series IV: Plants by Family Files, 1908-1990 contains alphabetical files on plant families, which include newspaper clippings, books and other research materials.

Series V: Natural History Files, 1853-1997 holds alphabetical files on a wide range of natural history topics including plant societies, authors, drugs and diseases. The files contain published materials, photocopies, web resources, plant and geological samples that document's Michael's Spencer's considerable research interests.

Series VI: Medicinal Files, 1988-1996 contains alphabetical files on diseases and therapies. Not all these files relate to plants though many of them concern natural therapies.

Series VII: Lyman Smith Files: 1905-1994 holds alphabetical files that belonged to Lyman B. Smith. His notebooks, manscripts, teaching materials and correspondence may all be found here.

Series VIII: Personal Files, 1863-2014 contains alphabetical files showing Spencer's interest in collecting books and his wide interests. Materials that do not clearly belong in the other series may be found here.

Biographical / historical:

Michael A. Spencer was born in Orlando and grew up in Winter Garden, Florida. He worked at Sand Hill Nursery near Lake Avalon and the Land of Bromeliads in Gotha before finding employment with Julian Nally. After the Nally estate was sold, Spencer worked for Racine Foster at Bromel-La. He graduated from UCF in 1990 summa cum laude with a BA in Liberal Studies and then found employment with Lyman B. Smith at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. Michael Spencer named a genus of bromeliads "Racinaea" in honor of Racine Foster. While engaged in his research, Spencer amassed this collection of materials concerning bromeliads and their collectors. He now lives in Frederick, Maryland where he has served on the Historic Preservation Commission since 2004.

Acquisition information:
Some of these materials were donated to and others were purchased by the University of Central Florida Libraries, Special Collections and University Archives from Michael A. Spencer in 2006 (CFM2006_09), 2011 (CFM2011_02), 2012 (CFM2012_10), and 2014 (CFM2014_01).
Processing information:

Materials were rehoused in pH neutral folders and cartons. Photographs, negatives and slides were enclosed in polyester sleeves. Many of the materials were well organized and the arrangement was retained. The remainder were arranged by following the original arrangement as far as possible. Notes on folders were retained in the new folder. Paper clips were replaced with plastic clips or materials that belonged together were held together in a pH neutral paper sleeve. Loose-leaf notebooks that were badly rusted were discarded and the contents placed in folders. Items loose in the back of notebooks were foldered separately and marked accordingly. Notes from a film canister were written exactly as found as the label could not be removed. Albums falling apart were taken apart and foldered. Albums in reasonable condition had the photographs attached properly with corners and the pages interleaved to prevent sticking. Loose album pages in the Foster subseries on Plant Information were merely foldered as they were not in an album and were found without context. Collecion rehoused and finding aid revised by Chynna Thomas in 2023.

Arrangement:

The collection is divided into eight series by type of file.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

The entire collection is open for research except for the following:

  • Boxes 180-181: Personal correspondence
  • Boxes 213-214: Manuscript of "Brazil: Orchid of the Tropics"

Terms of access:

Unpublished manuscripts are protected by copyright. Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository, donor and the copyright holder.

Preferred citation:

Michael A. Spencer Bromeliad Research Collection, Special Collections and University Archives, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida.

Location of this collection:
John C. Hitt Library
12701 Pegasus Drive, Building 2
Orlando
FL
32816-8030
USA