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Jonas and Edna Kamlet / Kamlet Laboratories records, 1913-1989, Date acquired: 00/00/2006

 

Summary

Creator:
Kamlet, Jonas (1914-1960)
Kamlet, Edna
Abstract:
This collection consists of records related to the Kamlet Laboratory and its founders. Chemist. Jonas kamlet and his wife, Edna, founded The Kamlet Laboratory (1940-1979) in New York City. The laboratory's work centered on the research and development of new methods for chemical products as well as identifying interested clients and selling rights to them. The laboratory also provided consultation services to a variety of businesses. Included are: personal papers, correspondence, professional correspondence, magazine clippings, newspaper clippings, photographs, drafts, publications, advertisements, announcements, price quotes, technical reports, test results, and scrapbooks. Includes personal papers, correspondence, professional correspondence, magazine clippings, newspaper clippings, photographs, drafts, publications, advertisements, announcements, price quotes, technical reports, test results, and scrapbooks.
Extent:
177.00 Linear Feet
232 boxes
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

Kamlet Laboratories Records, USF Libraries - Tampa Special Collections, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL. .

Background

Scope and content:

This collection is a compilation of eight finding aids. Each finding aid represents a series. 

1. This collection consists primarily of the personal materials of Kamlet family members: personal papers, correspondence (including War World II correspondence from Mortimer J. Kamlet,) professional correspondence, magazine clippings, newspaper clippings, photographs, photo negatives, drafts, publications, certificates, personal effects, and a diploma.  A biographical note about Jonas Kamlet, written after his death, provides a synopsis of his research interests and client relations.

2. Primarily consists of the personal materials of Edna and Jonas Kamlet, including personal papers, professional and personal correspondence, newspaper and magazine clippings, booklets, drawings, maps, and business cards. 3. Copies of outgoing correspondence from Kamlet to clients, potential clients, and other entities/individuals.  Thematic content includes: networking; the discussion of ongoing business and relations between Kamlet and various correspondents; the discussion of new scientific processes and developments; inquiries by Kamlet into the scientific of work of others or the requesting of information pertinent to his own work, etc.

4. Folders within the Hollinger boxes arranged primarily in chronological order; documents within folders also contain a previously assigned communication number, which coincides with the chronological order.  (The only exception is the first folder, titled "Additional Correspondence and Meeting Notes – May 4, 1950 to October 1, 1952," which lacks communication numbers and is arranged in chronological order unto itself.)

5. Types of materials present include the following: Abstracts; addresses; advertisements; announcements; applications; articles; bibliographies; binders; booklets; books; brochures; bulletins; business cards; compendium; constitutions; contracts; correspondence; data book; data sheets; folio; graphs; handbooks; information cards; information circulars; invoices; leaflets; letter circulars; lists of publications; magazine clippings; manuscripts; maps; memoranda; messages; minutes; newsletters; newspaper clippings; newspaper publications; notebooks; notes; packets; pamphlets; papers; patent papers; photographs; postcards; press releases; price lists; price quote; proceedings; product sample; proposals; publications; reports; research papers; results; reviews; schedules; sketches; supplements; surveys; telegrams; term papers; theses; and transcriptions.  Many of these items exist only as photocopies; dates associated materials reflect the date of the information and not necessarily the date of the physical item.  Folder titles are indicative of the collection's varied thematic content.

6. Types of materials present include the following: articles, bibliographies, booklets, brochures, bulletins, catalogs, correspondence, data sheets, guides, handbooks. Leaflets, manuscripts, maps, notes, newspaper clippings, pamphlets, papers, press releases, patent papers, photographs, price lists, publications, recipes, reports, results, reviews, memoranda, newsletters, notebooks, technical papers, proceedings (excerpts), postcards, reviews, and letter circulars.  Many of these items exist only as photocopies; dates associated materials reflect the date of the information and not necessarily the date of the physical item.  Folder titles are indicative of the collection's varied thematic content.

7. This particular series has a focus on the patenting process with regards to the work of Kamlet himself, as well as the pursuits of his clients.  The following types of materials are represented: agreements; applications; articles; booklets; bulletins; contracts, correspondence; memoranda; minutes; notebooks; patents and related paperwork; publications; reports; specifications; and typescripts. Many of these items exist only as photocopies; dates associated materials reflect the date of the information and not necessarily the date of the physical item.

8.     Scrapbooks, consisting primarily of the professional and personal materials of Edna and Jonas Kamlet, along with a few items relating to Mortimer J. Kamlet: correspondence, newspaper and magazine clippings, journal articles, booklets, photographs, business cards, certificates, advertisements, postcards, letters, drawings, and playbills. Thematic content includes the following: research and news related to drug synthesis, diabetic testing, pregnancy and hormones, sulfa drugs, penicillin, vitamins, diabetic testing, etc.; contemporary scientific, cultural, and social trends and issues; tracking the work of contemporary scientists and companies; advertisements for products resulting from contemporary scientific endeavors; Kamlet and his new ideas, products, and processes, along with his own research (blood and urine testing, pulp waste, livestock feed, etc.); Edna's art interests; Mortimer J. Kamlet, his research, and the AIC (American Institute of Chemists); and Jonas Kamlet's patents.

Biographical / historical:

Jonas Kamlet, Ph. D., and his wife, Edna, founded The Kamlet Laboratory (1940-1979) in New York City.  The laboratory's work centered on the research and development of new methods for chemical products, as well as identifying interested clients for said methods and selling rights to them.  The laboratory also provided consultation services to a variety of businesses.  Edna Kamlet continued the laboratory's work following the death of her husband in 1960.  She retired in 1979 and also went on to remarry, changing her name to Edna Rogers.

Martin, D. & Martin, B. (2006). Jonas Kamlet (1914-1960) Chemist/Entrepreneur. Florida Scientist, v. 70, no. 1, pp. 40-44

USF Libraries Obtain Innovative Chemist's Collection. (Summer 2006). Library Links, v. 10, no. 2. Retrieved May 5, 2007, from http://www.lib.usf.edu/public/_files/LLsummer2006_p5.pdf

Note written by BMB 10/1/07

Acquisition information:

Edna Rodgers

Donation.

Arrangement:

The following are four ways in which the series were arranged.

By subject; also by chronological order when applicable. Folders arranged alphabetically by company name or an individual's last name; chronological organization within these divisions.

Folders within the Hollinger boxes arranged primarily in chronological order; documents within folders also contain a previously assigned communication number, which coincides with the chronological order.  (The only exception is the first folder, titled "Additional Correspondence and Meeting Notes – May 4, 1950 to October 1, 1952," which lacks communication numbers and is arranged in chronological order unto itself.)

Materials are organized into folders by format, subject, and original folder number.  The subject headings of each folder are the headings applied to the original folders by the Kamlets.  (The container listing of this finding aid provides only folders numbers and subject headings for folders and does not list individual folders or items.) Duplicate folder numbers were found during processing; in such cases, the subjects are organized both numerically and alphabetically.  Contents inside folders are organized chronologically when applicable.  Some folders contain the format denotation "Notes to Users."  Folders with this title contain index cards that were often found attached to the original manila envelopes.  A set of arranged index cards organized by Edna Kamlet exists separately from this finding aid in order to assist users.  The index cards of this separate finding mechanism direct users to folder numbers containing information on a variety of subjects.  The index cards that are a part of this finding mechanism are organized alphabetically by subject.  Contact an archivist for assistance with this secondary finding aid. 

Materials have been arranged with regards to their original order.  Organized by subject.  A set of arranged index cards organized by Edna Kamlet exists separately from this finding aid in order to assist users in locating information; however, this particular series may not directly correspond to the finding aid created by Edna Kamlet. Also, folders often contain "page numbers" in the folder title; these page numbers refer to pages in an additional notebook that also acts as a guide for this collection.  Contact an archivist for assistance with these supplemental guides.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Terms of access:

None. The contents of the collection may be subject to copyright.  Visit the United States Copyright Office's website at http://www.copyright.gov/ for more information.

Preferred citation:

Kamlet Laboratories Records, USF Libraries - Tampa Special Collections, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL. .

Location of this collection:
The University of South Florida, Tampa Campus
4202 East Fowler Ave. LIB122
Tampa
FL
33620-5400
USA