Scope and Contents
The papers consist of letters, newspaper clippings, printed material, and photographs, originally mounted in three volumes, which document the personal and professional life of A. C. Gilbert. Volume one documents Gilbert's athletic career, both in Oregon and then at Yale, and his interest in magic arts. Volume two relates to Gilbert's career as a manufacturer, producing magic toys, Erector sets, model trains, and other toys. The last volume concerns the A. C. Gilbert Company, Yale athletics, and hunting expeditions. An addition to the collection includes personal correspondence.
Dates
- 1901-1978
Creator
Conditions Governing Access
The materials are open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Copyright for unpublished materials authored or otherwise produced by A. C. Gilbert has been transferred to Yale University. These materials may be used for non-commercial purposes without seeking permission from Yale University as the copyright holder. For other uses of these materials, please contact beinecke.library@yale.edu.
Copyright status for other collection materials is unknown. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Jeffrey Gilbert Marsted, 1991, in loving memory of his mother, Lucretia Gilbert Rowbottom. A daughter of A. C. Gilbert and Mary Thompson Gilbert, she devoted many years to their collection and preparation.
Extent
6.25 Linear Feet (4 boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Catalog Record
A record for this collection is available in Orbis, the Yale University Library catalog
Persistent URL
Abstract
The papers consist of letters, newspaper clippings, printed material, and photographs, originally mounted in three volumes, which document the personal and professional life of A. C. Gilbert. Volume one documents Gilbert's athletic career, both in Oregon and then at Yale, and his interest in magic arts. Volume two relates to Gilbert's career as a manufacturer, producing magic toys, Erector sets, model trains, and other toys. The last volume concerns the A. C. Gilbert Company, Yale athletics, and hunting expeditions. An addition to the collection includes personal correspondence.
Biographical / Historical
Alfred Carlton Gilbert was born on February 15, 1884, in Salem, Oregon. He attended Pacific University and graduated from the Yale Medical School in 1909. The same year Gilbert founded the Mysto Manufacturing Company, producer of magic sets. In 1916, he changed the name to A. C. Gilbert Company and expanded his line, the best known toys being the Erector and chemistry sets, and American Flyer trains. In addition to his business accomplishments, Gilbert was known as a great athlete. He was world's champion and Olympic first-place pole vaulter in 1908, the first man ever to top thirteen feet. He died on January 24, 1961, in Boston.
Processing Information
The scrapbooks were dismantled. Pages were removed from their binders and placed in folders, maintaining the original order of contents.
- Title
- Guide to the A. C. Gilbert Papers
- Status
- Under Revision
- Author
- compiled by Carol King
- Date
- August 1994
- Description rules
- Finding Aid Created In Accordance With Manuscripts And Archives Processing Manual
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English.
Part of the Manuscripts and Archives Repository
Yale University Library
P.O. Box 208240
New Haven CT 06520-8240 US
(203) 432-1735
(203) 432-7441 (Fax)
beinecke.library@yale.edu
Location
Sterling Memorial Library
Room 147
120 High Street
New Haven, CT 06511