Reference Request

* required
Please succinctly provide us with any information pertinent to your inquiry. If you are writing to us about a research request, provide as much detail as possible about the collections in which you are interested (including collection numbers, box numbers, and folder titles).
(if known)

The Smithsonian Institution Archives is using Constant Contact, a third-party contact management software vendor, to manage contacts and send eNewsletters. Please be advised that Constant Contact's Privacy Statement and Terms and Conditions apply to your use of these services. The Smithsonian Institution Archives has access to your name and email address which is subject to our privacy statement.

Finding Aids to Personal Papers and Special Collections in the Smithsonian Institution Archives

Accession 02-221

Bedini, Silvio A.

Silvio A. Bedini Papers, 1952-1993

Repository:Smithsonian Institution Archives, Washington, D.C. Contact us at osiaref@si.edu.
Creator:Bedini, Silvio A.
Title:Silvio A. Bedini Papers
Dates:1952-1993
Quantity:13 cu. ft. (13 record storage boxes)
Collection:Accession 02-221
Language of Materials:English
Summary:

This accession primarily consists of Bedini's correspondence and memoranda with Smithsonian colleagues, scholars, professional organizations, publishers, and the general public documenting his research activities for special projects and publications including research into scientific instruments. Also included are Bedini's publications; book reviews; research notes; photographs of scientific instruments, individuals, and exhibitions; copies of primary and secondary sources; and biographical information.

Historical Note

Silvio A Bedini (b. 1917), an historian and author, attended Columbia University, 1935-1942, and received an L.L.D. from the University of Bridgeport in 1970. In 1961, he began his career at the Smithsonian Institution as Curator in the Museum of History and Technology (MHT), Department of Mechanical and Civil Engineering. By 1965, Bedini became Assistant Director of MHT, and in 1972 was appointed Deputy Director of the National Museum of History and Technology. Following his tenure as Deputy Director, he served as Keeper of the Rare Books at the Dibner Library from 1978 until his retirement in 1987. Bedini is currently Historian Emeritus at the Smithsonian, a title he has held since retiring. During his long association with the Institution he has authored more than twenty books and countless articles, particularly on the history of science, and is a leading authority on the life of Thomas Jefferson.

Top of Page

Descriptive Entry

This accession primarily consists of Bedini's correspondence and memoranda with Smithsonian colleagues, scholars, professional organizations, publishers, and the general public documenting his research activities for special projects and publications including research into scientific instruments. Also included are Bedini's publications; book reviews; research notes; photographs of scientific instruments, individuals, and exhibitions; copies of primary and secondary sources; and biographical information.

Top of Page

This collection is indexed under the following access terms. These are links to collections with related topics, persons or places.

Name

Subject

Physical Characteristics of Materials in the Collection

Top of Page

Preferred Citation

Smithsonian Institution Archives, Accession 02-221, Silvio A. Bedini Papers

Top of Page

Container List

Box 1

Research Files: Correspondence/Other, B-C

Bedini, Silvio A.: Book Reviews of Bedini's Publications

Box 1 of 13

Bedini, Silvio A.: Book Reviews by Bedini, c. 1969 [two folders]

Box 1 of 13

Bedini, Silvio A.: Select Bibliography, 1967-1978

Box 1 of 13

Bonnelli, Maria, 1963-1982

Box 1 of 13

Borghesi Astronomical Clock, 1962-1969

Box 1 of 13

Branca, Giovanni, 1978

Box 1 of 13

Bridges, Henry (photographs)

Box 1 of 13

Brieux, Alain, 1962-1977 [two folders]

Box 1 of 13

British Museum, 1969, 1978

Box 1 of 13

Brown University, 1966-1976

Box 1 of 13

Brusa, Giuseppe, 1975-1977

Box 1 of 13

Buchan Boxes, 1979

Box 1 of 13

C (general), c. 1968-1980 [three folders]

Box 1 of 13

Cain, Walter O., 1975-1977

Box 1 of 13

Calipers, 1981

Box 1 of 13

Capriglia, 1979-1980

Box 1 of 13

Carlisle, Roxane, 1974-1977

Box 1 of 13

Cartography, c. 1977 [two folders]

Box 1 of 13

Catholic University, 1979

Box 1 of 13

Cheney, Benjamin

Box 1 of 13

Chinese Clocks

Box 1 of 13

Chinese Sundials, 1962-1966

Box 1 of 13

Chinese Water Clocks, 1968

Box 1 of 13

Ciphers and Codes, 1979

Box 1 of 13

Cipher Devises (MHT)

Box 1 of 13

Circumferentor

Box 1 of 13

Clap (Rector)

Box 1 of 13

Clocks (general), c. 1977-1983 [two folders]

Box 1 of 13

Box 2

Research Files: Correspondence/Other, C-D

Clock (Dial Plate)

Box 2 of 13

Clock (Mechanical)

Box 2 of 13

Clock of Wisdom

Box 2 of 13

Clock (Timekeeping), 1963-1968

Box 2 of 13

Clockwork Universe, 1979

Box 2 of 13

Colles, Christopher

Box 2 of 13

Columbia University, 1968-1976

Box 2 of 13

Columbus Exhibition, 1976 [four folders]

Box 2 of 13

Compass (Land Travelers)

Box 2 of 13

Compass Card, Thaxter & Son

Box 2 of 13

Compass (Surveying, Wood), 1967

Box 2 of 13

Compass (Surveying, Metal), 1972-1973

Box 2 of 13

Cosmos Club, 1972-1986 [three folders]

Box 2 of 13

Cryptography, c. 1980-1982 [three folders]

Box 2 of 13

Current Meters

Box 2 of 13

D (general), 1970-1977

Box 2 of 13

Dearborn, Benjamin, 1981-1984

Box 2 of 13

Diber, Bern, 1972-1975

Box 2 of 13

Dividing Illustrations

Box 2 of 13

Dividing Engines (MHT)

Box 2 of 13

De Dondi, Giovanni, 1963-1974 [two folders]

Box 2 of 13

Box 3

Research Files: Correspondence/Other, D-E

De Dondi, Giovanni, 1963-1974 [two folders]

Box 3 of 13

Drafting Instruments

Box 3 of 13

E (general), 1968-1982

Box 3 of 13

Early American Scientific Instruments, c. 1964-1982 [twenty-six folders]

Box 3 of 13

Electrostatic Machines

Box 3 of 13

Elephant (Hanno), c. 1979-1981 [five folders]

Box 3 of 13

Box 4

Research Files: Correspondence/Other, E-F

Eleutherian Mills-Hagley Foundation, 1965-1980 [five folders]

Box 4 of 13

Emery, Matthew, 1976-1980 [two folders]

Box 4 of 13

Emett, Rowland, 1978-1983 [two folders]

Box 4 of 13

F (general), 1963-1984 [three folders]

Box 4 of 13

Ferguson, Eugene, 1964-1976 [two folders]

Box 4 of 13

Filby, William P., 1978

Box 4 of 13

First American Astronomical Observatory, c. 1980 [two folders]

Box 4 of 13

Folger Library, 1974-1978

Box 4 of 13

Folger Symposium, 1978 [two folders]

Box 4 of 13

Franklin Institute, 1965-1977 [two folders]

Box 4 of 13

Box 5

Research Files: Correspondence/Other, F-H

Franklin, Benjamin, 1969 [two folders]

Box 5 of 13

Fraser, T.J., 1965-1978

Box 5 of 13

G (general), 1970-1977 [two folders]

Box 5 of 13

Galileo's Instruments, 1964-1982 [two folders]

Box 5 of 13

Galvez, Bernardo de, 1975

Box 5 of 13

Gauge/Gunnery (MHT), 1971

Box 5 of 13

Gauge

Box 5 of 13

Gazebo/Bandstand, 1978-1979

Box 5 of 13

Gear Train, 1973

Box 5 of 13

Gems and Jewelry, c. 1964

Box 5 of 13

George Washington University, 1965-1978

Box 5 of 13

Giles, Orrery, 1963-1984 [two folders]

Box 5 of 13

Globes, 1982-1984

Box 5 of 13

Graphometer

Box 5 of 13

Greene, Carroll, 1967-1978

Box 5 of 13

Greenough, Hamilton P., 1965-1980 [two folders]

Box 5 of 13

Grolier Club, 1978-1979

Box 5 of 13

H (general), 1962-1978 [three folders]

Box 5 of 13

Hardware of History, c. 1964-1965 [three folders]

Box 5 of 13

Hill, Peter, 1979 [two folders]

Box 5 of 13

Box 6

Research Files: Correspondence/Other, H

Hiller, Joseph

Box 6 of 13

Hindle, Brooke, 1964-1976

Box 6 of 13

Historical Society of Pennsylvania, 1966-1976

Box 6 of 13

Hume, Ivor Noel, 1966-1969

Box 6 of 13

General Correspondence, c. 1962-1978

Civil Service Commission

Box 6 of 13

Dutch Street Organs

Box 6 of 13

L (a-i)

Box 6 of 13

L (j-z)

Box 6 of 13

M (a-b) [two folders]

Box 6 of 13

M (c-i) [two folders]

Box 6 of 13

M (j-z) [two folders]

Box 6 of 13

N [three folders]

Box 6 of 13

NSF (National Science Foundation) Travel Grant

Box 6 of 13

O [two folders]

Box 6 of 13

P [three folders]

Box 6 of 13

Q

Box 6 of 13

Box 7

R [two folders]

Box 7 of 13

S (a-l) [two folders]

Box 7 of 13

S (m-z) [two folders]

Box 7 of 13

T

Box 7 of 13

U

Box 7 of 13

V

Box 7 of 13

W [three folders]

Box 7 of 13

X, Y, Z [two folders]

Box 7 of 13

General Correspondence, 1978-1979 [two folders]

Box 7 of 13

Scientific Instruments Research

Historical Societies, 1971

Box 7 of 13

Sextants, 1967

Box 7 of 13

Octants, 1967-1974

Box 7 of 13

University of Pennsylvania, 1962-1973

Box 7 of 13

Washington Academy of Science, 1965-1966

Box 7 of 13

Washington History of Science Club, 1964-1972

Box 7 of 13

Waters, David W., 1963-1971

Box 7 of 13

Box 8

Webster, Roderick, 1964-1978

Box 8 of 13

Winterthur Museum, 1972-1973

Box 8 of 13

Zorn, George, 1964

Box 8 of 13

Cooperative Program for Advise, 1972-1977 [two folders]

Box 8 of 13

National Inventory of Scientific Instruments (NISI)

NISI Project Description

Box 8 of 13

Correspondence (general), c. 1965-1977 [six folders]

Box 8 of 13

Correspondence: A-Z, c. 1964-1969 [ten folders]

Box 8 of 13

Box 9

Navigational Instruments, c. 1967-1973 [eight folders]

Box 9 of 13

Demonstrational Inventory Forms, c. 1966 [two folders]

Box 9 of 13

Surgical Instruments, c. 1966-1967

Box 9 of 13

Observational Instruments, c. 1964-1967 [three folders]

Box 9 of 13

Machines, c. 1968

Box 9 of 13

International Inventory, 1959-1966 [two folders]

Box 9 of 13

Non-Inventory Instruments

Box 9 of 13

Drafting Instruments, c. 1968

Box 9 of 13

Gnomonic Instruments, c. 1967

Box 9 of 13

Weights and Measures, 1967-1968

Box 9 of 13

Gunnery, 1967

Box 9 of 13

Scientific Instruments Research

Horology, c. 1953-1965 [three folders]

Box 9 of 13

Box 10

Horology, 1953-1965 [three folders]

Box 10 of 13

Mariner Astrolabes, 1969

Box 10 of 13

Oriental Astrolabes

Box 10 of 13

Western Astrolabes

Box 10 of 13

New York University

Box 10 of 13

Wellesley College

Box 10 of 13

Perpetual Calendars, 1952

Box 10 of 13

Smithsonian Collections

Box 10 of 13

Compasses and Tools

Box 10 of 13

Astronomical Rings, 1965

Box 10 of 13

Astronomical Compendiae

Box 10 of 13

Sanskrit Instruments, 1963-1964

Box 10 of 13

Public Inquiries re: Scientific Instruments, 1961-1965 [two folders]

Box 10 of 13

Instruments Purchased, 1962-1963

Box 10 of 13

Instruments (general)

Box 10 of 13

Regiomontanus

Box 10 of 13

Felix, David

Box 10 of 13

Drafting Instruments

Box 10 of 13

Globes and Spheres, 1962, 1972

Box 10 of 13

Globes: Celestial and Terrestrial, 1965

Box 10 of 13

Armillary Spheres

Box 10 of 13

Gunnery Instruments

Box 10 of 13

18th Century Instrument Makers, 1962-1963

Box 10 of 13

English Instrument Makers, 1965

Box 10 of 13

Trade Cards

Box 10 of 13

Lodestones and Terellae

Box 10 of 13

Nautical Instruments, c. 1965

Box 10 of 13

Measuring Instruments

Box 10 of 13

Nocturnals

Box 10 of 13

Microscopes, 1973

Box 10 of 13

Egyptian Medical Museums, 1976 [two folders]

Box 10 of 13

Planispheres

Box 10 of 13

Planetaria, 1976

Box 10 of 13

Opticals, c. 1967-1968 [four folders]

Box 10 of 13

Watches

Box 10 of 13

Box 11

Astronomical Korean Clock, 1963-1967 [two folders]

Box 11 of 13

Egypt Trip, 1976

Box 11 of 13

Quadrants

Box 11 of 13

Tiffler Clock, 1974-1976

Box 11 of 13

Sundials, 1968-1971

Box 11 of 13

Graphometers and Circumferentors

Box 11 of 13

Gelb, J.W.

Box 11 of 13

Dentzel, M., 1962

Box 11 of 13

American Astronomy

Box 11 of 13

Surveying Instruments

Box 11 of 13

Telescopes, 1976

Box 11 of 13

Sand Glasses

Box 11 of 13

Bogardus, 1963

Box 11 of 13

Philip Immser/Timekeeping, 1974

Box 11 of 13

Timekeeping/Spanish Missions, 1975

Box 11 of 13

Clockwork Chronology, 1965

Box 11 of 13

Water Clocks

Box 11 of 13

Water Clocks/Ctesibian, 1961-1962

Box 11 of 13

Weights and Measures, 1962

Box 11 of 13

USNM (United States National Museum) Instruments, 1964-1965

Box 11 of 13

Reference Works

Box 11 of 13

Instanbul Conference, 1977

Box 11 of 13

Heralds of Science

Box 11 of 13

Relics of the Revolution, 1986-1987

Box 11 of 13

Professional Surveyor: Correspondence/Other

Surveying Equipment, 1982-1993 [six folders]

Box 11 of 13

Correspondence re: "Collectors Corner," 1983-1986

Box 11 of 13

Box 12

Correspondence re: "Collectors Corner," 1983

Box 12 of 13

Bedini, Silvio A.: "Collectors Corner" Articles, 1983-1992 [three folders]

Box 12 of 13

NMHT/NMAH (National Museum of American History)- Smithsonian Research

Tools in Art

Box 12 of 13

Archival Collections, 1965

Box 12 of 13

Historic Site Archeology, 1962-1965

Box 12 of 13

Industrial Archeology, 1965-1966

Box 12 of 13

Underwater Exploration, 1965

Box 12 of 13

Projects Proposed, 1965

Box 12 of 13

Public Relations Committee, 1964 [two folders]

Box 12 of 13

Index of American Culture, 1965

Box 12 of 13

National Endowment for the Humanities, 1978

Box 12 of 13

Settala Museum (photographs)

Box 12 of 13

National Science Foundation, 1972-1975 [two folders]

Box 12 of 13

Maloy, Robert M., 1979-1981

Box 12 of 13

Smithsonian Institution Libraries, 1979-1983

Box 12 of 13

Humanistic Themes & Interpretive Goals

Box 12 of 13

Jefferson and Science Exhibition, 1981 [three folders]

Box 12 of 13

Box 13

Dibner Library, 1977-1978 [two folders]

Box 13 of 13

Museum Exhibitions, 1971-1977 [four folders]

Box 13 of 13

Bedini's Publications Research/Travel Reports

Correspondence, 1966

Box 13 of 13

Correspondence, 1963-1979

Box 13 of 13

Publications Research, c. 1964-1993 [ten folders]

Box 13 of 13

Reviews, c. 1975-1976

Box 13 of 13

Travel Reports, 1958-1977

Box 13 of 13