Finding Aid
Submit Reference RequestPrintDownload PDF

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 Official Records of the Smithsonian Institution Archives

Accession 13-221

National Museum of American History. Department of Conservation

Departmental Records, 1961-2003

Repository:Smithsonian Institution Archives, Washington, D.C. Contact us at osiaref@si.edu.
Creator:National Museum of American History. Department of Conservation
Title:Departmental Records
Dates:1961-2003
Quantity:2 cu. ft. (2 record storage boxes)
Collection:Accession 13-221
Language of Materials:English
Summary:

This accession consists of the records of Scott Odell, head conservator at the National Museum of American History (NMAH) from 1978-1993 and previous to that conservator in the Division of Musical History, previously the Division of Musical Instruments, from 1963-1978. In 1963 Odell planned and established the first conservation lab for historical musical instruments in any major American museum at NMAH as well as was instrumental in centralizing conservation efforts at NMAH, helping plan the Division of Conservation (later known as the Department of Conservation) and its lab. The records document Odell's work in preserving historical musical instruments at NMAH, the overall administration of the Department of Conservation, his work in helping prepare a Smithsonian Institution disaster plan, collections management, and his professional activities in presenting papers at conferences, lecturing, talks, and conducting conservation workshops. Some materials date from before Odell was employed at the Smithsonian and also from after he retired. Materials include correspondence, memoranda, budget records, reports, organizational charts, lecture records, conference records, newsletters, images, floor plans, drawings, and clippings.

Descriptive Entry

This accession consists of the records of Scott Odell, head conservator at the National Museum of American History (NMAH) from 1978-1993 and previous to that conservator in the Division of Musical History, previously the Division of Musical Instruments, from 1963-1978. In 1963 Odell planned and established the first conservation lab for historical musical instruments in any major American museum at NMAH as well as was instrumental in centralizing conservation efforts at NMAH, helping plan the Division of Conservation (later known as the Department of Conservation) and its lab. The records document Odell's work in preserving historical musical instruments at NMAH, the overall administration of the Department of Conservation, his work in helping prepare a Smithsonian Institution disaster plan, collections management, and his professional activities in presenting papers at conferences, lecturing, talks, and conducting conservation workshops. Some materials date from before Odell was employed at the Smithsonian and also from after he retired. Materials include correspondence, memoranda, budget records, reports, organizational charts, lecture records, conference records, newsletters, images, floor plans, drawings, and clippings.

Top of Page

Preferred Citation

Smithsonian Institution Archives, Accession 13-221, National Museum of American History. Department of Conservation, Departmental Records

Top of Page

Container List

Box 1

Correspondence

Correspondence - David Blanchfield, 1995-1996

Box 1 of 2

Correspondence - Howard Brown, 1965-1966

Box 1 of 2

Correspondence - Antoinette Dwan, 1989-1990

Box 1 of 2

Correspondence - Michel Germond, 1979, 1983

Box 1 of 2

Correspondence - James Hay, 1990

Box 1 of 2

Correspondence - Friedemann Hellwig, 1988, 1990, 1998

Box 1 of 2

Correspondence - Cynthia Hoover, 1961-1962, 1991

Box 1 of 2

Correspondence - Cary Karp, 1975-1976, 1989, 2000

Box 1 of 2

Correspondence - Barbara Lambert, 1984

Box 1 of 2

Correspondence - Senator Patrick Leahy, 2001

Box 1 of 2

Correspondence - Klaus Martius, 1988-1989, 1992

Box 1 of 2

Correspondence - Daniel Patterson, 1995

Box 1 of 2

Correspondence - S. Dillon Ripley, 1993

Box 1 of 2

Correspondence - Kerstin Schwarz, 1995

Box 1 of 2

Correspondence - Claire Soubeyran, 1984-1986

Box 1 of 2

Correspondence - J. H. van der Mer, 1976

Box 1 of 2

Correspondence - Denzil Wraight, 1990

Box 1 of 2

Correspondence - Appreciation, 1970-1995

Box 1 of 2

Correspondence - Ceremonial court, 1989

Box 1 of 2

Correspondence - General, 1967-2002

Box 1 of 2

Correspondence - Japan, 1988

Box 1 of 2

Scott O'Dell - Printed email from WANG Office software, 1992-1996

Box 1 of 2

Departmental Records

Department of Conservation (DOC) - Annual reports, 1987-1990

Box 1 of 2

DOC - Policies and procedures, 1979, 1985-1987

Box 1 of 2

DOC - Program objectives and goals, 1978-1981

Box 1 of 2

DOC - Departmental records, 1978-1992 (3 folders)

Box 1 of 2

DOC - Organizational charts, 1982-1996

Box 1 of 2

DOC - Budget, 1984-1990

Box 1 of 2

DOC presentation - Management Committee, November 1991

Box 1 of 2

Division of Musical Instruments - Annual reports, 1978

Box 1 of 2

Conservation lab planning, 1980

Box 1 of 2

Collections management, 1991-1992

Box 1 of 2

Scott Odell - Resumes, 1990-1993

Box 1 of 2

Scott Odell - Activities and accomplishments, 1972-1978

Box 1 of 2

Lectures, Papers, Conferences, and Workshops

Talk - Washington Conservation Guild, November 7, 1968

Box 1 of 2

Talk - Association of Museum Specialists, Technicians and Aides (AMSTA) - Setting Conservation priorities, September 1983

Box 1 of 2

Talk - AMSTA, June 21, 1989

Box 1 of 2

Talk - AMSTA - Care of Collections Series, 1982

Box 1 of 2

Lecture - National Parks Canada, February 1985

Box 1 of 2

Lecture - John Hopkins University - Musical Metallurgy, March 29, 1988

Box 1 of 2

Lectures - General, 1977-1980, 2000

Box 1 of 2

Seminar - American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) - The Winterthur Museum, March 30-April 3, 1980

Box 1 of 2

Colloquium on Historic Instruments - Library of Congress and Hesperus, November 18, 1989

Box 1 of 2

Paper - The identification of Wood Used in the Construction of 17th and 18th Century Keyboard Instruments - Presented at the annual meeting of the International Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works - American group, Winterthur, June 1972

Box 1 of 2

Paper - Cleaners, Polishes and Protective Coatings for Brass Musical Instruments - Presented at the Symposium for Restorers of Non-Keyboard Instruments, Germanisches Nationalmuseum, Nurnberg, Germany, May 1974

Box 1 of 2

Box 2

Paper - Folk Instruments in Virginia Past and Present, Arts in Virginia, Fall 1971

Box 2 of 2

Conference - Corrosion and Metal Artifacts: A Dialogue Between Conservators and Archaeologists and Corrosion Scientists, March 1976

Box 2 of 2

Ninth Conference of Art Conservation Training Programs - Cooperstown, New York, 1983

Box 2 of 2

Conference on Preservation Management in Performing Arts Collections - Theatre Library Association, 1982

Box 2 of 2

Southeastern Museums Conference (SEMC) - Annual meeting - Pest control session, 1982

Box 2 of 2

Conference for Conservation Administrators - The Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center, University of Texas, Austin, 1984

Box 2 of 2

Ottawa conference - Star-Spangled Banner lecture, 1985

Box 2 of 2

Ottawa conference - Slide lists and notes, 1985

Box 2 of 2

Conferences - General, 1982, 1990

Box 2 of 2

Course - Conservation management - Getty Conservation Institute, 1989

Box 2 of 2

Conservation workshop - Gunston Hall Plantation, 1982

Box 2 of 2

The Metropolitan Museum of Art - Clock seminar, 1985

Box 2 of 2

Tour - Japanese Association of Museums Study Team, 1988

Box 2 of 2

Tours - General, 1980

Box 2 of 2

General

Smithsonian Conservation Council, 1978-1984

Box 2 of 2

Smithsonian Conservation Council - Meeting minutes, 1978-1980

Box 2 of 2

Smithsonian Institution Disaster Plan, 1980-1990 (3 folders)

Box 2 of 2

Conservation training, 1981-1985

Box 2 of 2

First Ladies Hall, 1984-1990

Box 2 of 2

National Postal Museum - Conservation, 1987-1992

Box 2 of 2

Vehicle restoration, 1989

Box 2 of 2

Survey data - Statistics on condition of collections, 1982

Box 2 of 2

Woodwind borer measurer - Roderick Cameron, 1980

Box 2 of 2

Musical instruments and functional objects, 1981

Box 2 of 2

Clock conservation, 1983, 1986

Box 2 of 2

Archaeometry, 1979-1983

Box 2 of 2

Fumigation, 1980

Box 2 of 2

Microclimates in exhibition spaces, 1984

Box 2 of 2

National Gallery of Art - Cleaning controversy, 1978

Box 2 of 2

Colonial Williamsburg - Musical instrument collection report, 1982

Box 2 of 2

Ideas and objects: Toward a Definition of Museum Scholarship - Report of a joint meeting of The Smithsonian Forum on Material Culture and The Smithsonian History Roundtable, February 26, 1992

Box 2 of 2

Grant proposals, 1998

Box 2 of 2

Conservation Analytical Laboratory (CAL), 1979-1996

Box 2 of 2

National Institute for the Conservation of Cultural Property (NIC), 1987-1988

Box 2 of 2

International Council of Museums (ICOM), 1993

Box 2 of 2

Conservation Assessment Program (CAP) - Navy Museum, 1989

Box 2 of 2

Conservation consultation reports, 1995

Box 2 of 2

The Smithsonian Forum on Material Culture - Grapevine/Material Matters newsletter, 1991-2003

Box 2 of 2

The Friends of Music at the Smithsonian - The Soundpost newsletter, 1995-1996

Box 2 of 2

Musical instrument drawings, 1973-1976

Box 2 of 2

Slides - Tornado damage at Garber facility, 1992

Box 2 of 2

Images - General, 1973, 1987

Box 2 of 2

Images - Scott Odell

Box 2 of 2

Clippings - Scott Odell, 1969-1970, 1981, 1984, 1990

Box 2 of 2

Clippings - Musical instruments, 1987, 1995

Box 2 of 2

Clippings - Conservation, 1994

Box 2 of 2

Top of Page