Polaroid Corporation records, series V: records related to Edwin H. Land
Overview
This series of the Polaroid Corporation records contains records related to Polaroid co-founder and chairman Edwin H. Land. Included in this series are articles and presentations by Land, published biographical works about Land, and photographs taken by Land and featuring Land as the subject.
Dates
- Creation: 1927-1995
Creator
- Polaroid Corporation (Organization)
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research. Materials stored onsite. Please contact specialcollectionsref@hbs.edu for more information.
Extent
52 linear feet (44 boxes, 19 oversize boxes)The Polaroid Corporation Records Related to Edwin H. Land is an artificial collection of material created by the Polaroid Corporate Archives to document the co-founder and long-term chair of the corporation. These are not the papers of Edwin H. Land, but a collection of materials created by Land in the course of his work with the company that were collected by Polaroid. From the 1930s-1980s, Land led the Polaroid Corporation as the chief researcher and innovator, manager, and the public face of the company. The collection includes material created by Land such as correspondence, photocopies and offprints of published articles, presentations, and original research. Land’s role within the corporation is also documented in published biographical works and in interviews with Polaroid employees. The bulk of the collection consists of photographs, 35 mm slides, and photographic negatives. These images are often the output from the research processes of testing new cameras and films at the Polaroid lab, but Land is frequently the subject of the photographs, allowing a glimpse into his life at work and home. This collection provides resources for researchers interested in studying Land’s role as an innovator and leader within the Polaroid Corporation. The collection is arranged into four series: Series I. Correspondence, 1927-1979, Series II. Research, Writings, and Presentations, 1927-1993, Series III. Biographical Material, 1933-1995, and Series IV. Photographs, 1945-1987.
Biographical Note:
Edwin Herbert Land was a scientist and inventor who co-founded the Polaroid Corporation and served as its chairman until the early 1980s. Born May 7, 1909 in Bridgeport, Connecticut, Land briefly attended Harvard University, but left his studies to create a laboratory with his Harvard physics instructor George Wheelwright. Established in 1932, the Land-Wheelwright Laboratories was renamed the Polaroid Corporation in 1937. Land led Polaroid for more than four decades, growing the company from a small research and development firm to a world-renown high-tech corporation. Land’s intensive research led to the Polaroid Corporation’s most famous discoveries and products including polarizing filters, the instant camera, and the retinex theory of color perception. During World War II, Land and his team at Polaroid produced the Vectograph for the war effort, which used polarized stereoscopic filters in aerial photographs. In 1947, Land first demonstrated his most celebrated invention, the Polaroid Land instant camera. From the 1950s to 1980s, new iterations of instant cameras and instant film were the leading products of the Polaroid Corporation. Land wrote extensively about his research and discoveries and published articles in both popular and scientific publications. He served as the face of the Polaroid Corporation, promoting the company and its products in public presentations and demonstrations. Land stepped down as chairman of Polaroid in 1980 and left the company in 1982. After his death on March 1, 1991, the Polaroid Corporation hosted a memorial event and tribute to reflect on Land’s legacy and contributions to the company and its employees.
Physical Location
MANU
Provenance:
The Polaroid Corporation records were received by Baker Library Special Collections as a donation from the Polaroid Corporation in 2006 and 2008.
Separated Materials
Audiovisual material has been separated from the collection. This material is part of the audiovisual series and is closed pending processing.
Processing Information
Processed: June 2017
By: Liam Sullivan
Due to the large physical size of the Polaroid Corporation records, similar records that are related as a result of being created, received, or used in the same activity have been grouped into series and an individual finding aid created for each. Each series has been assigned a roman numeral which is found in the series title and precedes all container identifiers. The order of the series does not reflect the original arrangement of the entire collection. Researchers should take care to note the full item number when requesting or citing Polaroid Corporation collection materials.
Creator
- Polaroid Corporation (Organization)
Subject
- Land, Edwin H. (Person)
- Morse, Meroë Marston (Person)
- Polaroid Corporation (Organization)
- Title
- Polaroid Corporation. Polaroid Corporation, Series V: Records Related to Edwin H. Land, 1927-1995
- Author
- Baker Library
- Description rules
- dacs
- Language of description
- und
- EAD ID
- bak00295
Repository Details
Part of the Baker Library Special Collections and Archives, Harvard Business School Repository
Baker Library Special Collections and Archives holds unique resources that focus on the evolution of business and industry, as well as the records of the Harvard Business School, documenting the institution's development over the last century. These rich and varied collections support research in a diverse range of fields such as business, economic, social and cultural history as well as the history of science and technology.
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