Arthur C. Pillsbury papers
Scope and Contents
Arthur C. Pillsbury papers, including correspondence, newspaper clippings, brochures, and other publications. Some published material is produced by Pillsbury or collected due to its photography topic. Materials relate to Pillsbury's scientific lectures and accompanying work in time-lapse, underwater, macro, micro, and x-ray photography, and motion picture film. Materials dated 1918-1945.
Dates
- Creation: 1918-1945
Creator
- Pillsbury, Arthur C. (Arthur Clarence) (1870-1946) (creator, Person)
Conditions Governing Access
Open for public research. Items kept in cold storage; access requires 72 hours advance notice.
Conditions Governing Use
It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances. Please direct any questions to Reference Services at specialcollections@byu.edu.
Biographical / Historical
Arthur Clarence Pillsbury was born on October 9, 1870, in Middlesex, Massachusetts, to Harlin Henry Pillsbury and Harriet Foster. He moved to Auburn, California, in 1883, at the age of 11. In 1893, Arthur entered Stanford University, graduating in mechanical engineering in 1897. Arthur began buying and selling bicycles to fund his interest in cameras and photography, including designing and building a motorcycle. During the Alaska Gold Rush, Arthur worked as a photographer and boat mechanic. He became an official photographer for the Census Bureau in Alaska, then returned to California where he continued in work as a photographer. He was a pioneer in many areas of photography, including time-lapse, underwater, macro, micro, and x-ray, and photographed from hot air balloons. He was also a film maker, inventing the first microscopic motion picture camera. By 1919, his films had been licensed for foreign distribution by Pathé, Universal and Paramount. He was also a known scientist, inventor, explorer, author, and lecturer. Arthur married AEtheline S. Devel in 1906 in Marin, California. That same year they bought a photographic concessionaire in Yosemite National Park and worked to build it up for the next 24 years. Arthur died on March 5, 1946, in Alameda, California.
Extent
1 box (0.5 linear ft.)
1 folder (0.01 linear ft.)
Language of Materials
English
Custodial History
Donated by Mrs. William Oliver, in part via Rell G. Francis, in 1980.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donated; Rell G. Francis and Mrs. William Oliver, Jr.; 1980.
Appraisal
Utah and the American West and LDS cultural, social, and religious history (20th century Western and Mormon Manuscripts collection development policy, 5.VII, 2007).
Processing Information
Processed; Dennis Rowley and Michael Monahan; January 24, 1984.
Processing Information
Processed; Elisa Visick; 2010.
Processing Information
Processed; Karen Glenn; 2024.
Subject
- 12 publications, including: Flowerfield bulb farm - flowerfield, St. James Long Island, New York; W.B. Herms, "Insect Parasitology," Journal of Economic Entomology, V.125 #2 ( April 1932); "The Effect of different Quantities of food during the Larvel Period..." Journal of Economic Entomology vol. 21 ( Oct. 1928) #5. Francis E. Lloyd, Studies of Spirogyra (Ottawa: Royal Society of Canada, 1926); Emil Howtomake Mayer, Bromoils and Bormoil Transfers (New York: Drem Products Corporation); Columbia: The Treasure Land (New York: Consulate General of Columbia, 1936); The Heart of Alaska - Fairbanks (Fairbanks: fairbanks Commercial Club); National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia. The Land of Coffee Copyright 1932; Clason Map Company. Clason's Touring Atlas of the United States & Canada.
- Title
- Register of Arthur C. Pillsbury papers
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Elisa Visick, Karen Glenn
- Date
- 2024 January 13
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English in Latin script.
Repository Details
Part of the L. Tom Perry Special Collections Repository
1130 HBLL
Brigham Young University
Provo Utah 84602 United States