This series contains research material, articles and clippings, correspondence, and photographic material pertaining to Rothstein's career as a photographer for various organizations, including the FSA, the Office of War Information and the United States military, the UNRRA, LOOK and Parade magazines, among others. It has been organized into three subseries:
Subseries 1: 3-D research contains material related to Rothstein's prolific work in the areas of color and three-dimensional photography during the 1960s and 1970s, including his efforts to develop new techniques for shooting and printing stereoscopic and parallax images. Articles and clippings range from excerpts from scientific treatises and reports on optical illusion and depth perception, patents for parallax stereograms and panoramagrams, instruction manuals for wide-angle and three dimensional photography, and various magazine and newspapers articles. Some of this material is in French and German. There are several folders of correspondence, mostly inter-office memoranda members of Look and Cowles Communications, Inc. The series also contains numerous examples of 3-D photographs collected by Rothstein, and unused materials and supplies (mostly screens and transparencies).
Box 42 Folder 1 to 5 Articles and clippings, 1903-1982
Includes articles on optics and stereography, and a bound notebook with photocopies of patents for and articles about Frederic Ives' parallax stereogram. Some material in French and German.
Box 42 Folder 6 to 8 Collected photographs, ca. 1960s
163 items : Sample photographs, postcards, advertisements, black and white preliminary images and contacts, and negatives.
Box 42 Folder 9 to 11 Correspondence, 1953-1985
Correspondence related to 3-D research, includes inter-office memoranda and corresponding enclosures between Rothstein and staff members of LOOK magazine and Cowles Communication, Inc.
Box 42 Folder 12 Legal documents, 1966
Photocopies of two court documents related to Schaum v. Cowles Magazines and Broadcasting, Inc., et al.
Box 42 Folder 13 Magazines, 1965-1970
Contains sample magazine covers and brochures with 3-D photographs from Cowles Communications, Eastman Kodak Company, and Venture travel magazine.
Box 42 Folder 14 to 15 Notes, ca. 1960-1968
Includes preliminary drafts of reports, notes from visits to George Eastman house, technical diagrams and tables, and meeting notes and minutes.
Box 42 Folder 16 Photographic materials, ca. 1950-1970
Unused screens and transparencies for Integram and Xograph photography. Also includes three pairs of 3-D glasses.
Subseries 2: China contains articles, correspondence, and photographic material related to the 1980s discovery of Rothstein's 1946-1947 photographs of UNRRA aid as well as a trip to Shanghai taken by the photographer in 1984. Includes some material related to a proposed book project (Shanghai Haven, unpublished) about Jewish refugees living in China during World War II.
Box 43 Folder 01 Articles, 1984
Photocopies of newspaper articles related to 1980s discovery of Rothstein's 1946-1947 photographs of UNRRA aid in China.
Box 43 Folder 02 Correspondence, 1984, 1991
Photocopy of letter from Arthur Rothstein to Mark Busell of the New York Times, and letter from Ernest Heppner to Grace Rothstein.
Box 43 Folder 03 Notes, ca. 1984
Box 43 Folder 4 Photographic material, ca. 1984
128 items : Photographic prints, negatives, and contact prints related to 1984 trip to China.
Box 43 Folder 5 to 6 Photocopies, ca. 1984
Photocopies of material (photographic and printed) relating to Rothstein's work in China.
Box 43 Folder 7 Shanghai Haven correspondence, 1977-1984
Letters from Rothstein to various publishers proposing book project about Jewish refugees in Shanghai during World War I, including letter from Utah Oral History Institute with enclosed preliminary manuscript of book.
Box 43 Folder 8 Shanghai Haven research, 1980-1984
Articles and notes related to unpublished book project about Jewish refugees in Shanghai during World War II.
Subseries 3: General Material includes substantial amounts of newspaper and magazine clippings reproducing or featuring Rothstein's work, as well as correspondence, research material, and a large collection of study prints from editorial libraries and museums. Also includes a folder of FSA "shooting scripts," which were instructions from Roy Stryker and other individuals to photographers detailing the arrangement, approach, and subject matter of photographic coverage.
Box 43 Folder 9 to 16 Articles and clippings, 1935-2000
Newspaper, magazine, and newsletter excerpts reproducing or featuring Rothstein's work. Includes coverage of the Farm Security Administration's activities, several press releases, published interviews with Rothstein, and obituaries. Material from Look and Parade magazines appears in separate boxes.
Box 43 Folder 17 Awards, 1957-1968
Releases and notifications for various accolades. Includes certificates of completion and appreciation from Kent State University and the Michigan Press Photographers association, 16 prints and 4 negatives of various plaques.
Box 43 Folder 18 Biographical information, ca. 1970s
Notes and short biographical statements written by Parade magazine staffers (?)
Box 44 Folder 1 to 9 Correspondence, 1936-1981
Includes inquiries, interoffice correspondence, letters of recommendation, material forwarded to Rothstein, requests for reproduction, and other assorted material. Correspondents include colleagues, Columbia University alumni association, Cowles Communications, Inc., Eastman Kodak Company, individuals who appeared in Farm Security Administration photographs, journalism schools and other educational institutions, photographers and photography agencies, and the United States Office of War Information.
Box 44 Folder 10 Events, 1945-1965
Announcements, pamphlets, and invitations for exhibitions, lectures, seminars, and trips.
Box 44 Folder 11 FSA shooting scripts, ca. 1930s to 1940s
Instructions from Roy Stryker and other unidentified individuals to FSA photographers detailing arrangement, approach, and subject matter of specific photographic coverage.
Box 44 Folder 12 Interview transcripts, ca. 1960s
Transcribed audiocassette interview with Arnold Crane, conversation with British Broadcasting Corporation, accompanied by notes for a documentary video.
Box 45 Folder 1 to 4 Magazines, Look [oversize], 1939-1954
Clippings.
Box 46 Folder 1 to 3 Magazines, Parade [oversize], 1973-1974, 1978
Clippings, contact prints for covers, and full copies.
Box 44 Folder 13 Photographic History Project, undated
Contains sheets of adhesive labels for images featured in "A Portfolio of masterpieces," accompanied by photocopies of text relating to this publication.
Box 44 Folder 14 Photographing the Frontier, Exhibition Material, 1976
Catalogue for 1976 Smithsonian Institution exhibition organized by Eugene Ostroff.
Box 44 Folder 15 Photographing the Frontier, Photographic Material, undated
6 items : Copy prints for 1976 Smithsonian Institution exhibition.
Box X Folder X Photographing the Frontier, Photographic Material, undated
13 items : Oversize copy prints for 1976 Smithsonian Institution exhibition.
Box 44 Folder 16 Publications, Creative Color, ca. 1960s
Covers and drafts for 1963 manuscript published by Chilton Books.
Box 44 Folder 17 Publications, Look at us, etc. (with William Saroyan), 1943
Handwritten outline by Saroyan on Salvation Army stationery, typed and bound draft.
Box 44 Folder 18 Publications, other, 1950-1963
Articles by Rothstein appearing in various photography magazines.
Box 44 Folder 19 Production prints, ca. 1960s-1970s
41 items : Layouts, maquettes, and contact prints for LOOK magazine. Second folder contains one 10 x 12 print and one 11 x 14 print and is located in flat print box.
Box 46 Folder 4 Production prints [oversize], ca. 1960s-10
2 items : Contains two photographs related to printing processes.
Box 44 Folder 20 Reports, 1935-1936, 1950s
Includes several covers and excerpts from Resettlement Administration publications, and newsletters and annual reports from Cowles Magazines, Inc..
Box 44 Folder 21 to 22 Study Prints, c. 1830s-1978
148 items : Collected reproductions, some with annotations, of historical and documentary photographs from the Associated Press,LOOKeditorial library, The Museum of Modern Art film library, media agencies, and various national newspapers. Includes three negatives. Subjects include samples of early 19th century photography (Julia Margaret Cameron, Louis Daguerre, David Octavius Hill, etc.), the Crimean War and American Civil War, early 20th century Pictorialism, 1930s labor strikes, the 1978 death of tightrope walker Karl Wallenda.
Box 44 Folder 23 Utah, Articles, 1984-1985
Newspaper clippings about Rothstein's participation in the Oral History Institute photography project, with a brochure for the exhibition, "Working Together: A Utah Portfolio."
Box 44 Folder 24 Utah, Correspondence, 1984-1986
Includes letters from Arthur Rothstein agreeing to details of the Oral History Institute photography project, as well as letters to and from Grace Rothstein about the logistics of the exhibition following her husband's death.
Box 44 Folder 25 Utah, Interview, 1985 May 10, 1 audiocassettes
1 audiocassette tape, conducted by Leslie Kelen for the Oral History Institute.
Box X Folder X Utah, Photographic Material, 1985
20 items : Rothstein during "Working Together: A Utah Portfolio" project.