Donald Streeter Collection(1950–1980)

MS 1985.4

Introductory Comments
Folder Listing
Index

Introductory Comments

A. General Introduction

The Donald Streeter collection consists of 130 file folders of photographs and articles and book manuscripts, and two drawers of photographic negatives. The bulk of the collection is the photographs. In addition, the collection contains typed manuscripts for Streeter’s articles and book, Professional Smithing, and notes including directions for their appearance (with captioned photographs) for publication. Some of the folders contain research materials necessary to Streeter’s writing. Also, there are six magazines in the collection, some of which contain articles written by Streeter. Those articles have been removed from the magazines and are now in a file made especially for Streeter’s published work. Other magazines and periodicals in the collection were used by Streeter for his research. For the hundreds of photos in the collection, there are files of negatives that pertain to Streeter’s book, articles, blacksmithing and iron hardware in general. An index has been provided in the back of this guide.

B. Biographical Sketch

Donald Streeter is a retired blacksmith who was deeply involved in the research of iron styles and technology and also in restoration work of historic structures. His restoration work appears on such structures as Independence Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; the Betsy Ross House, Frederick, Maryland; the Harpers Ferry National Monument, Harpers Ferry, West Virginia; and the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. In addition to fabrication of restoration hardware and researching 17th- and 18th-century blacksmithing techniques, Streeter wrote and published several articles on iron hardware. Streeter’s published research examines the fine points and details of latter-day iron hardware, mostly for the purpose of doing restoration work. In addition to writing about his trade, Streeter produced most of the photographic work which appears in his book and articles

C. Scope and Content

Donald Streeter’s work as a blacksmith focuses on the restoration and reproduction of iron hardware. His research examines 17th-century hardware for the purpose of making accurate reproductions of the originals. Photographs and photocopies for Streeter’s research are taken from antique books, catalogues and technical drawings of period blacksmith work. Photographs of Streeter’s own work show his accurate use of the documents he studied.

Streeter’s published materials are in the nature of instructional guides. They teach restorationists not only how to build accurate reproductions of iron hardware, but also how and why the people of yesteryear used iron hardware.

A large section of the collection consists exclusively of photographs of a variety of blacksmith work. Streeter’s book, Professional Smithing is a practical guide for reproduction hardware. The collection contains an unbound copy of the book, several rough drafts of the text and two copies of each photograph used in the book.

Streeter’s articles study particular aspects of blacksmithing in greater detail. The collection also has manuscripts and photographs for most of his published articles.

D. Organizational Statement

The Donald Streeter Collection is organized as follows:

Series I. Subject titled photographs. Seventy-four file folders containing photographs of various blacksmith hardware arranged alphabetically by subject title. There are two copies of each photograph.

Series II. Streeter’s book, Professional Smithing with three versions of the manuscript and thirty-two folders of photographs used in the book, arranged according to their order of appearance in the book.

Series III. Streeter’s published materials. Twelve folders holding published articles, typed drafts, a book review and some correspondence relating to the publication of the articles.

Series IV. A collection of periodicals, some of which contained Streeter’s articles, arranged chronologically.

Series V. Photographic negatives from the photographs Streeter used in his book and articles. The negatives pertaining to Professional Smithing are arranged according to the order of their appearance in the book (as are the photographs in Series III). The following subseries is a group of negatives similar to those used in the book; they are arranged alphabetically by the name of subject. The next subseries of negatives are related to the photographs in Series I and are arranged the same way, alphabetically according to subject title.

E. Statement of Provenance

The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation acquired the Donald Streeter Collection from the Yellin Foundation in the fall of 1985. The terms of custodianship reflect a “permanent loan.” The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation will retain the collection as long as the Foundation exists. The Donald Streeter Collection are available for use by employees within the Foundation and by the general public. Literary rights are still held by the Yellin Foundation.

Folder Listing

Description	Folder
Box 1
Series I: Subject Folders, Blacksmith Hardware
Barnes-Brinton House. Photos of iron hardware of the Barnes-Brinton House. 9 photos, 7 copies.	1
Bolts (1 of 2). Photos of door slide bolts, used for locking doors. 18 photos; 14 copies.	2
Bolts (2 of 2). Same as above. 44 photos, 27 copies.	3
Bootscrapers. 13 photos of bootscrapers, 4 copies, 4 drawings and half a page cut from a magazine.	4
blank.	5
Brackets. 6 photos; 4 copies.	6
Bratt, William, Research on. 14 photos; 10 copies. A number of letters and notes on William Bratt and also some sketches and patterns of Bratt’s work. Most of the photos show Bratt’s mark stamped on the work.	7
Chadd House. 7 photos; 5 copies. Also 2 sketches of hardware from the house.	8
Diderot, photocopies. 8 photos; 6 copies of pages from the Diderot Encyclopedia.	9
Door bell fittings. 4 photos; 1 copy. Also, 2 photocopies; 1 copy.	10
Door bell irons. 3 photos; 2 copies.	11
Door closers. 10 photos; 5 copies.	12
Door springs. 2 photos; 1 copy.	13
English pattern books and tools (1 of 2). 38 photocopies.	14
English pattern books and tools (2 of 2). 9 photo stats and a book entitled Old English Pattern Books of the Metal Trade.	15
Hardware, American, signed. 13 photos; 8 copies.	16
Hardware, artifacts, Jamestown, Virginia. 17 technical drawings of artifacts found at Jamestown, Virginia; 5 sketches.	17
Hardware, casement. 17 photos, 5 copies and a page from a magazine (relocated to oversize).	18
Hardware, Dutch. 19 photos, 13 copies and a booklet entitled “The Museum.”	19
Hardware, French. 16 photos, 4 copies, a page of typed notes and several photocopied pages diagrams in French on blacksmithing.	20
Hardware, German. 24 photos, 6 copies and 3 pages of typed notes.	21
Hardware research photos. 24 photos, 8 copies and a letter from Elizabeth Meg Schaefer to D. Streeter.	22
Hasps and hooks. 24 photos; 15 copies.	23
Hinges (1 of 2). 20 photos, 10 copies and 3 pages of notes on hinges.	24
Hinges (2 of 2). 84 photos; 47 copies.	25
Hinges, butterfly. 17 photos; 6 copies.	26
Hinges, German. 19 photos; 8 copies.	27
Hinges, loose pin, HL-Old Salem. 10 photos, 3 copies and 3 letters from Old Salem, Inc.	28
Hinges, worm joint-HL. 5 photos, 3 copies 1 scale drawing of an HL hinge and 1 letter from the U.S. Department of the Interior.	29
Box 2
Ironmonger’s warehouse. 4 photos, 3 copies and several photocopies of pages of an ironmonger’s inventory. Probably 18th c.	30
Jackson House. 4 photos; 1 copy.	31
Latches, bar. 6 photos; 2 copies.	32
Latches, cast iron. 11 photos, 5 copies, 1 page of typed notes, 8 photocopies and an issue of the Association for Preservation Technology Bulletin.	33
Latches, English king. 6 photos; 5 copies.	34
Latches, English thumb. 44 photos; 22 copies.	35
Latches, gate. 4 photos; 4 copies.	36
Latches, German lever. 7 photos; 6 copies.	37
Latches, German thumb. 11 photos; 1 copy.	38
Latches, Norfolk (1 of 2). 6 photos; 5 copies.	39
Latches, Norfolk (2 of 2). 59 photos; 37 copies.	40
Latches, ring. 3 photos; 1 copy.	41
Latches, spring. Thirty photos, 18 copies and 1 small page of notes.	42
Latches, thumb. 13 photos; 9 copies.	43
Locks (1 of 2). 21 photos; 14 copies.	44
Locks (2 of 2). 35 photos; 19 copies.	45
Locks, American, signed (1 of 2). 32 photos, 15 copies, several letters and photocopies of printed material.	46
Locks, American, signed (2 of 2). 24 photos, 14 copies and a few pages of typed notes.	47
Locks and locksmithing. 6 photos, 1 copy, a large number of correspondence and notes and 2 items (relocated to oversize).	48
Locks, carpenter (1 of 2). 17 photos, 11 copies, a large number of photocopies and a half page of notes.	49
Locks, carpenter (2 of 2). 15 photos, 9 copies some scattered notes and a page from a magazine article on locks.	50
Locks, English. 7 photos; 5 copies.	51
Locks, German. 20 photos; 12 copies.	52
Locks, iron rim. 27 photos; 14 copies.	53
Padlocks. 11 photos; 7 copies.	54
Lock, Rodger’s bank. 6 photos; 2 copies.	55
Maker’s marks (other than Bratt, see above). 10 photos, 2 copies, some pages of pencil rubbings of maker’s marks and several letters.	56
McWilliams, Josiah. 5 photos, 2 copies, a letter to Alexander Farnham and a few pages of notes.	57
Miscellaneous. 58 items.	58
Moxon, Joseph. 10 photos and 7 copies of photographed pages relating to Joseph Moxon. 17th or 18th c.	59
Box 3
Nails (1 of 2). 1 photograph, 6 booklets plus letters and notes on nails.	60
Nails (2 of 2). 27 photos, 3 copies and a large number of letters and notes on the subject of nails and nail making.	61
Oven door and damper. 3 photos; 3 copies.	62
Oven door and frame. 3 photos; 1 copy.	63
P. & F. Corbin Catalog and The Carriage Monthly Catalog. 12 photos; 9 copies.	64
Research, general (1 of 2). 17 copies of technical drawings and a booklet from the Metropolitan Museum of Art. (A related publication is in oversize.)	65
Research, general (2 of 2). Notes and letters. Also contains 2 copies of an article printed in the Association for Preservation Technology Bulletin on building hardware. Streeter is cited in the bibliography.	66
Research, rolling mills. 8 photos, 5 copies, a pamphlet, several pages of notes and letters.	67
Sash and sash hardware. 12 photos and 11 copies plus a group of sketches relating to window casements and sashes.	68
Shutter hardware. 65 photos.	69
Shutter hardware, exterior. 49 photos.	70
Shutter hardware, interior. 32 photos.	71
Sorber, James. 11 photos and 10 copies.	72
Tremont Nail Works, 1974. 6 photos and 1 copy.	73
Whitesmith work. 18 photos, 11 copies and an article on Benjamin Gerrish, brazier. A pattern drawn on brown paper has been transferred to the oversize box.	74a
Series II: Professional Smithing
Professional Smithing, by Donald Streeter. The published book, unbound.	74b
First draft—1 of 6. Typed mss. with photographs.	75
Box 4
First draft—2 of 6.	76
First draft—3 of 6.	77
First draft—4 of 6.	78
First draft—5 of 6.	79
First draft—6 of 6.	80
Second draft—1 of 2. Typed mss., no photographs.	81
Second draft—2 of 2.	82
Mss. carbon (with photograph notations, missing pp. 1–26)—1 of 2.	83
Mss. carbon (with photograph notations, missing pp. 1–26)—2 of 2.	84
Chapter 1—“Shop.” 5 photos and copies found in chapter 1 of Professional Smithing.	85
Chapter 1—“Hammers.” 5 photos and copies.	86
Chapter 1—“Anvil & Bench Tools.” 14 photos, copies.	87
Chapter 1—File copies (related photos). This folder contains photos similar to those used by Streeter in Chapter 1 of his book.	88
Chapter 2—13 photos; copies.	89
Chapter 2—File Copies (related photos). Contains 13 photos similar to those found in Chapter 2.	90
Box 5
Chapter 3—“Flesh Fork.” 7 photos; copies.	91
Chapter 3—“Kitchen Ladle.” 12 photos copies.	92
Chapter 3—“Swivel Toaster.” 5 photos; copies.	93
Chapter 3—“Box Joint Rush Light.” 7 photos; 6 copies.	94
Chapter 3—“Pipe Tongs, American.” 7 photos; copies.	95
Chapter 3—“Pipe Tongs, English.” 5 photos; copies.	96
Chapter 3—“Standing Broiler.” 3 photo; copies.	97
Chapter 3—File Copies (related photos). Contains a total of 54 photos (including copies) relating to the photos in Chapter 3, but not found in the book.	98
Chapter 4—“Andirons.” 10 photos; copies.	99
Chapter 4—“Fire Shovel.” 7 photos; copies.	100
Chapter 4—“Fire Tongs.” 8 photos; copies.	101
Chapter 4—“Fire Fork.” 6 photos; copies.	102
Chapter 4—“Fireplace Crane.” 5 photos; copies.	103
Chapter 4—“Fire Place Rush Light.” 9 photos; copies.	104
Chapter 4—File copies (related photos). Contains 21 photos similar to those found in Chapter 4.	105
Chapter 5—“Staghorn Hinge.” 11 photos; 10 copies.	106
Chapter 5—“Hinge Pintles.” 14 photos; 13 copies.	107
Chapter 5—“Welded Hasps.” 14 photos; 13 copies.	108
Chapter 5—“Ring Latches.” 3 photos.	109
Chapter 5—“Spring Bolts.” 11 photos; copies.	110
Chapter 5—“Rat Tail Keeper.” 4 photos; copies.	111
Chapter 5—“Welded Wire Rings, Split Eyes and Bending Jigs.” 22 photos; copies.	112
Chapter 5—“Norfolk Latch.” 16 photos; copies.	113
Chapter 5—File Copies (related photos). 76 photos.	114
Chapter 6—“English Locks and Stock Locks.” 12 photographs; 10 copies.	115
Chapter 6—“German Locks, Latches, Padlocks.” 12 photographs; 11 copies.	116
Chapter 6—File copies (related photographs). 11 photographs.	117
Series III: Published Materials
Published Streeter Research. Contains published articles cut out of magazines, including “Early American Wrought Iron Hardware: Norfolk Latches,” “Some Signed American Rim Locks,” “Early American Wrought Iron Hardware: Slide Bolts” and “Early American Wrought Iron Hardware: Spring Latches” (removed to oversize box).	118
“Early American Stock Locks” and Related Correspondence. Letters, notes and typed manuscripts relating to an article Streeter wrote entitled “Early American Stock Locks.” The letters relate to the publication of the article. Also, notes pertaining to stock locks. (Published article removed to the oversize).	119
Box 6
Early American Locks and Lockmakers, by Thomas F. Hennessey. Book review by Donald Streeter, APT Bulletin. Also, there are letters to and from Hennessey relating to the book review and letters to and from Rodd Wheaton, the APT book review editor concerning Streeter’s review and its publication. There are also 3 pages unrelated to the book review.	120
“The Historical Development of Hand Forged Iron Builders Hardware.” Introduction, Part 1, pp. 2–45. Photocopy of a typed manuscript of 1 of Streeter’s articles. Article is removed to oversize.	121
“The Historical Development of Hand Forged Iron Builder’s Hardware,” Introduction 1–1 to 1–9. This folder contains much of the same material as in the previous folder but contains an author’s note and has photo illustrations glued to several of the pages. Contains the first section of the article.	122
“The Historical Development…” Deleted photocopies. Contains elements of the first 3 sections of the article.	123
“The Historical Development…” Part 2—“Door Hardware”—(1 of 2). Manuscript with 24 illustrations.	124
“The Historical Development…” Part 2—“Door Hardware”—(2 of 2). Manuscript with illustrations 25–47.	125
“The Historical Development…” Part 3—Window Hardware. Contains photographs with captions.	126
“The Historical Development…” Miscellaneous Photos 4–1 to 4–17. Contains photograph illustrations with captions.	127
“The Historical Development…” Photos Part 1. Contains 12 photographs with copies.	128
“The Historical Development…” Photos—outtakes (1 of 2). Contains 32 photographs related to the article.	129
“The Historical Development…” Photos—outtakes (2 of 2). Contains 43 photographs related to the article.	130
Series IV: Magazines and Periodicals	(Loose)
Newsletter of the APT—April 1969, Vol. I, No. 1
Newsletter of the APT—June 1974, Vol. III, No. 3
Newsletter of the APT—1973, Vol. V, No. 2
APT Bulletin—1976, Vol. VIII, No. 2
APT Bulletin—1976, Vol. VIII, No. 4
Early American Locks and Lockmakers of America, by Thomas F. Hennessey.
Early American Locks and Lockmakers of America, Revised Second Edition, by Thomas F. Hennessey.
Schuyler Mansion: A Historic Structure Report.
Box 7
Series V: Negatives (Note: there are more negatives than there are photos in the Streeter Collection.)	(2 drawers)
Negatives for the photos in the book Professional Smithing. Arranged in order of their appearance in the book.
Negatives similar to the photos which appear in the book, but not identical to them. Arranged alphabetically by subject.
Negatives for the photos in the subject title series (Series I). Arranged alphabetically by subject.

Index to Series V: Negatives

Articles
“Early American Wrought Iron Hardware: Norfolk Latches,” 118
“Early American Wrought Iron Hardware: Slide Latches,” 118
“Early American Wrought Iron Hardware: Spring Latches,” 118, oversize
“Some Signed American Rim Locks,” 118
“The Historical Development of Hand Forged Iron Hardware,” 121–130, oversize
“Artillerie Practique,” 20
Catalogs,

Negative	Number
American hardware	16
American Iron and Steel Institute	67
Andirons	99
Annunciation, The	65, oversize
Artifacts, Jamestown	17
Barnes-Brinton House	1
Bending jigs	112
Birmingham, England	7, 56
Bolts	2, 3, 118
Bolts, spring	110
Book review	120
Bootscrapers	4
Box joint rush light	94
Brackets	6
Bratt, William	7
Brinckloe, John	61
Broiler, standing	97
Card, D. A.	61
Carriage Monthly Catalog, The	64
Casement hardware	18, 68
P. & F. Corbin	64
Carriage Monthly	64
Chadd House	8
Christiansvaern, Fort	65
“Chronicle, The”	60
Corbin Catalog, P. & F.	64
Crane, Fireplace	103
Cunningham, Anna K.	66
Department of the Interior	61
Diderot Encyclopedia	9
Dies, forging	89, 90
Door bells
fittings	10
hardware	10, 11, 12
irons	11
Door
closers	12
springs	13
Dutch hardware	19
“Early American Stock Locks”	119, (oversize)
“Early American Wrought Iron Hardware: Norfolk Latches”	118
“Early American Wrought Iron Hardware: Slide Bolts”	118
“Early American Wrought Iron Hardware: Spring Latches”	118
Edward L. Hand & Co.	61
Eighteenth-century printed/written material	20, 30, 59, 61
English pattern books, tools	14, 15
Farnham, Alexander	57
Fifteenth-century printed/written material	61, 65, oversize
Fire fork	102
Fire shovel	100
Fire tongs	101
Fireplace hardware	99–105
Fireplace crane	103
Fireplace rush light	104, 105
First Iron Works Assoc.	67
Flesh fork	91, 98
Forge blacksmith	85
Fork, fire	102
Fork, flesh	91, 98
Fort Christiansvaern	65
French hardware	20
German hardware	21
Gerrish, Benjamin	74
Hardware
American	16
casement	18
Dutch	19
French	20
German	21
research	22
Hand, Edward L. & Co.	61
Hartley, E. N.	67
Hasps	23
slotted	108
welded	108
Hayward, J.F.	56
Hennessey, Thomas F.	120
Hinges	24–29
butterfly	24–26
German	24, 25, 27
H&L	24, 25, 28
Old Salem	28
pintel	107
staghorn	106
worm joint	29
“Historical Development of Hand Forged Iron Hardware, The,”	121–130 & oversize
Hooks	23
Horton, Frank L.	28
Houses
Barnes-Brinton	1
Chadd	8
Jackson	31
Lick-Boner	28
Hume, Ivor Noel	119
Interior, Dept. of the	61
Jackson House	31
James, Gibbons, Ltd.	7
Jamestown, Artifacts	17
Jigs, bending	112
John Harper & Co.	56
John Hassel, Inc.	61
John Ray transcripts	67
Josiah Parks & Sons Ltd.	56
Kaufman, Henry J.	48
Keeper, rat tail	111
Kemble, Howard R.	61
Kitchen ladle	92
Ladle	92
Lamb, Fred	56
Latches	33–43
bar	32
cast iron	33
English king	34
English thumb	35
gate	36
German lever	37
Norfolk	40, 41, 113, 118
ring	41, 109
spring	42, 118
thumb	43
Lick-Boner House	28
Light
box joint rush	94
fireplace rush	104
Locks	44–53
American	46
carpenter	49, 50
English	51, 115
German	52, 116
iron rim	53
locksmithing	48
padlocks	54, 116
Rodger’s Bank	55
stock	115, 119
Luria Brothers & Co.	67
Machine tools	89, 90
Magazines/Periodicals	Series IV
Newsletter of the Association for Preservation Technology, April 1969
Newsletter of the APT, June 1974
Bulletin of the APT, 1973
APT Bulletin, 1976
APT Bulletin, 1976
Early American Locks & Lockmakers, by Thomas F. Hennessey
Early American Locks & Lockmakers, 2nd Edition, by Thomas F. Hennessey
Schuyler Mansion: An Historic Structure Report
Maker’s marks	56
Mass. Inst. of Technology	67
McMillen, Loring	61
McWilliams, Josiah	57
Moxon, Joseph	59
Millham, Newton	7
“Museum, The”	19
Nails	60, 61
New Britain Inst.	46
Nineteenth-century printed/written material	64
Nelson, Lee H.	60
Norton, John & Sons	60
“Old English Pattern Books of the Metals Trade”	15
Old Salem, Inc.	28
Old Sturbridge Village	61
Ovens, 62	63
Overman, Frederick	67
P. & F. Corbin Catalog	64
Patents	61
Patrick, F. J.	7, 56
Perry, R. B.	60, 61
Pipe tongs, American	95
Pipe tongs, English	96
Professional Smithing (book)	74a
Professional Smithing (mss.)	75–84
Punches	89, 90
Rat tail keeper	111
Ray, John, Transcripts	67
Read, Nathan	61
Research	65, 66
Rings, welded wire	112
Rolling mills	67
Rush light
box joint	94
fireplace	104, 105
Sashes and sash hardware	18, 68
Schaefer, Elizabeth	22
Seventeenth-century printed/written material	30, 59, 61
Shelburne Museum	61
Sherrill, Sarah	119
Shop, Streeter’s blacksmith	85, 88
Shovel, fire	100, 105
Shutter hardware	69, 70, 71
Sketchley’s Bilston Directory	56
Smith, Elinor	119
Smith, Patterson	48
“Some Signed American Rim Locks”	118
Sorber, James	46, 60, 72
Split eyes	112
Standing Broiler	97
Stanley Works	46
Staten Island Historical Soc.	61
Steinman Hardware Co.	60
Stott, Peter H.	60
Sturbridge Village	61
Swivel toaster	93, 98
Toaster, swivel	93, 98
Tongs pipe
American	95
English	96
Tools, blacksmithing	86–87
Tongs, fire	101
Tremont Nail Works	60, 73
Trump, Robert	7
U.S. Steel Co.	67
Victoria & Albert Museum	7, 56
Weiss, Harry B.	61
Welded Hasps	108
Welded wire rings	112
Wire rings, welded	112
Wheaton, Rodd	120
Wheeling, Kenneth	61
Whitesmith work	74
Wick, Catherine	46
Willenhall Public Library	7, 56
Wilson, Kenneth M.	61
Winchester, Alice	119
Window hardware	18, 68

A Research Guide to the Donald Streeter Collection. Processed and compiled by: Robert A. McInnes, July 1986.

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