Box 50

Scope and Contents This series consists of materials that document the inventions created and patented by Benjamin Miessner, as well as experiments conducted by him and his employees. Materials located in this series include but are not limited to patents assigned to Benjamin Miessner; technical drawings, notes, and reports written by Miessner; laboratory notebooks documenting the experiments of Miessner, as well as his employees Charles T. Jacobs, Frederic D. Merrill, and Victor Mumma; developed photographs...

Scope and Contents This sub-series consists of visual and textual documents explaining the functions of technical devices or inventions, or documenting research and experiments being conducted by Miessner. It includes but is not limited to blueprints of Miessner’s inventions or devices being used by Miessner in his experiments; descriptions and sketches of inventions being worked on by Miessner and his associates; notes on experiments conducted by Miessner or his associates; and user manuals for devices used...

Scope and Contents

This sub-series contains photographs and photographic negatives taken of Benjamin Miessner’s inventions and experiments. Subjects include but are not limited to Miessner's office and laboratory setup; Miessner’s electronic instruments, including musicians performing with them; metal detectors; and sound wave recordings.

Scope and Contents This series contains correspondence between Miessner and various companies, organizations, and individuals. Correspondents whose letters are present in the collection include but are not limited to members of Miessner’s family, including his brother William Otto Miessner, his father, and his two daughters; piano manufacturers, including but not limited to the Wurlitzer company, Story and Clark Piano Company, and Baldwin Company; his patent lawyers, especially Edward H. Loftin and Charles T....

Scope and Contents The Business Correspondence sub-series contains letters and reports detailing the business dealings and work of Benjamin Miessner and his employees. Individuals and organizations present in the sub-series include but is not limited to Emil J. Simon, Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company, Edward H. Loftin, Charles T. Jacobs, Baldwin Piano Company, Radio Corporation of American, The Rudolph Wurlitzer Company, and Miessner’s employees Victor Mumma and Fred Merrill.The subjects of the...

Scope and Contents The Subject Correspondence sub-series contains letters organized topically by Miessner, and which don’t relate to his work as an inventor. Subjects include Miessner’s letters to the editor of, and attempts to publish articles in, various periodicals, including Electronics, Piano Trade Magazine, and Radio-Electronics; lectures that Miessner gave at various institutions, including a presentation on creativity at Rutgers University; the role of inventors and inventions in America; and his...

Scope and Contents

The Legal Matters series consists of documents which are legal in nature, or which discuss legal reform. It includes legally binding contracts, court documents, correspondence and publications on patent legislation and reform, and applications for patents.

Scope and Contents This sub-series documents Miessner’s involvement in patent legislation and reform in the United States (U.S.). It includes but is not limited to correspondence with U.S. Congressmen and organizations interested in patent reform, including the Patent Equity Association, National Patent Council, and National Small Business Men’s Association; congressional reports, hearings, and studies related to patent legislation; and Miessner’s notes and articles on the topic of inventing and creativity,...

Scope and Contents

This sub-series contains documents related to Miessner’s applications for patents. Inventions for which there are patent applications include electronic musical instruments, especially the electronic piano, and fountain pens.

Scope and Contents This series contains publications written or collected by Benjamin Miessner. Types of publications include but are not limited to books, periodicals, Miessner’s drafts and manuscripts, and published versions of Miessner’s lectures and speeches. Also included are item catalogs, newspaper clippings, theses, service and owner’s manuals, and other miscellaneous publications.The subjects of the publications include but are not limited to electronic musical instruments, electrical and...

Scope and Contents The Serials sub-series contains regularly published materials written or collected by Miessner. It includes but is not limited to journals, magazines, proceedings, and newsletters. Topics include creativity and inventing, musical instruments, radio and electrical engineering, and sound and acoustics.John Hays Hammond, Jr. and Ellison Purington’s article “A History of Some Foundations of Modern Radio-Electronic Technology,” as well as Lloyd Espenschied’s article critiquing it, can...

Scope and Contents The Personal Files series contains documents related to Miessner’s personal and school life. It includes but is not limited to notebooks and class lists from his time as a student at Purdue University, address and guest books, financial and travel records, political materials, and photographs of Benjamin Miessner.Also included are correspondence and articles related to Miessner's philanthropic activities, including donations to a Purdue scholarship fund and donation of a science...

Scope and Contents From the Sub-Series: This sub-series consists of visual and textual documents explaining the functions of technical devices or inventions, or documenting research and experiments being conducted by Miessner. It includes but is not limited to blueprints of Miessner’s inventions or devices being used by Miessner in his experiments; descriptions and sketches of inventions being worked on by Miessner and his associates; notes on experiments conducted by Miessner or his associates; and user manuals for devices used...

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Many photographs and articles in this file contain labels from Miessner with figure numbers and descriptions.

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The Subject Files series contains files compiled by Miessner based on subject. They contain a mixture of different material types, including but not limited to correspondence, magazine and newspaper clippings, Miessner’s notes, photographs, books, and patents. Subjects present in the collection include but are not limited to astronomy, acoustics, demonstrations of Miessner’s inventions, metal detectors, and Miessner's friend Emil J. Simon.

Scope and Contents From the Sub-Series:

This sub-series contains photographs and photographic negatives taken of Benjamin Miessner’s inventions and experiments. Subjects include but are not limited to Miessner's office and laboratory setup; Miessner’s electronic instruments, including musicians performing with them; metal detectors; and sound wave recordings.

Scope and Contents From the Sub-Series: The Business Correspondence sub-series contains letters and reports detailing the business dealings and work of Benjamin Miessner and his employees. Individuals and organizations present in the sub-series include but is not limited to Emil J. Simon, Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company, Edward H. Loftin, Charles T. Jacobs, Baldwin Piano Company, Radio Corporation of American, The Rudolph Wurlitzer Company, and Miessner’s employees Victor Mumma and Fred Merrill.The subjects of the...

Scope and Contents

This file contains correspondence and a patent license agreement between Miessner and Bernhardt's Furniture Limited on the Bernhardt Electronic Piano, drawings of the Bernhardt Electronic Piano, and a page from a Bernhardt sales ledger.

Scope and Contents From the Sub-Series: The Business Correspondence sub-series contains letters and reports detailing the business dealings and work of Benjamin Miessner and his employees. Individuals and organizations present in the sub-series include but is not limited to Emil J. Simon, Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company, Edward H. Loftin, Charles T. Jacobs, Baldwin Piano Company, Radio Corporation of American, The Rudolph Wurlitzer Company, and Miessner’s employees Victor Mumma and Fred Merrill.The subjects of the...

Scope and Contents From the Sub-Series: The Subject Correspondence sub-series contains letters organized topically by Miessner, and which don’t relate to his work as an inventor. Subjects include Miessner’s letters to the editor of, and attempts to publish articles in, various periodicals, including Electronics, Piano Trade Magazine, and Radio-Electronics; lectures that Miessner gave at various institutions, including a presentation on creativity at Rutgers University; the role of inventors and inventions in America; and his...

Scope and Contents From the Sub-Series: The Subject Correspondence sub-series contains letters organized topically by Miessner, and which don’t relate to his work as an inventor. Subjects include Miessner’s letters to the editor of, and attempts to publish articles in, various periodicals, including Electronics, Piano Trade Magazine, and Radio-Electronics; lectures that Miessner gave at various institutions, including a presentation on creativity at Rutgers University; the role of inventors and inventions in America; and his...

Scope and Contents From the Sub-Series: The Subject Correspondence sub-series contains letters organized topically by Miessner, and which don’t relate to his work as an inventor. Subjects include Miessner’s letters to the editor of, and attempts to publish articles in, various periodicals, including Electronics, Piano Trade Magazine, and Radio-Electronics; lectures that Miessner gave at various institutions, including a presentation on creativity at Rutgers University; the role of inventors and inventions in America; and his...

Scope and Contents From the Sub-Series: This sub-series documents Miessner’s involvement in patent legislation and reform in the United States (U.S.). It includes but is not limited to correspondence with U.S. Congressmen and organizations interested in patent reform, including the Patent Equity Association, National Patent Council, and National Small Business Men’s Association; congressional reports, hearings, and studies related to patent legislation; and Miessner’s notes and articles on the topic of inventing and creativity,...

Scope and Contents From the Sub-Series:

This sub-series contains documents related to Miessner’s applications for patents. Inventions for which there are patent applications include electronic musical instruments, especially the electronic piano, and fountain pens.

Scope and Contents

This patent application was used in the suit "The Rudolph Wurlitzer Company v. Miessner Inventions, Inc."