Collection inventory

Overview of the Collection
Creator:	Myers, C. Stowe (Charles Stowe).
Title:	C. Stowe Myers Papers
Inclusive Dates:	1930-1995
Quantity:	6 linear ft.
Abstract:	American industrial designer. Correspondence-subject files, memorabilia, photographs, audio and video recordings, and slides.
Language:	English
Repository:	Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries 222 Waverly Avenue Syracuse, NY 13244-2010 https://library.syracuse.edu/special-collections-research-center

Biographical History

Charles Stowe Myers (1906-1995) was an American industrial designer. Born in Altoona, Pennsylvania, he graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1930 and went to work for Norman bel Geddes in 1932. In 1934 he joined Walter Dorwin Teague; while with Teague he worked on exhibits for the New York World's Fair (1939-1940) as well as several military designs. In 1950 he joined Raymond Loewy and by 1952 was managing Loewy's Chicago office. In 1954 he left to open his own firm, Stowe Myers Design, in Evanston, Illinois. Between 1954 and 1970 the firm's projects ranged from Tinkertoy packaging to exhibits at the 1959 International Trade Fair in Casablanca. Myers was a founding member of the the West Coast Chapter of the Society of Industrial Designers and active in SID's New York and Chicago chapters as well. After retiring in 1976 he turned to painting, and was named official artist of the US Air Force in 1978.

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Scope and Contents of the Collection

The C. Stowe Myers Papers consists of correspondence-subject files, memorabilia, photographs, recordings, and slides.

Correspondence-subject files include correspondence with other designers such as Rayond Loewy and Walter Dorwin Teague, material from organizations such as the American Society of Industrial Designers, and topical folders including trade fairs in Tripoli and Washington, D.C. and military ordnance manuals for projects in which Myers was involved.

Memorabilia contains assorted material relating to Myers' career, including awards and certificates, career information, stationery (business letterhead, envelopes, business cards, etc.), and a design portfolio. The portfolio was originally housed in a battered and non-descript black case; it has been removed from the case and placed into archival boxes.

The bulk of the Photographs are professional in nature, including Walter Dorwin Teague's offices in New York and Los Angeles, and various design projects. There are a few candid photos of Myers, and two folders of photographs of his watercolor artwork.

Recordings contains interviews with Myers and a piece (possibly a speech) on early industrial design.

A considerable number of Slides completes the collection. Most are unlabeled, and remain in original containers and original order.

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Arrangement of the Collection

All series are arranged alphabetically by type or topic.

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

The majority of our archival and manuscript collections are housed offsite and require advanced notice for retrieval. Researchers are encouraged to contact us in advance concerning the collection material they wish to access for their research.

Use Restrictions

Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

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Subject Headings

Persons

Corporate Bodies

Subjects

Genres and Forms

Occupations

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

C. Stowe Myers Papers,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

Gift of Charles Myers, 1997.

Finding Aid Information

Created by: MRC
Date: 22 Mar 2010
Revision history: 10 May 2022 - media updated (RMH)

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Inventory

	Correspondence-subject files
Box 1		Aarnio, Reino 1957, 1960
Box 1		American Society of Industrial Designers (ASID)
Box 1		Articles and press releases 1947-1963 - a few about Myers, most about other designers, products, etc. (2 folders)
Box 1		Bethlehem Steel descriptive specifications 1941
Box 1		Dreyfus, Henry 1963
Box 1		Gun Director Mark 37 and Mods 31 manual Mar 1945 - includes copy of congratulatory letter to Myers from Bureau of Naval Ordnance
Box 1		IDSA - includes bylaws, newsletters, etc.
Box 1		Koeber, Theodore 1961
Box 1		Loewy, Raymond 1952-1954
Box 1		Lueloff, Jorie (NBC) 1980
Box 1		Mackie, David 1960
Box 1		Mox, Dana 1960
Box 2		Product announcements, miscellaneous
Oversize 1		Rheem design book to 1957 - 3-ring notebook of plumbing designs
Box 2		River Rouge/Teague article
Box 2		Rutter, Sheldon 1958, 1960
Box 2		Speech, "Industrial designers and their clients" by Myers 1950
Box 2		Swedish Embassy 1960
Box 2		Technical Information Manual for the type T5 ski mount for the 75mm howitzer carriage M3A3
Box 2		Teague, Walter Dorwin 1948, 1953-1957, 1961-1962, 1981 - includes announcement of Myers' partnership
Box 2		Tripoli Trade Fair 1962
			See also Photographs : Trade Fair photobook, Tripoli.
Box 2		Twyeffort, Elizabeth 1980
Box 2		University of Pennsylvania 1930, 1979 - includes Myers' grades
Box 2		War - personal 1942-1943
Box 2		Washington, DC 1959 - most appears to pertain to a trade show; correspondents include "Mike" and "Tubby"
Box 2		Western Museum Conference 1947
Box 2		White, Roger G. 1960

	Memorabilia
Box 2		Awards and certificates 1945, 1957
Box 2		Career synopsis, cv's, obituaries
Oversize 2		Design portfolio - originally in attache case; removed
Oversize 3		Design portfolio (cont.)
Box 2		Living Legends of Chicago Design
Box 2		Stationery - includes business cards, letterhead
Box 2		Stationery - includes business cards, letterhead
Box 3		Stowe Myers ID promo - branding ideas for firm; includes correspondence with Mike Joss, IDSA
Box 3		Miscellaneous

	Photographs
Box 3		Air Force artwork - Stowe's paintings
Box 3		Design snapshots, miscellaneous - plastio comb-bound book
Box 3		Linear Syntec design
Box 3		Loewy
Box 3		Navy gunport seal and gun director work with Teague office
Box 3		Portraits of Stowe Myers taken in 1990 by his son, Charles S. Myers III 1990
Box 3		Renderings - photographs of
Oversize 1		River Rouge photo book 1937-1938
Box 3		Teague office, Los Angeles - includes innovative gas station
Box 3		Teague office, New York City
Box 3		Teague office, New York World's Fair 1939-1940
Oversize 4		Trade Fair photo book, Casablanca and Tunis 1959
Oversize 4		Trade Fair photo book, Tripoli 1962
Box 3		Watercolors - Stowe's personal artwork
Box 3		Miscellaneous - unidentified photos

	Recordings
Box 4		C. Stowe Myers - Bio and I.D. Career 02/08/1989 - Stowe recorded this tape for Mr. Lou Taylor, Editor and Chief of the Air Force Artists Newsletter, as an article on Stowe was planned (Audio cassette; running time 90) (ID#: myers_cs_004)
Box 4		C. Stowe Myers - Early ID For NEA Archive 06/05/1987 - This tape was recorded pursuant to a speech he gave to the White Hall Hotel in Chicago on June 5th, 1987. He was attending the annual American Professional Design Firms Dinner Meeting. He received a standing ovation for his speech but unfortunately it wasn’t taped. One of the organizers later asked if he would recreate for them. (Audio cassette; running time 90) (ID#: myers_cs_005)
Box 4		Stowe Myers interview by Vicki Matranga - Syracuse Copy (tape 1 of 2) 02/10/1995; 02/11/1995 - interview of C. Stowe Myers by author Victoria Kasuba (Vicki) Matranga (VHS; running time 120:00) (ID#: myers_cs_001)
Box 4		Stowe Myers interview by Vicki Matranga - Syracuse Copy (tape 2 of 2) 02/11/1995 - interview of C. Stowe Myers by author Victoria Kasuba (Vicki) Matranga (VHS; running time 120:00) (ID#: myers_cs_002)
Box 4		Teague Office and their Xmas Parties in the 40's filmed by Stowe Myers ; also miscl. personal (Syracuse Copy) - Teague office and xmas parties filmed by Charles Stowe Myers (VHS; running time 120:00) (ID#: myers_cs_003)

	Slides
Box 5		Argus box of 4 slide trays
Box 5		Argus 80 slide tray
Box 5		Argus 80 slide tray
Box 5		Filmdex slide keepers 1939 - NY World's Fair (3 boxes)
Box 5		Grey metal slide box
Oversize 5		#1 Air Force, Parker Pen, CMI Gibson, Watertower Place signage, Tinkertoy, Ency. Brit. - 3-ring binder
Oversize 6		#2, Air Force, Ency. Brit. - 3-ring binder
Box 5		Rheems Topics, blue plastic box
Box 5		White metal lid slide box

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