Inventory of the Max Clemens Richter Papers

Sara Gunasekara

Department of Special Collections

General Library

University of California, Davis

Davis, CA 95616-5292

Phone: (530) 752-1621

Fax: (530) 754-5758

Email: speccoll@ucdavis.edu

Creator: Richter, M. C. (Max Clemens), 1884-

Title: Max Clemens Richter Papers,

Date (inclusive): 1887-1970

Extent: 1.2 linear feet

Abstract: Max Clemens Richter (1884-1973) was a commercial beekeeper, author of Honey Plants of California (1911), and owner of a book store, The Book Den. His Papers contain correspondence, photographs of various apiaries and apiculturalists, and scrapbooks relating to beekeeping, bee diseases, and queen bee breeders.

Physical location: Researchers should contact Special Collections to request collections, as many are stored offsite.

Repository: University of California, Davis. General Library. Department of Special Collections.

Davis, California 95616-5292

Collection number: D-083

Language of Material: Collection materials in English.

Biography

Max Clemens Richter was born on March 11, 1884 in San Francisco, California to Clemens Maximilian Richter and Mary Barker Hobbs. He received a B.S. in 1910 from the University of California, Berkeley and in 1918 received an M.S. in Agriculture from the same institution. Richter was involved in commercial honey production from 1907-1927 and he established apiaries near El Monte, Chile and in the California counties of Sacramento, Stanislaus, and Monterey. He authored Honey Plants of California (1911).

In 1925, he married Marion Swayne of Oakland, California and they had one son, Richard. Richter also owned and operated The Book Den, a book store specializing in antiquarian and second hand books. From 1928-1932, The Book Den was located in Oakland. In 1933, he relocated the store to Santa Barbara and owned the business until his death on April 14, 1973.

Scope and Content

The Max Clemens Richter Papers, which span the years 1887-1970, contain correspondence, photographs, and scrapbooks related to beekeeping, bee diseases, and queen bee breeders.

Letters in the correspondence series deal with Richter's commercial endeavors in beekeeping and bookselling, his writings for apicultural publications, and his affiliations with apicultural organizations. The third party subseries contains a group of letters which discuss buckeye poisoning of bees.

Photographs of apiaries in California and Chile as well as images of apiculturalists can be found in Series 4: Photographs.

Series 5 holds five scrapbooks dealing with bee diseases, honey statistics, and queen bees.

Arrangement of the Collection

The Papers are arranged into five series: 1. Correspondence, 2. Manuscripts, 3. Printed Material, 4. Photographs, and 5. Scrapbooks.

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.

Richter, M. C. (Max Clemens), 1884---Archives

Bee culture--California

Bees--California

Bees--Chile

Access

Collection is open for research.

Acquisition Information

Gift of Max Richter to Cornell University in 1963. Transferred from Cornell University to the University of California, Davis in 1967.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Max Clemens Richter Papers, D-083, Department of Special Collections, General Library, University of California, Davis.

Publication Rights

Copyright is protected by the copyright law, chapter 17, of the U.S. Code. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Special Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Department of Special Collections, General Library, University of California, Davis as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher.

Series 1. Correspondence 1908-1950

Physical Description: 127 folders

Scope and Content Note

Arranged into three subseries: Outgoing, Incoming, and Third Party.

Subseries 1.1 Outgoing 1931-1950

Physical Description: 8 letters

Scope and Content Note

The majority of Richter's outgoing correspondence is to E.F. Phillips, a Professor of Apiculture at Cornell University. These letters dicuss purchases of books from Richter's Book Den for the Cornell Apiculture Library.

Arranged alphabetically by correspondent and then chronologically.

Box 1:1

Phillips, E.F. 1931 May 30

Box 1:2

Phillips, E.F. 1931 December 3

Box 1:3

Phillips, E.F. 1935 October 4

Box 1:4

Phillips, E.F. 1935 October 23

Box 1:5

Phillips, E.F. 1938 January 31

Box 1:6

Phillips, E.F. 1938 February 19

Box 1:7

Vansell, George H. 1948 November 23

Box 1:8

Vansell, George H. 1950 May 1

Subseries 1.2 Incoming 1908-1950

Physical Description: 71 folders

Scope and Content Note

Richter's incoming correspondence which spans from 1908-1950 includes letters from apiculturalists, apicultural publications, and apicultural organizations.

Arranged alphabetically by correspondent and then chronologically.

Box 1:9

American Bee Journal 1919-1924

Box 1:10

American Honey Producers League 1921 March 8

Box 1:11

Beekeepers Item 1922 October 4

Box 1:12

Benton, Ralph 1910

Box 1:13

Bishop, Roy K. 1911 January 23

Box 1:14

Bishop, Roy K. 1915 July 21

Box 1:15

Blue Mount Apiary 1911 January 26

Box 1:16

British Bee Journal 1914-1917

Box 1:17

British Beekeepers Association 1923 February 10

Box 1:18

British Beekeepers Association 1923 April 10

Box 1:19

Bryant, H.C. 1911 June 5

Box 1:20

Cale, G.H. 1919 December 28

Box 1:21

California Honey Producers Cooperative Exchange 1918 August 22

Box 1:22

California Honey Producers Cooperative Exchange 1919 March 20

Box 1:23

California Honey Producers Cooperative Exchange 1920 February 1

Box 1:24

California State Beekeepers Association 1916-1924

Box 1:25

Caucasian Apiary 1910 September 26

Box 1:26

Chadwick, P.C. 1920 August 19

Box 1:27

Chadwick, P.C. 1920 October 8

Box 1:28

Colorado Honey Producers Association 1918

Box 1:29

Davis, John M. 1911 April 21

Box 1:30

Demuth, George S. 1920 April 10

Box 1:31

Department of Agriculture Michigan 1924 June 19

Box 1:32

Doolittle & Clark 1911 April 17

Box 1:33

Doolittle & Clark 1911 May 16

Box 1:34

Economic Entomology Department, University of Wisconsin 1925 April 14

Box 1:35

Estacion de Patolojia Vejetal 1912

Box 1:36

Foster, Wesley 1917

Box 1:37

France, Frank 1918 February 5

Box 1:38

France, N.E. 1916 March 9

Box 1:39

Frohligher, John C. 1911-1912

Box 1:40

Gates, Burton N. 1915-1919

Box 1:41

Gleanings in Bee Culture 1921

Box 1:42

Idaho-Oregon Honey Producers Association 1917 December 10

Box 1:43

Imperial-Royal Agricultural Association of Carniola, Ljubljana 1911 April 17

Box 1:44

Hogaboom, B.B. 1918

Box 1:45

Lorell, John H. 1919-1921

Box 1:46

Lynch, Willis 1923 January 4

Box 1:47

Madary's Supply House 1910 September 12

Box 1:48

McCain, Robert 1918

Box 1:49

McCubbin, J.C. 1915-1924

Box 1:50

Mendleson, M.H. 1908-1920

Box 1:51

Morrison, W.K. 1912 February 1

Box 1:52

Muth-Rasmusson, William 1910-1918

Box 1:53

National Beekeepers Association 1910-1912

Box 1:54

National Beekeepers Association of New Zealand 1919 February 17

Box 1:55

New Zealand Department of Agriculture, Commerce and Tourists 1911

Box 1:56

Norton, A. 1918 December 5

Box 1:57

Paddock, F.B. 1923 December 14

Box 1:58

Pettit, Morley 1911-1916

Box 1:59

Phillips, E.F. 1919-1935

Box 1:60

Queensland Apicultural Journal 1919 April 7

Box 1:61

Riverside Bees & Honey Co. 1919 June 11

Box 1:62

Riverside Bees & Honey Co. 1920 January 22

Box 1:63

Riverside County Beekeepers Club 1919 January 3

Box 1:64

A.I. Root Company 1920-1924

Box 1:65

Schenk, Emilio undated

Box 1:66

Sechrist, E.L. 1916-1926

Box 1:67

Sladen, F.W. 1916

Box 1:68

Smith, Jay 1923 April 25

Box 1:69

Sturtevant, Arnold P. 1919-1920

Box 1:70

Surface, H.A. 1916 January 24

Box 1:71

Texas Honey Producers Association 1918 August 10

Box 1:72

Trumball Seed Company 1911 October 31

Box 1:73

Vansell, George H. 1948 November 19

Box 1:74

Vansell, George H. 1950 April 27

Box 1:75

Western Honey Bee 1917-1919

Box 1:76

Woodworth, C.W. 1911-1919

Box 1:77

Zauder, Dr. 1914

Box 1:78

, Bixby 1920

Box 1:79

Unidentified 1913-1927

Subseries 1.3 Third Party 1911-1950

Physical Description: 48 letters

Scope and Content Note

Letters that are to or between individuals other than Richter. The majority of letters in this subseries are to or from George H. Vansell, who taught entomology and apiculture at the University Farm (now UC Davis) from 1922 to 1931. This correspondence, written in 1924, discusses buckeye poisoning of bees.

Arranged alphabetically by author and then chronologically.

Box 2:1

Baade, H.J. to Vansell, George H. 1924 February 13

Box 2:2

Butler, Chauncy to Vansell, George H. 1924 March 13

Box 2:3

Clayton, C.W. to Vansell, George H. 1924 March 22

Box 2:4

Birch, L.R. to Vansell, George H. 1924 June 22

Box 2:5

Cannell to Coleman, George A. 1920 November 4

Box 2:6

Connor, James G. to Vansell, George 1924 March 24

Box 2:7

Dickenson, A. to Vansell, George 1924 May 28

Box 2:8

Gerst, Edgar to Vansell, George H. 1924 March 18

Box 2:9

Goodyear, J.M. to Vansell, George H. 1924 March 10

Box 2:10

Graham, C. to Vansell, George 1924 May 15

Box 2:11

Emerson, George to Vansell, George H. 1924 March 15

Box 2:12

Goss, Harold to Vansell, George H. 1925 March 20

Box 2:13

Hadsell, B.A. to Vansell, George 1924 February 5

Box 2:14

Hengst, Alfred to Vansell, George H. 1923 February 3

Box 2:15

Hengst, Alfred to Vansell, George H. 1923 August 23

Box 2:16

Idaho Honey Producsers Association to Atwater, E.F. 1917 December 10

Box 2:17

Kehl, John to Vansell, George H. 1924 March 11

Box 2:18

Mendleson, M.H. to Vansell, George H. 1924 March 18

Box 2:19

Miller, C.C. to Coleman, George A. 1918 October 26

Box 2:20

Missouri State Board of Agriculture to McConkey, M.C. 1911 January 25

Box 2:21

Moore, George W. to Vansell, George H. 1924 March 30

Box 2:22

Newall, Joseph to Vansell, George H. 1924 March 25

Box 2:23

Nordling, Ed to Vansell, George H. 1924 May 5

Box 2:24

Peterman, Herman to Vansell, George H. 1924 March 13

Box 2:25

Phillips, E.F. to Vansell, George H. 1923 January 4

Box 2:26

Phillips, E.F. to Vansell, George H. 1923 April 21

Box 2:27

Phillips, E.F. to Vansell, George H. 1923 July 27

Box 2:28

Phillips, E.F. to Vansell, George H. 1924 July 5

Box 2:29

Phillips, E.F. to Vansell, George H. 1924 September 26

Box 2:30

Rothermund, C.O. to Vansell, George undated

Box 2:31

Stratton, Robert to Vansell, George H. 1922 August 14

Box 2:32

Stratton, Robert W. to Vansell, George H. 1922 July 5

Box 2:33

Stratton, Robert W. to Vansell, George H. 1922 October 22

Box 2:34

Stuart, C. to Vansell, George H. 1924 March 15

Box 2:35

Tucker, A.G. to Vansell, George H. 1924 March 13

Box 2:36

Tucker, A.G. to Vansell, George H. 1924 June 3

Box 2:37

Vansell, George H. to Birch, L.R. 1924 March 11

Box 2:38

Vansell, George H. to Compton, C.J. 1924 March 8

Box 2:39

Vansell, George H. to Douglas, E.C. 1950 May 10

Box 2:40

Vansell, George H. to Emerson, George L. 1924 March 25

Box 2:41

Vansell, George H. to Foss, C.E. 1924 March 10

Box 2:42

Vansell, George H. to Goodyear, J.M. 1924 March 4

Box 2:43

Vansell, George H. to Goss, Harold 1926 March 27

Box 2:44

Vansell, George H. to Hengst, Alfred G. 1923 September 5

Box 2:45

Vansell, George H. to Nordling, Ed 1924 April 23

Box 2:46

Vansell, George H. to Tucker, A.G. 1924 June 9

Box 2:47

Wege, Paul to Vansell, George H. 1924 March 24

Box 2:48

Wing, J.E. to Vansell, George H. 1924 March 11

Series 2. Manuscripts 1916-circa 1923

Physical Description: 4 folders

Scope and Content Note

Arranged alphabetically.

Box 2:49

Adult Bee Examination Reports by George H. Vansell? circa 1923

Box 2:50

Beekeeping in California, masters thesis by Max Clemens Richter 1916

Box 2:51

Bees Often Accused Falsely, by George H. Vansell undated

Box 2:52

Notes on Buckeye Poisoning undated

Series 3. Printed Material 1891-1970

Physical Description: 4 folders

Scope and Content Note

Arranged alphabetically.

Box 2:53

Articles on apiculture 1891/1968

Box 2:54

Brochure for University of California Beekeeping Short Courses 1918

Box 2:55

Letterhead undated

Box 2:56

Saguaroland Bulletin, Vol. XXIV, no. 4 1970 April

Scope and Content Note

This volume focuses on the dedication of the Richter Memorial Library at the Desert Botanical Garden of Arizona.

Series 4. Photographs 1887-1919

Physical Description: 65 prints

Scope and Content Note

Contains images of aparies and apiculturalists.

Arranged alphabetically.

Box 2:57

Apiculturalists: Demuth, Justice, Mendleson, Pellet, and Phillips 1919

Physical Description: 1 print

Box 2:58

Chile: Apiary main yard circa 1912-1914

Physical Description: 5 prints

Box 2:59

Chile: Apiary San Antonio circa 1912-1914

Physical Description: 1 print

Box 2:60

Chile: Bee colonies 1913

Physical Description: 1 print

Box 2:61

Chile: Chilean helper with bee boxes circa 1912-1914

Physical Description: 1 print

Box 2:62

Chile: W. Herrod-Hempsall, editor of British Bee Journal 1914

Physical Description: 1 print

Box 2:63

Chile: thistle range circa 1912-1914

Physical Description: 1 print

Box 2:64

Chile: various images of Richter's apiary circa 1912-1914

Physical Description: 14 prints

Box 2:65

Copy photographs undated

Physical Description: 8 prints

Box 2:66

Demuth, George S. 1917

Physical Description: 1 print

Box 2:67

N.A. Eaton's apiary 1887 September 20

Physical Description: 1 print

Box 2:68

Empty bee boxes undated

Physical Description: 1 print

Box 2:69

Win Geer's yard, Sacramento, California 1916

Physical Description: 1 print

Box 2:70

Germany 1914

Physical Description: 17 prints

Box 2:71

Griswold yard, Modesto, California undated

Physical Description: 1 print

Box 2:72

J.S. Harbison's house 1919 December 3

Physical Description: 1 print

Box 2:73

Herrod-Hempsall, W. (editor of the British Bee Journal) popularizing honey at the Annual Royal Show 1914

Physical Description: 1 print

Box 2:74

Imperial Valley Group 1918

Physical Description: 1 print

Box 2:75

Justice, Charles B., San Diego, California 1918

Physical Description: 1 print

Box 2:76

Massey, A.B., Phillips, E.F., and Richter, Max Clemens 1919

Physical Description: 1 print

Box 2:77

Phillips, E.F., Riverside, California 1919

Physical Description: 1 print

Box 2:78

Rasmussen apiary, Independence, California 1918

Physical Description: 1 print

Box 2:79

Richter apiary, Modesto, California 1916

Physical Description: 1 print

Box 2:80

Richter apiary, Modesto, California 1918

Physical Description: 1 print

Series 5. Scrapbooks 1903-1929

Physical Description: 5 scrapbooks

Scope and Content Note

The scrapbooks contain advertisements, clippings, programs, and ephemera relating to the individual apicultural subject.

Arranged alphabetically by subject.

Box 3:1

California Institutes Associations Meetings 1908-1923

Box 3:2

Disease 1903-1915

Box 3:3

General 1909-1925

Box 3:4

Honey statistics 1915-1929

Box 3:5

Queens 1915-1925