Frederick E. (Frederick Edward) Brasch Papers, 1745-1963

Summary

Creators:

Brasch, Frederick E. (Frederick Edward), 1875-1967

Abstract:

Frederick Edward Brasch (1875-1967) was a librarian and bibliographer with an interest in the history of science, particularly the history of astronomy from Isaac Newton to the modern period.

Extent:

65 Linear Feet (118 boxes, one oversize folder)

Language:

English .

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item] Frederick E. (Frederick Edward) Brasch Papers , M0275, Dept. of Special Collections, Stanford Libraries, Stanford, Calif.

Background

Scope and content:

Correspondence and manuscript notes of Brasch and article reprints, photographs, and memorabilia collected by Brasch on the history of science in general and the history of astronomy from Isaac Newton to the modern period.

Biographical / historical:

Frederick Edward Brasch, librarian and bibliographer, was employed by numerous institutions including the Library of Congress, where he served as Chief of the Scientific Collection from 1925 to 1943. From 1948 until his death in 1967 he was a consultant in bibliography at Stanford University. Brasch's lifelong interest in the history of science was reflected in his personal life as well as his chosen occupation.

Frederick Edward Brasch was born December 18, 1875, the son of Otto Wilhelm and Carolyn E. (Johannsen). He attended Stanford University from 1897-1899; Univ. of California, 1899-1901, Harvard, 1916. On August 5, 1903 he married Winnifred E. Orpin (who died June 11, 1938). The marriage produced two children, Carolyn Mildred and Maxwell Frederick.

The following is a list of F. E. Brasch's occupations:

Asst. observer, Harvard College Observatory, 1903-1904

Computer, Lick Observatory, Mt. Hamilton, CA. 1905

Asst. at Stanford Library, 1912-16

Asst. reference librarian, John Cresar Library, Chicago. 1917-1921

Reference librarian, James Jerome Hill Reference Library, St. Paul, Minn. 1921-1922

Bibliographic research, National Research Council, Wash., D.C. 1922-1923

Librarian, Dept. of Terrestrial Magnetism, Carnegie Institution, Wash. 1923-1924

Secretary of the history of science section, A.A.A.S. 1920-1928

Secretary of Isaac Newton commemoration, 192-

Chief of Scientific Collection, Library of Congress. 1925-1943

Consultant in history of science, 1944-1948

Consultant in bibliography, Stanford University, 1948-1967

The following is a list of F. E. Brasch's associations:

American Association for the Advancement of Science

Royal Astronomical Society

History of Science Society

International Astronomical Union

Astronomical Society of the Pacific

American Astronomical Society

American Antiquarian Society

Phi Beta Kappa

Sigma Xi

Unitarian Church

In 1941, on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of Stanford University, F. E. Brasch donated his entire Newton Collection to the University, in gratitude for the opportunity of pursuing scientific astronomical studies there (1897-9).

Frederich Brasch died on October 26, 1967.

Acquisition information:

Gift of the Brasch family, 1967 and 1987.

Arrangement:

In 2024 the collection and finding aid were given an overhaul. Some boxes were renumbered and their contents rearranged. There is improved access to the Correspondence series and Library of Congress files, among others. Over 25 linear feet of unprocessed addenda were added to the collection as well.

Box 1 contains items removed from other series during initial processing. This division was retained. See the following note:

"Box 1 contains a miscellaneous assortment of gems extracted from the collection in August, 1975. Because there were no references as to the original location of the individual items within the collection as a whole, they remain separate, a hodge-podge of items of widely varying significance ranging from the 17th to the 20th centuries. The catagories of manuscripts listed above are anything but representative of every item within a given subset. The original integrity within the individual boxes has been generally respected, except in cases where the contents clearly have no reasonable order. In this situation I have relocated material according to the afore mentioned subject guidelines."

-- Catalogued during the academic year of 1980/81 by Kenneth B. Wolf Dept. of History

Rules or conventions:

Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Related resources

Related material:

M1341 Frederick E. Brasch pamphlet collection, circa 1700-1969 https://searchworks.stanford.edu/view/4083614

M0132 Frederick E. Brasch collection of Sir Isaac Newton manuscripts and related materials on the history of scientific thought, 1684-1949 https://searchworks.stanford.edu/view/4082935

SCM0386 Frederick E. Brasch correspondence, 1962-1965 https://searchworks.stanford.edu/view/8448285

M0176 Brasch family papers, 1891-1920 https://searchworks.stanford.edu/view/4082791

MISC 1561 Frederick Brasch letters to his family from Harvard, 1902 https://searchworks.stanford.edu/view/7927792

Brasch, Frederick E. Stanford University Photographic Department portraits https://searchworks.stanford.edu/view/yh109wg2939 https://searchworks.stanford.edu/view/cd067cf7567

Lowood, Henry. Frederick E. Brasch and the history of science (Stanford, Calif. : Department of Special Collections and University Archives, Stanford University Libraries, 1987) https://searchworks.stanford.edu/view/1658288

M0133 Scientists and science collection, 1870-1948 https://searchworks.stanford.edu/view/4082779

M0218 Thomas Jefferson Jackson See papers, 1891-1970 https://searchworks.stanford.edu/view/4082803

Publications by Brasch have been cataloged, and most of his Newton collection has also been cataloged.

Indexed terms

Subjects:

Astronomy -- History
Science -- History
Librarians.

Names:

Library of Congress.
Newton, Isaac, Sir
See, T. J. J., 1866-1962
Einstein, Albert, 1879-1955

Restrictions:

Open for research. Note that material must be requested at least 36 hours in advance of intended use.

Terms of access:

While Special Collections is the owner of the physical and digital items, permission to examine collection materials is not an authorization to publish. These materials are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study. Any transmission or reproduction beyond that allowed by fair use requires permission from the owners of rights, heir(s) or assigns. Some of these materials are believed to be in the public domain. There are no restrictions on use of public domain materials.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item] Frederick E. (Frederick Edward) Brasch Papers , M0275, Dept. of Special Collections, Stanford Libraries, Stanford, Calif.

Location of this collection:

Stanford University, Manuscripts Division

Department of Special Collections, Green Library

557 Escondido Mall

Stanford, CA 94305-6004, US

Contact:

(650) 725-1022

specialcollections@stanford.edu

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