Ralph E. Carpenter, Jr., papers (RLC.Ms.002)

Series 1. Correspondence, 1936-2009
This series is arranged in alphabetical order and includes incoming and outgoing correspondence found within two separate subseries. Greeting cards, invitations, and some photographs enclosed with letters are also found within this series.

Subseries A. Ralph E. Carpenter, Jr., 1936-2009
The first subseries, dedicated to Ralph E. Carpenter, Jr., consists of his correspondence with family and friends, business associates, and antiques dealers and colleagues and generally concerns his involvement in various associations, historical preservation projects, and antiques hunting.

Subseries B. Carpenter family, 1943-2009
The second subseries includes correspondence addressed to both Ralph E. Carpenter, Jr., and one of his wives. Also included are letters received individually by Cynthia Carpenter and Roberta Carpenter as well as various greeting cards and invitations received by the Carpenters.

Series 2. Subject files , 1870-2008
This series, arranged in alphabetical order, contains financial records, correspondence, reports, proposals, clippings, drafts, and notes directly related to various activities and organizations that Ralph E. Carpenter, Jr. was participated in throughout his life. These series documents his involvement in the restoration of the Hunter House, Trinity Church, and Brick Market in Newport as well as the construction of Mowbra Hall, his home in Scarsdale, NY. Also included is memorabilia and records from various vacations and trips he undertook for both personal enjoyment and with organizations he was associated with such as Christie’s, the Society of Philosophes, and the Walpole Society. His efforts to establish the Newport Symposium and the John Clarke Society can also be found here as well as his involvement with the publishing of Newport: a lively experiment 1639-1969 for the Redwood Library and Athenaeum.

Series 3. Personal records, 1926-2009
This series is arranged in alphabetical order and concerns Ralph E. Carpenter, Jr. and other members of the Carpenter family.

Series 4. Research materials, 1916-2008
This series, arranged alphabetically, is comprised of articles (photocopies and originals), photocopies of manuscripts, notes, and other ephemera that was most likely consulted by Carpenter while preparing various lectures and speeches, his own articles and books, and as background information for other projects in which he was involved.

Series 5. Audiovisual records, circa 1880s-2005
This series is further divided into three subseries: photographs, sound recordings, and video recordings, all of which are arranged in alphabetical order.

Subseries A. Photographs, circa 1880s-2005
Photographs also include negatives, glass plate negatives, framed photographs, photograph albums and slides.

Subseries B. Sound recordings, 2001-2005
Sound recordings are comprised of twenty audiocassette tapes and one compact disc with Ralph E. Carpenter, Jr. speaking.

Subseries C. Video recordings, 1952, 1999
There is one unidentified film and one video cassette recording of Carpenter receiving the H. F. DuPont award in 1999.

Series 6. Scrapbooks, 1870-2005
Scrapbooks are arranged in alphabetical order by their creator and then by chronological order. These scrapbooks contain clippings, correspondence, photographs, travel memorabilia, and other ephemera kept by Ralph E. Carpenter, Jr. and his father, Ralph E. Carpenter.