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Fred Snitzer collection of Kings County postal ephemera

Call Number

2013.003

Dates

1717-2010, inclusive
; 1850-1950, bulk

Creator

Brooklyn Daily Eagle (Firm)
Snitzer, Fred (Role: Collector)
Lacks, Monica (Role: Donor)
Skurnick, Randy (Role: Donor)

Extent

22 Linear Feet in 36 manuscript boxes, 4 oversized manuscript boxes, and 1 record carton

Language of Materials

English .

Abstract

The collection primarily consists of Kings County postcards and envelopes (covers) collected by Fred Snitzer, the bulk of which date from 1850 to 1950. It also includes letters (housed with related envelopes), clippings, invoices, property records, and Brooklyn history and postal collecting reference materials.

Biographical note

Fred Snitzer was born in 1929. He was a longtime resident of Brooklyn and attended New Utrecht High School. He later resided at 75 Henry Street in the Brooklyn Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn. He was self employed as an investment counselor, an expert rated chess player, a world traveler, and a collector of Brooklyn postal ephemera. He died, in Brooklyn, on October 26, 2012.

Sources

  1. "Fred Snitzer (1929-2012)" by Phillip R. Smith. The United States Chess Federation website. Accessed January 28, 2015. http://www.uschess.org/content/view/11981/512/

Arrangement

The collection's organization is based on Snitzer's system of arrangement. Folder titles are derived from Snitzer's original labels. Any folder titles supplied by the processing archivist have been enclosed in brackets.

The collection is organized into four series:

Series 1: Postcards

Series 2: Covers

Series 3: Memorabilia

Series 4: Reference

Scope and Contents

The collection primarily consists of Kings County postcards and envelopes (covers) collected by Fred Snitzer, the bulk of which date from 1850 to 1950. It also includes letters (housed with related envelopes), clippings, invoices, property records, ephemera, and Brooklyn history and postal collecting reference materials. Snitzer's extensive collection includes cross-references (photocopies) between the various series and sub-series of postal ephemera.

Conditions Governing Access

Open to researchers without restriction.

Conditions Governing Use

All postcards published before 1923 are in the public domain. The letters and envelopes found in the collection are considered unpublished. Unpublished material remains under copyright for the life of the author + 70 years (when the author is known); or for 120 years since the date of creation (when the author is unknown, or the date of the author's death is unknown). For more information please contact library staff.

Preferred Citation

Identification of item, date (if known); Fred Snitzer collection of Kings County postal ephemera, 2013.003, Box and Folder number; Brooklyn Public Library, Center for Brooklyn History.

Location of Materials

The majority of the materials in this collection are stored offsite and advance notice is required for use. Please contact cbhreference@bklynlibrary.org at least three weeks prior to research visit.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The collection was donated by Monica Lacks and Randy Skurnick, as representatives of the Estate of Fred Snitzer, in 2013.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

The majority of the materials in this collection are stored offsite and advance notice is required for use. Please contact cbhreference@bklynlibrary.org at least three weeks prior to research visit.

Separated Materials

Twelve books relating to Brooklyn history have been removed to the library's book collection. These include the following:

Ierardi, Eric J. Gravesend: The home of Coney Island

Israelowitz, Oscar. Borough Park: Centennial Edition 1898-1998

Israelowitz, Oscar. Oscar Israelowitz's Flatbush guide

Jackson and Manbeck. The neighborhoods of Brooklyn

Lancaster, Clay. Old Brooklyn Heights: New York's first suburb

Landesman, Alter F. A History of New Lots, Brooklyn - to 1887

Merlis, Brian. Brooklyn: The Centennial Edition

Merlis, Brian. Brooklyn: The way it was

Merlis, Brian, et al. Brooklyn's Gold Coast

Merlis, Brian. Welcome back to Brooklyn

Robbins and Palitz. Brooklyn : a state of mind

Snow, Richard. Coney Island: A postcard journey to the city of fire

Additionally, photocopies of the Brooklyn Eagle's guides to Brooklyn, Bushwick, Flatbush, Flatlands, Gravesend, and New Utrecht have been discarded. Originals are available in the library.

Related Materials

The Martin L. Severe collection of first day covers (2014.013) also contains Kings County related covers.

The New York Public Library Archives and Manuscripts Division holds the Fred Snitzer chess collection, 1910-1951 (MssCol 2802).

Collection processed by

John Zarrillo

About this Guide

This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2023-08-21 11:20:42 +0000.
Using Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language: Finding aid written in English

Repository

Brooklyn Historical Society
Center for Brooklyn History
128 Pierrepont Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201