Time Inc. Architectural Forum and House & Home Editorial Records: Managing Editor Edgar P. Smith Files
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Abstract
Contains Edgar P. Smith's records regarding the evaluation and possible sale of Architectural Forum and House & Home. Architectural Forum was a professional journal focused on design and modern architecture, and House & Home was a trade magazine for building and buying new houses.
Historical Note
Architectural Forum was a professional journal focused on design and modern architecture acquired by Time Inc. in 1932. In 1952, House & Home spun off from Architectural Forum in order to focus on "those who plan, build, buy, sell, and finance new houses". Time Inc. internally referred to these magazines collectively as the Building Division. Due to the magazines' financial losses, Time Inc. sold House & Home to McGrawâHill, Inc. and ceased publishing Architectural Forum in 1964.
Citations:
Elson, Robert T., and Duncan Norton-Taylor. 1973. The World of Time Inc.: The Intimate History of a Publishing Enterprise, 1941-1960. New York: Atheneum.
Huxtable, Ada Louise. "Architectural Forum Dropped." New York Times (New York, NY), May 28, 1964, http://www.nytimes.com/1964/05/28/architectural-forum-dropped.html?_r=0.
Biographical Note
Edgar P. Smith joined Time Inc. in 1946 as a Fortune writer. He was promoted to Fortune Assistant Managaing Editor in 1952, and is credited with developing the "Annual Directory of the 500 Largest Corporations," also known as the Fortune 500. In 1957, he was appointed as the Architectural Forum Managing Editor to work on its "reorganization and redirection."
In February 1959, Time Inc. President Roy Larsen announced Smith was transferring to the President's Office to work on several corporate special projects. The main project cited in his bio file is the acquisition of the textbook publishing firm Silver Burdett Co.
In 1962 Smith joined Time-Life Broadcasting, Inc. as a vice president in charge of broadcasting. He later worked on Time Inc.'s cable television interests and retired in 1975.
Citations:
"Edgar Smith, 69, Dies; Retired Time Executive." New York Times (New York, NY), October 12, 1989, http://www.nytimes.com/1989/10/12/obituaries/edgar-smith-69-dies-retired-time-executive.html.
Time Inc. Bio Files, MS 3009-RG 2, New-York Historical Society.
Arrangement Note
Retains original order which is loosely alphabetical.
Scope and Contents Note
Contains Edgar P. Smith's files on the evaluation of finances and possible sale of Architectural Forum and House & Home during his tenure as managing editor. Records include correspondence, budgets, memoranda, reports, and studies.
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Access Restrictions
Materials in this collection are stored offsite. For more information on making arrangements to consult them, please visit www.nyhistory.org/library/visit.
Use Restrictions
This collection is owned by the New-York Historical Society. Although the N-YHS owns this collection as physical property, the donor specifically retains all copyright and all other proprietary rights which may exist. The copyright law of the United States governs the making of photocopies and protects unpublished materials as well as published materials. Unpublished materials created before January 1, 1978 cannot be quoted in publication without permission of the copyright holder.
Preferred Citation Note
This record group should be cited as Time Inc. Architectural Forum and House & Home Records: Edgar P. Smith Files, MS 3009-RG 12, New-York Historical Society.
Location of Materials
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Time Inc. in 2015.
About this Guide
Processing Information Note
The Edgar P. Smith Files were processed by Melanie Rinehart in 2017. The original folders were retained although some documents were transferred to archival containers in instances of overcrowding. Rinehart created the inventory, and Holly Deakyne and Rinehart wrote the descriptive notes to produce this finding aid.