Collection inventory

Overview of the Collection
Creator:	Antique Comb Collectors Club (U.S.)
Title:	Antique Comb Collectors Club (AC3) Records
Inclusive Dates:	1985-2001
Quantity:	3.5 linear ft.
Abstract:	Correspondence, publicity, board materials, membership lists, etc. for the Antique Comb Collectors Club (U.S.)
Language:	English
Repository:	Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries 222 Waverly Avenue Syracuse, NY 13244-2010 https://library.syracuse.edu/special-collections-research-center

Biographical History

The Antique Comb Collector's Club (AC3) was formed in 1985 by Betty Miller and Doris Eff to enable those interested in antique combs and hair ornaments to exchange information and research, and share their passion for these collectible items. Betty also owned The Miller Comb Museum, which operated out of her home in Homer, Alaska and housed more than 3000 artifacts. The club's first convention was held in Florida in 1993. The club was active until 2013.

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Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Antique Comb Collectors Club (AC3) Records consists of the retained records of the club. To preserve contextual information, and to retain the club's original filing scheme, material has been left in original folders and/or the original folder titles have been retained. Unfoldered material found in the boxes was foldered and assigned a title based on content; these titles are given in the inventory below in square brackets [...]. Folders have been grouped into logical series as follows: board material, convention material, correspondence, publicity-related material, club records, and miscellaneous.

Board material includes minutes, notes, correspondence and other material.

Convention material relates to the club's international convention, held in 2001.

Correspondence contains correspondence with prospective members and current members. Correspondence with prospects includes descriptions of the club and its activities. Correspondence with current members remains as received; some is arranged alphabetically and some chronologically. There is one folder of correspondence which is of indeterminate purpose, and may be a mix of board, prospect, and current member material. There is a good deal of correspondence with collector-authors Belva Green, Mary Bachman, and Jen Cruse.

Publicity-related material includes discussions of how to publicize the club and attract new members, as well as book reviews, advertisements, club listings in various directories, presence at various meetings and conferences, clippings.

Records contains two folders explicitly labeled as such. They contain membership lists and some financial/expense information.

Miscellaneous contains membership cards and a videotape.

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Arrangement of the Collection

The collection remains largely as received, in original folders with original labels. Folders have been grouped into logical series, as described above, and within that arranged in rough chronological order. Material inside each folder has been left as received. Material found to be unfoldered was assessed and grouped with the series where it seemed the best fit.

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

The majority of our archival and manuscript collections are housed offsite and require advanced notice for retrieval. Researchers are encouraged to contact us in advance concerning the collection material they wish to access for their research.

Use Restrictions

Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

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Related Material

Numerous issues of the club's newsletter, Antique Comb Collector, have been cataloged. Please refer to Libraries Search to locate these items. A small amount of related material may be found in the Antique Comb Collector's Club (AC3) Collection.

Special Collections Research Center has numerous other collections with sketches, designs and other items related to hair combs. Please search our collections for "combs" to see a full listing.

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Subject Headings

Persons

Corporate Bodies

Subjects

Genres and Forms

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Antique Comb Collectors Club (AC3) Records,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

Gift of Betty Miller, 2019.

Finding Aid Information

Created by: MRC
Date: 23 Apr 2019
Revision history: 25 Jun 2024 - additions, some shifting of items (MRC)

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Inventory

	Board material
Box 1		[General] 1993-1995 (10 folders)
Box 2		[General] 1996-1998 (3 folders)
Box 2		Constitution drafts 1998
Box 2		[General] 1999-2005 (7 folders)

	Convention material
Box 2		Program 2001
Box 3		Announcement 2005

	Correspondence
Box 3		Prospects 1983-1993, 1999-2000 (3 folders)
Box 3		[Prospects?] 2000 - material was unfoldered and placed here based on content
		Members
Box 3			New memnber welcome packet
Box 3			A-B (4 folders)
Box 3			Cruse, Jen (2 folders)
Box 4			Cruse, Jen
Box 4			C-F (5 folders)
Box 4			Gardiner, Eleanor
Box 4			G-J (3 folders)
Box 4			Kent, Virginia
Box 4			K-L (2 folders)
Box 5			M-Z (8 folders)
Box 5			Unfiled member correspondence 1997-1999
Box 5			Correspondence, current year 1998-1999
Box 5		[Unidentified] 2000-2001 - unclear whether this is board, member, prospect, or a mix of all three (4 folders)

	Publicity-related material
Box 6		Directories, listings, media, misc. related associations, courtesy exchanges 1987-1998 (3 folders)
Box 6		Current year correspondence, directory response, misc internet auctions and searches 1999-2000
Box 7		Publicity PR circa 2000 - clippings, press releases, correspondence about publicity matters, etc.
Box 7		[Press releases and responses]

	Records
Box 7		ACCC Records 1987-1997
Box 7		ACC Report, budget & finance 1990-2002
Box 7		[Membership cards] - 2 small boxes containing index cards with member information
Box 7		Membership rosters 1993-1996

	Miscellaneous
Box 7		Belva Green's PAX-TV network show "Treasures in your Home" 2001 - "Treasures in your Home" was a series on PAX-TV, hosted by John Burke. It ran for 200+ episodes. This episode features Belva Green, an expert on antique hair combs. Recording of television broadcast. (VHS) (ID#: accc_records_001)
Box 7		[Miscellaneous items] undated - mostly printed, including ACCC and Miller Comb Museum brochures, paste-up for flyer, three rosters, color photocopies of two photographs of the Miller Comb Museum in Alaska

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