Collection inventory

Overview of the Collection
Creator:	Richards, Kenneth, 1902-
Title:	Kenneth Richards Papers
Inclusive Dates:	1945-1961
Quantity:	4.5 linear feet
Abstract:	Papers of the American sportsman, inventor, businessman. Correspondence, 1947-58; patents and ideas for inventions, 1945-52; photographs; manuscript and published material. Papers relate primarily to Richard's inventions for shotguns and fishing tackle.
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

Kenneth Richards (1902-??) was an American sportsman and inventor. He was an authority on guns and was the inventor of the "Shooting Master" choke and the Richards method for checking shotgun and ammunition performance. He spent much of his life in Massachusetts where he owned several businesses, including Master Chokes, Inc., The Shooting-Master Corp., and the True Art Fly Co.

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Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Kenneth Richards Papers consists of correspondence, business files, manuscripts, patents and ideas, and a small amount of published material.

Correspondence is both incoming and outgoing and includes a small amount of correspondence by others.

Business files contains material related to Richards' various gun and fishing tackle businesses, and includes correspondence, photographs, publicity material, bills and receipts, and corporation records.

Manuscripts contains a typescript copy of Richards' pamphlet, "The Richards Quick Check Method for Checking Shotgun Patterns and Chokes."

Patents and ideas includes correspondence, patent applications, and sketches.

Published material contains copies of Richards' pamphlet, "The Richards Method for Checking Shotgun and Ammunication Performance."

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Arrangement of the Collection

Richards' correspondence is arranged chronologically, correspondence by others is arranged alphabetically. Business files contain companies owned by Richards first, arranged alphabetically; related material follows, listed alphabetically by type. Patents are listed first alphabetically by type, followed by ideas (one folder of sketches).

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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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Subject Headings

Persons

Corporate Bodies

Subjects

Genres and Forms

Occupations

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Kenneth Richards Papers,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries

Finding Aid Information

Created by: --
Date: Feb 1968
Revision history: 2 Sep 2008 - converted to EAD (MRC)

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Inventory

	Correspondence
		Of Richards
Box 1			1949-1958, undated
		Of others
Box 1			Richards, Mrs. Kenneth D. 1957-1958
Box 1			Richards, Paul C. 1961

	Business files
Box 1		Ken-Komp list of installations 1947-1957
Box 1		Kenrich correspondence 1947-1958
		Master Chokes, Inc.
Box 2			Bills and receipts
			Correspondence
Box 2				1950-1955 (3 folders )
Box 3				1956-1958, undated (4 folders)
Box 3			Legal documents and corporation records 1948-1956, undated
Box 4			Noble Manufacturing Company, Inc. 1955-1956
Box 4			Publicity 1956, undated
Box 4			Stock certificates
		The Shooting-Master Corp.
Box 4			Bills and receipts
Box 4			Contract (Shaughnessy, Richard) 1948
Box 4			Corporation records
Box 4			Correspondence 1948-1958, undated (2 folders)
Box 4			Publicity 1948-1949, undated
Box 4			Stock certificates 1948-1949
		True Art Fly Co.
Box 4			Bills and receipts
Box 4			Contract (Westerfors, Eric) 1949
Box 4			Correspondence 1949
Box 4			Photographs
		Account books
Box 5			Bound 1951-1957
Box 5			Unbound 1948-1952, undated
Box 6		Bills and receipts 1946-1958, undated
Box 6		Employees payroll record 1948-1952
Box 6		Lures (2 items)
Box 6		Photographs (Gardiner's Sporting Goods Store) undated
Box 6		Publicity 1949-1956, undated
Box 6		Reference material 1950-1956, undated
Box 6		Shooting master chokes (2 items)

	Manuscripts
Box 6		"The Richards Quick Check Method for Checking Shotgun Patterns and Chokes" undated - typescript

	Patents and ideas
		Patents
			Archery equipment
Box 7				Arrow nock 1949, undated
			Fishing equipment
Box 7				Fish lure body 1946
Box 7				Fly box 1948
Box 7				Signal device 1948
			Guns
Box 7				Shot patterning recoil compensator 1948
Box 7				Interference claim, Powell v. Richards 1944-1952, undated (2 folders)
Box 8				Miscellaneous 1948-1952
		Ideas
Oversize 1			Sketch, floating internal baffle, adjustable shot tube, and gas diverter 1952

	Published material
Box 8		"The Richards Method for Checking Shotgun and Ammunition Performance" (pamphlet) 1952

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