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Robert E. Van Rosen Papers

An inventory of his papers at Syracuse University


Finding aid created by: CMV
Date: Jan 1980

Biographical History

Robert E. Van Rosen (1904-1966) was an American industrial designer, stage designer, author, and lecturer. Born in Kiev, Russia, he became a high-ranking officer of the Red Army and, at the same time, a member of the anti-Communist underground. He emigrated from Russia in 1921, came to the United States in 1923, and was granted U.S. citizenship in 1930.

Van Rosen's education consisted of high school, two years of college, and four years of art school. After coming to America, he was employed as an artist, lecturer, author, and designer of both stage scenery and packaging.

Van Rosen was a member of the New York State Guard, the Society of American Military Engineers, the Association of the United States Army, the National Rifle Association, the National Guard Association, and the Veteran's Association of the 102d Combat Engineers. He was listed in both Who's Who in the Midwest and Who's Who in American Art.

Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Robert E. Van Rosen Papers consist of business files, personal files, photographs, published material, and writings. Business files contains records of his dealings with various companies and copies of patents for many different ideas, while Personal files contains records of stage productions on which Van Rosen worked, and resumes. Photographs are personal in nature; Published material has items relating to the 1952 Carton Competition and some miscellany. The majority of Writings relates to Van Rosen's 1963 book Comeback (about his recovery from a stroke).

Arrangement of the Collection

All series are arranged alphabetically. Box 3 contained books; these have been either discarded or assimilated into the general collection and Box 3 no longer exists.

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.

Subject Headings

Persons

Van Rosen, Robert E.

Subjects

Design, Industrial -- United States.
Industrial designers -- United States.

Genres and Forms

Blueprints (reprographic copies)
Correspondence.
Patents.
Photographs.

Occupations

Industrial designers.

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Robert E. Van Rosen Papers,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries

Table of Contents

Business files

Personal files

Photographs

Published material

Writings

Inventory