Antarctique

1962 · rif. 23686 — 1962. Allyn Z. Baum Antarctic photography archive principally 1962 to 1964 documenting the United States Antarctic Research Program during Operation Deep Freeze. Baum photographed McMurdo Station the South Pole Ross Island the Ross Sea and the McMurdo Dry Valleys while the National Science Foundation directed the research program and the United States Navy supplied transport aviation and station support. The archive records the movement of scientists equipment animals and field parties through a continent dependent on aircraft tracked vehicles helicopters dog teams and temporary camps. Baum's captions technical notes press markings editorial papers and unpublished memoir also preserve the working methods of a New York Times photographer covering federally sponsored science during the Cold War. Photo archive of 116 mounted 2 x 2 inch color transparencies; eight black and white photographic prints measuring approximately 11 x 14 inches; six black and white photographic prints measuring approximately 7½ x 9½ inches; two additional silver gelatin photographs; two pieces of printed ephemera; numerous newspaper clippings; correspondence; memoranda; and a 245 page unpublished typescript memoir. The large and medium prints appear to be professional double weight silver gelatin press or exhibition prints. The transparencies bear handwritten captions and Monkmeyer Press Rapho Guillumette and New York Times markings. Subjects include Weddell seals on the Ross Sea dog teams at Mount Erebus and Scott Base pressure ridges crevasses helicopter landings LC 130 aircraft Shackleton's hut at Cape Royds Scott's hut at Cape Evans Lake Bonney and the Taylor Dry Valley field camps biological research and tracked vehicles hauling personnel and structures. Captions include "Loading an expedition party into U.S. Navy C 130 in Antarctica" "Scientific camp on edge of Lake Bonney Taylor Dry Valley Antarctica" and "Pressure ridges on Ross Sea Antarctica." The black and white prints show a dog team crossing open snow crews beside aircraft a man hauling a disabled motor sledge scientists harnessing dogs a rocket launch and vehicles surrounding a mobile unit marked "U.S. Antarctic Research Program." Versos identify Baum The New York Times and his use of a Leica M2 Summicron lenses Ilford FP3 film filters shutter speeds and apertures. The 116 mounted color transparencies constitute early professional color press coverage of Antarctica and retain Baum's handwritten captions exposure notes and distribution markings from The New York Times Monkmeyer Press and Rapho Guillumette. The captions identify McMurdo Station the South Pole Scott Base Cape Royds Cape Evans Lake Bonney the Taylor Dry Valley Ross Sea pressure ridges Weddell seal research Navy C 130 transport helicopter support dog teams trail parties and United States Antarctic Research Program vehicles. A memorandum dated September 28 1962 addressed to Harrison Salisbury Walter Sullivan and John Nedea outlines possible coverage of the 1962 to 1963 National Science Foundation Antarctic program including the PM 3A nuclear reactor at McMurdo biological research and the Dry Valleys. The reactor began operating in 1962 and the archive places that project within the larger system of aircraft vehicles mobile structures and field labor required to sustain American research in Antarctica. Baum's memoir broadens the record beyond the polar assignment. Its chapters discuss the shift from Speed Graphic cameras to 35 mm equipment the development of modern photojournalism and his reporting in postwar Europe including the Berlin Airlift and British military administration in occupied Germany. Transparency mounts with extensive handling and editorial markings; clippings toned and unevenly cut; prints with edge wear creasing abrasions and occasional minor losses; memoir and papers toned from use. Overall in fair to good condition. A working archive of Antarctic logistics Cold War science and midcentury newspaper photography seen through the field practice of Allyn Z. Baum. unknown books