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Gideon A. Kramer papers, 1946-2023

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Kramer, Gideon A.
Title
Gideon A. Kramer papers
Dates
1946-2023 (inclusive)
1954-2012 (bulk)
Quantity
15.85 cubic feet (24 boxes and one oversize folder)
Collection Number
6006
Summary
Project-based papers related to Gideon Kramer, an influential artist, inventor, designer and businessman in Seattle
Repository
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu
Access Restrictions

No restrictions on access.

Request at UW

Languages
English
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Biographical Note

Gideon Kramer was an influential artist, inventor, designer, and businessman in Seattle from the 1950s to the 1980s. Born in 1917, Kramer received degrees from a number of prominent design schools, including the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), the Akron Institute, and the Institute of Design (founded in founded in 1937 by Bauhaus teacher, László Moholy-Nagy), at Chicago's Illinois Institute of Technology. In 1939, Kramer and soon-to-be wife, Ruth McLellan came through Seattle on their way to Alaska and decided to stay.

Kramer's prolific career as one of the greatest industrial designers of the 20th century included some of the following ventures:

  • Created a system to imprint designs on candles (1945)
  • Developed the ION chair (1946-1968)
  • Designed numerous trucks with Kenworth Motor Company (1951-1961)
  • Designed Federal Way Shopping Center (1950s)
  • Designed Foster High School with Ralph Burkard (1950s)
  • Designed compact, portable slide projector (1957)
  • Designed Jack Sidor home on Mercer Island (1959)
  • Designed US Plywood Corp office building (1960)
  • Designed streamline hydro-craft cruiser for Hydro-Marine Inc (1960)
  • Project 27 (Seattle Street Beautification project) for the City of Seattle (1970s)
  • Designed Portage Glacier Visitor Center (1978-1981)
  • Designed basic concept for Boeing Museum of Flight
  • Designed basic concept for Seattle Aquarium (1975-1977)
  • Designed Source Projector (first single unit, lap-dissolve projector)

In additon to his designing career, Kramer was also a professor of Industrial Design at the University of Washington, as well as a guest lecturer at the University of Oregon. He wrote essays for the AIA Journal, The Argus, The Arts, the World Institute Journal of the United Nations, and other industrial arts and design publications. Gideon Kramer died on March 5, 2012.

- Adapted from History Link (http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=9222)

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Content Description

Contains documents for a number of different projects which Gideon Kramer worked on:

  • Source/Kramer Corporation: Includes correspondence, business manuals, meeting minutes, notes, legal agreements, patents, strategic plans, news-clippings, reports, writings, and promotional materials.
  • Seattle Aquarium Exhibit: Includes exhibit development proposals, conceptual drawings and writings, exhibit progress reports, contracts, pamphlets, correspondence, notes, and research sources.
  • Portage Glacier Visitor Center: Includes exhibit proposal, research sources, notes, conceptual drawings, exhibit development reports, exhibit index, exhibit specifications, map of Alaska, and correspondence.
  • Kenworth Trucking: Includes brochures, correspondence, design drawings, design evaluation, news-clippings, newsletters, patents, notes, and original copy of "The Future of Trucking within the Transportation Industry".
  • Project 27 (Seattle Street Beautification Project): Includes final report, correspondence, notes, news-clippings, writings, agendas, progress reports, memos, pamphlets, and conceptual drawings.
  • Seattle's Pacific Museum of Flight (Boeing Red Barn): Basic concept, resource materials, drawings, guidelines, and history
  • Center on Contemporary Art (COCA) Exhibit: Notes, correspondence, proposal, rough drafts, designs.
  • The Kent Art Commission Gallery Exhibit: Ideas, poster, storyline, visitor comments.
  • Tacoma Art Museum Exhibits: Correspondence, plans, designs, rough drafts of the following exhibits: "Jet Dreams", "True Art", "The ENd", "Frontiers of NW Design", "Fast Forward: The Shape of NW Design".
  • "Becoming Gideon" Project/Book: Marketing and press documents, notes, and rough drafts.
  • Norton Building: Property that Kramer owned with financial information, sales, leases, correspondence, tenants, Harborview Clinic, and area development
  • 2401 SW 172nd St: Gideon Kramer's house/apartment/studio.
  • Also includes general thoughts, notes, writings, and reference materials by topic.
  • Projects: Various projects Kramer contributed to.

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Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

Creator's copyrights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries Special Collections.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

Organized into 2 accessions.

  • Accession No. 6006-001, Gideon A. Kramer papers, 1946-2011
  • Accession No. 6006-002, Gideon Kramer papers, 1949-2023

Accession 6006-001 arranged in 15 series.

  • Series 1, Seattle Aquarium Exhibit
  • Series 2, Portage Glacier Visitor Center
  • Series 3, Kenworth Trucks
  • Series 4, Project 27 (Seattle Street Beautification Project)
  • Series 5, Source/Kramer Corporation
  • Series 6, Projects
  • Series 7, Seattle's Pacific Museum of Flight (Boeing Red Barn)
  • Series 8, Norton Building
  • Series 9, Center on Contemporary Art (COCA) Exhibit
  • Series 10, The Kent Art Commission Gallery Exhibit
  • Series 11, Tacoma Art Museum
  • Series 12, "Becoming Gideon" Project
  • Series 13, Miscellaneous Projects
  • Series 14, 2401 SW 172nd St, Seattle Property
  • Series 15, Notes, Writings, and Reference Materials by Topic

Separated Materials

Material Described Separately:

Gideon A. Kramer Photograph Collection

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Detailed Description of the Collection

 

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Architecture--Northwest, Pacific--Design and construction
  • Architecture--Washington (State)--Seattle--Design and construction
  • Industrial design--United States
  • Industrial designers--Washington (State)--Seattle--Archives
  • Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington)
  • Trucks--Design and construction
  • Urban beautification--Washington (State)--Seattle

Personal Names

  • Kramer, Gideon A., 1917-2012--Archives
  • Kramer, Gideon A., 1917-2012--Exhibitions
  • Kramer, Gideon A., 1917-2012--Homes and haunts

Corporate Names

  • Kenworth Truck Company
  • Museum of Flight (Seattle, Wash.)--Buildings--Design and construction
  • Norton Building (Seattle,Wash.)--Design and construction
  • Source Kramer Corporation--Archives


2016 (Last modified: 9/23/2025)

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