Description:

Crime Archive
Portland and Hillsboro, OR, ca. 1930's - 1940's
Incredible Fingerprint Archive from Portland Police Dept! - A Unique Group!
Archive

An extensive archive of fingerprint training and identification materials compiled by Olin S. Hayes, a police officer based in Portland and Hillsboro, Oregon, during the late 1930s and early 1940s. In overall fine condition, mixed measurements, largest 8.5" x 11".

this collection includes a diverse mix of printed and manuscript items documenting his training in fingerprint analysis and classification. It features multiple issues of Fingerprint and Identification Magazine (1939–1940), a professional publication filled with fingerprint classification examples, wanted notices, and case studies; numerous examination sheets completed by Hayes as part of his correspondence training; lesson sheets covering core principles of fingerprint classification and ridge analysis; and a group of practice fingerprint cards used for training exercises. Produced through the Institute of Applied Science in Chicago, one of the most influential training programs in forensic methods during the interwar and World War II years, the archive survives in mixed condition with expected handling, notations, toning, and some incomplete items, yet remains a substantial and content-rich record of the development of forensic training in this formative era of American law enforcement.

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By the 1930s and 1940s, fingerprinting had become one of the defining tools of modern law enforcement, helping to professionalize police departments across the United States. The Institute of Applied Science played a central role in teaching officers fingerprint identification by correspondence, making advanced forensic techniques accessible to officers in smaller jurisdictions like Portland and Hillsboro, Oregon. Hayes's archive vividly reflects this transitional period in American policing, where science and systematization became central to investigative practice. The inclusion of contemporary fingerprint magazines with real-world cases and wanted notices situates the archive in the broader national law enforcement network.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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  • Dimensions: 8.5" x 11"
  • Medium: Archive

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November 19, 2025 10:00 AM EST
Wilton, CT, US

University Archives

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Bid Increments
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$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000