Charles Edward Rahn architectural drawings

Charles Edward Rahn (fl. 1885-1933) was a Philadelphia architect whose work was primarily in the design of residential buildings. Not much is known about his life, though the first record of his activity is in 1885, when he studied at the Franklin Institute Drawing School in Philadelphia. The collection contains 134 items and includes floor plans, elevations, perspectives, details, diagrams and calculations, blueprints, vandyke prints, and journals. The drawings are mostly in ink on paper, though there is occasional use of watercolor, and some of the rougher sketches are in pencil. The journals chronicle Rahn's activity over the course of his career, particularly during the years 1923-1933. They contain the names of his clients and the projects with which they were associated, as well as other professional and personal contacts, and reveal the hectic pace that he kept.