Kenneth W. Rendell
Kenneth William Rendell | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 12, 1943 |
| Occupation(s) | Expert in historical documents, dealer, museum founder |
| Known for | Founder of The International Museum of World War II; authority on historical documents; forgery detection expert |
Kenneth William Rendell (born May 12, 1943) is the creator of The International Museum of World War II located in Boston and is recognized as a leading American authority and dealer in historical documents.
Early life
Rendell was born in 1943 to Harry, a pharmacist, and Pauline, who taught art. His entry into the rare coin market began in 1953 when a customer paid him with an 1806 Liberty half-dollar. By 1955, he had sold this coin to launch his business but eventually reacquired it. During his teenage years, Rendell focused on early American coins, political campaign memorabilia, and various alternative currencies. In 1959, he joined a committee of prominent rare coin dealers responsible for setting values for A Guide Book of United States Coins and also co-founded the Rittenhouse Society, an organization dedicated to publishing original numismatic research.
Historical documents
As a teenager, Rendell expanded his expertise into historical documents, eventually building one of the world’s most respected businesses with galleries in New York City, Beverly Hills, and Tokyo. He also acted as an expert witness for the Internal Revenue Service during the 1973 tax court case involving former Illinois governor Otto Kerner, Jr..
Developing major collections
By the year 2000, Rendell had established himself as a foremost expert amid rapid technological advancements impacting collecting practices. He played a key role in assisting Bill Gates with assembling a paper collection at Gates’s Shangri-La estate on Lake Washington. In 1995, Rendell authored History Comes to Life: Collecting Historical Letters and Documents, published by the University of Oklahoma Press, which became a definitive guide for collectors.
Forgery detection
Rendell wrote Forging History, The Detection of Fake Letters & Documents (1994), recognized as the first exhaustive resource on forensic analysis of historical documents. In 1987, he initiated a forgery detection course at Columbia University that employed ultraviolet light and microscopes to scrutinize ink, paper, and handwriting characteristics.
Hitler diaries
In spring 1983, the West German publication Stern released excerpts from alleged Adolf Hitler diaries reportedly recovered from a crashed German transport plane. On May 2, 1983, Newsweek featured this discovery under the headline "Hitler's Secret Diaries," raising doubts about their legitimacy. Commissioned by Stern, Rendell conducted thorough examinations of the paper, ink, handwriting style, bindings, and traced the documents' history. His conclusions were later detailed in his book Forging History.
The Mormon Murders & Forgeries
Rendell became involved in one of the most infamous forgery scandals in American history related to Utah native Mark Hofmann, who fabricated and sold forged documents linked to early Mormon history. Hofmann’s most notorious fake was known as the "Salamander Letter." When faced with exposure, Hofmann resorted to violence by detonating bombs on October 15, 1985, resulting in the deaths of Utah collector Steven Christensen and Kathy Sheets. Investigations eventually led to Hofmann’s conviction for both forgery and murder; he was sentenced to life imprisonment.
Jack the Ripper Diary
In 1993, Rendell assessed a diary purportedly authored by Jack the Ripper and determined it to be counterfeit. Hyperion Press published The Diary of Jack the Ripper, which included Rendell's detailed seven-page analysis declaring the diary a fabrication. In response, the English publisher issued a five-page rebuttal challenging his findings.
Collection of Western Americana
Rendell is also recognized for his extensive collection of American West memorabilia. Between 2004 and 2005, the Museum of Our National Heritage in Lexington, Massachusetts, hosted an exhibition titled "The Western Pursuit of the American Dream," featuring letters, diaries, artifacts, and artwork from Rendell’s assemblage. Subsequently, the Grolier Club in New York City presented a condensed version displaying 150 items that illustrated the American frontier experience through personal narratives and tangible relics.
The New York Times commended the exhibit for vividly portraying "the struggle to tame the gorgeous wilderness beyond the East." In 2004, a companion volume was released by the University of Oklahoma Press, containing approximately 500 images that further expanded on the exhibition’s themes. Later, in 2013, Whitman Publishing issued Rendell’s second book on Western Americana, The Great American West: Pursuing the American Dream, which traces the migration of settlers motivated by aspirations for better lives achieved through determination and labor.
The International Museum of World War II
Kenneth Rendell began assembling World War II documents in 1959, a pursuit that developed over five decades into a comprehensive endeavor to convey the human narrative behind the conflict’s origins and aftermath. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, he acquired entire collections at modest prices, often overlooked by official government archives. This effort culminated in the creation of The International Museum of World War II, housed within a 10,000-square-foot facility in Boston. The museum was lauded by Architectural Digest for its "more than 6,000 artifacts" that vividly bring history to life. The Boston Globe described it as "an evocative and jaw-dropping collection" reflecting Rendell’s dedication, while Town & Country highlighted its distinctive visitor experience allowing gentle interaction with exhibits.
In 2009, Rendell released World War II: Saving the Reality, showcasing his curated document collection. Doris Kearns Goodwin’s foreword emphasized the authenticity and depth of wartime perspectives captured. The follow-up publication in 2013, Politics, War and Personality: Fifty Iconic World War II Documents That Changed the World, included a foreword by John S.D. Eisenhower praising the museum’s commitment to historical accuracy. The institution gained acclaim for its innovative presentation and exceptional holdings.
On April 12, 2016, Rendell organized The Power of Anti-Semitism: The March to the Holocaust, 1919-1939, an exhibition at the New-York Historical Society, accompanied by an 80-page book authored by him. The exhibit was described as "powerful" by The Wall Street Journal, while the society’s director regarded it as a pioneering exploration of anti-Semitism’s evolution in Europe.
Additional special exhibitions featuring artifacts from the museum included Most Secret: Rudolph Hess's Own Archive, The Reality of the Resistance, Enigma Code Machines and the Imitation Game, and Hitler Attacks, Churchill Rises From the Ashes of Appeasement. The most recent display, The 75th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor: Why We Remember, was held from October 2016 through January 2017.
On October 25, 2016, National Geographic Books published The Secret History of World War II: Spies, Code Breakers, and Covert Operations, which featured a foreword by Rendell and was richly illustrated with images drawn primarily from the museum’s archives.
In 2016, to better represent its international scope, The International Museum of World War II was renamed. Its holdings include roughly 12,500 artifacts alongside half a million photographs and documents, 3,500 posters, and a reference library containing about 7,500 books. The museum has loaned materials to prestigious institutions such as London’s Imperial War Museum, Washington D.C.’s International Spy Museum, and the CIA Museum located in Langley.
In 2018 National Geographic Books collaborated again with Rendell and co-authors Neil Kagan and Stephen Hyslop to publish Atlas of World War II: History's Greatest Conflict Revealed Through Rare Wartime Maps and New Cartography. This large-format book exclusively features maps from Rendell’s collection.
By 2019, plans shifted toward relocating the museum to Washington, D.C., due to fundraising difficulties for expansion near Boston. Billionaire Ronald Lauder took over leadership for this initiative and partnered with Rendell to complete design plans with an architectural firm based in London.
Philanthropy
In 2000, Rendell created an endowment with the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) to aid in the upkeep of trails within New Hampshire's White Mountains, a favored hiking destination for him and his sons. The Jason J. Rendell Endowment additionally supports a range of AMC initiatives.
Since the 1990s, Rendell has been a committed backer of Youth Enrichment Services (YES), which operates in Boston's urban neighborhoods, and he holds a position on its advisory board. In Hawaii, where he owns a home, Rendell contributes to the Paia Youth Cultural Center as well as organizations dedicated to assisting homeless individuals.
Rendell played a key role as a founding benefactor and board member of the Rare Book School initially at Columbia University, maintaining his involvement following its relocation to the University of Virginia. In 2021, together with his wife Shirley McNerney, he endowed a lecture and publication series that highlights the importance of original manuscripts and rare books.
Also in 2021, the Grolier Club in New York revealed the significant donation of Rendell’s extensive collection focused on forged handwriting. This archive contains over 10,000 items including original forgeries dating back to the sixteenth century, facsimiles, reference literature, and specialized tools—representing the most thorough collection globally. Rendell and McNerney also funded an annual endowed lecture at the Grolier Club emphasizing how original manuscripts provide insight into historical personalities.
The Spark Foundation
In 2018, Rendell founded The Spark Foundation based in Somerville, Massachusetts, with the mission to assist academically talented students who encounter economic and social challenges. The foundation offers educational and career support designed to empower students to reach their full potential regardless of their background. Beneficiaries frequently participate in summer programs at prestigious institutions such as Barnard College, Boston University, Columbia University, Georgetown University, Harvard Medical School, Harvard Business School, Smith College, Stanford University, Tufts University, Wellesley College, and Yale University.
Memoir
Rendell’s memoir, Safeguarding History: Trailblazing Adventures in the Worlds of Collecting and Forging History, was published by Whitman Publishing in September 2023 and includes a foreword by historian Doris Kearns Goodwin.
Personal life
Rendell married Diana Angelo in 1967; they had two sons: Jeffrey (born 1971) and Jason (1982–1998). The couple divorced in 1985. Later that same year, on July 14, he wed journalist Shirley McNerney. Their daughter Julia Louise was born in 1994.
Publications
- Safeguarding History: Trailblazing Adventures Inside the Worlds of Collecting and Forging History, foreword by Doris Kearns Goodwin, Whitman Publishing, 2023.
- The Power of Anti-Semitism: The March to the Holocaust, 1919-1939, companion volume to the 2016 New-York Historical Society exhibition, foreword by NYHS President Louise Mirrer, Boston, 2016.
- Politics, War, and Personality: 50 Iconic Documents of World War II, foreword by John Eisenhower, Whitman Publishing, 2013.
- The Great American West: Pursuing the American Dream, foreword by Senator Al Simpson, Whitman Publishing, 2013.
- World War II: Saving the Reality, foreword by Doris Kearns Goodwin, Whitman Publishing, 2009.
- The Western Pursuit of the American Dream: Selections from the Collection of Kenneth W. Rendell, University of Oklahoma Press, 2004.
- History Comes to Life: Collecting Historical Letters and Documents, University of Oklahoma Press, 1995.
- Forging History: The Detection of Fake Letters and Documents, University of Oklahoma Press, 1994.
- With Weapons and Wits: Propaganda and Psychological Warfare in World War II, Overlord Press, 1992.
Co-editor of:
- Autographs and Manuscripts: A Collector's Manual, Charles Scribner's Sons, 1978.
- Manuscripts: The First Twenty Years, Greenwood Press, 1984.
Provided forewords and artifacts for:
- The Secret History of World War II: Spies, Code Breakers, and Covert Operations, National Geographic Books, 2016.
- Atlas of World War II: History's Greatest Conflict Revealed Through Rare Wartime Maps and New Cartography, National Geographic Books, 2018.
- Ronald Reagan: An American Legend, Q. David Bowers, Whitman Publishing, 2011.
Major articles, papers, and lectures
- "Handwriting: Its Significance and Influence," inaugural Kenneth W. Rendell Lecture on Historical Letters and Documents, Grolier Club, October 20, 2022.
- "Prospects for the Manuscript and Rare Book Industry," RBM: A Journal of Rare Books, Manuscripts, and Cultural Heritage, Vol. 2, No. 1 (2001).
- "Future Shock—25 Predictions for What Lies Ahead," Business 2.0, September 2000.
- "The Realm of Rare Books and Manuscripts: Evolving Notions of Value and Scarcity," presentation to the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL), Chicago, 1985.
- "Custodianship of Public Officials' Papers," AB Bookman's Weekly, February 4, 1985.
- "Solving the Puzzle," Newsweek, May 16, 1983.
- "Valuation for Tax Purposes of Manuscript Collections," The American Archivist, (1983) 46 (3): 306–316.
- "Impact of Investors and Inflation on the Autograph and Manuscript Market," paper delivered at Manuscript Society annual meeting, May 1980.
- "Security in Archives," lecture presented at Manuscript Society annual meeting, published in Manuscripts, Winter 1977.