Arranged alphabetically by subject, this sub-series contains Sigma-Aldrich Corporation's General Correspondence files, which were collected by Alfred Bader. These files document various business activities of Sigma-Aldrich and its corporate predecessors between 1952 and 2002. The files also provide documentation of Alfred Bader's involvement in the management of the firm. The materials in these files mainly concern financial and legal matters. Other business matters, including, but not limited to, investor relations, customer relations, and product orders are also covered here.

A majority of the files in this sub-series were generated by Sigma-Aldrich itself. Ten files generated by Sigma Chemical Company, a corporate predecessor that later became a division of Sigma-Aldrich, are also found in the General Correspondence Files. Four files generated by Sigma International, Limited, which merged with Aldrich Chemical Company to form Sigma-Aldrich, are also present in this sub-series. A single file of correspondence generated by Aldrich Chemical Company, the corporate predecessor co-founded by Alfred Bader, which merged with Sigma International, Limited and later became a division of Sigma-Aldrich is preserved here as well.

The contents of the General Correspondence Files consist of a variety of materials. Memoranda, letters, financial documents, legal documents, reports, and Board of Directors minutes are the most common items. Smaller, but noticeable, amounts of press releases, shareholder meeting notices, and Board of Directors meeting agendas are also present in these files. Small amounts of other miscellaneous materials, including, but not limited to, product order invoices, photocopied newspaper articles, magazine articles, and phone call summaries are preserved in this sub-series as well.

Arranged alphabetically by subject, this sub-series contains Sigma-Aldrich Corporation's Alphabetical Correspondence files, which were collected by Alfred Bader. These files concern a handful of subjects that were of interest to Bader and other Sigma-Aldrich executives.

Three files of correspondence concerning Alfred Bader's shareholder proposals to Sigma-Aldrich and the United States Securities and Exchange Commission are found in the Alphabetical Correspondence Files. Three files of correspondence with other chemical companies are also found in this sub-series. Two files of correspondence with universities, one of which regards Sigma-Aldrich's acquisition of the Robert Burns Woodward Research Sample Collection from Harvard University, are also present in the Alphabetical Correspondence Files. Two files of correspondence from chemists, including 1950 Nobel Prize winner Tadeus Reichstein, are preserved here as well.

The contents of the Alphabetical Correspondence Files consist mainly of letters. Small amounts of other miscellaneous materials, including, but not limited to, legal documents, article manuscripts, price lists, and photographs are preserved in these files as well.

Arranged chronologically by date, this sub-series consists of Sigma-Aldrich Corporation's Board of Directors Files, which were collected by Alfred Bader. These files mainly document the activities of Sigma-Aldrich's Board of Directors between 1976 and 1979 and provide some insight into decisions made by the board during that time period. The files also contain a limited amount of material regarding a few of Sigma-Aldrich' annual shareholders meetings, which were held in conjunction with the firm's Board of Directors meetings. Two files regarding the Board of Directors of Sigma-Aldrich's division Sigma Chemical Company from 1980 and 1981 are also preserved here.

The contents of the Board of Directors Files consist of a variety of materials. Memoranda, financial documents, minutes, and letters are the most common items found in these files. Small amounts of other miscellaneous materials, including, but not limited to, press releases, reports, meeting agendas, and legal documents are preserved here as well.

Arranged alphabetically by subject, this sub-series contains Sigma-Aldrich Corporation's Financial Information Files, which were collected by Alfred Bader. These files mainly concern Sigma-Aldrich's financial activities and financial condition during the 1980s. The bulk of the information contained in this sub-series was publicly available at the time of its creation.

A majority of the materials in the Financial Information Files were created by entities not affiliated with Sigma-Aldrich, including investment firms, newspapers, and business periodicals. A smaller, but noticeable, amount of materials created by Sigma-Aldrich are also present in this sub-series. A single file containing information from Sigma-Aldrich predecessor Aldrich Chemical Company is also found here.

Financial research reports, press releases, newspaper articles, and magazine articles are the most common materials found in the Financial Information Files. Small amounts of other miscellaneous materials, including correspondence, prospectuses, and business periodicals are preserved here as well.

Arranged alphabetically by subject, this sub-series contains Sigma-Aldrich Corporation's Subject Files, which were collected by Alfred Bader. These files concern subjects that were of interest to Bader and other Sigma-Aldrich executives. Subjects covered by these files include, but are not limited to, employee relations, awards presented by Sigma-Aldrich to employees and students, a proposed business acquisition, and a proposed product purchase.

The contents of the Subject Files consist of a variety of materials, including, but not limited to, correspondence, newsletter articles, financial documents, photographs, and an employee opinion survey.

Arranged alphabetically by subject, this sub-series contains Sigma-Aldrich Corporation's Sigma-Aldrich Affair Files, which were collected by Alfred Bader. The files in this sub-series document Bader's 1992 ouster as Chairman Emeritus from Sigma-Aldrich's Board of Directors and the publicity accompanying it. They also provide some information regarding shareholder proposals submitted by Bader to the board after his dismissal.

Correspondence makes up the largest component of the Sigma-Aldrich Affair Files. Small amounts of other miscellaneous materials, including, but not limited to, photocopied magazine articles, photocopied newspaper articles, article manuscripts, legal documents, and notes are also preserved here.

Arranged alphabetically by subject, this sub-series contains Alfred Bader's Personal Correspondence files. The files in this sub-series primarily pertain to Bader's personal activities, including, but not limited to, his interest and research in art history, philanthropy, involvement in chemistry professional organizations, and his interest and investments in chemical companies besides Sigma-Aldrich. A very small amount of professional materials, which concern Bader's chemistry research at Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company and his ouster from Sigma-Aldrich's Board of Directors are also present here.

Files containing Bader's correspondence with chemists, colleges and universities, and chemical companies make up the largest components of the Personal Correspondence files. Small numbers of files containing Bader's correspondence with chemistry professional organizations, journalists, and charitable organizations are also present in this sub-series. Small numbers of files containing correspondence regarding subjects of personal interest to Bader, including the Cornelis Bega Painting "The Alchemist" (which was owned by Bader) and the publication and distribution of Bader's book Adventures of a Chemist Collector are also preserved here.

The contents of the Personal Correspondence files consist of a variety of materials. Letters make up a large majority of the materials in this sub-series. Small, but noticeable, amounts of emails, magazine articles, financial documents, legal documents, press releases, and notes are also found in these files. Small amounts of other miscellaneous materials, including, but not limited to, memoranda, article reprints, flyers, reports, and article manuscripts are preserved here as well.

Arranged alphabetically by subject, this sub-series contains Alfred Bader's Education Files. These files provide limited documentation of Bader's graduate level education. The contents of this sub-series consist of a single file of cumulative exams taken by Bader at Harvard University, a bound copy of Bader's Ph.D. dissertation from Harvard University, and two bound copies of Bader's M.S. thesis from Queen's University.

Arranged alphabetically by subject, this sub-series contains Alfred Bader's Lecture and Presentation Files. These files provide a limited amount of information regarding some of the lectures and presentations given by Bader between 1977 and 2003. Materials regarding Bader's lectures and presentations about art history make up the largest component of this sub-series. Small amounts of materials regarding Bader's lectures on a handful of other topics, including Sigma-Aldrich Corporation, liberal arts education, Austrian chemist Josef Loschmidt, and American chemist Robert Burns Woodward are also present here.

The contents of the Lecture and Presentation Files consist of a variety of materials. Flyers for Bader's lectures and presentations are the most common items in this sub-series. A few manuscripts of Bader's lectures and presentations are also present in these files. Small amounts of other miscellaneous materials, including programs, posters, press releases, and schedules are preserved here as well.

Arranged alphabetically by subject, this sub-series contains Alfred Bader's Miscellaneous files. The files in this sub-series contain materials of a personal nature that were collected by Bader, but do not readily fit elsewhere in the Personal Files series. Materials pertaining to Bader himself, including awards and honorary doctorates he received and artwork of himself and his wife Isabel Bader make up the largest components of this sub-series. A few files concerning miscellaneous subjects that were of personal interest to Bader, including the Ignatz Lieben Prize (which Bader played a key role in reviving) and Polish-American chemist Roald Hoffman are also preserved here.

The contents of the Miscellaneous files consist of a variety of materials. Award certificates, diplomas, and watercolor and ink drawings are the most common items found in this sub-series. Smaller, but noticeable, amounts of book chapter manuscripts, paper manuscripts, and webpage printouts are also present in the Miscellaneous files. Small amounts of other miscellaneous materials, including, but not limited to, correspondence, brochures, and photographs are preserved here as well.

Arranged alphabetically by subject and chronologically by date, this sub-series contains Sigma-Aldrich printed materials, which were collected by Alfred Bader. It consists mainly of sales literature, employee relations materials, and investor relations materials. Small amounts of public relations, marketing, and customer reference materials are also present here. A few of the items in this sub-series feature images of artwork collected by Bader.

A majority of the printed materials in this sub-series were generated by Aldrich Chemical Company, the corporate predecessor co-founded by Alfred Bader, which merged with Sigma International, Limited and later became a division of Sigma-Aldrich. A large number of items printed by Sigma-Aldrich itself are also found in these files. A small number of printed items published by corporate predecessors Sigma Chemical Company and Sigma International, Limited (the entity which merged with Aldrich Chemical Company to form Sigma-Aldrich) are also present in this sub-series. Single items printed by Sigma-Aldrich subsidiaries Aldrich Chemical Company, Limited and Sigma-Aldrich Company, Limited are also preserved here.

The contents of the files in this sub-series consist of a variety of materials. Company newsletters, product catalogs, annual reports, and annual shareholder meeting notices are the most common items found in this sub-series. Smaller, but noticeable, amounts of quarterly reports, stock prospectuses, programs, and brochures are also found in the Sigma-Aldrich Printed Materials. Small amounts of other miscellaneous printed materials, including, but not limited to, press releases, product index sheets, a handbook, and a sales kit are preserved here as well.

Arranged alphabetically by subject, this sub-series contains miscellaneous printed materials collected by Alfred Bader. The materials in this sub-series pertain to a variety of topics. Printed materials regarding universities (including Queen's University) and chemistry professional organizations (most notably the American Chemical Society) make up the largest components of this sub-series. Smaller, but noticeable, amounts of materials pertaining to a few of Bader's chemistry colleagues (including Herbert C. Brown), Eastman Kodak Company, Aldrich Chemical Company, and a few conferences and symposiums attended by Bader are also present in these files. Small amounts of files pertaining to other subjects of interest to Bader, including, but not limited to, chemistry journals, charities, and Sigma-Aldrich Corporation are also found here.

The contents of this sub-series consist of a variety of materials. Programs, newsletters, photocopied newspaper articles, and magazine articles are the most common items found in this sub-series. Smaller, but noticeable, amounts of publications, periodicals, and product catalogs are also present in these files. Small amounts of other miscellaneous printed materials, including, but not limited to, university bulletins, annual reports, and a lecture attendee packet are preserved here as well.

Arranged alphabetically, this sub-series contains the following three books collected by Alfred Bader: James B. Conant's The Chemistry of Organic Compounds, P.D. and the Bartlett Group at Harvard 1934-1974, and PPG Industries' Seventy-Five Years of Colorful History, PPG's Coatings and Resins Division.