Materials are mainly specifications, some of which were copied into a letterpress copybook that also contains contracts, reports, bills, statements, a patent, and letters, of F. E. and Oscar Ruffini, brothers who were architects in Austin and San Angelo, Texas. These are records of projects dating from 1879, 1882 to 1885, 1893, 1902, and undated (bulk 1883-1885, undated). An undated specification for a school building in Sonora, Texas by architect James Wahrenberger and a patent for locomotive headlights by John McCormick are also included. Specifications and related records are present for buildings at the University of Texas (Main Building, Laboratory, Latrine), the state insane asylum, county courthouses and jails, residences, store buildings, bank buildings, and school houses. Specifications are detailed and exact statements prescribing materials, dimensions, and workmanship for building structures. The letterpress copybook was kept by F. E. Ruffini from 1883 to 1884 and contains specifications and related records for projects numbered 209 through 269 (not inclusive), with some unnumbered projects. Some of the loose specifications duplicate those in the letterpress copybook; loose specifications cover projects numbered 134 through 307 (not inclusive). Most of F. E. Ruffini's projects were numbered. Oscar Ruffini's specifications date from 1893 and 1902 with most undated; only the earliest project is numbered. Locations of buildings referred to in these specifications include Austin, Baird, Blanco, Burnet, Georgetown, Gonzales, Menardville, New Braunfels, Paint Rock, Quitman, Richmond, Rockdale, Runnels, San Angelo, Sonora, and Taylor, Texas. Researchers should check the other series in this collection for additional materials relating to a building. Other specifications by F. E. and Oscar Ruffini are available at the Alexander Architectural Archive at the University of Texas at Austin and at the Fort Concho National Historic Landmark in San Angelo.

The series consists of architectural drawings, including renderings (some watercolors), floor plans, elevations, sections, details, and rough sketches circa 1878-1912, 1924, 1932 and undated (bulk circa 1880-1912, undated) created by F. E. and Oscar Ruffini, brothers who were architects in Austin and San Angelo, Texas. A few drawings by other architects ( J. J. Kane of Fort Worth, Texas; Stewart Moore and Barnes & Crosby of Dallas, Texas; B. F. Trester, Jr.and James Wahrenberger of San Antonio, Texas; Mesker and Bro. Front Builders of St. Louis, Missouri; and B. Mang[elsen?] of Germany) are also included. In addition, there are drawings for which the architect is unknown; the Ruffini brothers are likely the creators for many of these drawings, but no identifying information has been located. F. E.'s drawings consist of plans for courthouses, school buildings, jails, piping for the Temporary State Capitol, insane asylum building additions, and commercial buildings. These designs were built in Austin, Rockdale, Burnet, Blanco, San Marcos, and Franklin. Most of F. E.'s drawings are undated, but projects with known dates were designed or built between 1878 and 1885. Other architectural drawings by F. E. Ruffini are available at the Alexander Architectural Archive at the University of Texas at Austin. Oscar's drawings are of commercial buildings, courthouses, jails, churches, residences, banks, schools, hotels, cultural buildings, and a bridge. The designs represented here were built in San Angelo, Ballinger, Coleman, Goldthwaite, Menard County, Ozona, Sonora, and Sterling City. Many of his drawings are undated, but known dates range from before 1883 to 1924. Other architectural drawings by Oscar Ruffini are available at the Fort Concho National Historic Landmark in San Angelo, Texas. Researchers should check the other series in this collection for related materials.

From the extant drawings and photographs, it appears F. E. Ruffini used a few basic courthouse plans, and then made each building distinctive by details such as stonework, window treatment, and roof line. The Gregg and Rusk county courthouses differ only in details. The Robertson, Navarro, Williamson, and Hays county courthouses are based on one plan, though the Navarro County Courthouse appears more elaborate and was designed with a central clock tower instead of one over the front entrance. The Blanco, Callahan, and Concho county courthouses designed by F. E. Ruffini are similar; Oscar Ruffini used those plans in designing the Mills and Sutton county courthouses. Oscar used his brother's designs as the basis for proposed courthouse plans that were not built.

Prints and photographs are images of completed buildings and architectural renderings of proposed structures designed by F. E. and Oscar Ruffini, dating from [ca. 1877] to 1902. Most of the buildings represented are courthouses and jails, with one residence, one bank building, one Oddfellows meeting hall, and the Old Main Building of the University of Texas at Austin included. Images are of buildings located throughout Texas, including Austin, Ballinger, Blanco, Coleman, Corsicana, Georgetown, Groesbeck, Henderson, Longview, [Menardville?], New Braunfels, Ozona, Paint Rock, and Sulphur Springs.

Handwritten descriptions on the photographs are the basis for titles. Duplicate photographs with different handwritten descriptions have been described separately. See Architectural drawings series for notes on availability of photographic copy media for drawings of specific buildings.

These papers are correspondence, dating 1883-1885, [188-?], and 1899, of F. E. and Oscar Ruffini, brothers who were architects in Austin and San Angelo, Texas. Most of the correspondence was received by F. E. Ruffini between 1883 and 1885 concerning architectural projects in Austin and Central Texas. A number of letters dating 1883 are from Ernst Scherff regarding his store building in New Braunfels. Other letters provide details of projects and potential projects, including a rejection letter for Ruffini's plans for the Colorado State Capitol, discussions about the Texas State Capitol, and competitions for the Bell, Runnels, and other county courthouses. A number of letters are written in German. Three items comprise Oscar Ruffini's correspondence: an 1899 letter regarding the lease of office space for a post office in San Angelo, and two 1883 letters concerning counter designs from Seidel & Schoenle, manufacturers in St. Louis, Missouri (see related drawings in the Architectural drawings series). See the letterpress copybook in the Specifications and related project records series for a small amount of outgoing correspondence by F. E. Ruffini. See the Alexander Architectural Archive at the University of Texas at Austin for a letterbook, containing correspondence of F. E. and Oscar Ruffini dating 1883-1889.

Materials are financial records, a business card, an invitation to bid, a pencil sketch of store counters, a copy of commissioner's court minutes, a fireman's handbook, a lease, certificates, an ink stamp, and advertising materials, dating 1883-1885, [188-?], 1898, 1901, 1937, and undated. Items belonging to F. E. Ruffini include financial records (invoice, receipt, and pencilled notations), a business card, and an invitation to bid for the Shreveport Charity Hospital building. Oscar Ruffini's materials include a copy of commissioner's court minutes from 1884 appointing Oscar Ruffini as superintendent of construction for the Tom Green County courthouse, a 1901 lease of premises for a post office in San Angelo, an 1898 certificate from the Sons of Hermann lodge #177 (text in German), a 1937 certification from the Texas State Board of Architectural Examiners, a fireman's handbook, notations on an envelope, and an ink stamp. Additional materials are from C. Leo Staub advertising his business and his patented Phoenix Construction System and the American Air Cleaning Company's suggested specifications for a vacuum cleaning system.