The collection consists of a small amount of correspondence (1942-1948) which revolves almost exclusively around Ernest Rope's efforts to teach Russian affairs at U.S. universities; one folder of personal documents, including letters of appointment, citations of merit, identity cards, and other items; manuscripts of articles and of a book length volume entitled "The Russia I have known;" and a diary, together with a photo-album, detailing his work in northern Russia and Estonia on behalf of the YMCA. The diary abounds with references to political and military events in northern Russia during the years 1919-1921.

Ivanov's manuscript memoirs (550 p.) touch on the following topics: the attempts by the Duma to convince Nicholas II to abdicate in February, 1917; Petrograd in 1917-1918; the Civil War on the Northwest Front, including relations between the Whites and the new Estonian republic (Ivanov also discusses the Northwest Front of the Civil War in a book "O sobytiiakh pod Petrogradom v 1919-om godu" Berlin, 1921.); his internment in the French concentration camp at Vernet in 1939-1940; German use of former White soldiers during WW II; and the war in the Smolensk area in 1942-1943. Notably collection includes typescritp draft of Grand Dukes' Mikhail Aleksandrovich, Kirill Vladimirovich and Pavel Aleksandrovich Manifesto of March 1 1917 (manifesto on granting constitution) with N. N. Ivanov's holograph notes and P. Miliukov's signature. There is also a letter to Ivanov from General Johan Laidoner, commander of the Estonian army.