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Western Union Museum's visitors book

Collection Creator:
United Telegraph Workers.  Search this
Western Union Telegraph Company  Search this
Container:
Box 835
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1933-1949
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research but Series 11 and films are stored off-site. Special arrangements must be made to view some of the audiovisual materials. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Collection Citation:
Western Union Telegraph Company Records, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
See more items in:
Western Union Telegraph Company Records
Western Union Telegraph Company Records / Series 27: Addenda / Addenda for Series 20: Western Union Museum
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep8e87d9459-509e-46ab-bdbe-1a16777b866b
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-0205-ref11629

The List, Gay and Lesbian Visitors Center (New York, New York)

Collection Collector:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History  Search this
Collection Donor:
Becker, John M.  Search this
Gay Officers Action League. GOAL  Search this
Heritage of Pride (HOP)  Search this
Rohrbaugh, Richard  Search this
Atlantic States Gay Rodeo Association (ASGRA)  Search this
Collection Creator:
Hirsch, Leonard  Search this
Guest, Barbara  Search this
Barna, Joseph T.  Search this
Guest, Michael E.  Search this
Cruse, Howard, 1944-2019  Search this
Container:
Box 205, Folder 2
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1993-07
Collection Restrictions:
The collection is open for research use.

Researchers must handle unprotected photographs with gloves. Researchers must use reference copies of audio-visual materials. When no reference copy exists, the Archives Center staff will produce reference copies on an "as needed" basis, as resources allow.

Do not use original materials when available on reference video or audio tapes.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Collection Citation:
Archives Center Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Collection, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
See more items in:
Archives Center Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) Collection
Archives Center Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) Collection / 28: Hooker, Meryl
Archival Repository:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep8dcb43ad6-68cc-4fce-8f44-d162561563cb
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-nmah-ac-1146-ref3395

Communicating and connecting with all your audiences

Author:
Wallace, Margot A. 1941-  Search this
Physical description:
1 online resource (ix, 285 pages) illustrations (chiefly color)
Type:
Electronic resources
Date:
2022
Topic:
Communication in museums  Search this
Museums--Public relations  Search this
Museums--Social aspects  Search this
Museums--Educational aspects  Search this
Museum visitors  Search this
Authorship  Search this
Rhetoric  Search this
Call number:
AM125 .W35 2022 (Internet)
Restrictions & Rights:
1-user
Data Source:
Smithsonian Libraries
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:siris_sil_1163031

Paul Jenkins papers, circa 1915-2010

Creator:
Jenkins, Paul, 1923-2012  Search this
Subject:
De Kooning, Willem  Search this
Jenkins, Esther Ebenhoe  Search this
Bluhm, Norman  Search this
Krasner, Lee  Search this
Baber, Alice  Search this
Erma, Thomas  Search this
Prantl, Karl  Search this
Dusanne, Zoe  Search this
Prince, Frank  Search this
Guggenheim, Peggy  Search this
Gilot, Francoise  Search this
Art Students League (New York, N.Y.)  Search this
New York University  Search this
Museum of Modern Art (New York, N.Y.)  Search this
Martha Jackson Gallery  Search this
Type:
Travel diaries
Manuscripts
Sketches
Watercolors
Prints
Collages
Visitors' books
Photographs
Scrapbooks
Place:
China -- description and travel
Citation:
Paul Jenkins papers, circa 1915-2010. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Topic:
Abstract expressionism  Search this
Artists' studios -- Photographs  Search this
Medals -- Design  Search this
Painters -- France -- Paris  Search this
Painters -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Theme:
Lives of artists  Search this
Record number:
(DSI-AAA_CollID)13668
(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)274646
AAA_collcode_jenkpaul2
Theme:
Lives of artists
Data Source:
Archives of American Art
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:AAADCD_coll_274646
Online Media:

“Tengri Is a Worldview”: How Artisans Are Reviving Kazakhstan’s Cultural Heritage

Creator:
Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage  Search this
Type:
Blog posts
Smithsonian staff publications
Conversations and talks
Blog posts
Published Date:
Wed, 06 Dec 2023 18:37:00 GMT
Topic:
Cultural property  Search this
See more posts:
Festival Blog
Data Source:
Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:posts_ff4e5e93e72dd68dfaa3fa51aeb82479

Boating Across Traditions: Marshallese Canoes and Fishing Gigs in the Ozarks

Creator:
Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage  Search this
Type:
Blog posts
Smithsonian staff publications
Blog posts
Published Date:
Wed, 04 Oct 2023 00:02:00 GMT
Topic:
Cultural property  Search this
See more posts:
Festival Blog
Data Source:
Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:posts_24bc130215ecd243986c26da7987c270

Unapologetically Maya: Ubaldo Sánchez’s Ephemeral Alfombras

Creator:
Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage  Search this
Type:
Blog posts
Smithsonian staff publications
Blog posts
Published Date:
Fri, 11 Aug 2023 19:24:00 GMT
Topic:
Cultural property  Search this
See more posts:
Festival Blog
Data Source:
Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:posts_a0656c2bd5129c1cf2ad97ee4c062f21

Searching for Space Mountain: Reading Disney maps

Creator:
National Museum of American History  Search this
Type:
Blog posts
Smithsonian staff publications
Conversations and talks
Blog posts
Published Date:
Fri, 29 Sep 2023 15:23:44 +0000
Topic:
American History  Search this
See more posts:
Blog Feed
Data Source:
National Museum of American History
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:posts_564bdcebc663caed5adf389ff9f59a73

An Unbroken Line: Josh Berer and Mariam Lodin Share the Art of Islamic Calligraphy

Creator:
Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage  Search this
Type:
Blog posts
Smithsonian staff publications
Blog posts
Published Date:
Wed, 20 Sep 2023 18:36:00 GMT
Topic:
Cultural property  Search this
See more posts:
Festival Blog
Data Source:
Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:posts_4f16595b9654463807f308fe1135299c

White Oak Basketry of the Ozarks: How Trees and Traditions May Fade and Regrow

Creator:
Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage  Search this
Type:
Blog posts
Smithsonian staff publications
Blog posts
Published Date:
Mon, 16 Oct 2023 17:55:00 GMT
Topic:
Cultural property  Search this
See more posts:
Festival Blog
Data Source:
Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:posts_c344b76361037b7f9672882802494b4a

The “Gray Areas” of Moonshine Making and Meaning in the Ozarks

Creator:
Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage  Search this
Type:
Blog posts
Smithsonian staff publications
Conversations and talks
Blog posts
Published Date:
Tue, 12 Sep 2023 17:19:00 GMT
Topic:
Cultural property  Search this
See more posts:
Festival Blog
Data Source:
Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:posts_c0ac89a5dcef7c759625d39f1556ff93

Fotos y Recuerdos from the Tree of Life & Ceramics Workshop with Verónica Castillo

Creator:
Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage  Search this
Type:
Blog posts
Smithsonian staff publications
Blog posts
Published Date:
Wed, 20 Dec 2023 01:37:00 GMT
Topic:
Cultural property  Search this
See more posts:
Festival Blog
Data Source:
Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:posts_35407545ca27c8d59ce40495b717c6b4

A Brief History of Borshch

Creator:
Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage  Search this
Type:
Blog posts
Smithsonian staff publications
Blog posts
Published Date:
Mon, 03 Jul 2023 14:54:00 GMT
Topic:
Cultural property  Search this
See more posts:
Festival Blog
Data Source:
Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:posts_8a6457e3e2b44d772eece97ab0fd7094

How Felicia Montes’s Botanica del Barrio Harnesses Herbs as a Tool for Connection

Creator:
Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage  Search this
Type:
Blog posts
Smithsonian staff publications
Conversations and talks
Blog posts
Published Date:
Tue, 16 Jan 2024 21:11:00 GMT
Topic:
Cultural property  Search this
See more posts:
Festival Blog
Data Source:
Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:posts_94a5107985e20731d1bf7062ec1c62ff

For a Better Journey: Losang Samten’s Mandala of Medicine for a Healing World

Creator:
Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage  Search this
Type:
Blog posts
Smithsonian staff publications
Blog posts
Published Date:
Mon, 05 Feb 2024 05:00:00 GMT
Topic:
Cultural property  Search this
See more posts:
Festival Blog
Data Source:
Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:posts_0b0a22fc0c9c30dd0b682146db1837f1

From Kurdistan to Washington, Jalal Kimia Connects Communities with the Daf Drum

Creator:
Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage  Search this
Type:
Blog posts
Smithsonian staff publications
Conversations and talks
Blog posts
Published Date:
Thu, 07 Sep 2023 17:36:00 GMT
Topic:
Cultural property  Search this
See more posts:
Festival Blog
Data Source:
Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:posts_7d0c787b7e4c9f5f510e878d21c4e608

Holistic Healing in the Ozarks: The Loves and Life’s Work of Sasha Daucus

Creator:
Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage  Search this
Type:
Blog posts
Smithsonian staff publications
Conversations and talks
Blog posts
Published Date:
Thu, 31 Aug 2023 18:57:00 GMT
Topic:
Cultural property  Search this
See more posts:
Festival Blog
Data Source:
Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:posts_5e822ea5a49cbd0d6c16519215a365c8

Wolff Gallery records

Creator:
Wolff Gallery (New York, N.Y.)  Search this
Names:
Ebner, Tim, 1953-  Search this
Ericson, Kate  Search this
Mentor, Will, 1958-  Search this
Wolff, Jamie  Search this
Ziegler, Mel, 1956-  Search this
Extent:
6.2 Linear feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Date:
1981-1993
Summary:
The Wolff Gallery records measure 6.2 linear feet and date from 1981 to 1993. The records document the gallery's operations through administrative files and artist files.
Scope and Contents:
The Wolff Gallery records measure 6.2 linear feet and date from 1981 to 1993. The records document the gallery's operations through administrative files and artist files.

Administrative files include an annotated agenda book, guest books signed by visitors to the gallery, consignment records, several press releases, and checklists of artists whose slides were reviewed by Wolff Gallery staff.

Artist files include documentation related to Michael Abrams, Gary Bachman, Cora Cohen, Pierluigi Consaga, Tim Ebner, Kate Ericson and Mel Ziegler, Gaylen Geber, Pam Glick, Will Mentor, John Torreano, Richard Wentworth, and others. Records include inventory cards, correspondence, exhibition material, slides, photographs and transparencies, and printed matter.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as two series.

Series 1: Administrative Files, 1984-1991 (Box 1-2; 1.5 linear feet)

Series 2: Artist Files, 1981-1993 (Box 2-7; 4.7 linear feet)
Biographical / Historical:
The Wolff Gallery was an art gallery specializing in contemporary art that operated from the mid-1980s to early-1990s.

The gallery was initially located in the East Village of New York City. 1987, when Jamie Wolff co-owned the gallery with Jane Gekler, Wolff Gallery moved from the East Village to 560 Broadway, in the Soho neighborhood of Manhattan.
Provenance:
The collection was donated in 1994 by gallery founder Jamie Wolff.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Rights:
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
Function:
Art galleries, Commercial -- New York (State) -- New York
Citation:
Wolff Gallery records, 1981-1993. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
AAA.wolfgall
See more items in:
Wolff Gallery records
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw97121c53c-a477-4350-ad26-287a87479414
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-wolfgall
Online Media:

Paul Jenkins papers

Creator:
Jenkins, Paul, 1923-2012  Search this
Names:
Art Students League (New York, N.Y.)  Search this
Martha Jackson Gallery  Search this
Museum of Modern Art (New York, N.Y.)  Search this
New York University  Search this
Baber, Alice  Search this
Bluhm, Norman, 1921-1999  Search this
De Kooning, Willem, 1904-1997  Search this
Dusanne, Zoe, -1977  Search this
Erma, Thomas, 1939-1964  Search this
Gilot, Francoise, 1921-  Search this
Guggenheim, Peggy, 1898-1979  Search this
Jenkins, Esther Ebenhoe  Search this
Krasner, Lee, 1908-1984  Search this
Prantl, Karl  Search this
Prince, Frank  Search this
Extent:
11.1 Linear feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Travel diaries
Manuscripts
Sketches
Watercolors
Prints
Collages
Visitors' books
Photographs
Scrapbooks
Place:
China -- Description and Travel
Date:
circa 1915-2010
Summary:
The papers of abstract expressionist painter and playwright Paul Jenkins measure 11.1 linear feet and date from circa 1915 to 2010. Jenkins's career in New York and Paris is documented through biographical material, family papers, correspondence, writings, personal business records, printed material, photographs of Jenkins in his studio and at various events, and original artwork by Jenkins and others.
Scope and Contents:
The papers of abstract expressionist painter and playwright Paul Jenkins measure 11.1 linear feet and date from circa 1915 to 2010. Jenkins's career in New York and Paris is documented through biographical material, family papers, correspondence, writings, personal business records, printed material, photographs of Jenkins in his studio and at various events, and original artwork by Jenkins and others.

Biographical material and family papers consist of awards and certificates, calendars, marriage, divorce, and estate papers, and military service records. Also included are family papers and a scrapbook belonging to Jenkins's aunt, Louise Jenkins.

Correspondence, which makes up the bulk of the collection, is with family, friends, and fellow artists, including Alice Baber, Norman Bluhm, Willem de Kooning, and Lee Krasner Pollock, as well as art organizations, schools, museums, galleries, and gallery owners, such as the Art Students League of New York, New York University, Museum of Modern Art, Martha Jackson Gallery, Zoe Dusanne, and Peggy Guggenheim.

Writings includes scattered writings by Paul Jenkins, two of his travel diaries, and the guest book for an exhibition in Tokyo. Also found are a copy of Lili Krahmer Verame's China travel diary and the writings and research materials of others.

Personal business records consist of financial records, lease documents, price lists, travel documents, and papers regarding Jenkins's rental property. Also included are a file on the New York University medal designed by Jenkins and a file concerning a Karl Prantl statue.

Printed material consists of event programs, newsletters, bulletins, member reports, press releases, art exhibition announcements and catalogs, concert and theater announcements and programs, news and magazine clippings, and obituaries and memorial announcements.

Artwork contains miscellaneous sketches and collages by Paul Jenkins. Additional artworks include sketches, watercolors, and prints by other artists, as well as 8 oversize mixed media sketches by Frank Prince of Jenkins's Meditation Mandala Sundial sculptures.

Photographs of Paul Jenkins depict him in his studio, with family and friends, and at events. Photographs of family and friends include Esther Ebenhoe Jenkins, Alice Baber Jenkins, Norman Bluhm, Thomas Erma, Françoise Gilot, Matsumi "Mike," Carole, and Bunshi Paul Kanemitsu, and Frank Prince.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as 7 series:

Missing Title

Series 1: Biographical Material, circa 1915-1997 (Box 1; 9 folders)

Series 2: Correspondence, circa 1930-2010 (Box 1-9, 13; 9 linear feet)

Series 3: Writings, circa 1950-2003 (Box 9-10; 0.5 linear feet)

Series 4: Personal Business Records, circa 1944-1990 (Box 10; 0.3 linear feet)

Series 5: Printed Material, circa 1952-2010 (Box 10-11; 0.6 linear feet)

Aeries 6: Artwork, circa 1935-2007 (Box 11-12, OV 14; 0.2 linear feet)

Series 7: Photography, circa 1940-1998 (Box 12; 0.4 linear feet)
Biographical / Historical:
Paul Jenkins (1923-2012) was an abstract expressionist painter and playwright in New York, New York, and Paris, France. Jenkins was born in Kansas City, Missouri in 1923, and moved to Youngstown, Ohio as a teenager. After serving in the U.S. Maritime Service and the U.S. Naval Air Corps, Jenkins studied playwriting with George McCalmon at the Carnegie Institute of Technology (now Carnegie Mellon University). In 1948, he moved to New York City, where he studied with Yasuo Kuniyoshi at the Art Students League of New York.

Over the course of his career, Jenkins experimented with multiple techniques, including oil on primed canvas, flowing paints, acrylics, watercolor, and mixed media collages. After traveling extensively and meeting many artists, Jenkins ultimately became associated with the Abstract Expressionists. His work gained the attention of other members of the art world and he held solo exhibitions at venues such as the Zoe Dusanne Gallery in Seattle and the Martha Jackson Gallery in New York. Jenkins' paintings were purchased by both museums and private collectors, including the Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, and Peggy Guggenheim.

In addition to his painting, Jenkins continued to explore other creative endeavors. He experimented with sculpture, producing works for events and permanent displays, including the Sculptors' Symposium at the Cooper-Hewitt Museum and the Sculpture Garden of the Hofstra Museum. His plays, such as Strike the Puma, were published and performed off Broadway in New York City. Jenkins's art served as the backdrop for multiple stage productions, and in 1978, his paintings were featured in the Academy Award nominated movie An Unmarried Woman. Jenkins also collaborated on a number of book projects, including Anatomy of a Cloud, a collection of autobiographical collages and texts.

Throughout his adult life, Jenkins split most of his time between New York and Paris. He continued to create and exhibit new works until his death in New York in 2012.
Related Materials:
Also found at the Archives of American Art are an interview of Paul Jenkins, August 1969, conducted by Albert Elsen, and an oral history interview, 1968, conducted by Colette Roberts.
Provenance:
The papers were donated 2007-2009 and in 2012 by Paul and Suzanne Jenkins.
Restrictions:
This collection is open for research. Access to original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center.
Rights:
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
The donor has retained all intellectual property rights, including copyright, that they may own.
Occupation:
Dramatists -- France -- Paris  Search this
Dramatists -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Topic:
Abstract expressionism  Search this
Artists' studios -- Photographs  Search this
Medals -- Design  Search this
Painters -- France -- Paris  Search this
Painters -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Genre/Form:
Travel diaries
Manuscripts
Sketches
Watercolors
Prints
Collages
Visitors' books
Photographs
Scrapbooks
Citation:
Paul Jenkins papers, circa 1915-2010. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
AAA.jenkpaul2
See more items in:
Paul Jenkins papers
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw97a17d1c1-3b35-4e96-b562-6daf3559775e
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-jenkpaul2
Online Media:

Lee Nordness business records and papers

Creator:
Nordness, Lee  Search this
Names:
American Art Expositions (New York, N.Y.)  Search this
Cooper-Hewitt Museum  Search this
Forms and Objects (Firm)  Search this
Johnson Wax  Search this
Lee Nordness Galleries  Search this
Little Studio  Search this
Metromedia, Inc.  Search this
Nordness Gallery  Search this
Talent Discovery Company  Search this
Aronson, David, 1923-2015  Search this
Blaustein, Al H., 1924-2004  Search this
Collie, Alberto  Search this
Crawford, Ralston, 1906-1978  Search this
D'Arista, Robert, 1929-  Search this
Gibran, Kahlil, 1922-  Search this
Gikow, Ruth, 1915-1982  Search this
Grippe, Peter, 1912-  Search this
Guglielmi, Louis, 1906-1956  Search this
Hebald, Milton  Search this
Kachadoorian, Zubel, 1924-  Search this
Kearns, James  Search this
Lebrun, Rico, 1900-1964  Search this
Levi, Julian E. (Julian Edwin), 1900-1982  Search this
Meigs, Walter, 1918-1988  Search this
Prestopino, Gregorio  Search this
Williams, Hiram  Search this
Zerbe, Karl, 1903-1972  Search this
Extent:
117.5 Linear feet (Boxes 1-121)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Scrapbooks
Photographs
Date:
circa 1931-1992
bulk 1954-1984
Summary:
The Lee Nordness business records and papers measure 117.5 linear feet and date from circa 1931 to 1992 with the bulk of materials dating from 1954 to 1984. The records document seven New York City art-related companies with which Nordness was involved: Talent Discovery Company, The Little Studio, Ltd., American Art Expositions, Inc., Nordness Gallery, Inc., Lee Nordness Galleries Art Advisory Section, Inc., Lee Nordness Galleries Exhibition Section, Inc., and Forms & Objects, Inc. Records include correspondence, artist's files, business and legal records, inventories, financial and sales records, printed materials, scrapbooks, and photographic materials. Also found is a small group of personal papers.
Scope and Contents:
The Lee Nordness business records and papers measure 117.5 linear feet and date from circa 1931 to 1992 with the bulk of materials dating from 1954 to 1984. The records document seven New York City art-related companies with which Nordness was involved: Talent Discovery Company, The Little Studio, Ltd., American Art Expositions, Inc., Nordness Gallery, Inc., Lee Nordness Galleries Art Advisory Section, Inc., Lee Nordness Galleries Exhibition Section, Inc., and Forms & Objects, Inc. Records include correspondence, artist's files, business and legal records, inventories, financial and sales records, printed materials, scrapbooks, and photographic materials. Also found is a small group of personal papers.

More than half of the collection documents Lee Nordness' primary businesses, Nordness Gallery, Inc. and Lee Nordness Galleries Art Advisory Section, Inc. Business correspondence, artist's files, extensive project files, business and legal records, financial and sales records, inventories, printed materials, scrapbooks, and photographic materials reveal Nordness' role as an art dealer of contemporary American artwork and art consultant to companies and organizations. The records document his ability to adapt to changing external markets as well as his own interests, from dealing primarily in paintings and sculpture to promoting American fine crafts. Artists from Nordness' permanent roster are represented, including David Aronson, Al Blaustein, Alberto Collie, Ralston Crawford, Robert D'Arista, Kahlil Gibran, Ruth Gikow, Peter Grippe, Louis Guglielmi, Milton Hebald, Zubel Kachadoorian, James Kearns, Rico Lebrun, Julian Levi, Walter Meigs, Gregorio Prestopino, Hiram Williams, and Karl Zerbe. Companies and organizations represented include S.C. Johnson & Son, Co., Metromedia, and Cooper-Hewitt, National Museum of Design. Because materials from Nordness Gallery, Inc. and Art Advisory Section were often interfiled and related, the records were not separated into different series.

The records of Lee Nordness Galleries Exhibition Section, Inc. document the exhibition and sale of artwork through correspondence, artist's files, business records, financial and sales records, and scrapbooks for artists and exhibition seasons. Forms & Objects, Inc. contains correspondence, lecture notes, public relations files, business records, financial and sales records, scrapbooks and photographic materials related to American fine crafts.

The organization and press surrounding the monumental exhibitions Art:USA:58 and Art:USA:59 are illustrated in the correspondence, banking records, founding documents, newspaper clippings, paid bill receipts, and sales invoices of the American Art Expositions, Inc. records. Photographs of the Art:USA:59 artists taken by Fred Darrah are also found here.

The bulk of the records of The Little Studio, Inc. are financial records and sales invoices. Lee Nordness' involvement in the gallery is also documented through correspondence and business records. The records of Talent Discovery Company are primarily financial, including banking records, receipts, and tax records. Also found are shipping records, correspondence, and inventory cards.

There are few personal papers of Lee Nordness, the bulk of which are related to his involvement with his tenant cooperative. Also found is scattered correspondence, a scrapbook, and travel documents.

Records for the various companies were co-mingled upon accession. AAA has attempted to place papers in Nordness' original order based on discussions with Nordness and evidence from the records. However, researchers should note there is significant interfiling of the companies' records throughout the collection, especially scrapbooks and photographs. Researchers are strongly encouraged to use dates and keywords to help discover related materials throughout all series.

Abbreviations were often written by the gallery in the upper left-hand corner of a document to indicate to which company the record should be filed. Abbreviations used include: Nordness Gallery, "NG" or "LN"; Art Advisory Section, "AA" or "LN"; Exhibition Section, "ES" or "E/S"; Forms & Objects, "F/O"; American Art Expositions, "AAE"; The Little Studio, "TLS"; and, Talent Discovery Company, "TDC."
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as 7 series:

Missing Title

Series 1: Nordness Gallery, Inc. and Lee Nordness Galleries Art Advisory Section, Inc., circa 1938-1992, bulk 1958-1982 (67.8 linear feet; Boxes 1-67, 117-119)

Series 2: Lee Nordness Galleries Exhibition Section, Inc., 1938-1985 (25.5 linear feet; Boxes 68-93, 120, FC 122)

Series 3: Forms & Objects, Inc., circa 1931, circa 1959-1984 (13.5 linear feet; Boxes 93-106, 120)

Series 4: American Art Expositions, Inc., 1955-1968 (1.4 linear feet; Boxes 106-107)

Series 5: The Little Studio, Inc., 1947-1969 (7.7 linear feet; Boxes 108-115, 121)

Series 6: Talent Discovery Company, 1953-1957 (0.9 linear feet; Boxes 115-116, 121)

Series 7: Personal Papers of Lee Nordness, 1948-1976 (0.7 linear feet; Box 116)
Biographical / Historical:
New York City gallerist and entrepreneur Lee Nordness (1922-1995) was born in Olympia, Washington. He studied art in college and received a bachelor's degree from Uppsala University in Sweden. From 1954-1956, Nordness ran a small gallery, Talent Discovery Company, out of his apartment in New York City. Around 1955, Nordness became the director of The Little Studio, Ltd., a gallery started by Richard Kollmer in 1952 to showcase moderately priced artwork by young artists. Nordness took over the business in 1957; it closed in April 1963.

In 1958, Nordness incorporated American Art Expositions, Inc. to organize Art:USA:58, a large exposition of contemporary American art held at Madison Square Garden. The following year Art:USA:59 was held at the New York Coliseum.

Lee Nordness opened his own gallery, Nordness Gallery, Inc., in December 1957 on Madison Avenue. The gallery promoted a roster of contemporary painters and sculptors, including David Aronson, Al Blaustein, Alberto Collie, Ralston Crawford, Robert D'Arista, Kahlil Gibran, Ruth Gikow, Peter Grippe, Milton Hebald, Zubel Kachadoorian, James Kearns, Julian Levi, Walter Meigs, Gregorio Prestopino, Hiram Williams, Karl Zerbe, and the estates of Louis Guglielmi and Rico Lebrun. In 1966, Lee Nordness reorganized his businesses. He closed Nordness Gallery and opened Lee Nordness Art Advisory Section, an art consulting service to corporations, collectors, museums, and individuals, and Lee Nordness Galleries Exhibition Sections, Inc. to handle exhibitions and the sale of paintings and sculptures.

Lee Nordness had an interest in American crafts and, beginning in 1968, he added a permanent roster of American craftmakers to exhibit alongside paintings and sculpture. He opened Forms & Objects, Inc. to handle the exhibition and sales of fine crafts such as ceramics, fiber, glass, metal and wood. With a need for additional exhibition space, the gallery moved a few blocks off Madison Avenue to 236-238 East 75th Street.

Nordness traveled the globe to assemble prominent collections for clients, such as Art:USA, a collection of contemporary works by 102 American artists for S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc. Art:USA traveled throughout the United States and Europe in the mid-late 1960s before being donated to the National Collection of Fine Arts (Smithsonian Institution). In the late 1960s, he assembled a collection of 300 American craft objects for S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc. called Objects:USA, which toured throughout the United States and Europe. This collection was disassembled in the late 1970s, many of the works donated to the Museum of Arts and Design, formerly the Museum of Contemporary Craft.

Nordness closed his New York galleries in the mid-1980s. Soon after, he moved to Belfair, Washington and opened Lee Nordness Galleries, Inc. in 1986. He passed away in 1995 in Washington.
Separated Materials:
Three microfilm reels of material were loaned to the Archives of American Art by Lee Nordness in 1959 regarding American Art Exposition, Inc.'s Art:USA 58 and Art:USA:59. Microfilm includes correspondence, catalogs, visitor lists, press releases, lists of artwork, financial records, and advertising materials and is available on reels NAU1, NAU2 and NAU3.

Later, in 1964 and 1969, Lee Nordness loaned original materials for microfilming compiled by Nordness Gallery about the careers of Gregorio Prestopino, Julian E. Levi, and Lee Gatch, including correspondence, exhibition materials, biographical information, clippings, and photographs. Loaned material is available on reels N69-21 and D169. Original materials were returned to Nordness, but some may have been included in later donations and those originals have been integrated with the other donated records.

The contents of microfilm reels are not described in the container listing of this finding aid.
Provenance:
The Lee Nordness business records and papers were donated to the Archives of American Art in several increments by Lee Nordness in 1976, 1986 and as a bequest in 1996. Original materials were also lent by Nordness in 1964 and 1969 for microfilming, some of which may have been included in subsequent donations.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment.
Rights:
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
Occupation:
Art dealers -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this
Genre/Form:
Scrapbooks
Photographs
Citation:
Lee Nordness business records and papers, circa 1931-1992, bulk 1954-1984. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Identifier:
AAA.nordlee
See more items in:
Lee Nordness business records and papers
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Art
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw965a089d3-b459-436d-8468-e7e559fd7043
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-aaa-nordlee
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