The papers of art dealer R. Kirk Askew, director of the New York branch of the Durlacher Bros. art firm, measure 0.6 linear feet and date from 1942 to 1958. The collection includes correspondence with artists Cady Wells, Walter Stuempfig, Walter Quirt, Edward Melcarth, Kurt Seligmann, Leonid Berman, Hyman Bloom, Peter Blume, Carlyle Brown, James W. Fosburgh, Stephen Greene, and Walter Stein.
Scope and Contents:
The papers of art dealer R. Kirk Askew, director of the New York branch of the Durlacher Bros. art firm, measure 0.6 linear feet and date from 1942 to 1958. The collection includes correspondence with artists Cady Wells, Walter Stuempfig, Walter Quirt, Edward Melcarth, Kurt Seligmann, Leonid Berman, Hyman Bloom, Peter Blume, Carlyle Brown, James W. Fosburgh, Stephen Greene, and Walter Stein.
Arrangement:
Due to the small size of this collection the papers are arranged as one series.
Biographical / Historical:
R. Kirk Askew (1903-1974) was an art dealer and manager of the Durlacher Bros. New York location from from 1927 to circa 1969.
Separated Materials:
Exhibition catalogs, 1928-1967, also donated by R. Kirk Askew, were tranferred to Smithsonian Institution Libraries in 1975. Catalogs are available on microfilm reel 148 at Archives of American Art offices and through interlibrary loan.
Provenance:
Donated 1969-1971 by R. Kirk Askew.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Microfilmed materials must be consulted on microfilm. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Occupation:
Art dealers -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
Gallery directors -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
Citation:
R. Kirk Askew papers, 1942-1958. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
An interview of Charles Alan conducted 1970 August 20-25, by Paul Cummings, for the Archives of American Art.
Alan speaks of studying scene and stage design; attending Yale School of Drama; doing illustrations for various publications; traveling and studying in Europe; working as a set designer for MGM and Warner Brothers; his experiences working at the Downtown Gallery; his thoughts and recollections about Edith Halpert; leaving Downtown Gallery and starting his own gallery; his opinions on the future of small galleries in New York; museum purchases; Edith Halpert's art collection; selling his gallery to Felix Landau; and various thoughts concerning the art world. He recalls Norman Bell Geddes, Edith Halpert, Stuart Davis, Julien Levy, Yasuo Kuniyoshi, Kirk Askew, Raymond Breinin, Ben Shahn, George Washburn, Edward Root, Joe Hirshhorn, John Marin, John Marin Jr., Lawrence Allen, Georgia O'Keeffe, William Harnett, Julian Levi, Jack Levine, Karl Zerbe, Bruce Conner, Richard Baker, Paul Sachs, and many others.
Biographical / Historical:
Charles Alan (1908?-1975) was an art dealer from New York, New York. Alan attended Horace Mann School, graduating in 1924. Attended Yale School of Drama in 1925, then worked as a set designer for MGM and Warner Brothers. In 1930, Alan became a theatrical set designer and director. After serving in the Army in World War II, he worked for Edith Halpert at the Downtown Gallery. In 1952, he opened the Charles Alan Gallery, specializing in contemporary art. Alan closed the gallery in 1970 to become a private dealer.
General:
Originally recorded on 2 sound tape reels. Reformatted in 2010 as 6 digital wav files. Duration is 2 hrs., 58 min.
Provenance:
These interviews are part of the Archives' Oral History Program, started in 1958 to document the history of the visual arts in the United States, primarily through interviews with artists, historians, dealers, critics and others.
Restrictions:
Transcript available on the Archives of American Art website.
Occupation:
Art dealers -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
Topic:
Set Designers -- United States -- Interviews Search this
Askew, R. Kirk (Ralph Kirk), 1903-1974 Search this
Container:
Box 1, Folder 1
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1947 May 12-1948 September 2
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Microfilmed materials must be consulted on microfilm. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Collection Citation:
R. Kirk Askew papers, 1942-1958. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Askew, R. Kirk (Ralph Kirk), 1903-1974 Search this
Container:
Box 1, Folder 10
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1947 June 29- 1958 September 11
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Microfilmed materials must be consulted on microfilm. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Collection Citation:
R. Kirk Askew papers, 1942-1958. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Askew, R. Kirk (Ralph Kirk), 1903-1974 Search this
Container:
Box 1, Folder 11
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1944 May 24-1947 February 26
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Microfilmed materials must be consulted on microfilm. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Collection Citation:
R. Kirk Askew papers, 1942-1958. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Askew, R. Kirk (Ralph Kirk), 1903-1974 Search this
Container:
Box 1, Folder 12
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1943
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Microfilmed materials must be consulted on microfilm. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Collection Citation:
R. Kirk Askew papers, 1942-1958. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Askew, R. Kirk (Ralph Kirk), 1903-1974 Search this
Container:
Box 1, Folder 13
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1946 October 1-1949 September 19
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Microfilmed materials must be consulted on microfilm. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Collection Citation:
R. Kirk Askew papers, 1942-1958. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Askew, R. Kirk (Ralph Kirk), 1903-1974 Search this
Container:
Box 2, Folder 1
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1948 June 10-1952 December 29
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Microfilmed materials must be consulted on microfilm. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Collection Citation:
R. Kirk Askew papers, 1942-1958. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Correspondence with Walter Stein with 1959 exhibition catalog
Collection Creator:
Askew, R. Kirk (Ralph Kirk), 1903-1974 Search this
Container:
Box 2, Folder 2
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1950 January 6-1957 July 17
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Microfilmed materials must be consulted on microfilm. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Collection Citation:
R. Kirk Askew papers, 1942-1958. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Askew, R. Kirk (Ralph Kirk), 1903-1974 Search this
Container:
Box 2, Folder 3
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1943-1945
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Microfilmed materials must be consulted on microfilm. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Collection Citation:
R. Kirk Askew papers, 1942-1958. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Askew, R. Kirk (Ralph Kirk), 1903-1974 Search this
Container:
Box 2, Folder 4
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1949-1952
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Microfilmed materials must be consulted on microfilm. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Collection Citation:
R. Kirk Askew papers, 1942-1958. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Askew, R. Kirk (Ralph Kirk), 1903-1974 Search this
Container:
Box 2, Folder 5
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1943-1945
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Microfilmed materials must be consulted on microfilm. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Collection Citation:
R. Kirk Askew papers, 1942-1958. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Askew, R. Kirk (Ralph Kirk), 1903-1974 Search this
Container:
Box 2, Folder 6
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1946 May 24-1949 November1
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Microfilmed materials must be consulted on microfilm. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Collection Citation:
R. Kirk Askew papers, 1942-1958. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Askew, R. Kirk (Ralph Kirk), 1903-1974 Search this
Container:
Box 1, Folder 2
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1945 January 9-1949 April 1
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Microfilmed materials must be consulted on microfilm. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Collection Citation:
R. Kirk Askew papers, 1942-1958. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Askew, R. Kirk (Ralph Kirk), 1903-1974 Search this
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1928-1967
Scope and Contents:
The papers of art dealer R. Kirk Askew, director of the New York branch of the Durlacher Bros. art firm, includes correspondence with artists Cady Wells, Walter Stuempfig, Walter Quirt, Edward Melcarth, Kurt Seligmann, Leonid Berman, Hyman Bloom, Peter Blume, Carlyle Brown, James W. Fosburgh, Stephen Greene, and Walter Stein.
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Microfilmed materials must be consulted on microfilm. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Collection Citation:
R. Kirk Askew papers, 1942-1958. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Askew, R. Kirk (Ralph Kirk), 1903-1974 Search this
Container:
Box 1, Folder 3
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1951 November 26-1958 December 15
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Microfilmed materials must be consulted on microfilm. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Collection Citation:
R. Kirk Askew papers, 1942-1958. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Askew, R. Kirk (Ralph Kirk), 1903-1974 Search this
Container:
Box 1, Folder 4
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1946 March 2-1949 October 8
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Microfilmed materials must be consulted on microfilm. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Collection Citation:
R. Kirk Askew papers, 1942-1958. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Askew, R. Kirk (Ralph Kirk), 1903-1974 Search this
Container:
Box 1, Folder 5
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1950 June 15-1958 December 29
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Microfilmed materials must be consulted on microfilm. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Collection Citation:
R. Kirk Askew papers, 1942-1958. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Askew, R. Kirk (Ralph Kirk), 1903-1974 Search this
Container:
Box 1, Folder 6
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1947 July 31-1947 September 8
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Microfilmed materials must be consulted on microfilm. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Collection Citation:
R. Kirk Askew papers, 1942-1958. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Askew, R. Kirk (Ralph Kirk), 1903-1974 Search this
Container:
Box 1, Folder 7
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1950 April 7-1958 July 15
Collection Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center. Microfilmed materials must be consulted on microfilm. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Collection Citation:
R. Kirk Askew papers, 1942-1958. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
