Search Results

Collector:

Sidney, George, 1916-2002  Search this

National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Music, Sports and Entertainment  Search this

Names:

Columbia Pictures  Search this

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer  Search this

Paramount Pictures  Search this

Goodman, Benny (Benjamin David), 1909-1986  Search this

Margret, Ann-, 1941-  Search this

Robinson, Edward G., 1893-1973  Search this

Sidney, George, 1877-1945  Search this

Sidney, Hazel Mooney  Search this

Sidney, Louis K.  Search this

Sullivan, Ed, 1901-1974  Search this

Donor:

Sidney, Corinne Entratter  Search this

Extent:

54 Film reels

96 Cubic feet (288 boxes, 6 oversize folders)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Film reels

Photographs

Place:

Hollywood (Los Angeles, Calif.)

Date:

1885-2002

bulk 1940-1967

Summary:

George Sidney (1916-2002) was a film director during the Golden Age of Hollywood filmmaking (1927-1954). He spent the longest period of his career at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) until the 1950s. He later produced and directed films for Columbia Pictures and Paramount Pictures. He was a president of the Directors Guild of America and an avid photographer. He was the recipient of three awards from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (Oscar). The collection consists of photographs, photographic negatives, personal and business materials, and film. The collection also contains material created by George Sidney's uncle, George Sidney, vaudevillian and motion picture actor.

Scope and Contents:

The George Sidney Collection consists of approximately eighty-eight cubic feet of photographs and materials from the Hollywood director George Sidney, most dealing with his career in motion pictures. Sidney was an avid photographer and collector of photographs documenting extremely well the Hollywood film community during the Studio Era (1927-1954) of filmmaking. The bulk of the collection is from Sidney's most productive years, circa 1937-1968.

MGM's motto was "More Stars than there are in Heaven" and the researcher would be advised that the extent of this collection is such that it is impossible to list and identify all of the celebrities and personalities photographed, both behind and in front of the camera. There are stills from Sidney's many productions as well as his on-set personal photographs. There are photographs from dinner parties, and many studio and film community functions. Productions are dated to their generally accepted first theatrical release date (Los Angeles and New York) and in the case of a Broadway show to their opening date.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged into six series.

Series 1: Photographs, Photographic Negatives, and Slides, 1914-1996, undated.

Subseries 1.1: The Camera Eye of George Sidney, undated.

Subseries 1.2: Productions (Motion Picture, Stage, and Radio), 1921-1968. Subseries 1.3: Personalities and People, 1932-1996, undated.

Subseries 1.4: Personal and Family, 1914-1992, undated.

Subseries 1.5: Family Photograph Albums and Scrapbooks, 1918-1950, undated.

Subseries 1.6: Travel and Locations, 1940-1981, undated.

Subseries 1.7: Studio, Entertainment, and Public Events, 1949-1995, undated.

Subseries 1.8: Tests, 1938-1967, undated.

Subseries 1.9: Photographic Negatives, 1937-1979, undated

Series 2: Production Ephemera, Posters, Scripts, 1930-1991, undated.

Subseries 2.1: Production Posters, 1943-1964, undated

Subseries 2.2: Production Ephemera and Scripts, 1930-1991, undated

Series 3: Office Files and Personal Material, 1903-2002, undated

Subseries 3.1: Personal Material, 1944-2002, undated

Subseries 3.2: Correspondence, Random Files, Indices, and Inventories, 1903-2002, undated

Series 4: Music Manuscripts, Sheet Music, and Music Related Material, 1885-1992, undated

Subseries 4.1: Music Manuscripts, 1937-1960, undated

Subseries 4.2: Sheet Music, 1885-1990

Subseries 4.3: Music Related Material, 1971-1992, undated

Series 5: Audiovisual, 1933-2001, undated

Subseries 5.1: Film, 1940-1960, undated

Subseries 5.2: Audio, 1933-2001, undated

Subseries 5.3: Video, 1989-2001, undated

Series 6: George Sidney (1877-1945), 1909-1945, undated

Biographical / Historical:

George E. Sidney was born in New York, New York on October 4th, 1916 into a show business family. His father Louis K. Sidney (birth surname Kronowith) (1891-1958) was a Broadway producer, actor-manager, and one of the vice-presidents of Loew's Incorporated. Sidney's mother, Hazael Mooney (?-1969), was a vaudeville performer, part of a sister act known as The Mooney Sisters. She was a native New Yorker, daughter of prominent New York City attorney Henry Mooney. She and Louis were married at her home, 12 West 109th Street, New York. Another residence was 179 West 63rd Street.

Louis K. Sidney began working for Loew's Incorporated in 1923. He managed theatres in Denver, Pittsburgh, Toledo, Dayton, and New York. Later he was in charge of stage productions for the theatre circuit. He was in charge of MGM's East Coast film production facility in New York. He and Hazael followed son George to Los Angeles in 1937. Louis produced two motion pictures at MGM, The Big Store with the Marx Brothers and Hullabaloo. After February 1951, he was a member of the four man executive committee in charge of MGM. At his retirement in 1955, Louis K. had risen to the position of vice-president of Loew's, Incorporated. He served as vice-president and director of the Motion Picture Producers Association, as a director of the Motion Picture Relief Fund, and the Hollywood Coordinating Committee.

George Sidney had two uncles in show business, Jack Sidney, known as "Jack of Spades" a black-face comedian, and Sidney's half-uncle, George Sidney (1877-1945) (real name Samuel Greenfield), a vaudeville comic. George had a successful Broadway and screen career, most notably as the bum, Busy Izzy, a character that lasted on the vaudeville circuit from 1901-1915. His initial Broadway success was in a show entitled Welcome Stranger that ran for 309 performances. Welcome Stranger had an extensive touring schedule across the United States. In conjunction with Charlie Murray, he developed a comedy act known as Cohen and Kelly that was not only a vaudeville success but easily made the transition to motion pictures. The Cohens and Kellys films became a motion picture franchise for Universal Studios in 1924. He was married to Carrie Weber (?-1940). George was a member of the Friars Club and an avid sports fan. He owned a racehorse named Kibbitzer.

George Sidney made his on-screen debut in The Littlest Cowboy (1921) starring Tom Mix. He moved to Los Angeles in 1930. Sidney went to work as a messenger at MGM. Louis B. Mayer's nickname for Sidney was "boy". Sidney flourished at the studio and by the time he was twenty he was directing screen tests and one-reel shorts. He directed installments in the Our Gang and Little Rascals series, as well as the Pete Smith and the Crime Does Not Pay series. He won back-to-back Oscars for two of his shorts, Quicker'n a Wink (1940) and Of Pups and Puzzles (1941). His feature film directing debut was Free and Easy (1941) starring Robert Cummings. His first major film musical was the all-star, war time musical, Thousands Cheer (1943), starring Kathryn Grayson and Gene Kelly. Sidney always indicated he viewed films as entertainment and seems to have rejected the auteur theory of directing embraced by some of his well known colleagues such as John Ford and Vincent Minnelli. His film, The Three Musketeers (1948), starring Gene Kelly and Lana Turner, was one of MGM's highest grossing films in the post World War Two period. He won his third Oscar for the short, Overture to 'The Merry Wives of Windsor, in 1954. Jupiter's Darling (1955) with Esther Williams was Sidney's last film for MGM. He was loaned to Columbia Pictures to direct The Eddy Duchin Story (1956), after which his contract at MGM ended.

Sidney went on to become an independent producer and director at Columbia Pictures where he directed such films as Pal Joey (1957), starring Frank Sinatra, and Bye Bye Birdie (1963) starring Ann-Margret. He returned to MGM in the 1960s to make A Ticklish Affair (1963), starring Shirley Jones and Viva Las Vegas (1964), starring Ann-Margret and Elvis Presley. His last film was the musical Half a Sixpence (1967) starring Tommy Steele for Paramount Pictures. Sidney also directed and produced for television most notably Who Has Seen the Wind (1964). He financed and founded Hanna-Barbera Productions in 1944. He was a two-term president, 1951-1959 and 1961-1967, of the Directors Guild of America (DGA), earlier known as the Screen Directors Guild (SDG).

In his personal life, Sidney was married in 1942 to legendary MGM drama coach, Lillian "Burnsie" Burns Salzer (1903-1998). He was eight years her junior. They lived at the Sidney home (1140 Tower Road) in Beverly Hills. They divorced in the mid 1970s. For a brief time Sidney maintained a penthouse apartment for George Sidney Productions at 144 South Beverly Drive, Beverly Hills. He maintained a suite (301) in the Palm Wilshire Building, 9201 Wilshire Boulevard in the 1970s. He married his second wife, Jane Adler Robinson (?-1991), second wife and widow of actor Edward G. Robinson (1893-1974), around 1978. The house at 1140 Tower Road was sold and Sidney moved to the Robinson home at 910 Rexford Drive in Beverly Hills. Sidney married his third wife, Corinne Kegley Entratter (1937-?), widow of showman and Las Vegas entrepreneur John Entratter, in 1991. Sidney was a prolific photographer. He collected art and was apparently an avid gardener. He was a member of the Royal Horticultural Society. He died in Las Vegas, Nevada in May 2002.

Related Materials:

The Harry Warren Collection, AC0750

The Groucho Marx Collection, AC0269

Sidney related artifacts from Sidney's films are housed in the Division of Culture and the Arts, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian. There are scrapbooks donated by the Sidney Estate in the collection of the Cinema-Television Library, Doheny Library, University of Southern California, consisting of eleven volumes containing photographs, correspondence, publicity documents, and other materials, circa 1933-1963.

Provenance:

This collection was donated to the Archives Center in 2005 by Corinne Entratter Sidney, widow of George Sidney.

Restrictions:

Collection is open for research but is stored off-site. Researchers must handle unprotected photographs with cotton gloves. Researchers may 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 and as resources allow.

Viewing film portions of the collection requires special appointment, please inquire; listening to LP recordings is only possible by special arrangement.

Special arrangements required to view materials in cold storage. Using cold room materials requires a three hour waiting period.

Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.

Rights:

The Archives Center does not own exclusive rights to these materials. All requests for permission to use these materials for non-museum purposes must be addressed directly to the Archives Center, and the Archives Center will forward the request to the copyright holder. Collection items are available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Reproduction permission from Archives Center: fees for commercial use.

Topic:

Motion picture production and direction  Search this

Motion picture producers and directors  Search this

Motion pictures  Search this

Vaudeville  Search this

Musicals  Search this

Genre/Form:

Photographs -- Black-and-white photoprints -- Silver gelatin -- 19th-20th century

Citation:

George Sidney Collection, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, gift of Corinne Entratter Sidney

Identifier:

NMAH.AC.0867

See more items in:

George Sidney Collection

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep878cc8f7c-849a-43d0-8ca9-4149e7f39a74

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-0867

Interviewee:

Choo, Chunghi, 1938-  Search this

Interviewer:

Milosch, Jane  Search this

Subject:

Thomas, Richard C.  Search this

Bush, Cody  Search this

Chateauvert, Jocelyn  Search this

Kaufman, Glen  Search this

Fujio, Yuho  Search this

Grotell, Maija  Search this

McFadden, David Revere  Search this

Kao, Ruth  Search this

Lechtzin, Stanley  Search this

Lee, Sang-Bong  Search this

Larsen, Jack Lenor  Search this

Mayer-VanderMey, Sandra  Search this

Saarinen, Loja  Search this

Raab, Rosanne  Search this

Merkel-Hess, Mary  Search this

Park, No Soo  Search this

Smith, Paul J.  Search this

Yeun, Kee-ho  Search this

Cranbrook Academy of Art  Search this

University of Iowa  Search this

Haystack Mountain School of Crafts  Search this

Penland School of Handicrafts  Search this

Museum of Modern Art (New York, N.Y.)  Search this

University of Northern Iowa  Search this

Victoria and Albert Museum  Search this

Ihwa Y?ja Taehakkyo  Search this

Museum für Kunsthandwerk Frankfurt am Main  Search this

Nanette L. Laitman Documentation Project for Craft and Decorative Arts in America  Search this

Type:

Sound recordings

Interviews

Place:

Korea (South) -- History -- April Revolution, 1960

Citation:

Quotes and excerpts must be cited as follows: Oral history interview with Chunghi Choo, 2007 July 30-2008 July 26. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Topic:

Decorative arts  Search this

Metal-work  Search this

Jewelers -- Interviews  Search this

Asian American art  Search this

Asian American artists  Search this

Korean War, 1950-1953  Search this

Korean American art  Search this

Korean American artists  Search this

Asian American jewelers  Search this

Asian American metal-workers  Search this

Women artists  Search this

Women textile artists  Search this

Jewelry making  Search this

Theme:

Asian American  Search this

Women  Search this

Craft  Search this

Record number:

(DSI-AAA_CollID)13621

(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)271722

AAA_collcode_choo07

Theme:

Asian American

Women

Craft

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_oh_271722

Interviewee:

Davis, Leroy, 1922-  Search this

Interviewer:

Berman, Avis  Search this

Subject:

Langdale, Cecily  Search this

Shikler, Aaron  Search this

Barnes, Albert C. (Albert Coombs)  Search this

Bly, Boris  Search this

De Mazia, Violette  Search this

Davis, Terry Ritter  Search this

Bouché, Louis  Search this

Levine, David  Search this

Penn, Arthur  Search this

Hirschl & Adler Galleries  Search this

Tyler School of Art  Search this

Barnes Foundation  Search this

Type:

Sound recordings

Interviews

Citation:

Quotes and excerpts must be cited as follows: Oral history interview with Leroy Davis and Cecily Langdale, 2007 June 26-August 7. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Topic:

Art dealers -- New York (State) -- New York -- Interviews  Search this

Gallery owners -- New York (State) -- New York -- Interviews  Search this

Art dealers -- New York (State) -- New York -- Interviews  Search this

Gallery owners -- New York (State) -- New York -- Interviews  Search this

Record number:

(DSI-AAA_CollID)13624

(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)271983

AAA_collcode_davis07

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_oh_271983

Interviewee:

Longo, Robert, 1953-  Search this

Interviewer:

Richards, Judith Olch  Search this

Subject:

Acconci, Vito  Search this

Alexander, Brooke  Search this

Bender, Gretchen  Search this

Brauntuch, Troy  Search this

Clough, Charles  Search this

Fink, Leonara  Search this

Fischer, Konrad  Search this

Gibson, William  Search this

Goldstein, Jack  Search this

Heiss, Alanna  Search this

Irwin, Robert  Search this

König, Kasper  Search this

Krims, Leslie  Search this

LeWitt, Sol  Search this

Malkin, Phil  Search this

Mazzoli, Emilio  Search this

McMann, Paul  Search this

Mullican, Matt  Search this

Ranieri, Dominic  Search this

Reeves, Keanu  Search this

Reiring, Janelle  Search this

Salle, David  Search this

Shea, Diane  Search this

Sherman, Cindy  Search this

Sukowa, Barbara  Search this

Winer, Helene  Search this

Zwack, Michael  Search this

Hallwalls (Museum)  Search this

Los Angeles County Museum of Art  Search this

Metro Pictures (Gallery)  Search this

Nassau Community College  Search this

State University of New York at Buffalo  Search this

University of North Texas  Search this

Type:

Interviews

Sound recordings

Place:

France -- Paris -- description and travel

Italy -- description and travel

Citation:

Quotes and excerpts must be cited as follows: Oral history interview with Robert Longo, 2009 January 30-31. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Topic:

Dyslexia  Search this

Painters -- New York (State) -- New York -- Interviews  Search this

Sculptors -- New York (State) -- New York -- Interviews  Search this

Record number:

(DSI-AAA_CollID)15649

(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)282217

AAA_collcode_longo09

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_oh_282217

Interviewee:

Snyder, Joan, 1940-  Search this

Interviewer:

Richards, Judith Olch  Search this

Subject:

Cammer, Maggie  Search this

Fink, Larry  Search this

Lippard, Lucy R.  Search this

Snyder-Fink, Molly  Search this

Wilke, Ulfert  Search this

Bykert Gallery (New York, N.Y.)  Search this

Hirschl & Adler Galleries  Search this

Parsons School of Design  Search this

Rutgers University  Search this

School of Visual Arts (New York, N.Y.)  Search this

Women Against War  Search this

Heresies Collective, Inc.  Search this

Type:

Sound recordings

Interviews

Citation:

Quotes and excerpts must be cited as follows: Oral history interview with Joan Snyder, 2010 February 25-26. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Topic:

AIDS (Disease) and the arts  Search this

Art, Abstract  Search this

Feminism  Search this

Feminism and art  Search this

Poverty  Search this

Social justice  Search this

Artists (LGBTQ)  Search this

Lesbian artists  Search this

Women artists  Search this

Women painters  Search this

Theme:

Women  Search this

Record number:

(DSI-AAA_CollID)15788

(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)288669

AAA_collcode_snyder10

Theme:

Women

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_oh_288669

Interviewee:

Hallman, Ted, 1933-  Search this

Interviewer:

Drutt, Helen Williams  Search this

Subject:

Barnett, Michael  Search this

Grotell, Maija  Search this

Karnes, Karen  Search this

Mills, Kenneth  Search this

Parrott, Alice Kagawa  Search this

Rolf, Ida  Search this

Takaezu, Toshiko  Search this

Tawney, Lenore  Search this

Webb, Aileen O.  Search this

Zeisler, Claire  Search this

Znamerowski, Nell  Search this

Art Institute of Chicago  Search this

Moore College of Art  Search this

Nanette L. Laitman Documentation Project for Craft and Decorative Arts in America  Search this

Type:

Interviews

Sound recordings

Citation:

Quotes and excerpts must be cited as follows: Oral history interview with Ted Hallman, 2006 May 23-2008 June 3. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Topic:

Art and music  Search this

Fiber artists -- Pennsylvania -- Interviews.  Search this

Record number:

(DSI-AAA_CollID)15975

(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)305033

AAA_collcode_hallma06

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_oh_305033

Interviewee:

Conger, William, 1937-  Search this

Interviewer:

Silverman, Lanny  Search this

Subject:

Chicago Art and Artists: Oral History Project  Search this

Chicago's Art-Related Archival Materials: A Terra Foundation Resource  Search this

Type:

Sound recordings

Interviews

Citation:

Quotes and excerpts must be cited as follows: Oral history interview with William Conger, 2015 May 18-20. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Theme:

Chicago's Art-Related Archival Materials: A Terra Foundation Resource  Search this

Record number:

(DSI-AAA_CollID)16264

(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)371071

AAA_collcode_conger15

Theme:

Chicago's Art-Related Archival Materials: A Terra Foundation Resource

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_oh_371071

Interviewee:

Klement, Vera, 1929-  Search this

Interviewer:

Silverman, Lanny  Search this

Subject:

Adrian, Dennis  Search this

Ashton, Dore  Search this

Deson, Marianne  Search this

Ippolito, Angelo  Search this

Ito, Miyoko  Search this

Kind, Phyllis  Search this

Rosenberg, Harold  Search this

Shapey, Ralph  Search this

Stamos, Theodoros  Search this

Artemisia Gallery  Search this

Chicago's Art-Related Archival Materials: A Terra Foundation Resource  Search this

Chicago Art and Artists: Oral History Project  Search this

University of Chicago  Search this

Type:

Interviews

Sound recordings

Citation:

Quotes and excerpts must be cited as follows: Oral history interview with Vera Klement, 2015 June 12 and 14. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Topic:

Art, American -- New York (State) -- New York  Search this

Art, American -- Illinois -- Chicago  Search this

Pop art  Search this

Women artists  Search this

Women's rights  Search this

Women painters  Search this

Theme:

Chicago's Art-Related Archival Materials: A Terra Foundation Resource  Search this

Record number:

(DSI-AAA_CollID)16266

(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)371137

AAA_collcode_klemen15

Theme:

Chicago's Art-Related Archival Materials: A Terra Foundation Resource

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_oh_371137

Interviewee:

Schulze, Franz, 1927-2019  Search this

Interviewer:

Silverman, Lanny  Search this

Subject:

Chicago's Art-Related Archival Materials: A Terra Foundation Resource  Search this

Chicago Art and Artists: Oral History Project  Search this

Type:

Sound recordings

Interviews

Citation:

Quotes and excerpts must be cited as follows: Oral history interview with Franz Schulze, 2015 October 19-21. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Topic:

Art, American -- Illinois -- Chicago  Search this

Theme:

Chicago's Art-Related Archival Materials: A Terra Foundation Resource  Search this

Record number:

(DSI-AAA_CollID)17345

(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)380478

AAA_collcode_schulz15

Theme:

Chicago's Art-Related Archival Materials: A Terra Foundation Resource

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_oh_380478

Interviewee:

Leslie, Alfred, 1927-  Search this

Interviewer:

Berman, Avis  Search this

Type:

Sound recordings

Interviews

Citation:

Quotes and excerpts must be cited as follows: Oral history interview with Alfred Leslie, 2018 Sept. 14. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Record number:

(DSI-AAA_CollID)21655

(DSI-AAA_SIRISBib)397961

AAA_collcode_leslie18

Data Source:

Archives of American Art

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:AAADCD_oh_397961

Creator:

Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage  Search this

Type:

Blog posts

Smithsonian staff publications

Blog posts

Published Date:

Mon, 14 Aug 2023 04:00:46 GMT

Topic:

Cultural property  Search this

See more posts:

Festival Blog

Data Source:

Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:posts_07dabc476c69b4f8f083fd525ff5bef0

Creator:

Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage  Search this

Type:

Blog posts

Smithsonian staff publications

Interviews

Blog posts

Published Date:

Wed, 18 Oct 2023 17:49:39 GMT

Topic:

Cultural property  Search this

See more posts:

Festival Blog

Data Source:

Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:posts_843e18b1938576bfe0fe56b27daa4737

Creator:

Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage  Search this

Type:

Blog posts

Smithsonian staff publications

Conversations and talks

Blog posts

Published Date:

Mon, 02 Oct 2023 17:31:00 GMT

Topic:

Cultural property  Search this

See more posts:

Festival Blog

Data Source:

Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage

EDAN-URL:

edanmdm:posts_e020973bef045e883af9e77518a56cf9

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

Gardener:

O'Donnell, Helen  Search this

Owner:

Hayward, Mary  Search this

Hayward, Gordon  Search this

Provenance:

Garden Club of Dublin (New Hampshire)  Search this

Collection Creator:

Garden Club of America  Search this

Type:

Archival materials

Place:

Hayward Garden (Westminster West, Vermont)

United States of America -- Vermont -- Windham -- Westminster West

Scope and Contents:

Hayward Garden includes 63 digital images and a folder that includes worksheets, photocopies of articles and additional images including a pamphlet about a musical program created for and perfomed in the garden in 2014 as a the Yellow Barn summer program.

General:

The owners describe their one and one-half acre ornamental garden as a new garden in an old place, with its 200 year-old colonial farmhouse and attached barn, low stone walls, and old farm building foundations that have been repurposed as distinctive garden rooms within surrounding meadows and woods. They purchased the property in 1983 and spent about one year clearing the land of scrap metal and other debris, brambles and weed trees, a rotting barn, dead trees, and an old Nash Metropolitan automobile. The garden style is English, with a rectilinear format from south to north softened by lush growth in season and more evident in the long Vermont winter. The design began by drawing a straight line from the front door of the house to a 75-year-old apple tree. There is a crab apple orchard along that main axis that can be seen from the house. Brick and pea stone gravel walks, 90-foot long mixed borders, and an herb garden laid out in formal parterres are either parallel or perpendicular to the central axis of the garden. The 14 garden rooms are delineated by clipped hedges of varying heights, many of yew but also other plant materials for variation. There are four places to sit within the garden: a gazebo at the far end reached through a tunnel of pleached copper beech, an outdoor dining room on pavers under tall trees, a bench slightly above and overlooking their spring garden, and another bench next to a shed near the herb garden.

Creating a garden in harmony with the rural location was important to the owners, who subsequently purchased 19 adjacent acres and preserved the meadows and woods with the Vermont Land Trust. To instill harmony in the diverse garden rooms the owners adhere to three themes: hedges for structure, black locust posts and terra cotta containers for materials, and burgundy and other reds for the color that recurs throughout the garden rooms. Since the entire garden is unified it is possible to add variations without muddling the design. Honoring the long gone dairy farms they have turned the foundations of a milking parlor into a garden room that has low, drought tolerant plants growing among the stone flooring and three rusted milk cans. The cracked cement foundation of a former silo was turned into a pond with a fountain built into a stone wellhead and a statue of Buddha on the shore.

Gordon Hayward has written many articles for Horticulture, Taunton's Fine Gardening, and regional magazines using his own garden to teach design aesthetics and their practical application. Topics include the effective placement of planted and unplanted containers and other garden ornaments, how to build a small fountain, the importance of proportions to design, how to set vertical posts, and tips on outdoor seating and dining rooms. Good design is illustrated by reshaping lawns to complement planted borders or trees, through consistent choices of decorative materials, through applying the principles of theme and variation when choosing what to put in the garden, and through planning for the winter garden with berries and crab apples for birds and good "bones" that become evident in winter.

Persons associated with the garden include: Gordon Hayward (owner, garden designer, and gardener, 1983- ), Mary Hayward (owner, garden designer, and gardener, 1983- ), Ephraim and Lydia Johnson Ranney, and their descendants in the Buxton and Reed families (former owners, circa 1790-1983); Helen O'Donnell (gardener, 2008-2015).

Collection Restrictions:

Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.

Collection Rights:

Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.

Topic:

Gardens -- Vermont -- Westminster West  Search this

Collection Citation:

Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.

Sponsor:

A project to describe images in this finding aid received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care Initiative, administered by the National Collections Program.

Identifier:

AAG.GCA, File VT019

See more items in:

The Garden Club of America collection

The Garden Club of America collection / Series 1: United States Garden Images / Vermont

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Gardens

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/kb6348782db-b9b4-4f9c-bd8d-72b7affb6963

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aag-gca-ref11360

Patent owner:

Penn, Thomas  Search this

Penn, Richard  Search this

Former owner:

Ingles, James  Search this

Ingles, John  Search this

Beary, Christian  Search this

Beary, Daniel  Search this

Harley, Eli  Search this

Reifsnyder, John  Search this

Reitenbaugh, Joseph Elwood  Search this

Bullock, Anthony N.  Search this

Brooke, G. Clymer  Search this

Shelton Claude  Search this

Clevenger, Robert  Search this

Reading Railroad  Search this

Schuylkill and Susquehanna Navigation  Search this

Provenance:

Four Counties Garden Club  Search this

Collection Creator:

Garden Club of America  Search this

Type:

Archival materials

Place:

Company Farm (Pottstown, Pennsylvania)

United States of America -- Pennsylvania -- Montgomery County -- Pottstown

Scope and Contents:

The folder includes a worksheet, copies of photographs, copy of Pennsylvania Historic Resource Survey form, copies of public sale announcements, 1843 property inventory, 1754 deed, and garden plan.

General:

The property, being primarily a farm, had a relatively simple garden behind the house except for more sophisticated landscaping by the former owners of the Tudor-style house. Historically, there has been a strong connection of the property to the old Schuylkill Canal. In the early 19th century, the farm was used to raise mules needed to pull the barges from upstate Pennsylvania to Philadelphia. The present owners wished to emphasize the natural landscape. A pond is fed from run-off from a spring. Rhododendrons are interspersed with grassy areas and stone walls. A trip to a Japanese garden, designed by Kobori Enshu, inspired the owners to recreate it using stones to represent cranes and a small central peninsula representing the island of eternal youth. A later trip to Thailand inspired the garden's Thai Spirit House. The garden has been used for Thai students to perform dances, for weddings, and as a gathering place for Easter sunrise services and garden tours.

Special appreciation for the owners' children's hard work is shown by placing bronze statues in special garden settings. "Celebration," by L'Deane Trueblood (1999), is dancing in a large oval garden. The bronze statue, "Wings," by Gary Price (1996), stands on a high rock depicting a young boy launching his model plane. "Child of Peace," by Edward Fenno Hoffman III. (1960), depicts a boy cuddling a dove. "Garden Chimes," by Val Bertoia (2000), represents the gardener's love for music.

Persons associated with the garden include: Thomas and Richard Penn (patent owners, 1754); James and John Ingles (former owners, 1754-1806); Christian and Daniel Beary (former owners, 1806-1836); Eli Harley (1836-1844); John Reifsnyder (former owner, 1844-1847); Schuylkill Navigation Company (former owner, 1847-1896); Reading Railroad (former owners, 1896-1914); Joseph Elwood Reitenbaugh (former owner, 1914-1928); Anthony N. Bullock (former owner, 1928-1934); G. Clymer Brooke (former owner, 1934-1945); Claude and Minnie Shelton (former owners, 1945-1970); and Robert Clevenger (former owner, 1970).

Related Materials:

Company Farm related holdings consist of 1 folder (12 35 mm. slides and 2 photoprints)

Collection Restrictions:

Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.

Collection Rights:

Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.

Topic:

Gardens -- Pennsylvania -- Pottstown  Search this

Collection Citation:

Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.

Sponsor:

A project to describe images in this finding aid received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care Initiative, administered by the National Collections Program.

Identifier:

AAG.GCA, File PA620

See more items in:

The Garden Club of America collection

The Garden Club of America collection / Series 1: United States Garden Images / Pennsylvania

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Gardens

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/kb6c2d89d68-71e6-4aed-bfdf-45c99189d605

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aag-gca-ref16557

Photographer:

Robertson, Ben  Search this

Collection Creator:

Garden Club of America  Search this

Extent:

1 Photographic print (col., 4.75 x 7 in.)

Type:

Archival materials

Photographic prints

Place:

Blackwood (Harrisville, Pennsylvania)

Date:

2012 Jun.

Collection Restrictions:

Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.

Collection Rights:

Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.

Topic:

Gardens -- Pennsylvania -- Harrisville  Search this

Lilies  Search this

Daylilies  Search this

Fountains  Search this

Garden borders  Search this

Flower beds  Search this

Buildings  Search this

Benches  Search this

Rockwork  Search this

Genre/Form:

Photographic prints

Collection Citation:

Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.

Sponsor:

A project to describe images in this finding aid received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care Initiative, administered by the National Collections Program.

Identifier:

AAG.GCA, Item PA714037

See more items in:

The Garden Club of America collection

The Garden Club of America collection / Series 1: United States Garden Images / Pennsylvania / PA714: Harrisville -- Blackwood

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Gardens

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/kb61333fe38-78f1-4d69-8b24-642eab9dabf1

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aag-gca-ref30229

Photographer:

Whitney, Kate Lucey (Kathryn Lucey)  Search this

Owner:

Cronin, Maureen  Search this

Marosits, Mark  Search this

Garden designer:

Cronin, Maureen  Search this

Marosits, Mark  Search this

Provenance:

Newport Garden Club  Search this

Collection Creator:

Garden Club of America  Search this

Type:

Archival materials

Place:

United States of America -- Rhode Island -- New Port County -- Newport

Walnut Point Arboretum (Newport, Rhode Island)

Scope and Contents:

20 digital images (2021-2023) and 1 file folder.

Restrictions:

There was a single tree on the approximately one-tenth acre property when the owners purchased the 1850 house and land in 2010. They created a micro-arboretum with more than 80 different species of plants and were accredited as an arboretum by ArbNet in 2018. Layered planting enables considerable variety in the choice of plants. The garden's concept is to create rooms that mirror the rooms in the house. A serpentine path of natural stone pavers known as the Hallway starts at the front porch, planted with eastern red bud, conifers, arborvitae, crepe myrtle, peonies, gingko and Scotch broom. At the end of the path there is a European medlar tree that was imported. The Library is entered under an archway and has water features, a flowering franklinia, ghost and umbrella pines, and a maple that will grow to 60 feet. The Living Room has seating and a fire pit, all enclosed by a pergola covered by wisteria.

A former garage, now The Studio, is indoor space with French doors that look out onto the garden, with a terrace, koi pond and waterfall alongside. The Kitchen designed for outdoor meal preparation has large mosaic tile laid in pea stone and is framed by 10-foot-tall rose of Sharon on the southern perimeter of the property. Comfortable furniture, twinkling lights and music enhance outdoor living. The arboretum has to be kept up to standards every year and may have to be reconfigured as trees and shrubs grow larger. Other plans include stone walls, gates, and turning a parking area into new rooms.

Persons associated with the garden's design: Maureen Cronin and Mark Marosits.

Collection Rights:

Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.

Topic:

Gardens -- Rhode Island -- Newport  Search this

Collection Citation:

Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.

Sponsor:

A project to describe images in this finding aid received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care Initiative, administered by the National Collections Program.

Identifier:

AAG.GCA, File RI176

See more items in:

The Garden Club of America collection

The Garden Club of America collection / Series 1: United States Garden Images / Rhode Island

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Gardens

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/kb67ecbc89e-f8eb-4d79-a219-4dfc4f72aad0

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-aag-gca-ref33362

Collector:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History  Search this

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

American Federation of Teachers  Search this

Department of Defense, Comprehensive Review Working Group  Search this

Gay Officers Action League. GOAL  Search this

Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center of Baltimore and Central Maryland  Search this

ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives  Search this

San Diego LGBT Pride  Search this

Servicemembers Legal Defense Network  Search this

Smith College  Search this

University of Connecticut  Search this

William Way Community Center  Search this

Biren, Joan E.  Search this

Bushnell, Megan  Search this

Davidson, James, Dr.  Search this

Dietrich, Joe  Search this

Exline, Gregory  Search this

Florence, Laura  Search this

Huebner, David  Search this

Jain, Shawn  Search this

Karazsia, Amy  Search this

Karazsia, William G.  Search this

Lombardi, Angela  Search this

Lynch, Patsy  Search this

Meinke, Mark  Search this

Nitz, Ryan  Search this

Reichard, Bradley  Search this

Robinson, Franklin A., Jr., 1959- (actor)  Search this

Ros, Silvia  Search this

Sabatino, Michael  Search this

Shannon, Michael A.  Search this

Sheets, Justin  Search this

Snodgrass, Adam  Search this

Voorheis, Robert  Search this

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

Other:

Larson, Gordon P., 1910-1988 -- 20th century  Search this

Names:

McWaine, Dwayne, Dr.  Search this

Extent:

70.2 Cubic feet (213 boxes, 22 map-folders)

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Passports

Postcards

Photographs

Posters

Videocassettes

Advertising

Dvds

Songbooks

Periodicals

Place:

Canada -- Description and Travel

Germany -- description and travel

Amsterdam (Netherlands)

Washington, D.C. -- history

Los Angeles (Calif.)

New York, New York

Date:

1825-2023, undated

bulk 1960-2023

Summary:

This collection contains a variety of periodicals, photographs, correspondence, business and advertising ephemera (corporate and non-profit, personal), organizational records and ephemera, created by, for, and in reaction to the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) community.

Scope and Contents:

The Archives Center Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) Collection contains periodicals, ephemera, posters, postcards, advertisements, photographs, organizational records, publications, correspondence, and other materials related to all aspects of the LGBT community and the civil rights issues pertaining thereto. The collection was created by the Archives Center to bring together materials specifically pertaining to the LGBT community. This collection contains material from communities and individuals throughout the United States. The collection is currently strongest in periodicals, newspapers and ephemera and very strong in material from California and New York. The collection continues to add new items and the researcher would be wise to take a broad view in targeting their research topics in the collection.

Arrangement:

The collection is divided into twenty-eight series.

Series 1: Periodicals, 1937-2023

Series 2: Agencies, Associations, and Organizations, 1965-2023, undated

Series 3: Community Life and Subject Files, 1825-2023, undated

Subseries 3.1: Photographs and Slides, 1870-2009, undated

Subseries 3.2: Ephemera and Buttons, 1969-2022, undated

Subseries 3.3: Posters and Prints, 1825-2018, undated

Subseries 3.4: Subject Files, 1958-2023, undated

Subseries 3.5: Pride, 1976-2023, undated

Subseries 3.6: HIV and AIDS, 1987-2020, undated

Subseries 3.7: Gay Games, 1982-2018

Series 4: Advertising, Business, and Publications, 1912-2023, undated

Subseries 4.1: Advertising, 1970-2018, undated

Subseries 4.2: Business, 1986-2021, undated

Subseries 4.3: Television, Theater, and Motion Pictures, 1978-2023, undated

Subseries 4.4: Bar ephemera and advertisement, 1979-2018, undated

Subseries 4.5: Publications, 1912-2023, undated

Series 5: Biren, Joan E. (JEB), 195-2018, undated

Subseries 5.1: Xerographic Copies of Photoprints, 1971-1995, undated.

Subseries 5.2: Posters and Oversize Advertisement, 1973-2018, undated

Series 6: Dietrich, Joseph A., 1992-2010

Series 7: Mattachine Society Records, 1942-1996, undated

Subseries 7.1: Correspondence, 1952-1991, undated

Subseries 7.2: Board of Directors Minutes, 1954-1974, undated

Subseries 7.3: Organizational Information, 1942-1993, undated

Subseries 7.4: Councils, Chapters, and Committees, 1953-1965, undated

Subseries 7.5: Conventions, 1953-1960, undated

Subseries 7.6: Publications, 1944-1996, undated

Series 8: Rainbow History Community Pioneers, 2003-2012, undated

Series 9: Strub, Sean O., addendum, 1987-2011, undated

Series 10: Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Baltimore (GLCCB, 1990-2014, undated

Series 11: Ros, Silvia, 2009-2011

Series 12: Huebner, David, 2009-2014

Series 13: St. George, Philip, 1945-1955, undated

Series 14: Will & Grace, 1995-2006

Series 15: Barna, Joseph T. and Heritage of Pride (HOP), New York, New York, 1910-2014, undated

Subseries 15.1: Photographs, Photographic Negatives, and Slides, 1985-2010, undated

Subseries 15.2: Heritage of Pride (HOP), 1984-2014, undated

Subseries 15.3: Barna, Joseph T., 1910-2013, undated,

Series 16: Becker, John M., 1999-2014, undated

Series 17: Rohrbaugh, Richard, 1972-1986, undated

Series 18: Guest, Michael E., 2001-2009

Series 19: The Fosters, 2013

Series 20: Pride at Work, 1990-2015

Series 21: Sabatino, Michael and Voorheis, Robert, 1980-2016, undated

Subseries 21.1: Archilla, Gustavo A. and Lokkins, Elmer T., 1916-2014, undated

Series 22: Gay Officers Action League (GOAL), 1982-2016, undated

Series 23: Brown, Adele "Del" and Herizon's Bar, 1985-1991, undated

Subseries 1: Changing Herizons, and Herizons Newsletter, 1983-1991

Series 24: Universal Fellowship Metropolitan Community Churches (UFMCC), 1957-2019, undated

Series 25: The Christmas House, Crown Media Family Networks, 2020-2021

Series 26: Cones, Myra L. and Harris, G. Yvonne, 1979-2001, undated

Series 27: Atlantic States Gay Rodeo Association (ASGRA), 1993-2004, undated

Series 28: Hooker, Meryl, 1989-1996, undated

Historical Note:

While the quest for equal rights has been pursued by generations, it is generally acknowledged that the modern day Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) civil rights movement began in New York City in June 1969 with the Stonewall Riots. Prior to this time a number of activists, individuals, and organizations such as The Mattachine Society, Daughters of Bilitis and others, fought to bring recognition of LGBT civil rights to the forefront of American society. While the movement was primarily, and most visably, centered in New York City and San Francisco, periodicals, guide books, and ephemeral material interconnected the larger LGBT community throughout the United States. The increased visibility of the LGBT movement inspired affinity groups at odds with the LGBT community's new found visibility and quest for broader civil rights. The challenge to what was termed "traditional" values encouraged these counter-LGBT groups to define and solidfy their constituency and also become more pro-active. This collection comprises material that is generated by individuals and organizations promoting both points of view.

Related Materials:

Materials in the Archives Center

Michio and Aveline Kushi Macro-Biotics Collection (AC0619)

The Shamrock Bar: Photographs and Interviews (AC0857)

John-Manuel Andriote Victory Deferred Collection (AC1128)

Archives Center Wedding Documentation Collection (AC1131 )

Division of Science, Medicine, and Society HIV/AIDS Reference Collection (AC1134)

John-Manuel Andriote Hot Stuff: A Brief History of Disco Collection (AC1184)

Joan E. Biren (JEB) Queer Film Museum Collection (AC1216)

World AIDS Institute (WAI) Collection (AC1266)

Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN) Records (AC1282)

Helping Persons with AIDS (HPA) Records (AC1283)

DC Cowboys Dance Company Records (AC1312)

Bil Browning and Jerame Davis Papers (AC1334)

David Hadley Rockwell New York Disco Ephemera Collection (AC1342)

Leonard P. Hirsch Federal Globe Records (AC1357)

Corbett Reynolds Papers (AC1390)

Mark Segal Papers (AC1422)

The Mattachine Society of Washington "Love in Action" Collection (AC1428)

Academy of Washington Records (AC1458)

Matthew Shepard Papers (AC1463)

I'm From Driftwood Records (AC1503)

The Division of Political History holds artifacts related to gay activist Franklin Kameny and a variety of political buttons. They also hold LGBT related artifacts from Joan E. Biren (JEB).

The Division of Medical and Science holds objects donated from Dr. Renee Richards, Sean O. Strub, and Leonard Hirsch.

The Division of Entertainment and the Arts holds objects donated by The Fosters, Will & Grace, and The Christmas House.

Provenance:

This collection was assembled by the Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian, beginning in 2004.

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.

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.

Topic:

Women's music  Search this

Transgender people -- Identity  Search this

Sexual orientation  Search this

Political activists  Search this

Lesbianism  Search this

Lesbian and gay experience  Search this

Gay activists  Search this

Homosexuality  Search this

HIV and AIDS  Search this

Feminism  Search this

Bisexuality  Search this

Bars (Drinking establishments)  Search this

Gay Pride  Search this

Genre/Form:

Passports

Postcards

Photographs -- 2000-2010

Posters

Videocassettes

Advertising

DVDs

Photographs -- 20th century

Songbooks

Periodicals

Citation:

Archives Center Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Collection, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution

Identifier:

NMAH.AC.1146

See more items in:

Archives Center Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) Collection

Archival Repository:

Archives Center, National Museum of American History

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ep80327b53b-2daa-47d1-8c11-89a7b3f4e1bd

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-nmah-ac-1146

Creator:

Falkenstein, Claire, 1908-1997  Search this

Names:

Coos Art Museum  Search this

Fresno Art Museum  Search this

Galerie Anderson-Mayer  Search this

Galerie Stadler  Search this

Jack Rutberg Fine Arts (Los Angeles, Calif.)  Search this

John Bolles Gallery (San Francisco, Calif.)  Search this

Los Angeles Museum of Art  Search this

Malvina Miller  Search this

Martha Jackson Gallery  Search this

Merging One Gallery  Search this

Mills College -- Faculty  Search this

Pond Farm Workshop  Search this

San Francisco Museum of Art  Search this

University of California, San Francisco. School of Fine Arts -- Faculty  Search this

Green, Ray, 1908-1997  Search this

Guggenheim, Peggy, 1898-1979  Search this

Kuh, Katharine  Search this

O'Donnell, May, 1906-2004  Search this

Sawyer, Kenneth B.  Search this

Still, Clyfford, 1904-  Search this

Still, Patricia  Search this

Tapie, Michel  Search this

Temko, Allan  Search this

Tobey, Mark  Search this

Wildenhain, Frans, 1905-1980  Search this

Extent:

42.8 Linear feet

Type:

Collection descriptions

Archival materials

Sketchbooks

Diaries

Scrapbooks

Interviews

Date:

circa 1914-1997

bulk 1940-1990

Summary:

The papers of sculptor, painter, jewelry designer, and teacher Claire Falkenstein measure 42.8 linear feet and date from 1917 to her death in 1997. There is extensive correspondence with fellow artists, collectors, critics, friends, museums, and galleries. The collection also contains biographical materials, much of it collected and organized by Falkenstein, personal and business records, writings, diaries, exhibition files, commission files, teaching files, photographs, original artwork, scrapbooks, and printed materials. There is a short motion picture film of an interview with Falkenstein featuring the windows she designed for St. Basil's Church in Los Angeles.

Scope and Content Note:

The papers of sculptor, painter, jewelry designer, and teacher Claire Falkenstein measure 42.8 linear feet and date from 1917 to her death in 1997. There is extensive correspondence with fellow artists, collectors, critics, friends, museums, and galleries. The collection also contains biographical materials, much of it collected and organized by Falkenstein, personal and business records, writings, diaries, exhibition files, commission files, teaching files, photographs, original artwork, scrapbooks, and printed materials. There is a short motion picture film of an interview with Falkenstein featuring the windows she designed for St. Basil's Church in Los Angeles.

Biographical material includes appointment calendars, awards and honorary degrees, interview transcripts, passports, resumes, wills, and scrapbooks. Scrapbooks were compiled by Falkenstein and focus primarily on her exhibitions at the Galerie Stadler and Gallery Meyer in 1959 and 1960. Also of interest are the "biography files" created and arranged by Falkenstein. These files contain material that she personally felt was the most important in documenting her activities each year. They include correspondence, exhibition catalogs, printed material, and invitations.

Measuring nine linear feet, correspondence is extensive and comprehensively documents Falkenstein's work, social life, relationships, and other business and personal activities. Correspondence dates from 1941 to 1997 and includes business letters and correspondence with friends and family. Her communications with friends, family, clients, gallery owners, collectors, museums, publishers, foundations, and grant agencies reveal many of her ideas and techniques. Individual correspondents include Ray Green, Peggy Guggenheim, Katharine Kuh, May O'Donnell, Ken Sawyer, Clyfford and Pat Still, Michel Tapie, Allan Temko, Mark Tobey, and Frans Wildenhain. Gallery and museum correspondence is with the San Francisco Museum of Art, Coos Art Museum, Los Angeles Museum of Art, Galerie Stadler (Paris), Gallery Mayer (Paris), Malvina Miller (New York), Martha Jackson Gallery (New York), Jack Rutberg Fine Arts (Los Angeles), Galerie Anderson-Mayer (Paris), and Bolles Gallery. Correspondence is also found in the Commission Files and Exhibition Files.

Personal and business records contain a wide variety of material documenting Falkenstein's business, financial, legal, professional, and personal transactions. Files are found for sales and prices, art inventories, smaller jewelry commissions, her work as a juror, her business with galleries, legal affairs and contracts, expenses, records of arts organizations to which she belonged, conferences, grants and fellowships, studio and house renovations, her Paris studio and Paris expenses, travel, donations, loans and consignments, conservation, art shipping, insurance, and taxes. Oversized visitor's logs contain comments from visitors to Falkenstein's studio in Venice, California.

Falkenstein maintained comprehensive documentation of her exhibitions from her first exhibition in the 1930s to the last one at the Merging One Gallery in 1996. Files include both a chronological record and individual record for nearly all of her exhibitions. Found with the files are correspondence, photographs, loan and shipping records, catalogs, announcements, clippings, articles, and other records. Most of the photographs related to exhibitions are found in the Photographs Series. The files for exhibitions at the Fresno Art Museum, Martha Jackson Gallery and Jack Rutberg Fine Art Gallery are particularly rich.

Commission files document nearly all of Falkenstein's public and private large-scale projects and often contain a visual record of the work, as well as correspondence, design notes, contracts, and expense reports. There is documentation of the St. Basils Church windows in Los Angeles; the Peggy Guggenheim gate in Venice, Italy; and the fountain at the California Savings and Loan, in Los Angeles; and many others. There is also a chronological record of her commissions. The bulk of the photographs of commissions are found in the Photograph series. Also, most of Falkenstein's jewelry design commissions are found in the Personal and Business Records series.

Falkenstein's work as a prolific writer, particularly in the 1940s and 1950s, is well-documented here through her numerous published articles in Arts and Architecture magazine, and the New York Herald-Tribune. Her work for Arts and Architecture was primarily written for the "Art Comments from San Francisco" section. She was living in Paris when she contributed an art news column to the New York Herald-Tribune. Also found here are five diaries and one journal dating from circa 1929-1978. The entries are inconsistent and concern mostly travel. The diaries from 1929 and 1934 are more personal. Falkenstein also maintained extensive notes and notebooks about artwork ideas, observations about art, research, and even drafts of letters. There are also many notes about various topics, including art and class notes. Additional writings are eclectic and cover a wide range of topics, including music, poetry, the script for Falkestein's film entitled Touching the Quick, and drafts of her unpublished book on murals. A handful of writings by others are found, most with annotations by Falkenstein.

Teaching files include Falkenstein's numerous lectures given while teaching at Mills College, Pond Farm Workshops, and California School of Fine Arts, and various symposiums and conferences. Also found are lesson plans, contracts, scattered correspondence, and notes. The files on her tenure at the Pond Farm Workshops are particularly interesting, with notes about her fellow teacher Frans Wildenhain and correspondence with workshop owners, Jane and Gordon Herr.

There are extensive photographs of Falkenstein, her family and friends, colleagues, commissions, exhibitions, and works of art. Included are many images of Falkenstein, of Falkenstien with her art, of Falkentstien working, and of Falkenstein's studio. There are numerous photographs of Falkenstein with friends, family, and colleagues in social or work settings. Also found are photographs of exhibition openings, installation views, and works of art exhibited. Additional photographs document Falkenstein's commissions, including images of her at work. Additional images of commissions may also be found in the Commission Series, but the bulk are filed here. There are numerous photographs of Falkenstein's works of art, including drawings, sculpture, jewelry, murals, lamps, and ceramics.

Falkenstein's papers include a large amount of sketches, sketchbooks, and drawings. Many of the sketches and drawings relate to her ideas about commissions and large sculpture, jewelry designs, and general sketches. Sketches are also found in the Commission Files. Also included are drawings by Mark Tobey and Michel Tapie, and others.

Finally, printed materials include general exhibition catalogs, newspapers clippings, and clippings of articles by and about Falkenstein. Also included are books that have been inscribed and signed by the author.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged into 9 series:

Missing Title

Series 1: Biographical Materials, 1934-1997 (Box 1-4, 41; 4.3 linear feet)

Series 2: Correspondence, 1931-1997 (Box 5-13; 9 linear feet)

Series 3: Personal and Business Records, 1936-1997 (Box 14-17, 41, 46-49; 4.2 linear feet)

Series 4: Exhibitions, 1930-1996 (Box 18-21, 42, OV 50; 3.3 linear feet)

Series 5. Commissions, 1930-1992 (Box 21-22, OV 50-54 ; 2.0 linear feet)

Series 6: Writings, circa 1929-1993 (Box 22-26, 42, 55; 4.6 linear feet)

Series 7: Teaching Files, 1929-1995 (Box 26; .8 linear feet)

Series 8: Photographs, circa 1917-1997 (Box 27-35, 43, 55-56; 9.5 linear feet)

Series 9: Artwork, circa 1937-1995 (Box 36-37, 44, 57; 2.0 linear feet)

Series 10: Printed Materials, circa 1914-1990 (Box 37-40, 45, 58; 3.9 linear feet)

Biographical Note:

Claire Falkenstein (1908-1997) spent the majority of her life working as an artist, sculptor, jewelry designer, teacher, and writer in California.

Claire Falkenstein was born in 1908 and grew up in Coos Bay, Oregon. In 1920, Falkenstein and her family moved to Berkeley, California, where she attended high school and then college at the University of California at Berkeley, studying philosophy, anthropology, and art. She graduated in 1930. Falkenstein had her first solo show at the East-West Gallery in San Francisco in 1930, the only member of her class to have an exhibition before graduation.

During the early 1930s, Falkenstein studied at Mills College with modernist sculptor Alexander Archipenko. There she also met Bauhaus artists Laszlo Moholy-Nagy and Gyorgy Kepes. Falkenstein married her high school sweetheart, Richard McCarthy in 1936.

In 1944, Falkenstein had her first New York exhibition at the Bonestall Gallery. At that time, Falkenstein's primary mediums were stone and wood. However, she became increasingly experimental with new materials that included sheet aluminum, Cor-Ten steel, glass, plastics, and welded wire rods while maintaining a connection to organic and natural forms. Her work in jewelry design was an outlet for exploring these new materials, forms, and techniques on a small scale. As her work grew physically larger, so did her recognition and it was her work in sculpture that won her a faculty appointment at the California School of Fine Arts from 1947-1949. It was here that she met Patricia and Clyfford Still, Hassel Smith, and Richard Diebenkorn.

In 1948, Falkenstein was invited to exhibit at the Salon des Realites Nouvelle in Paris, her first European show. She eventually moved to Europe in 1950 and had studios in Paris, Venice, and Rome. While in Europe, Falkenstein executed a number of large scale commissions, including the stair screen for Galerie Stadler (1955), grotto gates for Princess Pignatelli's villa in Rome (1957), and the bronze, steel, and the glass gate at the Peggy Guggenheim Museum in Venice (1961). While in Paris, she became acquainted with noted art critic Michel Tapie, with whom she maintained a life-long friendship.

During the 1940s and 1950s Falkenstein was a regular contributor to Arts and Architecture magazine, most often writing the "Art Comments from San Francisco" section. While in Paris, she also wrote a column on art news for the New York Herald Tribune.

Falkenstein returned to the United States in 1962, eventually renovating a studio space in Venice, California. It was here that she conceived her largest commissions. In 1965, Falkenstein received a commission from the California Savings and Loan to create a sculpture for a large fountain at the front of the bank in downtown Los Angeles. The copper tube fountain, entitled "Structure and Flow #2," was the first of many large scale public art commissions that Falkenstein completed during her years in California. Her most important commission in the United States, completed in 1969, was for the doors, rectory gates and grills and stained-glass windows for St. Basil's Church on Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles. The eight doors and fifteen rectory screens, including 80 foot high windows in the nave, were an expansion of the "never ending screen" concept that Falkenstein executed with the Pignatelli commission in Rome. She continued to use this motif in her work throughout her career.

Claire Falkenstein worked as an arts instructor, visiting artist, and guest lecturer at many colleges, workshops, and schools in California. Her first position was at Mills College from 1946-1947. Shortly thereafter, she was appointed to the faculty at the California School of Fine Arts and later taught in the Extension Divisions of the University of California, Berkeley. She taught classes at California State Polytechnic University, California State University at Davis, and the Anna Head School. Falkenstein also taught art at the Pond Farm Workshops in California, and lectured at numerous colleges and museums. She served on many juried art shows in Southern California.

Falkenstein was acquainted with many artists, writers, instructors, collectors, gallery owners, and critics. Close friends included Esther and Bob Robles, Clyfford and Patricia Still, Michel Tapie, Allan Temko, Mark Tobey, Frans Wildenhain, and other notable figures in the art world.

Falkenstein continued to complete large scale private and public commissioned sculptures during the 1960s through the 1980s, including work for the University of Southern California, Hyland Biological Laboratory, California State University at Dominquez Hills and the California State Department of Motor Vehicles. Throughout her career, Falkenstein's work was featured in numerous exhibitions across the country. Her sculpture and other artwork can be found in the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Coos Art Museum, Harvard University Art Museum, University of Southern California Fisher Museum of Art, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and the Tate Gallery.

Falkenstein died in 1997 at the age of 89.

Related Material:

The Archives of American Art also holds two oral history interviews with Claire Falkenstein. The interview on April 13, 1965 was conducted by Betty Hoag and the one on March 2 and 21, 1995 was conducted by Paul Karlstrom.

Provenance:

The Claire Falkenstein papers were donated in 1997 by Steffan Wacholtz and Nancy Kendall, trustees for the Claire Falkenstein Trust.

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:

Sculptors -- California  Search this

Painters -- California  Search this

Jewelers -- California  Search this

Educators -- California  Search this

Authors -- California  Search this

Topic:

Art patronage  Search this

Artists' studios  Search this

Women artists  Search this

Women painters  Search this

Women designers  Search this

Women educators  Search this

Women authors  Search this

Genre/Form:

Sketchbooks

Diaries

Scrapbooks

Interviews

Citation:

Claire Falkenstein papers, circa 1914-1997, bulk 1940-1990. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Sponsor:

Funding for the processing of this collection was provided by the Getty Foundation.

Identifier:

AAA.falkclai

See more items in:

Claire Falkenstein papers

Archival Repository:

Archives of American Art

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/mw9911c74ff-413b-4b54-9280-89c8b0480495

EDAN-URL:

ead_collection:sova-aaa-falkclai