The records of nationally renowned Boston, Massachussetts, stained glass design company, Wilbur H. Burnham Studios, measure 40.3 linear feet and date from circa 1901-1991. The majority of the collection consists of project files for the studio's stained glass window contracts throughout the United States from the 1920s-1980s. In addition to project files, records include biographical material for the owners, correspondence relating to personal and studio business, general business and financial records, writings such as published articles by Wilbur H. Burnham, scrapbooks and other printed material documenting the history of the company, artwork including extensive watercolor design studies for stained glass, and photographic material. There is a 3.4 linear foot unprocessed addition to this collection donated in 2021 that includes sketches, awards, printed material, passports, biographical material, Christmas cards, photographs and negatives of Burnham and works of art, slides and postcards of stained glass windows, posthumous material, a bound ledger, legal papers, invoices and receipts, project files and glass plate negatives. Materials date from circa 1901-1991.
Scope and Content Note:
The records of nationally renowned Boston, Massachussetts, stained glass design company, Wilbur H. Burnham Studios, measure 40.3 linear feet and date from circa 1901-1991. The majority of the collection consists of project files for the studio's stained glass window contracts throughout the United States from the 1920s-1980s. In addition to project files, records include biographical material for the owners, correspondence relating to personal and studio business, general business and financial records, writings such as published articles by Wilbur H. Burnham, scrapbooks and other printed material documenting the history of the company, artwork including extensive watercolor design studies for stained glass, and photographic material. There is a 3.4 linear foot unprocessed addition to this collection donated in 2021 that includes sketches, awards, printed material, passports, biographical material, Christmas cards, photographs and negatives of Burnham and works of art, slides and postcards of stained glass windows, posthumous material, a bound ledger, legal papers, invoices and receipts, project files and glass plate negatives. Materials date from circa 1901-1991.
Biographical material includes resume details and autobiographical notes for Burnham and Burnham, Jr., in addition to membership and fellow certificates.
Correspondence documents general studio business and includes correspondence with current and prospective clients, correspondence related to exhibitions, Burnham, Jr.'s activities on the Executive Committee of the America Arts Exposition, Inc., and the 1940 annual meeting of the Stained Glass Association of America and related business. Also found is some personal correpondence with friends and colleagues. Of note are 4 letters from stained glass artist Charles J. Connick giving his opinions on other stained glass artists, including Burnham, and a letter written by sculptor and designer, Joseph D. Portanova.
General business files include personnel records, records relating to a studio apprenticeship in stained glass design, a 1932 inventory of the studios, and leases and other legal documentation.
Writings include published articles by Burnham, in addition to draft typescripts for a book on stained glass which was never published, and research notes used as background material for stained glass studies. These notes include a number of pencil sketches.
19 diaries and journals consist of travel diaries and date books containing notes on daily appointments, financial notes, and addresses.
Project files form the bulk of the collection and document projects in circa 250 locations throughout the United States and Bellau, France, from the 1920s-1980s through correspondence with clients, architects and builders, contracts, purchase orders, building plans, sketches, scattered photographs and some printed material. Of particular note are extensive files on stained glass for New York's Cathedral of Saint John the Divine, Saint Mary's Cathedral in Peoria, Illinois, Saint Martin's Church in Providence, Rhode Island, and the National Cathedral in Washington D. C. The series also includes a group of contract files for the company Reynolds, Francis & Rohnstock (later Joseph G. Reynolds), a contemporary of Wilbur H. Burnham Studios.
Financial records include payment and receipt journals, expense reports, bills, account books and general ledgers which provide finanical documentation from the 1930s to the 1980s.
Printed material includes news clippings about Burnham studios and stained glass in general, in addition to source material used in subject research.
Additional newsclippings about Burnham Studios can be found in three scrapbooks which also house announcements and invitations, and scattered photographs. One scrapbook contains photographs of windows designed by the studios for the Church of Saint Vincent De Paul in Los Angeles, California.
Artwork and sketchbooks include some artwork by Burnham, Jr., such as pencil and ink sketches, life drawings, and some watercolors. The bulk of the series consists of watercolor design studies on board for many of the studio's projects documented in the project files. Also found are some stained glass design sketches and cartoons, primarily in pencil and charcoal with scattered watercolors, as well as seven folders of material used in creating stained glass patterns and templates.
Photographic material includes photos of Burnham and Burnham, Jr., and of studio work in progress, as well as photographs of artwork, primarily of stained glass created for a significant number of the studio's contracts.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as 12 series:
Missing Title
Series 1: Biographical Materials, circa 1930s-circa 1970s (Boxes 1, 27; 4 folders)
Series 2: Correspondence, 1920s-1991 (Box 1; 0.9 linear feet)
Series 3: General Business Files, 1930s-1970 (Box 2; 0.38 linear feet)
Series 4: Writings and Notes, 1920s-1950s (Box 2; 6 folders)
Series 5: Diaries and Journals, circa 1920s-circa 1960s (Box 2; 4 folders)
Series 6: Project Files, 1916-1980s (Boxes 2-12, 42; 10.6 linear feet)
Series 7: Financial Records, 1928-1982 (Boxes 13-14; 1.14 linear feet)
Series 8: Printed Material, circa 1920s-1980s (Boxes 14-15, 27-28; 1.89 linear feet)
Series 9: Scrapbooks, circa 1920s-circa 1970s (Boxes 15-16, 28, OVs 48-49, BV 84; 1.05 linear feet)
Series 10: Artwork and Sketchbooks, circa 1920s-circa 1980s (Boxes 16-23, 29-39, OVs 50-73, 85, RD 83; 13.15 linear feet)
Series 11: Photographic Materials, circa 1904-circa 1980s (Boxes 23-26, 29, 40-41, 43-47, OVs 74-82; 5.8 linear feet)
Series 12: Unprocessed Addition, circa 1901-1991 (Boxes 86-88, 91-93 OVs 89-90, 94; 3.4 linear feet)
Historical Note:
Boston, Massachussets stained glass design firm, Wilbur H. Burnham Studios, was founded by master stained glass craftsman Wilbur H. Burnham, in 1922. Together with Charles J. Connick and Joseph G. Reynolds, Burnham studios became recognized as one of the most prominent stained glass design companies in the United States. Burnham took early commissions from influential American architect Ralph Adams Cram, and believed strongly in the medieval stained glass tradition. In the late 1930s his son, Wilbur H. Burnham, Jr., who had received an informal education on tours of Europe with his family, and a BFA from Yale University, joined the firm.
Some of the studio's most notable commissions included seventeen windows for the Washington National Cathedral in Washington, D. C., all the windows and murals for Saint Mary's Cathedral, Peoria, Illinois, ten windows for the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine in New York City, and five for the Riverside Church, also in New York City.
Both Burnham and Burnham, Jr., served as presidents of the Stained Glass Association of American from 1938-1941 and 1956-1957 respectively. Burnham, Jr., took over the studio in 1968 when his father retired, and sold the studios in 1982.
Provenance:
The Wilbur H. Burnham Studios records were donated in 8 accessions by Wilbur H. Burnham, Jr., from 1977-1981 and by Wilbur C. Burnham, grandson of the founder, in 1990-1991 and 2021. Scott McDaniel, co-owner of the firm, contributed to the 1990 donation.
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.
Occupation:
Stained glass artists -- Massachusetts Search this
This collection consists of chemical formulae developed by Lawrence Saint for use in his stained glass work at the Washington National Cathedral. There are supporting samples, records, and notes.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of 976 formulae developed by Lawrence Saint for making stained glass. A shoe box contains 3" x 5" index cards of the formulae. Included are duplicate formulae and some miscellaneous notes. There are also over eight hundred samples of glass for various formulae. Some of the formulae were missing when the collection was donated to the National Museum of American History. These are noted in the container list.
Arrangement:
This collection is divided into three series.
Series 1, Formulae, 1927-1933
Series 2, Notes and Records, 1926-1936
Series 3, Glass Samples, 1927-1933
Biographical / Historical:
Lawrence B. Saint was born in Pittsburgh in 1885. The work he did with stained glass, especially filming (the process of making a work of stained glass, old or new, look as if it is from the Middle Ages), influenced glassmakers everywhere. At thirteen, Saint was employed in Goeddel's wallpaper store. While at Goeddel's, Saint made sketches which impressed J. Horace Ruby, a former Goeddel's employee. Saint then began working under Ruby at Ruby Brothers Stained Glass Company. Saint's chores in the studio were to grind paint, trace patterns, sweep the floors, and build fires in the pot-bellied stove. Saint worked in this studio for four years. He saved enough money to put himself through the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia.
After art school, Saint was employed by the H. F. Petgen Company of Pittsburgh to design a large rose window for the Roman Catholic Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul in East Liberty, Pennsylvania. It was a mosaic of color with symbols of the four evangelists of Christ. During his last year in art school, Saint met his future wife, Katherine Wright. Their honeymoon in Europe provided Saint time to study and copy medieval stained glass. Saint made at least three visits to Europe and collected sample glass from Chartres and other cathedrals.
When Saint returned to the United States he designed and painted windows for eleven years under the direction of Raymond Pitcairn, promoter of medieval arts at Bryn Athyn Cathedral in Pennsylvania. During this period, Saint started to portray figures from life to record the faces of his generation. Between visits to Europe, Saint completed six windows in eleven years. Three were figure windows, three were two small roses, and one was a grisaille window. Grisaille is a style of monochromatic painting in shades of gray, used especially for the representation of relief sculpture, or to simulate one. After his work at Bryn Athyn, Saint worked out of his own stained glass studio.
He then went to work for the Washington National Cathedral as head of its stained glass studio. He designed and executed fourteen windows for the Cathedral: the North Rose Window, nine choir aisle windows, and four others in the north transept aisles. Saint experimented with recapturing the reds, blues, and other vibrant colors achieved by medieval glass makers using formulae based on spectroscopic analyses of scraps of 13th century glass. While working for the Cathedral, a fire broke out in Saint's studio. Many windows and materials were destroyed including a window depicting Moses. Saint's most famous work for the Cathedral was the North Rose Window entitled, "The Last Judgment." This window cost $22,687 and took twelve men to create. Saint made his own glass and applied his own process for filming it. Upon completion, Saint's work was displayed at the Free Library of Philadelphia in 1957 and in other cities. Saint said, 'I trust that my material, made public, will lead others to improve on my work...".
Provenance:
The collection was donated to the National Museum of History and Technology (now the National Museum of American History) by the Washington National Cathedral, through Richard T. Feller in 1977.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research but is stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Researchers must handle unprotected photographs with gloves. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.
Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Reproduction permission from Archives Center: reproduction fees may apply.
Biographical materials, correspondence, business records, writings, art works, photographs, and printed material.
Biographical material includes ID cards and an autobiographical statement. Correspondence, 1935-1964, includes letters sent to Nickelsen as Supervisor for the WPA Massachusetts Federal Art Project; correspondents include Beaumont Newhall and muralist Elizabeth Tracy. Project files regard mural and stained glass commissions, among them the East Boston murals; Nebraska capitol murals; Springfield, Mass. Museum of Fine Arts library murals; Worcester, Mass. Parcel Post Building murals; and stained glass commissions, ca.1938-1942. Files contain correspondence, art work, including large mural cartoons, reference photographs, photographs of works of art, and printed material. Also included are a list of mural ingredients and notes; business records, 1927-1937; photocopies of articles and writings, 1930-1967; art work by Nickelsen including stained glass rendering and mural drawings by Elizabeth Tracy Montminy; exhibition catalogs, clippings, photographs of Nickelsen and his art work, including one of him painting a window for St. Patricks Church, N.Y. in the Charles Connick Studio, Boston, 1950; and of Montminy and her murals.
Biographical / Historical:
Stained glass artist; mural painter; Boston, Mass. Born in Hamburg, Germany. Initially studied at the stained-glass studio of his father, John R. Nickelsen, and later went to the State Art School, Hamburg. He came to the United States in 1922 and attended the Art Students' League, N.Y. and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Participated as an artist and as a supervisor on the WPA Art Project in Boston, and was associated with the stained-glass design firm of Charles J. Connick Associates for many years.
Provenance:
Donated 1991-1999 by Nickelsen's widow, Ingeborg R. Nickelsen.
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.
The papers of stained glass artist and educator Judith Schaechter measure 14.3 linear feet and 35.3 Gigabytes and date from circa 1900s-2019, with the bulk of the material dating from the 1960s-2019. The collection documents Schaechter's career through biographical material, correspondence, professional files, writings, printed material, photographic material, and artwork, and includes records in digital format.
Scope and Contents:
The papers of stained glass artist and educator Judith Schaechter measure 14.3 linear feet and 35.3 Gigabytes and date from circa 1900s-2019, with the bulk of the material dating from the 1960s-2019. The collection documents Schaechter's career through biographical material, correspondence, professional files, writings, printed material, photographic material, and artwork, and includes records in digital format.
Biographical material includes student records, honors and awards, and biographies and genealogical research.
Schaechter's correspondence is professional and personal. Professional correspondence documents many aspects of Schaechter's art career and includes business-related correspondence and some conversations on art. Personal correspondence (which is access restricted) includes greeting cards and extensive letters with family and friends including other artists and musicians.
Professional files includes calendars documenting professional appointment planning, exhibition records including consignments, condition reports, and Schaechter's workshop teaching records.
Schaechter's writings series includes, but is not limited to, notebooks, diaries, digital blog entries, interviews, and artist statements, and an original music recording by the artist.
Photographic material includes photos of home and family gatherings, glass workshops, art openings, and music shows. Also included are printed images of artwork and historic photographs related to Schaecter's genealogy.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged in seven series:
Series 1: Biographical Material, circa 1969-2019 (0.3 Linear feet; Box 1, 13; 0.936 Gigabytes: ER0001-ER0002)
Series 2: Correspondence, circa 1974-2019 (4.4 Linear feet; Boxes 1-4, 20-21; 0.027 Gigabytes: ER0003-ER006)
Series 3: Professional Files, circa 1982-2019 (0.9 Linear feet: Box 5, 13; 0.624 Gigabytes: ER0007-ER0013, ER0056-ER0057)
Series 4: Writings, circa 1973-2019 (0.9 Linear feet: Boxes 5-6; 12.4 Gigabytes: ER0014-ER0026)
Series 5: Printed Material, circa 1973-2019 (3.8 Linear feet: Boxes 6-9, 14-15, OV19; 17.1 Gigabytes: ER0027-ER0042)
Series 6: Photographic Material, circa 1900s-2019 (1.8 Linear feet: Boxes 10, 12, 16; 4.17 Gigabytes: ER0043-ER0055)
Series 7: Artwork, circa 1965-2015 (2.2 Linear feet: Boxes, 10-11, 15, 17-18, 22)
Biographical / Historical:
Judith Schaechter (1961-) is a Philadelphia-based stained glass artist and educator.
Schaechter was born in Gainesville Florida and her family soon relocated to Newton Massachusetts where her father Moselio Schaechter was a microbiology professor at Tufts University. She exhibited artistic talent and imagination that was nurtured at an early age, and Schaechter worked on developing her art in high school. She received her bachelor's degree from Rhode Island School of Design in 1983. During her undergraduate work she discovered the glass program and completed her undergraduate work there.
While her methods of art production may be centuries old, Schaecter infuses contemporary themes in her pieces that resonate with the grotesque imagery that appears in the Medieval and Renaissance motifs that she emulates. In addition to lending her works as cover artwork to literary and music artists, Schaecter also played in bands such as Ken throughout the 1990s and recorded her own music. In this way the punk and D.I.Y. ethos resonates with all of her creative endeavors, despite the fact that her works take many hours to create. Skillful draftsmanship is at the core of her artistic practices and her more recent work incorporates computer illustration as well as animation.
Schaechter served as an adjunct professor in the Crafts Department at The University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Adjunct Faculty at the New York Academy of Art in New York, New York. She has also taught workshops and classes at Pilchuck Glass School in Seattle, Penland School of Crafts, Toyama Institute of Glass (Toyama, Japan) and Australian National University in Canberra, Australia, among others.
An early career milestone was achieved with her stained glass artwork appearing on the cover of The New Yorker in 1993. She showed her work Bigtop Flophouse Bedspins in the 2002 Whitney Biennial. Schaechter's artwork is featured in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Hermitage Museum, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Corning Museum of Glass, and the Renwick Gallery, among numerous other public and private collections.
Provenance:
The collection was donated in 2019 and 2021 by Judith Schaechter.
Restrictions:
This collection is open for research. This personal correspondence series is access restricted; written permission is required. Access to original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center. Researchers interested in accessing born-digital records or audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies. Contact References 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.
Occupation:
Stained glass artists -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia Search this
Sculptors -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia Search this
Educators -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia Search this
The papers of New York and California stained glass artist Jessie Van Brunt measure 0.8 linear feet and date from 1910 to 1949. Primarily, the papers relate to over forty windows designed by Van Brunt. Two scrapbooks and loose material include dedication brochures and church bulletins, clippings, scattered letters, photographs, and watercolor designs. Also found are scattered letters and reviews of Van Brunt's book California Missions (1932).
Scope and Contents:
The papers of New York and California stained glass artist Jessie Van Brunt measure 0.8 linear feet and date from 1910 to 1949. Primarily, the papers relate to over forty windows designed by Van Brunt. Two scrapbooks and loose material include dedication brochures and church bulletins, clippings, scattered letters, photographs, and watercolor designs. Also found are scattered letters and reviews of Van Brunt's book California Missions (1932).
Arrangement:
Due to the small size of this collection the papers are arranged as one series.
Biographical / Historical:
Jessie Van Brunt was a stained glass artist in Brooklyn, New York and California. She was an instructor for the New York School of Applied Design and briefly worked at Tiffany Glass. Her windows are in churches around the United States.
Provenance:
Donated 1980 by Vanessa Lynn, of the Pratt Institute Library, Brooklyn, New York.
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.
Occupation:
Stained glass artists -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
4.89 Cubic feet (consisting of 10.5 boxes, 2 folders, 5 oversize folders, 2 map case folders.)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Business records
Business cards
Publications
Trade catalogs
Advertisements
Sales catalogs
Business letters
Printed materials
Receipts
Printed material
Invoices
Illustrations
Business ephemera
Letterheads
Design patents
Advertising mail
Patents
Print advertising
Catalogs
Sales records
Advertising
Trade cards
Advertising fliers
Periodicals
Catalogues
Manufacturers' catalogs
Advertising cards
Commercial correspondence
Ephemera
Printed ephemera
Manuals
Reports
Commercial catalogs
Trade literature
Sales letters
Legal documents
Correspondence
Mail order catalogs
Date:
1804-1967
Summary:
A New York bookseller, Warshaw assembled this collection over nearly fifty years. The Warshaw Collection of Business Americana: Glassware forms part of the Warshaw Collection of Business Americana, Subseries 1.1: Subject Categories. The Subject Categories subseries is divided into 470 subject categories based on those created by Mr. Warshaw. These subject categories include topical subjects, types or forms of material, people, organizations, historical events, and other categories. An overview to the entire Warshaw collection is available here: Warshaw Collection of Business Americana
Scope and Contents:
Covers glassware in its many forms and application including in building design and sculpture, both as a structural and an aesthetic component, in lighting, in art as a medium and as a method to protect and display art (picture frames, cases, etcetera.), in industry (insulators, electronics), in transportation (lighthouses, railroad signal glasses, headlamps), and in science with medical and lab supplies and instruments, and equipment such as telescopes. Daily and practical use consumer products feature prominently in the form of household and decorative goods (jarring, canning, dish and serving ware, daily and special use), windows, lamps and lighting, storage of liquids and solids, including detergents, medicine storage, plus beverages and foodstuffs, and cleaning of glass. Colored, ornamental, ground, etched, leaded, stained, and mosaic glasswork related material appears sporadically. China and other ceramic and pottery breakable wear is sometimes categorized along with clear, cut, opaque, and colored glass. Related aspects, such as stoppers, are also included.
Collection materials represent a sampling of businesses and products. The Patent and Design folder has numerous submission summaries, along with schematics, some hand drawn, and a few blueprints, mostly related to bottle design. A limited amount of industry publications and union documents are present, especially for the Glass Workers.
Arrangement:
Glassware is arranged in three subseries.
Business Records and Marketing Material
Genre
Subject
Partial List of Companies in the Oversize Materials:
Oversize materials include, but are not limited to the following companies:
Averbeck, M.J., New York, NY
Cleveland Glass Works, Cleveland, NY
Cold Spring Distilling Company Cincinatti, OH
Craft House Williamsburg Restoration, Inc. Williamsburg, VA
Cullen & Newman Knoxville, TN
French, Richards, and Company Philadelphia, PA
Glassware: Union Wages and Rules
Jones, Thomas New York, NY
Libby Owens Ford Class Company Manufacturers of Safety Glass Location unknown
Metropolitan Plate Glass Insurance Company New York, NY
Morgantown, WV
New Jersey Plate Glass Insurance Company Newark, NJ
New York Plate Glass Insurance Company New York, NY
Seneca Glass Company
Smalley, A.G. and Company Boston, MA
Woods, Sherwood and Company Lowell, MA
Forms Part Of:
Forms part of the Warshaw Collection of Business Americana.
Series 1: Business Ephemera
Series 2: Other Collection Divisions
Series 3: Isadore Warshaw Personal Papers
Series 4: Photographic Reference Material
Provenance:
Glassware is a portion of the Business Ephemera Series of the Warshaw Collection of Business Americana, Accession AC0060 purchased from Isadore Warshaw in 1967. Warshaw continued to accumulate similar material until his death, which was donated in 1971 by his widow, Augusta. For a period after acquisition, related materials from other sources (of mixed provenance) were added to the collection so there may be content produced or published after Warshaw's death in 1969. This practice has since ceased.
Restrictions:
Collection is open for research. Some items may be restricted due to fragile condition.
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.
Warshaw Collection of Business Americana Subject Categories: Glassware, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Sponsor:
Funding for partial processing of the collection was supported by a grant from the Smithsonian Institution's Collections Care and Preservation Fund (CCPF).
An interview of Josef Albers conducted 1968 June 22-July 5, by Sevim Fesci, for the Archives of American Art.
This interview was conducted in New Haven, Connecticut. Albers speaks of his childhood in the industrial area of Westphalia, Germany; his father's influence as a house painter and set designer; his young interest in technical toys; his educational history, beginning at the Royal Art School, an art teacher prep school; his education in art history in conjunction with fine arts; his brief experience teaching in public schools; his time studying at the Applied Art School in Essen while living and teaching in Berlin; and the beginning of professional career after having passed his exam in Berlin in 1915.
He discusses the influence of the European movements/artists, Die Brucke; Schmidt-Rottluff, Heckel, and Kirchner; his move to Munich and time spent working with Stuck (the teacher of Kandinsky and Klee); his eventual shift to the Bauhaus working in collage and stained glass under Itten; his refusal to do the traditional apprenticeship at the Bauhaus and surprising success with stained glass while striking out on his own; his initial experiments while working in the new studio for stained glass at the Bauhaus with frosting (a.k.a. thermometer style); his move from collage to montage; his disbelief in the use of past art as a source for current art; his distaste for the concept of art as self-expression; his use of repetitive forms in his painting as a method of "solving the problem;" his belief that the spectator makes the vision of the artist more lively; his belief that he teaches philosophy (how to see) not technique (how to paint); the fine line between influencing students and creating disciples; color as the most relative medium in art and a study of ourselves; his use of squares (the most man-made form), beginning in 1949; the role of art in society to reveal visually the attitude of our mentality; and his belief as to the future of art as being a further consideration of order.
Biographical / Historical:
Josef Albers (1888-1976) was a painter and educator in New Haven, Connecticut.
General:
Originally recorded on 1 sound tape reel. Reformatted in 2010 as 4 digital wav files. Duration is 2 hrs., 11 min.
Provenance:
This interview is 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 teachers -- Connecticut -- New Haven -- Interviews Search this
9.3 Linear feet ((partially microfilmed on 4 reels))
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Date:
1901-1949
Scope and Contents:
Biographical materials, correspondence, notebooks, diaries, writings, sketches and drawings, photographs, and printed material.
REEL 983: Four notebooks, 1910-1935, containing descriptions of stained glass windows in Europe; biographical information; a typescript of an article on Connick, "The Education of an Artist in Brother Sun's Workshop"; and three photographs, one of Connick's Boston studio, one of his home in Newtonville, Mass, and one of a Christmas card design, 1930.
REEL 2802: Biographical sketch; photographs, including five of Connick at work, four of others at work at his studio, and one of a bust of Connick sculpted by Frederick Allen in front of one of his windows; and a reprint of Connick's article "Stained Glass Windows: The Craft."
REELS 3947-3948: Correspondence, undated and 1918-1946; a transcript of an interview with Connick by V. S. Bright, May 10, 1945; writings by Connick on foreign stained glass, undated; 2 sets of lecture notes; an "In Memorium Booklet" for Connick; writings by others, three sketchbooks and loose sketches by Connick; clippings, 1916- 1949; programs and brochures relating to Connick, 1923-1940; printed material, 1901-1945; photographs of Connick, undated and 1902; and photographs of works of art.
UNMICROFILMED: Biographical material containing notes about the Connick family written by the Coombs relatives; address books; a daily diary with notes by Connick, passports and visas; correspondence, 1908-1945, primarily between Charles and his wife Mabel while Connick traveled throughout the United States working on stained glass projects in churches, and in which he discusses his book "Adventures in Light and Color," correspondence with his publisher about his book; letters of condolence, 1945-1946, to Mabel; 11 sketchbooks with sketches done in watercolor, colored pencil, and pencil (the sketchbooks are called "Telephone sketchbooks," done while on the telephone); Christmas cards designed by Connick; photographs of Connick, Connick with Mabel, and family, and friends, travel photos from trips to Europe; and printed material.
Correspondents include: Robert Peters Aldrich, Frank Buxton, Paul Child, Ralph Adams Cram, Peter Dyer, Malvina Hoffman, Paul Kimball, Bill and Vaugh Redfern Mason (Connick's nephews), Joseph Reynolds, Jr., Elizabeth Madox Roberts, Winfield Scott, Harlow Shapley, Orin Skinner, Gilbert Symons, John Weber, and Stark Young.
Biographical / Historical:
Stained glass artist; Boston, Mass. Opened Charles J. Connick Studios, Boston, Mass. in 1913. Revived techniques and designs of English and French designers of the Middle Ages. He worked primarily in ecclesiastical designs. He married Mabel Robinson Coombs in 1920. After his death in 1945, the firm was headed by Orin Skinner, and renamed Charles J. Connick Associates.
Related Materials:
Charles J. Connick Studios (later Associates) records located at: Boston Public Library.
Provenance:
Material on reel 983 was lent for microfilming August 1975 by Evelyn Coombs Pennegar, sister of Mabel Coombs Connick, wife of Charles Connick. In February 1977 she donated additional papers which were filmed on reels 3947-3948. The 12 items on reel 2802 were donated by Connick's successor at Charles J. Connick Associates, Orin E. Skinner. The unmicrofilmed material was donated by Richard B. Coombs, nephew of Mabel, August - December 1985.
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:
Stained glass artists -- Massachusetts -- Boston Search this
Business records of stained glass companies owned by the Freis; diaries of Emil, Jr.; correspondence; sketchbooks; scrapbooks; photographs of the Freis, their family and friends, and of their works; exhibition catalogs; commission records for Emil Frei Associates, St. Louis, Missouri; and records of the Ravenna Mosaic Co., New York, N.Y., also owned by the Freis.
Biographical / Historical:
Emil Frei, Jr., and his father were stained glass artists in St. Louis, Mo.
Provenance:
Lent 1975 by Alice Lanwermeyer, the widow of Emil Frei, Jr.
Restrictions:
The Archives of American art does not own the original papers. Use is limited to the microfilm copy.
Occupation:
Stained glass artists -- Missouri -- Saint Louis Search this
Clippings and articles about Saint, glass making from expert French glass makers, a glass making machine and his technique and formulas for making stained glass; technical writings by Saint; and drawings and photographs.
Biographical / Historical:
Stained glass artist, etcher and writer; Huntington Valley, PA. Director of the stained glass department at the Washington Cathedral, Washington, D.C.
Provenance:
Lent for microfilming, 1954, by the Free Library of Philadelphia.
Restrictions:
The Archives of American art does not own the original papers. Use is limited to the microfilm copy.
Occupation:
Stained glass artists -- Pennsylvania -- Huntington Valley Search this
Water color sketches; printed material collected for research purposes including prints of floors, paintings, and sculptures; and a lease for property.
Biographical / Historical:
Philadelphia, Pa. The studios are listed in Philadelphia Business Directories ca. 1875-1892.
Provenance:
Microfilmed in 1987 as part of AAA's Philadelphia Arts Documentation Project.
Restrictions:
The Archives of American art does not own the original papers. Use is limited to the microfilm copy.
Occupation:
Stained glass artists -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia Search this
An interview of Wilbur Herbert Burnham conducted 1981 September 11, by Robert Brown, for the Archives of American Art.
Burnham speaks of training under his father; education at Yale Art School in drawing and painting; principal jobs; and characterizations of clients, architects, teachers, and fellow stained glass designers.
Biographical / Historical:
Wilbur Herbert Burnham (1913-1984) was a stained glass artist from Wakefield, Massachusetts.
General:
Originally recorded on 1 sound tape reel. Reformatted in 2010 as 2 digital wav files. Duration is 2 hr., 2 min.
Provenance:
This interview is 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:
This transcript is open for research. Access to the entire recording is restricted. Contact Reference Services for more information.
Contracts; lists of works; personal documents; postcards to Ann Jordan from Redmond; many photographs of Redmond's work; sketches and original paintings done by Redmond.
Biographical / Historical:
Painter, stained glass artist.
Provenance:
The lender, Helen P. Burns, is Redmond's cousin.
Restrictions:
The Archives of American art does not own the original papers. Use is limited to the microfilm copy.
Nanette L. Laitman Documentation Project for Craft and Decorative Arts in America Search this
Names:
Nanette L. Laitman Documentation Project for Craft and Decorative Arts in America Search this
Extent:
148 Pages (Transcript)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Pages
Interviews
Sound recordings
Date:
2011 July 19-20
Scope and Contents:
An interview of Judith Schaechter conducted 2011 July 19-20, by Mija Riedel, for the Archives of American Art's Nanette L. Laitman Documentation Project for Craft and Decorative Arts in America, at Schaechter's home and studio, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Biographical / Historical:
Judith Schaechter (1961- ) is glass artist in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Mija Riedel (1958- ) is a curator and writer of San Francisco, California.
General:
Originally recorded as 6 sound files. Duration is 5 hr., 22 min.
Provenance:
This interview is part of the Archives of American Art 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 administrators.
Occupation:
Stained glass artists -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia Search this
Pennsylvania State Capitol (Harrisburg, Pa.) Search this
Extent:
56.4 Linear feet
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Photographs
Diaries
Glass plate negatives
Renderings
Scrapbooks
Sketchbooks
Visitors' books
Sketches
Date:
1841-1981
Summary:
The papers of painter, stained glass artist, and muralist Violet Oakley measure 56.4 linear feet and date from 1841-1981. Found within the papers are biographical materials; personal and business correspondence; writings, including essays, lectures, and project drafts; diaries and journals; financial material; artwork; printed material, including scrapbooks; and photographs, 3 albums, 322 glass plate negatives, and 1600 film negatives of Oakley, her family and friends, and her work.
Scope and Contents:
The papers of painter, stained glass artist, and muralist Violet Oakley measure 56.4 linear feet and date from 1841-1981. Found within the papers are biographical materials; personal and business correspondence; writings, including essays, lectures, and project drafts; diaries and journals; financial material; artwork; printed material, including scrapbooks; and photographs, 3 albums, 322 glass plate negatives, and 1600 film negatives of Oakley, her family and friends, and her work.
Biographical materials include certificates, family records, curriculum vitae, and identification cards, and studio guest books. About one-half of the collection is comprised of correspondence with family, friends, and business associates. Writings include Oakley's notes, essays and lectures, and writings related to 16 of her major artworks and publications, including her work on the Pennsylvania Capitol murals in Harrisburg. Diaries and journals include Oakley's travel notes and research on planned artworks.
Financial materials include a catalog of artworks and price lists, accounting records, and art supply receipts. Artwork includes early childhood juvenilia, a sketchbook, sketches of travel and friends, architectural renderings, and artwork by others. Printed materials include books, clippings, exhibition catalogs, programs, and reproductions of artwork by Oakley and others. Photographic materials include photographs, albums, and negatives depicting Oakley, her friends and family, her studio at Cogslea, and reproductions of artwork.
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged as 8 series. A comprehensive index of individidual correspondents for the chronological correspondence is found in the first folder of the chronological correspondence in box 5, folder 41. Glass plate negatives are housed separately and closed to researchers, but listed where they fall intellectually within the collection.
Missing Title
Series 1: Biographical Material, 1841-1970 (2.8 linear feet; Boxes 1-3, OV 69, OV 71)
Series 2: Correspondence, 1857-1979 (26.7 linear feet; Boxes 3-30)
Series 3: Notes and Writings, 1899-1976 (10.6 linear feet; Boxes 30-38, 58-64, OV 66, OV 70)
Series 4: Diaries and Journals, 1891-1958 (0.9 linear feet, Boxes 38-39)
Series 5: Financial Material, 1874-1977 (3.1 linear feet; Boxes 39-42)
Series 6: Artwork, 1883-1955 (0.7 linear feet; Boxes 43-43, 64, OV 67, OV 71)
Series 7: Printed Material, 1866-1981 (7.3 linear feet, Boxes 43-50, 65, OV 67)
Series 8: Photographs, 1890-1980 (5.3 linear feet; Boxes 50-57, 65, OV 68)
Biographical / Historical:
Painter, muralist, and stained glass designer Violet Oakley (1874-1961) lived and worked in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and was known for her Renaissance-revival style of art and the series of murals she completed for the Pennsylvania State Capitol.
Born in Bergen Heights, New Jersey, to a family of artists, both of Violet Oakley's grandfathers were painters and members of the National Academy. In 1892, she began her art studies at the Art Students' League and traveled abroad a year later to study in Paris at the Academie Montparnasse, and in England with Charles Lazar. Upon her return to the states in 1896, she continued her studies at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, and at Drexel Institute with Howard Pyle.
For fourteen years, Oakley shared her early studios at Red Rose Inn and Cogslea Estate with fellow artists and illustrators Elizabeth Shippen Green and Jessie Willcox Smith. These two studio homes were managed by their friend Henrietta Cozens in a cooperative arrangement which allowed all three artists to focus on their work as commercial artists. Early in her career, Oakley designed covers for magazines such as Collier's Weekly and Century Magazine, and also found work as a stained glass designer for the Church Glass and Decorating Company of New York. In 1900, she received her first major commission to design and execute two large murals and six stained glass pieces for the All Angels' Church in New York City.
In 1902 Oakley was approached by architect Joseph Huston to design 13 murals for the Governor's reception room in the new Pennsylvania State Capitol in Harrisburg. She eventually completed two additional mural commissions for the Capitol's Senate (1911-1920) and Supreme Court (1917-1927) chambers. Her studies of William Penn in connection with her murals for the State Capitol inspired Oakley to work for international peace and eventually led to the publication of a portrait folio depicting League of Nations delegates (1932). Other significant works include murals, panels, and stained glass commissions completed for the Vassar College Alumni house, Charlton Yarnall house (Philadelphia), and Cuyuhoga County courthouse.
While working as an established artist, Oakley also taught courses at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, arranged a yearly lecture series, and published folios and other writings on topics ranging from art history to Christian Science under the Coslea Studios imprint. Her later studio, Lower Cogslea, was shared by artist and lifelong companion Edith Emerson, who after Oakley's death in 1961, established a memorial foundation in her name.
Oakley was the first woman elected to the National Society of Mural Painters, was a recipient of the Gold Medal of Honor of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, and was the first woman to receive the Gold Medal of Honor from the Architectural League of New York. Her writings include The Holy Experiment: A Message to the World from Pennsylvania (1922) and Law Triumphant: The Opening of the Book of Law (1933).
Related Materials:
Also found among the holdings of the Archives of American Art are the Violet Oakley Memorial Foundation records and the Violet Oakley autograph and photograph. The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts holds the Violet Oakley Foundation Art Collection, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art holds the Violet Oakley Collection.
Separated Materials:
The Archives of American Art also holds material lent for microfilming (reels 1204, P12, 1187-1188, 1272, and 1194-1195).
Reel 1204 consists of two scrapbooks (circa 1896-1952) containing clippings from magazines of illustrations by Violet Oakley and her sister, Hester, and of Violet's murals for the State Capitol at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Reel P12 is of a scrapbook (1898-1936) containing a photograph of Oakely at her easel, clippings, and letters. Reels 1187-1188 consist of five scrapbooks (1920-1962) containing letters, clippings, exhibition announcements, catalogs, and awards. One of the scrapbooks is devoted to "The Holy Experiment", a limited edition publication by Oakley which commemorating William Penn, and which includes reproductions of Oakley's capitol murals in Harrisburg.
Reel 1272 contains two albums (circa 1900-1949) containing photos of Oakley working on murals in her studio, as well as her works of art, including stained glass windows at the Church of All Angels, New York; murals at the Harrisburg State Capitol; preliminary drawings and site photographs of "Dante's Window"; the lunettes and window for the Yarnall House; murals and preliminary drawings for the Cuyahoga Court House; the mural and dedication ceremonies for the Vassar Alumnae House; and photos and printed material on "Divine Presence--Christ at Geneva," "The Life of Moses," "Great Women of the Bible," and triptychs for the Army and Navy.
Reels 1194-1195 cobsist of photograph albums (circa 1870-1960) containing photographs of the Oakley and Swain families, of Violet Oakley, Edith Emerson, Jessie Willcox Smith, Elizabeth Shippen Green, friends, her home, Oakley's "Red Rose" studio in Villanova, Pennsylvania, her "Cogslea" studio in Philadelphia, and of her works of art, mainly portraits of her friends and of delegates to the League of Nations.
Lent materials were returned to the lender and are not described in the collection container inventory.
Provenance:
Violet Oakley first loaned the Archives of American Art materials for microfilming in 1959. Edith Emerson, Oakley's longtime friend and companion, donated and lent papers for microfilming in 1977 and 1984. The Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, who had received the papers from Emerson's estate, donated two feet of materials in 1988.
Restrictions:
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' research center in Washington, D.C.
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:
Stained glass artists -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia Search this
Muralists -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia Search this
Violet Oakley papers, 1941-1981. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Sponsor:
Funding for the processing of this collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art. Glass plate negatives in this collection were digitized in 2019 with funding provided by the Smithsonian Women's Committee.
REELS 833 and 865: 33 letters received; 85 catalogs and announcements; 143 clippings; 83 photographs of her with works or friends; biographical material; a book of poetry and paintings by Ascher; and 2 photographic series with commentary entitled "Corridors of Power in Contemporary American Life" and "Women and the Bible."
UNMICROFILMED: Biographical material; correspondence; photographs and slides of Ascher and her work; poetry; writings and notes by Ascher; a notebook of her project "Corridors of Power in Contemporary America Life," 1970; financial records; 4 guestbooks from galleries; exhibition catalogs, announcements, magazines, press releases and clippings.
Biographical / Historical:
Painter, printmaker, stained glass artist; New York City. Awarded Huntington Hartford Foundation Fellowship in 1961 to complete 12 oil paintings on Women of the Old Testament and Aprocrypha.
Provenance:
Donated 1969 and 1981 by Mary Ascher.
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:
Painters -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
Stained glass artists -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
Printmakers -- New York (State) -- New York Search this
Material on reel P5 lent for microfilming, 1954, by the Free Library of Philadelphia. Material on reels 3786-3795 donated, 1984, by E. Crosby Willet as part of AAA's Philadelphia Arts Documentation Project.
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.
Occupation:
Stained glass artists -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia Search this
Topic:
Stained glass industry -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia Search this
New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project Search this
Names:
New Deal and the Arts Oral History Project Search this
Extent:
2 Sound tape reels (Sound recordings, 5 in.)
17 Pages (Transcript)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Sound tape reels
Pages
Sound recordings
Interviews
Date:
1965 June 11
Scope and Contents:
An interview of James Couper Wright conducted 1965 June 11, by Betty Hoag, for the Archives of American Art.
Biographical / Historical:
James Couper Wright was a painter and stained glass maker from Pasadena, California.
General:
Originally recorded on 2 sound tape reels. Reformatted in 2010 as 4 digital wav files. Duration is 39 min.
Provenance:
Conducted as part of the Archives of American Art's New Deal and the Arts project, which includes over 400 interviews of artists, administrators, historians, and others involved with the federal government's art programs and the activities of the Farm Security Administration in the 1930s and early 1940s.
Occupation:
Stained glass artists -- California -- Pasadena -- Interviews Search this
Two letters of sympathy, from H.L. Higgman and J. Bryce, and one letter from Agnes Repplier; an invitation to the opening of the Farnsworth Art School, Wellesley, Mass.; and two Harvard University commencement tickets.
Biographical / Historical:
Painter, stained glass artist, writer; Boston, Mass Full name Sarah de St. Prix Wyman Whitman.
Provenance:
Donated 1973 by Barbara Neville Parker.
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.
Letter dated Dec. 1909 from John La Farge to Frederick B. Potter about the stained glass windows he made for the First Unitarian Church on Woodward Ave. in Detroit, Michigan. La Farge informs Potter, chairman of the Board of Trustees of the church, that he has referred his letter and "other letters before to the glass men who do my work" and that they will communicate with him.
Biographical / Historical:
John La Farge (1835-1910) was best known for his murals and stained glass windows. He created the stained glass windows for the First Unitarian Church on Woodward Avenue in Detroit, Michigan in 1890. Most of the windows were donated to the Detroit Institute of Arts in 1959 by the Unitarian Church Trust.
Provenance:
The letter was donated in 1974 by Larry Curry, former curator of American Art, Detroit Institute of Arts, who received the letter from Mrs. John B. Watkins of Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan.
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.
