Copley, William Nelson, 1919-1996

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role

Collector Artist Dealer/Gallery

dates

1919-1996

city

Sugar Loaf Key

state

FL

other cities

New York, NY; Paris, France; Beverly Hills, CA; Chicago, IL;

sex

M

historical notes

William Nelson Copley was an artist, dealer and collector. Copley was married six times, five of which ended in divorce, his last wife, Cynthia Gooch survived him.

Copley collected Surrealist works of art with his second wife, the former Noma Ratner, and in 1953,they formed the William and Noma Copley Foundation, which later became known as the Cassandra Foundation.

The Copley collection included work by Hans Bellmer, Marcel Duchamp, Max Ernst, René Magritte and Man Ray.

Most of the Copley collection was sold at auction (Sotheby's Nov. 5, 1979). Some of the works were placed on long-term loan or donated to museum.

decades
of activity

1950-1960
1960-1970
1970-1980
1980-1990
1980-1990

updated

11/24/2025 10:11:49

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Archives/Repository	Collection Title	Collection Details
Archives of American Art Victor Building, Suite 2200	William Nelson Copley papers, 1948-1967.	see details...
Archives of American Art Victor Building, Suite 2200	Henry Tyler Hopkins interviews, 1980 Oct. 24-1980 Dec. 17.	see details...
Archives of American Art Victor Building, Suite 2200	Oral history interview with William Nelson Copley, 1968 January 30	see details...
The Getty Research Institute Research Libraries, Archives and Special Collections	Copley Foundation and Collection records, 1954-1980.	see details...
Archives of American Art Victor Building, Suite 2200	Ellen Lanyon papers, 1944-1991.	see details...
The Museum of Modern Art Library and Archives	Artist file: Copley, William Nelson, 1919-, miscellaneous uncataloged material.	see details...
The Brooklyn Museum Libraries and Archives 200 Eastern Parkway	Artist file. Copley, William Nelson,	see details...
Archives of American Art Victor Building, Suite 2200	Oral history interview with Henry Tyler Hopkins, 1980 Oct. 24-1980 Dec. 17.	see details...
The Frick Collection and Frick Art Research Library 10 East 71st Street	William Nelson Copley artist file : study photographs and reproductions of works of art with accompanying documentation 1920-2000.	see details...
The Getty Research Institute Research Libraries, Archives and Special Collections	Gloria de Herrera papers, 1936-1996 (bulk 1947-1985).	see details...
The Museum of Modern Art Library and Archives	William S. Lieberman Papers, 1948-1984	see details...
The Brooklyn Museum Libraries and Archives 200 Eastern Parkway	Artist file. Copley, William Nelson, 1919-1996.	see details...
The Museum of Modern Art Library and Archives	Franklin Furnace artist file : Copley, William Nelson; miscellaneous uncataloged material.	see details...
Philadelphia Museum of Art Archives	William Copley scrapbook, 1951-1953	see details...