Archives Directory for the History of Collecting in America
Archives related to: Downtown Gallery (New York, N.Y.)
| title | Downtown Gallery records, 1824-1974, bulk 1926-1969 | repository | Archives of American Art |
| description | Correspondence, artists files, notebooks, business records, writings, miscellaneous records, printed matter, and photographs. Some of Halpert's personal papers are intermingled with the gallery records. REELS 5488-5545: Correspondence, 1926-1974, about gallery business and routine administrative affairs, as well as personal letters from relatives and friends. Among the correspondents are collectors Edgar and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch, Maxim Karolik, William H. Lane, Abby Aldrich Rockefeller, Beram K. Saklatwalla, Robert Tannahill, and Electra Havemeyer Webb; dealers Robert Carlen, Felix Landau Gallery, Boris Mirski Gallery, and Isabel Carleton Wilde; and many curators, museum directors, and other colleagues. REELS 5545-5558: Artist Files, 1917-1970, consist mainly of correspondence with Halpert and the Downtown Gallery and may include biographical notes, writings, press releases, original artwork, exhibition information, and printed matter. Included are: Rainey Bennett, Raymond Breinin, Morris Broderson, Paul Burlin, Ralston Crawford, Stuart Davis, Charles Demuth, Isami Doi, William Dole, Arthur G. Dove, David Fredenthal, Samuel Halpert, George Overbury ("Pop") Hart, Marsden Hartley, Bernard Karfiol, Yasuo Kuniyoshi, Jacob Lawrence, Wesley Lea, Jack Levine, Edmund Lewandowski, John Marin, Reuben Nakian, Georgia O'Keeffe, Robert Chesley Osborn, Jules Pascin, Abbott Pattison, Abraham Rattner, Ben Shahn, Charles Sheeler, Mitchell Siporin, Niles Spencer, Edward Stasack, John H. Storrs, Reuben Tam, Yu-ho Tseng, Max Weber, William Zorach, and Karl Zerbe. REELS 5558-5603: Notebooks, 1935-1969, referred to as "American Folk Art Gallery Notebooks," "Artists Notebooks," and "Publicity Notebooks" contain photographs, catalog descriptions, notes, and printed matter compiled by gallery staff for reference purposes. "American Folk Art Notebooks" include: oil paintings, watercolors, drawings, lithographs, fraktur, paintings on velvet, embroideries, paintings on glass, tinsels, Shaker furniture, and sculpture. "Publicity Notebooks" include: group shows at Downtown Gallery and other locations, American Print Makers exhibitions, American folk art exhibitions at Downtown Gallery and other locations; and, miscellaneous publicity. "Artists Notebooks" include: Rainey Bennett, Raymond Breinin, Morris Broderson, Alexander Brook, Paul Burlin, Nicolai Cikovsky, Glenn O. Coleman, Ralston Crawford, Stuart Davis, Charles Demuth, Isami Doi, Arthur G. Dove, David Fredenthal, O. Louis Guglielmi, Samuel Halpert, William M. Harnett, George Overbury ("Pop") Hart, Marsden Hartley, Bernard Karfiol, Yasuo Kuniyoshi, Jacob Lawrence, Wesley Lea, Julian E. Levi, Jack Levine, John Marin, George L. K. Morris, Reuben Nakian, Georgia O'Keeffe, Robert Chesley Osborn, Jules Pascin, Abbott Pattison, Horace Pippin, Joseph Pollet, Abraham Rattner, Ben Shahn, Charles Sheeler, Mitchell Siporin, Niles Spencer, Edward Stasack, William Steig, Joseph Stella, Alfred Stieglitz, John H. Storrs, Reuben Tam, Yu-ho Tseng, Dorothy Varian, Carl Walters, Max Weber, Jack Zajac, Karl Zerbe, Marguerite Zorach, and William Zorach. REELS 5603-5636: Business Records, 1925-1974, consist of exhibition, stock, sales, transit, and insurance records; lists of artwork and clients, legal documents, minutes, research files, and architectural plans. REELS 5636-5638: Writings, 1917-1968, by Edith Gregor Halpert, include articles on American folk art, speeches, short stories, school notebooks, and "Daily Thoughtlets" compiled at age 17; also, writings by others on art topics. REELS 5638-5639: Miscellaneous, ca. 1835-1970, contains biographical material, and works of art by Edith Gregor Halpert and other artists. Artifacts are wooden weather vane molds with supporting documentation, and awards presented to Halpert. Audiovisual materials are motion picture film for a Westinghouse Broadcasting Corp. produced television series, "America: The Artist's Eye," 1961-1963; film of Charles and Musya Sheeler at home, and Charles Sheeler at work in his studio, ca. 1950; and a sound recording of a 1962 talk about collecting by Maxim Karolik. REELS 5640-5647: Printed Matter, 1984-1969, includes exhibition catalogs, announcements, invitations, press releases, and miscellaneous items produced by Downtown Gallery. Other printed matter consists of news clippings about Halpert, Downtown Gallery, the Edith Gregor Halpert Collection, and clipping files on art-related topics. Also, newsletters, press releases, and publications of arts organizations, and reproductions of works of art. A selection of 25 vols. from Halpert's personal library has been retained. REELS 5647-5654: Photographs, ca. 1880s-1960s, of Edith Gregor Halpert, Samuel Halpert, family and friends, her dog and Newtown, Conn. house. Portraits of artists include: Stuart Davis, Arthur Dove, Louis Guglielmi, George Overbury ("Pop") Hart, Marsden Hartley, Bernard Karfiol, Yasuo Kuniyoshi, Jacob Lawrence, Julian E. Levi, Jack Levine, John Marin, George L. K. Morris, Georgia O'Keeffe, Abbott Pattison, Horace Pippin, Abraham Rattner, Ben Shahn, Charles Sheeler, William Steig, Alfred Stieglitz, Yu-ho Tseng, Max Weber, and William Zorach. Also, works of art, exhibitions, Downtown Gallery, and an award presented to Halpert. Among the photographers represented are: Ansel Adams, Doris Bry, George Karfiol, Carl Kelin, Otto Maya, Arnold Newman, Man Ray, Kay Bell Reynal, Charles Sheeler, Adrian Siegel, Edward Steichen, Alfred Stieglitz, Sochi Sunami, Alredo Valente, Carl Van Vechten, and Max Yavno. I. Correspondence, 1926-1974. II. Artist Files, 1917-1970. III. Notebooks, 1835-1970. IV. Business Records, 1925-1974. V. Writings, 1917-1968. VI. Miscellaneous, ca. 1835-1970. VII. Printed Matter, 1824-1969. VIII. Photographs, ca. 1880s-1960s. Correspondence arranged chronologically; Artist Files arranged alphabetically. Other series are organized into numerous subseries, usually by record type or category, and the arrangement of each is indicated in the series descriptions detailed in the finding aid. |
| extent | 109 linear ft. (on 167 microfilm reels) reels 5488-5654 |
| formats | Correspondence Notes Financial Records Photographs Clippings |
| access | Patrons must use microfilm copy. NOTICE TO RESEARCHERS: Prior to publishing information regarding sales transactions, researchers are responsible for obtaining written permission from both artist and purchaser involved. If it cannot be established after a reasonable search whether an artist or purchaser is living, it can be assumed that the information may be published 60 years after the date of the sales transaction. |
| record link | https://sirismm.si.edu/EADpdfs/AAA.downgall.pdf |
| record source | https://www.aaa.si.edu/collections/downtown-gallery-records-6293 |
| finding aid | "A Finding Aid to the Records of the Downtown Gallery" by Catherine Stover Gaines and Lisa Lynch, Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., is available. Electronic versions available at http://www.aaa.si.edu/collections/findingaids/downgall.htm and http://www.aaa.si.edu/findmicrodig/downgall/downgall.html |
| acquisition information | The bulk of the records were originally received as a loan in 1957 and 1967 from Edith Gregor Halpert, and microfilmed on reels ND1-ND71. Additions were received incrementally, between 1972 and 1978 from Nathaly Baum, niece of and executor of Halpert's estate, and microfilmed incrementally as well on various reels. In 1998, with funds provided by the Luce Foundation, the collection was reprocessed by Catherine Stover Gaines into one coherent arrangement, and remicrofilmed 1999-2000, totalling 167 reels of film. Most, but not all, of the documents from the early loaned material were subsequently donated. |
| updated | 02/14/2025 10:07:27 |
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| title | Georgia O'Keeffe artist file. | repository | Whitney Museum of American Art |
| description | For further information see http://library.whitney.org/ |
| extent | 54 folders. |
| formats | Correspondence Ephemera Clippings Catalogs |
| access | Contact repository for restrictions and policies. To use the Library, patrons are required to please state their request in the body of an email, in advance, and send the message to library@whitney.org. |
| record source | https://library.whitney.org/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=56845&query_desc=kw%2Cwrdl%3A%20%22%22Georgia%20O%27Keeffe%20artist%20file.%20%22%22 |
| finding aid | No finding aid available. |
| updated | 04/15/2025 11:55:55 |
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| title | Al Blaustein papers, 1947-1982 | repository | Archives of American Art |
| description | Correspondence with the Downtown Gallery, 1956-1958; correspondence regarding awards, grants, and a Guggenheim fellowship; and other letters; photographs of Blaustein and others; receipts from the Downtown Gallery for purchase of paintings, 1957-1958; exhibition catalogs and announcements; clippings; and other printed material. |
| extent | 175 Items |
| record link | https://sirismm.si.edu/EADpdfs/AAA.blaual.pdf |
| record source | https://www.aaa.si.edu/collections/al-blaustein-papers-6762 |
| acquisition information | Donated 1982 by Al Blaustein. |
| updated | 10/03/2025 11:58:55 |
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| title | Downtown Flyers and Invitations Collection, ca. 1980-1990, inclusive | repository | Fales Library and Special Collections |
| description | The collection consists of flyers and invitations relating to downtown galleries, performance spaces, and nightclubs. The bulk of the materials were collected by Mark Swartz, a downtown New York resident. Mark Swartz, who was a supporter of the downtown scene of the 1980's, collected over that period a significant number of flyers and invitations that were assembled into what became this collection. It gives a glimpse into how the scene was promoted and what was happening in music and the arts of the period. |
| extent | 5 boxes |
| access | Materials are open to researchers. Please contact the Fales Library and Special Collections, fales.library@nyu.edu, 212-998-2596. |
| record link | https://findingaids.library.nyu.edu/fales/mss_119/contents/aspace_ref11/#aspace_ref143 |
| record source | https://findingaids.library.nyu.edu/fales/mss_119/ |
| finding aid | Finding aid available online and at repository. |
| acquisition information | Donated by multiple donors in 2001. |
| updated | 10/03/2025 11:58:55 |
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| title | Romare Bearden papers, 1933-1979 | repository | New York Public Library |
| description | Romare Bearden (1914–1988), one of the foremost African American artists, was born in Charlotte, North Carolina, and raised in Harlem, though his southern roots deeply influenced his art. Initially pursuing mathematics at NYU with intentions of becoming a doctor, he shifted to art during the 1930s, studying under George Grosz and joining the Harlem Artists Guild. While working as a New York City social services caseworker, Bearden became immersed in Harlem’s vibrant artistic and musical circles, forming connections with figures like Jacob Lawrence, Duke Ellington, and Aaron Douglas. His early works were watercolors and oils, but after World War II service and a period in Paris studying philosophy, his style evolved toward abstraction. A turning point came in the 1960s with his involvement in the Spiral Group, where he embraced collage as his primary medium, blending imagery of trains, music, and African motifs to reflect the Black experience. The success of his collages enabled him to focus fully on art, earning major accolades, retrospectives, and exhibitions nationwide. Bearden also co-founded the Cinque Gallery to support Black artists and authored two books, dividing his later years between New York and St. Martin. |
| extent | .3 linear feet (1/2 box) |
| access | Contact repository for access and restrictions. |
| record link | https://nyplorg-data-archives.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/collection/generated_finding_aids/scm20539.pdf |
| record source | https://archives.nypl.org/scm/20539#overview |
| finding aid | Finding aid available online and at repository. |
| acquisition information | Gift of Romare Bearden, January 1980. |
| updated | 10/03/2025 11:58:55 |
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| title | Jacob Lawrence Papers, 1917-2000 | repository | Syracuse University Libraries |
| description | Jacob Lawrence (1917-2000) was a leading black American artist, working in gouache, an opaque water colour, and tempera, a mixture of pigment and a binder. He was famous for the distinctive flat surfaces of his narrative paintings depicting social problems, as in The Migration of the Negro (1940-1941) and Struggle: From the History of the American People (1955). Lawrence was born in Atlantic City, New Jersey. He studied under Charles Alston at the Art Workshop in Harlem, New York (1932-1939), and at the Harlem Art Center and the American Artists School in New York City (1937-1939). He was a professor of art emeritus at the University of Washington, Seattle. [From Hutchinson Encyclopedia of Biography (2000)] Spanning 1937-1971, the Jacob Lawrence Papers consist of biographical material, correspondence, artwork reproductions, writings, printed material, and memorabilia of the African-American painter, printmaker, and artist. |
| extent | 4.5 linear ft. |
| access | Contact repository for access and restrictions. |
| record link | https://library.syracuse.edu/digital/guides/print/lawrence_j_prt.htm |
| record source | https://library.syracuse.edu/digital/guides/l/lawrence_j.htm |
| finding aid | Finding aid available online and at repository. |
| acquisition information | Gift of Jacob Lawrence |
| updated | 10/03/2025 11:58:55 |
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| title | William Zorach papers, 1822-1974 | repository | Library of Congress |
| description | The papers of William Zorach (1889-1967) span the years 1822-1974, with the bulk of the material falling between 1930 and 1968. The original portion of the collection consists of correspondence, speeches, articles, book manuscripts, sketches, printed matter, newspaper clippings, and miscellaneous material organized in six series: Family Correspondence; General Correspondence; Speech, Article, and Book File; Printed Matter; Miscellany, and Oversize. Addition I contains similar material arranged in five series: Family Correspondence, General Correspondence, Subject File, Speeches and Writings File, and Miscellany. Addition II consists of photocopies of correspondence and related documents. The General Correspondence in the main portion deals largely with the creation, production, and sale of works of art by William Zorach and his fellow artists. Zorach worked closely with the architects of the buildings for which he was commissioned to execute sculpture. He corresponded with Ellerbe and Company about a Mayo Clinic project; with Murphy & Mackey about his sculpture “The Runner” for the St. Louis Kiener Memorial Foundation; and with Kenneth Franzheim about the Second National Bank Building in Houston. Zorach also served as an instructor for the Art Students League where he conducted numerous courses in sculpture; and notes for speeches and lectures delivered before both professional and general audiences are contained in the Speech, Article, and Book File series. Additional notes in the same series give Zorach’s views concerning subjects such as abstract art, aesthetics, and art instruction for children. Edith Gregor Halpert of the Downtown Gallery in New York was Zorach’s agent, and there is considerable business and personal correspondence between them. Many bills, receipts, and purchase slips pertaining to his works are retained in the collection. |
| extent | 7 linear feet |
| access | Contact repository for access and restrictions. |
| record link | https://findingaids.loc.gov/exist_collections/ead3pdf/mss/2011/ms011237.pdf |
| record source | https://hdl.loc.gov/loc.mss/eadmss.ms011237 |
| finding aid | Finding aid available online and at repository. |
| updated | 10/03/2025 11:58:55 |
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| title | Holger Cahill papers, 1910-1993, bulk 1910-1960 | repository | Archives of American Art |
| description | The papers of Holger Cahill (1887-1960) date from 1910 to 1993, with the bulk of the material dating from 1910-1960, and measure 15.8 linear feet. The collection offers researchers fairly comprehensive documentation of Cahill's directorship of the Works Progress/Projects Administration's (WPA) Federal Art Project (FAP) in addition to series documenting his work as a writer and art critic. Material includes correspondence, reports, artist files, scrapbooks, printed material, and photographs. |
| extent | 15.8 Linear feet |
| access | Contact repository for access and restrictions. |
| record link | https://sirismm.si.edu/EADpdfs/AAA.cahiholg.pdf |
| record source | https://www.aaa.si.edu/collections/holger-cahill-papers-6730 |
| finding aid | Finding aid available online and at repository. |
| acquisition information | The Holger Cahill papers were donated to the Archives of American Art through a series of gifts by Cahill's widow, Dorothy C. Miller, between 1964 and 1995. |
| updated | 09/02/2025 10:41:54 |
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