Archives Directory for the History of Collecting in America

Archives related to: Duits Ltd.

titleDuits Ltd. records, 1920-1979.
repositoryThe Getty Research Institute
descriptionThese papers (which represent a comprehensive set of sales and basic accounting records from 1924) were received from the London gallery upon closing business in 1985. Together the stock and sales records, which include two books regarding antiques (1920-1937), provide detailed provenance information, sales history, photographs and some expertise, on nearly all works handled by the firm. Included are miscellaneous records (ca. 1940-1979) with correspondence and notes on Holbein, El Greco and other expertises, and records relating to the estates of Borthwick-Norton and du Vere Clinton and the Charles E. Duits collection (ca. 1937-1977).
Series I. Accounting records, 1924-1971: Series includes General ledgers/activity, 1924-1935; General ledgers/account, 1931-1949; 1957-1971 (with gaps); Annual financial statements, 1949-1960; Journals and journal entries, 1938-1967; Memoranda of daily transactions, 1931-1967; Miscellaneous cashbooks and accounting work papers, 1948-1967.
Series II. Stock and sales records, 1920-1978: Series includes stock and sales ledgers: clients and consignors, 1926-1966 (with gaps). Twelve volumes of "stockbooks," "combination ledgers," and "approvals," including receipts for work sent or received on consignment (1927-1948, 1960-1966), a full record of painting sales by client (1927-1949, 1954-1968), a record of antique sales (1921-1937), and a log of sales information on Dutch old master paintings (1937-1978); Stock and sales index: works of art, ca. 1920-1976. Alphabetical card file, arranged by artist, of notes on works in stock, on approval, or sold, with reference to sale price, and stock number used in other records. With three short miscellaneous card files, apparently recording unnumbered stock; Photographs of stock. Twenty-four albums of mounted black and white photographs of works of art handled, most with stock numbers referring to other records.

Correspondence and notes: expertises, ca. 1950-1971. Notes, photographs, accounts of provenance and expertise on works attributed to Holbein (Portrait of an Unknown Lady), Rubens (equestrian portrait of Philip II of Spain), and El Greco (Last Supper). With a short note on Albert Cuyp.
Series III. Miscellaneous records, ca. 1940-1979: Series includes General correspondence and accounts, 1959-1979. With clients, dealers, auction houses, and The Society of London Art Dealers. Correspondence relating to the estates of H. F. P. Borthwick-Norton and H. T. de Vere Clifton, 1948-1954. With probate inventories of their collections; Office diaries, 1968-1972. Brief notes of engagements and activities; Legal papers, 1968-1978, primarily relating to real property. Miscellaneous catalogs and indexes. Library and photograph lists; lists of dealers, experts, collectors and clients, including original notes on the location of works of art in private collections.

Series IV. Charles E. Duits Collection, ca. 1950-1977: Series includes Probate inventory and catalog of drawings, ca. 1950-1977. Annotated exhibition catalog Dutch Pictures 1450-1750, Royal Academy of Arts, London 1952-1953, questioning attribution of certain works.
extent26 lin. ft. (69 boxes).
formatsPhotographs Catalogs Financial Records Inventories
accessOpen for use by qualified researchers.Unpublished finding aid available in the repository; box level control.
record linkhttp://archives2.getty.edu:8082/xtf/view?docId=ead/860290/860290.xml;query=;brand=default
record sourcehttp://hdl.handle.net/10020/cat76776
finding aidUnpublished finding aid available in the repository and on repository's Web site; box level control.
updated03/16/2023 10:29:44
....................................................................


repositoryIngalls Library
updated02/16/2023 15:00:48
....................................................................