Archives Directory for the History of Collecting in America
Archives related to: Ruckman, John Fell, 1901-1965
| title | Ruckman family photographs and papers, ca.1838-ca.1910. | repository | The Winterthur Library |
| description | A collection of 14 photographs, one drawing, and a number of prints collected by unknown members of the Ruckman and Fell families of Pennsylvania. Fourteen photographs show rooms in homes; unfortunately, most are not identified. Three photos are of the front and back parlors in the home of Amanda Ruckman (Mrs. J. Gillingham) Fell who lived on Walnut Street. The photos were taken in 1900. The rooms are ornate, filled with Victorian furniture, decorations, and paintings. The other photos are from a less-ornate home (or homes). Halls, a dining room, parlors, and bedrooms are depicted. Most of the furniture is from the late 19th century, but some 18th century pieces, such as Chippendale chairs and a tall case clock, are also found. A pencil drawing of flowers was done by Mary W. Fell in 1867(?). Most of the prints were removed from 19th century publications, including Godey’s Lady’s Book, Miss Leslie’s Magazine, and Graham’s Magazine. Included are fashion plates from 1838-ca.1850, a portrait of King Charles I of England, pictures of ladies, and genre scenes. As well, there are a series of illustrations from “Us Fellers” by B. Cory Kilvert (copyrighted 1906), and illustrations of the five senses by Jessie Willcox Smith. All these items had been placed inside a battered copy of the song “Watch on the Rhine.” Bio/History: The Ruckman family lived in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and the Fell family lived in Philadelphia. John Ruckman (1771-1861) was the progenitor of the people who amassed the items in this collection. His daughter Amanda (1819-1900) married Gillingham Fell; they lived in Philadelphia. John’s son Thomas Hart Ruckman (1827-1908) was the grandfather of John Fell Ruckman (1901-1965) who kept these items together. John Fell Ruckman collected pewter; some of his papers are in the Charles V. Swain papers at this repository. Location The Winterthur Library, Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and Printed Ephemera, Winterthur, DE 19735 Call Number Col. 802 |
| extent | 2 boxes (about 65 items): chiefly ill. |
| formats | Photographs Drawings Prints Ephemera |
| access | Collection open to the public. Copyright restrictions may apply. |
| record source | http://library.winterthur.org:8000/cgi-bin/webgw |
| updated | 03/16/2023 10:30:01 |
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| title | Charles V. Swain Papers, 1947-2007. | repository | The Winterthur Library |
| description | This body of papers including not only those generated by Charles V. Swain, but also some by his good friend and fellow collector John Fell Ruckman, document their interest, involvement and influence in the field of collecting American pewter and to a somewhat lesser extent, its English counterpart. The collection includes correspondence with fellow collectors, including Ledlie Laughlin and Melvyn Wolf; invoices; catalogs from pewter dealers; catalogs of museum collections; photographs of pewter pieces; and index cards listing Swain’s and Ruckman’s pewter pieces, with information about provenance and price. The photographs are of pieces from various collections, not just those owned by Swain and Ruckman. Some were gathered for publication. A number are not labeled. Additional photos are found with correspondence. As well, the collection includes publications, membership lists, and other information from the Pewter Collectors’ Club of America and The Pewter Society (of England). Medallions and buttons from the Pewter Collectors’ Club of America and a linen tea towel decorated with pictures of American pewter are found. The collection also includes a copy of the two volume catalog of Charles Swain’s collection. A very few items pertain to Chinese snuff bottles. Also part of the collection are miscellaneous Ruckman family papers and student art projects completed by Swain. Charles Swain’s art and drawing projects include color charts, lettering exercises, designs for posters and magazine covers, room elevation drawings, room layouts, prints, and shop class drawings. As well, there are photos of his Pewter Room (taken circa 1965), a business card for his interior decorating firm, a Japanese woodblock print, and postcards of Winterthur Museum. Included with the Ruckman papers are trade cards, hand-written Valentines, Christmas cards, rewards of merit, calling cards, embroidery patterns, fashion plates and other pictures, stock certificates for the Centre Bridge Company (to build a bridge over the Delaware River), and a few tickets. One of the Valentines includes a pencil sketch entitled “Woman’s Right,” depicting a woman in a bloomer outfit kneeling before a man, presumably making a marriage proposal as the Valentine was sent in 1852, a leap year. A receipt book was kept by John Ruckman to document his guardianship of the Soliday children from 1833-1850. Also found are poetry by John Fell Ruckman and letters written to him, chiefly by his mother, while he was at Columbia University. Also included is a group of papers documenting an 18th century Philadelphia tea table which belonged to Ruckman’s ancestors, was willed to Charles Swain, and which was sold at auction in 2007. A friendship album for Sarah Ruckman and a circa 1876 scrapbook round out this part of the collection. Biography or history Charles V. Swain of Doylestown, Pennsylvania, was a noted pewter and art collector. He acquired part of his collection from his friend John Fell Ruckman. Swain was an interior decorator by profession, but enjoyed collecting Chinese snuff bottles, American art, and American and European pewter. . His interest in pewte eventually led him to membership in the Pewter Collectors’ Club of America and to The Pewter Society, based in England. Swain served as editor of the PCCA's Bulletin for a number of years. John Fell Ruckman (1901-1965) was born, lived and died in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Swarthmore College and attended Columbia University in New York, but before graduating from the latter returned to the family farm just outside Doylestown to live his entire adult life with his parents. John was an active and intelligent collector of many things, particularly American pewter and Chinese snuff bottles. His interest in these areas brought him in contact with Charles V. Swain. The two men eventually became fast friends and shared their enthusiasm for collecting until John’s death. Ruckman served as editor of the Pewter Collectors’ Club of America Bulletin from 1962-1965. Location The Winterthur Library, Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and Printed Ephemera, Winterthur, DE 19735 |
| extent | 14 boxes, 4 v. : ill. |
| formats | Personal Papers Business Papers Correspondence Financial Records Printed Materials |
| access | Collection open to the public. Copyright restrictions may apply. |
| record link | http://findingaid.winterthur.org/html/HTML_Finding_Aids/COL0798.htm |
| record source | http://library.winterthur.org:8000/cgi-bin/webgw |
| finding aid | A finding aid to the collection is available at this repository. |
| acquisition information | All accessions are gift of Don Fennimore, nephew of Charles V. Swain, Jr. |
| updated | 11/12/2014 11:30:14 |
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| title | Willet Family Collection. 1700-1969 (MSC 791) | repository | Bucks County Historical Society |
| description | Box 1 Fell Family Deeds and Wills, 1700 - 1950 Last Wills of Fell family members, most of whom died in Bucks County, Pennsylvania or Philadelphia; Deeds for land sold in Bucks County often between Fell family members, though a few deeds show land changing families; Chains of Title for Williams farm in Buckingham Township and Robert P. Ash farm in Buckingham Township; Surveyors papers, including maps of land, correspondences, descriptions of land, and blue prints for land involving the Fell Family. Box 2 Fell Family Letter, 1795 - 1969 Letters and correspondence between Fell family members over a number of years; Report Cards for Emily C. David Newlin, Edward Watson, and Lucy W. Fell; Estate Settlement information for William Trego, and Samuel Blackfan; Biographical Information about Edward W. And Anna Fell; Notebooks containing Astronomy information, and memoranda; Deed of sale of land by Shaw to Paxson; Notice of Furlough for J.A. Fell; Resolution of Respect in Memory of John A. Fell; background information about the Fell Family Papers at Swarthmore College. Majority of items are from descendants of Joseph Fell IV, but a few items from the Benjamin Fell branch, i.e. John A. Fell is a distant cousin of David Newlin Fell from the Benjamin branch Box 3 Penrose/Roberts Family, 1722 - 1865 Legal Agreements for businesses, apprenticeships, loans; Marriage Certificates for Evan Roberts and Abigail Penrose, William Penrose and Mary Roberts; Genealogies for Penrose, Roberts, and Lancaster families; Deeds for land sold in Bucks County, Pennsylvania and Chester County, Pennsylvania mostly between family members, Indenture of Release for a piece of land; Notes about land boundaries and moving them; Wills and Estate Settlements for Penrose and Roberts family members and a few non-family members, most of whom died in Bucks County; Records of payment for items bought, rent, payment of inheritance; Letters and correspondence between Penrose/Roberts family members and a few others; Account Book for Richland Monthly Meeting; Manuscript of Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address Box 4 Account Book and Cypher Book, 1827 - 1867 Cypher Book belonging to Henry Stout; Account Book of Smith E. Trego, Father-in-law of David Newlin Fell Box 5 Negatives, Letters, and Genealogies,1795 - 1969 WWII Posters encouraging support for the war; Photographic Negatives from the 20th century of everyday life and people in centennial costume; Address Books belonging to Anna Fell and Edward W. Fell, Drawings and Schoolwork by Anna Fell and Edward W. Fell; Letters most from Edith N. Fell to Edward W. Fell and Anna Fell, one from Edward W. Fell to parents; Poems by Edward D. Fell and J. Frank Gaskill; Birdwatching Notebooks; Genealogy of William and Rachel Trego; Will of Amos Austin Hughes for Hughesian Free School Notes Books used for Genealogies: Fell Family (929.2 FELL 1891); Descendants of Joseph Fell, IV (929.2 Fell); Early Friends Families of Upper Bucks (974.821 ROB) |
| extent | 2.5 linear feet |
| formats | Legal Papers Correspondence |
| access | Contact repository for restrictions and policies. |
| record source | http://starweb.mercermuseum.org |
| finding aid | Online and in repository |
| acquisition information | retains donor's original order |
| updated | 11/12/2014 11:30:16 |
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| title | The Charles Swain Collection. 1783-1892 (MSC 759) | repository | Bucks County Historical Society |
| description | Several generations of the Ruckman family are encompassed in this collection. Relations with the Horner family , and the Fell family are documented. The Ruckman real estate was primarily in Solebury Township, Bucks County, Pa. Some of the deeds in the collection bear on land in Plumstead and Buckingham Townships. Deeds of land purchases by James Ruckman in Plumstead Township in 1786 and 1789 are the earliest Ruckman family documents in the collection. Deeds of land purchases in Solebury Township in 1809, 1813 and 1814 by John Ruckman indicate a shift of the family center. Historical/Biographical Information Historical Note: An article in Bucks County Panorama magazine, December 1968, Volume 10, #12 by Sheila W. Martin provides an excellent genealogy of the Ruckman family. The author researched the names of Bucks County villages. This article traces the name of Ruckmanville in Solebury Township. Acopy of that article is attached to the finding aid. The Ruckman-Swain connection is not made in this collection. Archival Arrangement The collection has been organized into three units. The first unit is Series #1: Photographs. The second unit is Series #2: Wills and Deeds. The third unit is Series #3: letters , bills and receipts. Series #1 is stored in two half cubic foot boxes with a third flat box for oversized photos, box 2A. Series #2 is stored in one half cubic foot legal size box, #3. Series #3 is stored in one half cubic foot box, #4. |
| extent | 4 boxes |
| formats | Photographs Photocopies Legal Papers Correspondence Financial Records |
| access | Contact repository for restrictions and policies. |
| record link | http://starweb.mercermuseum.org/starweb/MercerCollections/servlet.starweb |
| record source | http://starweb.mercermuseum.org |
| finding aid | Online and in repository |
| updated | 11/12/2014 11:30:16 |
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