Skip to main content Skip to main navigation

Matthew Lewandowski jewelry dies and papers

Call Number

2012.018

Date

1975-2012, inclusive

Creator

Ganzglass, Marc
Lewandowski, Matthew
Matthew Tool & Dye
Ganzglass, Marc (Role: Donor)

Extent

12.25 Linear Feet in 19 flat boxes, five manuscript boxes, one oversize folder, and 2.91 gigabytes of digital files
3.13 Gigabytes in 195 digital files.

Language of Materials

English .

Abstract

Collection consists of steel dies (also called hubs) used for the stamping of hollow-form earrings and other jewelry. The dies were designed and manufactured by Matthew Lewandowski, owner of the Matthew Tool and Die company. In addition to the dies, the collection contains papers related to Lewandowski's business, and digital files consisting of photographs, audio recordings, and video recordings.

Biographical note

Matthew Lewandowski (1932-2011) was a tool and die maker based in Brooklyn who specialized in the production of jewelry. He was born in Warsaw, Poland, in 1932. He grew up as a child soldier as part of the Polish resistance against Nazi Germany. After the war, he studied economics and worked as an administrator setting up factories in Communist Poland. In 1973 he was granted political asylum and moved to the United States with his family. He found work at a Manhattan jewelry factory where he learned the tool and dye making trade. In 1980 he established his own business at 47 Withers Street in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn, named Matthew Tool & Dye. Joined by his son George and his daughter Barbara, Lewandowski worked with a close knit group of designers and tool-makers to realize thousands of earring designs for the wholesale market during a career of more than 30 years. He retired in November 2011, and passed away shortly thereafter.

- Marc Ganzglass, Space for Art and Industry (Brooklyn, New York)

Arrangement

The collection is organized into three series:

Series 1: Papers, 1975-2012

Series 2: Jewelry dies, 1980s-2000s

Series 3: Digital files, 2011-2012

Scope and Contents

Collection consists of steel dies (also called hubs) used for the stamping of hollow-form earrings and other jewelry. The dies were designed and manufactured by Matthew Lewandowski, owner of the Matthew Tool and Die company. In addition to the dies, the collection contains papers related to Lewandowski's business, and digital files consisting of photographs, audio recordings, and video recordings.

Conditions Governing Access

Open to researchers without restriction.

Conditions Governing Use

Rights to the collection's jewelry dies and designs are held by the Estate of Matthew Lewandowski. Rights to digital files retained by Marc Ganzglass.

Preferred Citation

Identification of item, date (if known); Matthew Lewandowski jewelry dies and papers, 2012.018, Box and Folder number; Brooklyn Historical Society.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of Marc Ganzglass, 2012.

Collection processed by

John Zarrillo. Digital materials processed by Erica López in 2019.

About this Guide

This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2023-08-21 11:20:38 +0000.
Using Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language: Description is written in: English, Latin script.

Processing Information

Minimally processed to the series level.

Digital materials were donated on one DVD. The disk was imaged in 2019 using BitCurator-2.0.14. No viruses or personally identifying information were found durimg imaging.

Repository

Brooklyn Historical Society

Series 1: Papers, 1975-2012, inclusive

Box: 1 (Material Type: Mixed Materials)

Extent

0.75 Linear Feet in one manuscript box and one oversize folder

Scope and Contents

Series contains papers related to Matthew Lewandowski's jewelry design and manufacturing business, including three folders of catalogs, two folders of designs (included hand drawn and colored sketches), and one folder of samples, all dating from the 1980s to the 2000s. It also contains a guide to electrical discharge machining (1975), as well as one folder and one poster documenting the 2012 exhibition of Lewandowski's work at the Space for Art and Industry, BLD92, Brooklyn Navy Yard. More documentation of the exhibition can be found in Series 3: Digital files.

Series 2: Jewelry dies, 1980s-2000s, inclusive

Box: 10 (Material Type: Realia)
Box: 11 (Material Type: Realia)
Box: 12 (Material Type: Realia)
Box: 13 (Material Type: Realia)
Box: 14 (Material Type: Realia)
Box: 15 (Material Type: Realia)
Box: 16 (Material Type: Realia)
Box: 17 (Material Type: Realia)
Box: 19 (Material Type: Realia)
Box: 18 (Material Type: Realia)
Box: 2 (Material Type: Realia)
Box: 20 (Material Type: Realia)
Box: 21 (Material Type: Realia)
Box: 22 (Material Type: Realia)
Box: 23 (Material Type: Realia)
Box: 24 (Material Type: Realia)
Box: 3 (Material Type: Realia)
Box: 4 (Material Type: Realia)
Box: 5 (Material Type: Realia)
Box: 6 (Material Type: Realia)
Box: 7 (Material Type: Realia)
Box: 8 (Material Type: Realia)
Box: 9 (Material Type: Realia)

Extent

11.5 Linear Feet in 19 flat boxes and four manuscript boxes

Scope and Contents

Approximately 300 unique steel dies (also known as hubs) which were used in the manufacturing of jewelry, dating from the 1980s to the 2000s.

Series 3: Marc Ganzglass curatorial files, 2011-2012, inclusive

Disk: digital files (Material Type: Computer Disks)

Extent

2.91 Gigabytes in 195 files and 8 folders

Scope and Contents

The files in this series were created by Marc Ganzglass, who produced an exhibition of Lewandowski's work in 2012. The images and videos document Lewandowski in his workshop, as well as the exhibition of his work at the Space for Art and Industry, BLD92, Brooklyn Navy Yard. The audio files consist of interviews with Lewandowski and his children (Barbara and George). All of the files date from 2011 to 2012,and compose JPEG image files, QuickTime Movie files, MPEG-4 audio files, and various other file formats.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

Access to digital materials is available onsite at the Othmer Library. Requests to access digital materials must be made at least 2 days in advance by emailing library@brooklynhistory.org.

Center for Brooklyn History
128 Pierrepont Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201