Florence Nightingale Levy Papers
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Abstract
The Florence Nightingale Levy Papers pertain mostly to Levy's professional life and activities in arts administration and education in New York City. The bulk of the collection is concentrated in the years between 1908 and 1926. The Levy Papers include correspondence with James Parton Haney, director of art education in New York high schools; Levy family legal documents; and an autograph book of Florence Nightingale Levy.
Biographical Note
Missing Title
Organization
The collection is organized by type of material, then chronologically.
Scope and Content Note
The Florence Nightingale Levy Papers pertain mostly to Levy's professional life and activities in arts administration and education in New York City. The bulk of the collection is concentrated in the years between 1908 - 1926 and includes correspondence, clippings, and Levy family legal documents.
Florence Nightingale Levy was founder and editor of the American Art Annual, 1898 - 1918, and founder and director of the American Federation of Arts, 1913 - 1945. The American Federation of Arts is a clearinghouse for information regarding the visual arts, and publisher of the American Art Annual. She served as Director of the Baltimore Museum of Art, and received letters in that capacity from H.W. Kent, Blanchard Randall, and Henry Wiegand, 1922 - 1925. Included is a one-page ledger on the finances, expenses, assets, and liabilities of the museum, 1923.
Levy also served as the General Manager of the Art Alliance of America, through a placement bureau and occasional exhibits, this organization encouraged the greater industrial use of domestic artists and design at a time when European sources were disrupted. Correspondence between W. Frank Purdy, President, and Elizabeth Berkeley Grimball, Secretary, of the Art Alliance centers on Levy's ongoing wish to resign, 1919 - 1920.
The collection includes personal letters to Levy from James Parton Haney, director of art education in New York high schools; written mostly from Europe, 1908 - 1923. Many of the letters are on hotel stationary from various locations and include Haney's sketches and drawings of local scenery, people, and monuments. These letters provide insight into the personal life of Florence Nightingale Levy and her fifteen-year friendship with Haney. Much of Haney's career is covered in these letters. Also included are a few photographs of Haney during this time period. In addition, there are several obituaries, memorials, and letters about Haney, written after his death in 1923.
The collection also includes Levy Family legal documents, including an autograph book given by Levy's mother, Pauline, to her in 1879 and includes an autograph of A. Stieglitz. There is also a memorial tribute to her father, Joseph Arthur Levy, from Ancient Chapter No. 1, Royal Arch Mason Society of which he was a member. Other documents included are an indenture between Arthur Lumley Levy and the Congregation Shaaray Tefilia for seats in the 44th St. synagogue, 1869; a conveyance of 1000 acres in Georgia, 1794, and the transfer of the same deed from Lucius Field to Arthur Lumley Levy, 1837; citizenship paper issued by the Marine Court of the City of New York to Esther Levy, 1840; marriage certificate in Hebrew between Joseph Arthur Levy and Pauline Goodheim, 1869; and passports from the years, 1839 and 1894. In addition there are signed letters from Arthur Lumley Levy to his parents, 1824; to Joseph Arthur Levy on his 21st birthday, 1861; and to Florence Nightingale Levy on her 18th birthday, 1888. Family members represented in this folder are Arthur Lumley and Esther Levy, parents of Joseph Arthur Levy, Joseph Arthur and Pauline (Goodheim), Florence Nightingale Levy's parents.
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Access Restrictions
Open to qualified researchers.
Photocopying undertaken by staff only. Limited to twenty exposures of stable, unbound material per day. Researchers may not accrue unused copy amounts from previous days. Researchers on site may print out unlimited copies from microfilm reader-printer machines at per-exposure rates. See guidelines in Reading room for details.
Use Restrictions
Permission to quote from this collection in a publication must be requested and granted in writing. Send permission requests, citing the name of the collection from which you wish to quote, to
Library Director
The New-York Historical Society
170 Central Park West
New York, NY 10024
Preferred Citation
This collection should be cited as The Florence Nightingale Levy Papers, The New-York Historical Society.
About this Guide
Edition of this Guide
Repository
Professional Correspondence - "Contracts and Agreements"
Professional Correspondence - "Contracts and Agreements", 1908-1945
Scope and Contents note
Approximately 35 letters received by New York City editor and arts administrator Florence Nightingale Levy written by her associates. The letters pertain to Levy's activities as editor of the American Art Annual and her involvement in the fields of arts administration and education and include invitations to public functions held in honor of Levy, museum openings, publications, and congratulations to Levy acknowledging her contribution to the art world. Arranged chronologically.
Florence Nightingale Levy, Letters Received
Florence Nightingale Levy, Letters Received, 1888 - 1923
Scope and Contents note
Approximately 44 items, arranged chronologically. Mostly personal letters received from James Parton Haney, director of art education in New York high schools, written mostly from Europe and several obituaries, memorials, and letters about Haney, written after his death in 1923.
American Institute of Graphic Arts, Certificate of Membership
American Institute of Graphic Arts, Certificate of Membership, 1925
Scope and Contents note
American Institute of Graphic Arts elects Levy as one of the first two women in the organization.
The American Art Annual Testimonial to Florence Nightingale Levy
The American Art Annual Testimonial to Florence Nightingale Levy, 1919
Scope and Contents note
Hand painted and scripted testimonial to Levy in celebration of her 21 years' publication of the American Art Annual.
James Parton Haney Lecture on Industrial Art
James Parton Haney Lecture on Industrial Art, 1910
Scope and Contents note
Two slides of newspaper articles from the Baltimore American and The Sun, Baltimore, related to the lecture given by Haney at the Baltimore Museum of Art in 1910.
James Parton Haney Photographs
James Parton Haney Photographs, 1908,1918
Scope and Contents note
Select photographs of James Parton Haney.
James Parton Haney Testimonial
James Parton Haney Testimonial, 1919
Scope and Contents note
Testimonial luncheon for Haney by the Art Teachers of New York City at the Hotel McAlpin on May 3, 1919.
James Parton Haney Memorials
James Parton Haney Memorials, 1923-1924
Scope and Contents note
Testimonial luncheon for Haney by the Art Teachers of New York City at the Hotel McAlpin on May 3, 1919.
Levy Family Legal Papers, Georgia Property
Levy Family Legal Papers, Georgia Property, 1794-1837
Scope and Contents note
Conveyances for land in Georgia. Included in this folder is the original conveyance and the transfer of the conveyance to Arthur Lumley Levy.
Levy Family Correspondence
Levy Family Correspondence, 1824-1867
Scope and Contents note
Included in this folder are signed letters from Arthur Lumley Levy to his parents, and to his son, Joseph Arthur Levy, on his 21st birthday.
Esther Levy, Naturalization Record
Esther Levy, Naturalization Record, 1840
Scope and Contents note
Citizenship paper issued by the Marine Court of the City of New York to Esther Levy.
United States of America Passports
United States of America Passports, 1839,1894
Scope and Contents note
Passports issued to Joseph Arthur, Pauline and Florence Nightingale Levy.
Marriage Certificate for Joseph and Pauline Levy
Marriage Certificate for Joseph and Pauline Levy, 1869
Scope and Contents note
In Hebrew.
Indenture - Shaaray Tefilia
Indenture - Shaaray Tefilia, 1869
Scope and Contents note
An indenture between Arthur Lumley Levy and the Congregation Shaaray Tefilia for seats in the 44th St. Synagogue.
Joseph Arthur Levy, Memoriam
Joseph Arthur Levy, Memoriam, 1889
Scope and Contents note
Memorial tribute to Joseph Arthur Levy from Ancient Chapter No. 1, Royal Arch Mason Society of which he was a member. In the back of the book is a photograph of Joseph Arthur Levy as well as correspondence of this acquisition by the Royal Arch Mason Society
Poetry and Drawing
Poetry and Drawing, n.d.
Scope and Contents note
Poetry made into songs about James Parton Haney. One piece of paper with drawings on it. Unknown creator.
Autograph Book
Autograph Book, 1879-1885
Scope and Contents note
An autograph book given to Levy by her mother with autographs of friends and family - one of whom is A. Stieglitz.