Series VI. Object Images, 1765, circa 1864-circa 1990
Extent
Scope and Contents Note
The series includes the museum's photograph files for select objects, which generally appears to be paintings, drawings and sculpture. The photograph files also hold some other documents, such as correspondence related to acquisitions, research notes, inquiries, and other matters. The series also holds a set of negatives for the Stuart collection, lantern slides of the works of American and European artists, and photographs of the Grider, Catlin and Dunsmore drawings.
Arrangement Note
The series is organized in two subseries:
Subseries VI.A. Image Files
Subseries VI.B. Sets of Images
Subseries VI.A. Image Files, 1765, circa 1864-circa 1990
Extent
Scope and Contents Note
The series includes the museum's photograph files for select objects, which generally appears to be paintings, drawings, and some sculpture. The series retains the original folders, which include the object/accession number, the negative number of the object's image and, for some, other notes. For the bulk of the folders, the content includes only one or two black and white photographic prints. Many of the folders hold no documents, but those empty folders were also retained in the series.
In addition to photographs, a considerable number of folders also include other documents. These documents concern the object's acquisition, attributions, research notes on the object's subject, inquiries from outside N-YHS about the object, conservation/restoration reports, deaccession in some cases, and other matter. A small number of these additional documents are exceptional, such as the original 1765 declaration of John Cruger naming Joseph Drake a freeman and citizen of New York City (object 1957.64) and Frederic De Peyster's 1864 letter presenting the drawing by John J. Audubon of John Cleeves Symmes to N-YHS (object 1864.4). Also, some files include a negative or transparency (often color) of the object. During processing, the archivist attempted on a time limited best efforts basis to identify which files held documents other than black and white prints and these instances are noted in the container list below; researchers should not rely exclusively on these notes as other files may well hold useful documentation, such as descriptions written on the back of photographs.
Arrangement Note
The series follows the original order of the files, which includes three sets, each of which is in object number order. The first set includes objects related to boats or ships. The second set, which is the bulk of the series, includes objects other than boats or ships. The third set includes a small number of loaned objects.
Processing Information Note
The series was described and minimally processed in September 2016 by project archivists Margaret Kaczorowski and Larry Weimer. The documents remain in their original folders.
Boats or Ships. x.160 - x.281, -
Boats or Ships. 1899.1 - 1947.66, -
Scope and Contents Note
Includes restoration notes (1924.102, 1924.120, 1936.806, 1938.410, 1938.411, 1938.413, 1938.415, 1941.926, 1942.248); correspondence/notes (1924.111, 1925.107, 1926.76, 1947.66).
Boats or Ships. 1948.485 - 1981.14, -
Scope and Contents Note
Includes restoration notes (1948.488); correspondence/notes (1948.486, 1950.292, 1954.167).
1816.1 - 1867.391, -
Scope and Contents Note
Includes restoration notes (1818.1,1854.1, 1856.3, 1863.10, 1867.298, 1867.306); correspondence/notes (1816.1, 1816.2, 1817.1, 1817.6, 1817.10, 1854.1, 1857.7, 1860.90, 1860.91, 1860.96, 1862.5, 1864.1, 1864.4, 1867.294, 1867.301); negatives/transparencies (1867.294, 1867.298, 1867.302, 1867.306, 1867.312). Includes the original April 5, 1864, letter from Frederic De Peyster describing and presenting the drawing by John J. Audubon of John Cleeves Symmes to N-YHS (object 1864.4).
1867.392 - 1899.7, -
Scope and Contents Note
Includes restoration notes (1867.438, 1871.1, 1887.6, 1897.1); correspondence/notes (1873.4, 1874.2, 1881.21, 1881.22, 1887.8, 1895.8, 1896.2); negatives/transparencies (1873.4, 1880.10, 1887.6); slides (1873.5 to 1873.19).
1900.7 - 1910.62, -
Scope and Contents Note
Includes restoration notes (1905.292, 1907.3, 1908.8, 1909.20, 1910.5); correspondence/notes (1900.7, 1903.3, 1903.13, 1904.1, 1904.36, 1905.184, 1906.2, 1906.4, 1907.7, 1907.32, 1907.10, 1908.2, 1909.14, 1909.26, 1910.12, 1910.23, 1910.47); negatives/transparencies (1906.4, 1907.10, 1909.16, 1910.8); slides (1904.1).
1911.2 - 1921.118, -
Scope and Contents Note
Includes restoration notes (1918.6, 1918.16, 1918.17, 1920.4, 1921.11); correspondence/notes (1911.24, 1912.5, 1915.1. 1915.7, 1917.3, 1920.4); negatives/transparencies (1918.6, 1920.150, 1921.108).
1922.6 - 1925.196, -
Scope and Contents Note
Includes restoration notes (1925.5, 1925.14); correspondence/notes (1923.10, 1923.161 A + B, 1924.11, 1925.177, 1925.29a, 1925.100, 1925.177); negatives/transparencies (1923.5, 1923.137, 1923.138).
1926.2 - 1935.59, -
Scope and Contents Note
Includes restoration notes (1929.26, 1930.2, 1932.4); correspondence/notes (1931.4, 1932.10, 1932.16, 1932.237, 1933.4, 1933.8, 1934.5, 1934.11, 1934.13, 1934.14, 1935.30); negatives/transparencies (1930.2, 1932.21, 1932.23, 1933.8).
1935.78 - 1936.1016, -
Scope and Contents Note
Includes restoration notes (1935.98, 1936.404, 1936.799); correspondence/notes (1935.87, 1935.92, 1935.101, 1936.799); negatives/transparencies (1935.157).
1937.36 - 1941.481, -
Scope and Contents Note
Includes restoration notes (1937.162, 1937.450, 1940.76, 1940.451, 1941.240, 1941.269, 1941.363, 1941.425); correspondence/notes (1937.451, 1937.583, 1937.1718, 1937.1721, 1938.316, 1938.350, 1939.11, 1940.463, 1940.486; 1940.971, 1941.93, 1941.132, 1941.133, 1941.136, 1941.241, 1941.363); negatives/transparencies (1937.138, 1937.1805, 1939.11, 1939.243, 1939.244, 1940.451). Includes documents regarding the estate settlement of Elizabeth B. Knight (1940.350).
1941.640 - 1944.392 to .428, -
Scope and Contents Note
Includes restoration notes (1941.640, 1941.725, 1944.17); correspondence/notes (1941.1178, 1942.323, 1942.351, 1943.168, 1943.388, 1944.72, 1944.73, 1944.150, 1944.151, 1944.357, 1944.359); negatives/transparencies (1941.1210, 1942.323, 1942.324, 1942.356, 1942.357). Includes an attribution note from 1898 (1943.388).
1945.2 - 1947.188, -
Scope and Contents Note
Includes restoration notes (1925.5, 1925.14); correspondence/notes (1945.37, 1945.138, 1945.454, 1945.580, 1946.51, 1946.159, 1946.179, 1946.293, 1946.294, 1946.296, 1946.299, 1946.300, 1946.345, 1947.99); negatives/transparencies (1945.580, 1946.135, 1946.139, 1946.163, 1946.290).
1947.189 - 1948.115, -
Scope and Contents Note
Includes restoration notes (1925.5, 1925.14); correspondence/notes (1947.368, 1947.414a and b, 1947.415, 1947.450, 1947.462, 1947.507, 1947.523, 1948.40 to .42).
1948.122 - 1950.308, -
Scope and Contents Note
Includes correspondence/notes (1948.174, 1948.469, 1948.473, 1948.577, 1949.23, 1949.136, 1949.273, 1950.5, 1950.7, 1950.27, 1950.30, 1950.46, 1950.78, 1950.230, 1950.237, 1950.303a-j, 1950.308); negatives/transparencies (1950.27).
1950.309 - 1952.441, -
Scope and Contents Note
Includes correspondence/notes (1950.309,1950.311, 1950.333, 1950.335, 1951.9, 1951.76, 1951.80, 1951.444, 1951.466, 1951.468, 1951.475, 1952.80, 1952.82, 1952.84, 1952.289, 1952.335, 1952.381, 1952.425); negatives/transparencies (1951.11, 1951.77, 1952.29, 1952.80).
1953.1 - 1955.297, -
Scope and Contents Note
Includes correspondence/notes (1953.63, 1953.71, 1953.101, 1953.185, 1954.39, 1955.172, 1955.275, 1953.238, 1953.318, 1954.39, 1954.57, 1954.177, 1954.197, 1955.96, 1955.97, 1955.98, 1955.172, 1955.275); negatives/transparencies (1953.63, 1953.198, 1953.292, 1955.263).
1955.6 - 1959.19, -
Scope and Contents Note
Includes restoration notes (1957.64); correspondence/notes (1956.6, 1956.54, 1956.69, 1956.192, 1957.23, 1957.39, 1957.57, 1957.64, 1957.65, 1957.73, 1957.80, 1957.135, 1957.232, 1957.249, 1957.261, 1958.85, 1958.139, 1959.1 1959.2); negatives/transparencies (1956.145, 1957.52, 1957.64, 1957.97); slide (1957.112, 1957.114). Includes original 1765 declaration of John Cruger naming Joseph Drake a freeman and citizen of New York City (1957.64).
1959.20 - 1968.39, -
Scope and Contents Note
Includes correspondence/notes (1960.48, 1961.63, 1962.19, 1961.36, 1962.42, 1962.69, 1962.71, 1962.72, 1962.73, 1962.78, 1963.9, 1963.45, 1964.16, 1966.19, 1966.21, 1966.34, 1966.48, 1966.60, 1966.66); negatives/transparencies (1961.44).
1969.16 a,b - 1982.16, -
Scope and Contents Note
Includes restoration notes (1973.36); correspondence/notes (1969.20, 1969.30, 1969.43, 1969.44, 1969.45, 1969.48, 1969.53, 1970.73, 1971.3, 1971.97, 1971.100, 1971.114, 1971.115, 1971.116, 1971.118, 1971.125, 1973.8, 1973.20, 1973.35, 1973.39, 1974.31, 1974.32, 1974.61, 1975.1, 1975.18, 1979.80); transparencies/slides (1969.26, 1970.75, 1971.119, 1973.38, 1973.54 (Van Vorst), 1976.68, 1978.46, 1979.80, 1980.56, 1981.12). Includes gift of unidentified gentleman and lady from Mr. and Mrs. William Middendorf II (1970.72, 1970.73) and gift of Peck portraits from Mrs. Cecil G. Hemsley (1974.29); portrait of Seth Low by Eastman Johnson (1975.18); deed of gift for the Portrait of Mrs. Van Vorst by Mary Foote from Edward Foote (1978.31).
1983.32 - 1985.17, -
Scope and Contents Note
Negatives/transparencies/slides (1984.121). Includes gifts from Mr. and Mrs. Stuart Feld (1983.50, 1983.51, 1983.52, 1983.53, 1983.54, 1983.55); gift from Mrs. Rose Newman of Raphael Soyer drawing (1985.17).
X.5 - x.521, -
Scope and Contents Note
Includes restoration notes (x.5, x.27, x.63); correspondence/notes (x.26, x.63, x.273, x.293, x.515); negatives/transparencies (x.474).
L1927.1 - L1972.1, -
Scope and Contents Note
Includes correspondence/notes on loans (L1927.1, L1945.3, L1946.1, L1946.2, L1946.6, L1947.5, L1947.8, L1948.4, L1948.5, L1952.1, L1953.2, L1953.5, L1954.1, L1954.5, L1954.6, L1955.1, L1955.2, L1955.7). Includes loan of Lord and Lady Stirling portraits from Goodhue Livingston (L1960.5).
Subseries VI.B. Sets of Images, Undated, inclusive
Extent
Scope and Contents Note
The subseries includes sets of images representing portions of N-YHS's current or past collections. The subseries currently holds only a few such sets: negatives of the Stuart collection, small (4" x 3") lantern slides of works by American and European artists, and photographs of the Rufus A. Grider powder horns, George Catlin drawings, and Dunsmore drawings.
In 2019, several trays of slides were transferred to the archives. These appear to be of various objects and of objects in exhibitions. Some slides appear to be reference objects from other institutions.
Processing Information Note
It is unclear when the sets were originally compiled and boxed. The Stuart glass negatives were boxed by conservator Alan Balicki in October 2016. The material was integrated and described with the Museum Department records in 2016 by archivist Larry Weimer. additional slides were processed into the collection in 2021 by Weimer.
Stuart Collection Negatives (Acetate), Undated
Scope and Contents Note
Includes acetate negatives, mostly 8x11, of Stuart collection objects. Emails in the box from 2007 suggest that these were scanned and have digital versions.
Stuart Collection Negatives (Glass), Undated
Scope and Contents Note
Includes ten 8x11 plates: #26, 114, 141, 169, 172, 186, 200, 229, 232, 239.
Lantern Slides. American Artists. Alexander to Chapman, Undated
Lantern Slides. American Artists. Child to Durand, Undated
Lantern Slides. American Artists. Durand to Feke, Undated
Lantern Slides. American Artists. Feke to Hesselius, Undated
Lantern Slides. American Artists. Hesselius to Jarvis, Undated
Lantern Slides. American Artists. Jennys to Mount, Undated
Lantern Slides. American Artists. Mount to Robertson, Undated
Lantern Slides. American Artists. Savage to Stuart, Undated
Lantern Slides. American Artists. Stuart to Vanderlyn, Undated
Lantern Slides. American Artists. Vanderlyn to Wright, Undated
Lantern Slides. American Artists. Unknown, Undated
Lantern Slides. American Artists. Unknown; European (Italian, Spanish), Undated
Lantern Slides. European Artists (Dutch, English, Flemish, French, Italian), Undated
Photographs & inventory. Rufus A. Grider Powder Horn Drawings (21 folders), Undated
Photographs. Dunsmore Drawings, Undated
Photographs. George Catlin Drawings (8 folders), Circa 1987?
Scope and Contents Note
Includes a report on the Catlin Collection by Curator Ella Foshay.