Kim Hoffmann Photograph Collection
Call Number
Date
Creator
Extent
Language of Materials
Abstract
The collection primarily contains photographs of interior and industrial designs by the interior design firm Hoffmann and Heidrich. Most are interior views of New York City apartments and small retail establishments.
Biographical Note
Joachim Hoffmann (February 22, 1908 - November 7, 1995) was born in Bremerhaven, Germany, and studied law and modern design for three years at the University of Berlin. He left Germany for Paris in 1933, where he practiced interior design for several years. In Paris Hoffmann began to work with the German interior designer Paul Bry; both men relocated to New York in the 1930s. Upon his arrival in New York City, Hoffman worked under the name Jo Kim as a designer and an art photographer both on his own and with Bry. Hoffmann's association with Bry dissolved in 1945, and he began a partnership with Stephen Heidrich in 1946.
Stephen Heidrich (March 22, 1891? - June 1972?) was born in Connecticut but educated in New York. While a high school student, he was awarded the Pierre St. Godin Medal for fine draftsmanship, and received a scholarship to Pratt Institute. He served in the U. S. Army during World War II. Upon his return to New York, Heidrich worked with interior designer Alfons Bach and then with celebrated decorator Dorothy Draper before forming the firm of Hoffmann and Heidrich.
In 1946 Hoffmann and Heidrich set up shop at 225 East 57th Street, and began doing interior design work for both commercial and residential clients. The majority of their designs were for New York City businesses and apartments, with some for larger homes in the surrounding suburban areas, and a few for commercial firms in Connecticut and Delaware. In addition to interior design work, Hoffmann and Heidrich designed display units for stores, and also designed furnishings and accessories for a variety of product lines and manufacturers.
Hoffmann and Heidrich favored a clean, uncluttered modern aesthetic. Their interiors were not dissimilar to those created by more high-end design firms at the same time. Their furniture, made for New York apartment living, was functional yet sleek. For example, tables were able to serve as both tables and benches. Their space-saving closet racks were popular. Both men were fine artists, interested in incorporating contemporary artwork into their residential designs. Both were also members of the American Institute of Designers.
Hoffmann and Heidrich's designs and interiors were featured in local and national newspapers and magazines such as the New York Times and Vogue, and the two often wrote articles about their designs for trade publications. By 1953 the pair were design consultants for several publications in the United States, Argentina, France, and London. In later years Hoffman gave public talks on interior design and aesthetics and taught several classes at the New School for Social Research.
Stephen Heidrich died in 1972. Hoffmann gradually stopped being an active interior designer. As late as 1980, however, he was corresponding with companies about manufacturing products to his specifications. Hoffmann died in New York City in 1995.
Arrangement
The collection is diveded into five series:
- Series I. Commissions
- Series II. Installations and Trade Shows
- Series III. Product Files
- Series IV. Publicity and Correspondence
- Series V. Personal Photographs
Scope and Content Note
The Kim Hoffmann collection spans the period from 1937 to 1980 and primarily contains photographs of interior and industrial designs by the interior design firm Hoffmann and Heidrich. The collection is divided into five series: Commissions; Installations and Trade Shows; Product Files; Publicity and Correspondence; and Personal Photographs.
While the collection is primarily concerned with the activity of the firm of Hoffmann and Heidrich, it also contains material associated with Paul Bry, and examples of both Hoffmann and Heidrich's individual work. Photos of individual designs are often stamped as such, i.e. "Design by Stephen Heidrich of Hoffmann and Heidrich." In addition, both Hoffmann and Heidrich created visual art, and photographs of Heidrich's sculptures and Hoffman's paintings are included here.
The collection was salvaged from the home of Kim Hoffmann after his death, and the photographs, negatives, transparencies, and clippings that were found were foldered by subject. The original folder titles have been maintained; in many cases they remain the only information available about the collected images. In cases where images were loose or clearly mislabeled, they were correctly refiled. However, there are still many images, mainly filed in "miscellaneous" folders, which remain unidentified. It is also unclear how much of the firm's work is documented by these records. Dates for many of the commissions were taken from the Hoffmann and Heidrich office addresses stamped on the verso of the photos.
Many of these photos were taken for publicity or for publication. Others were taken by Hoffmann or Heidrich themselves (especially their travel photography). Photos throughout the collection were taken by the following photographers: John Brefach, Ben Schnall, Clifford G. Scofield, Richard Averill Smith, William Stelling, and James Vincent. Particularly in Series III, product photographs were often samples distributed by their manufacturers.
Subjects
Organizations
Access Restrictions
Materials in this collection may be stored offsite. For more information on making arrangements to consult them, please visit www.nyhistory.org/library/visit.
Use Restrictions
Taking images of documents from the library collections for reference purposes by using hand-held cameras and in accordance with the library's photography guidelines is encouraged. As an alternative, patrons may request up to 20 images per day from staff.
Application to use images from this collection for publication should be made in writing to: Department of Rights and Reproductions, The New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West, New York, NY 10024-5194, rightsandrepro@nyhistory.org. Phone: (212) 873-3400 ext. 282.
Copyrights and other proprietary rights may subsist in individuals and entities other than the New-York Historical Society, in which case the patron is responsible for securing permission from those parties. For fuller information about rights and reproductions from N-YHS visit: https://www.nyhistory.org/about/rights-reproductions
Preferred Citation
This collection should be cited as: Kim Hoffmann Photograph Collection, PR 077, Department of Prints, Photographs, and Architectural Collections, The New-York Historical Society.
Location of Materials
Provenance
Acquired by the New-York Historical Society in 1995.
About this Guide
Edition of this Guide
Repository
Series I: Commissions
Scope and Contents note
Series I covers the years 1942 to 1972 and is divided into three subseries: Residential Commissions, Commercial and Professional Commissions, and Hoffmann and Heidrich's Offices and Apartments. Many photos cannot be precisely dated, but span from roughly 1950 to 1960, the time of Hoffmann and Heidrich's most profitable period. Some folders contain no pictures of the actual design or renovation, but are merely a file of furniture or patterns collected for the project. Addresses for clients were often found in related clippings or from city phone books consulted for the year(s) of the work. All available material documenting each client is foldered together.
Folders are organized alphabetically by Hoffmann's original file titles.
Residential Commissions
Scope and Contents note
Residential Commissions were undertaken mainly for urban apartments, and generally show living and dining rooms with a few kitchen and bedroom designs. The Melken Nursery is one of the few designs for children's room. Another is in the home of Dr. Margaret S. Mahler, a noted child psychoanalyst, who also requested a multifunctional headboard for her bedroom. The largest collection of photos in the subseries documents the renovation of Kurt and Lola Mann's home, from a heavy Tudor style to a modern and airy design. The file for Albert Drosin includes before and after pictures of the design work. A small apartment designed for Harriet Morrison highlights Hoffman and Heidrich's space-saving ideas and functionalist designs.
Clients represented here tended to be doctors or businessmen, but also include the novelist James Ramsey Ullman and John Everett, the president of the New School. This subseries also contains a headshot of artist Ilse Getz along with photographs of her apartment redecoration.
Aberbach, undated
Arluch, [1949-1957]
Aufsessor, undated
Benkert, Ambrose, 220 East 73rd Street, ca. 1972
Bergman, [1949-1957]
Blum, [1949-1957]
Brody, Dr. and Mrs. Matthew, 41 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, NY, [1949-1957]
Copen, 1967-1968
Corfner, after 1957
Devereux, Ellis Feer, 1230 Park Ave, 1955 or later
Donati, undated
Drosin, Mr. and Mrs. Albert, 118 Riverside Drive, 1957-1960
General note
See also: Box 9, Folder 162
Dumbke, [1949-1957]
Everett, Dr. and Mrs. John R., President of New School for Social Research, 1965
General note
See also: Box 9, Folder 163
Feuerring, Gertrude, [1949-1957]
Feuerring, Ralph, undated
Frisch, undated
Getz, Ilse, [1949-1957]
Gross, [1949-1957]
Haas, Edith and Loewy, Kiewe, undated
Hamburger, [1949-1957]
Heinemann, Dr. and Mrs. Martin, 75 Todd Street, Mount Carmel, CT, after 1957
Horowitz, [1949-1957]
Horyuji, after 1957
Jackson, Herb, undated
Kaufman, after 1957
Landau, [1949-1957]
Lansdon, ca. 1952
Lasner, Westport, CT, after 1957
McTravick, [1949-1957]
Mabardi, [1949-1957]
General note
See also: Box 9, Folder 164
Mahler, Dr. Margaret, 300 Central Park West, 1956
Mann, Kurt and Lolo, undated
Melamed, Louis, Stuyvesant Town, 1949
Melken Nursery, 1947
General note
See also: Box 9, Folder 165
Morrison, Harriet, [1949-1957]
Muhlfelder, undated
Netter, Dr., 150 Central Park West, undates
Offenbach, undated
Riley, 1942
Rockefeller, Winthrop, [before 1953]
General note
See also: Box 9, Folder 166
Rosenberg, Dr., after 1957
Rosenblum, [1949-1957]
Spitz, Dr., undated
Stokvis, Mr. and Mrs. Edward, 435 East 79th St, [after 1957]
Udell, George, [1949-1957]
Ullman, Mr. and Mrs. James Ramsey, See also: Box 9, Folder 167, 1947
Unidentified prints, undated
General note
See also: Box 9, Folder 168
Unidentified color transparencies, undated
Unidentified residential plans, undated
Commercial and Professional Commissions
Scope and Contents note
Commercial and Professional Commissions primarily include small specialty stores, as well as hotel lobbies and dining rooms, restaurants, department stores, and offices. In instances where the commercial name does not reveal the store's genre, that information is noted in brackets in the container list. Offices shown include those identified as Dubinsky, Elbert, and Factor, as well as the Book of the Month Club, and Realty Associates. Several stores sell apparel, jewelry, or furs. The design of the Paulin Toy Store in Delaware seems to be a departure from Hoffmann and Heidrich's normally staid designs. The firm also designed a conference table for Nelson Rockefeller, which is included in this subseries. Other businesses represented are the East India Curry Shop and the French Government Tourist Office in New York.
Audrey, 40 East Palisade Ave, Englewood, N.J., 1955
General note
See also: Box 9, Folder 169
Bon Ton, [1949-1957]
Book-of-the-Month Club, 345 Hudson Street, 1954
General note
See also: Box 9, Folder 170
Casual Air, undated
General note
See also: Box 9, Folder 171
Cheridien, undated
Dubinsky, David, [after 1957]
East India Curry Shop, 1947
Elbert, [1949-1957]
Factor, [after 1957]
Feldman, [1949-1957]
French Government Tourist Office, 3 West 49th Street, 1958
Green Hotel, [1946-1949]
Gruin Jewelry Store, [1949-1957]
Hansen Glove Corp. Show Room, 1947
J. K. Lasser Offices, 1952
Marlu [hat shop], undated
New Englander Motor Hotel, Greenwich, CT, 1960
General note
See also: Box 9, Folder 172
New Englander Hotel, Westport, CT, ca. 1960
General note
See also: Box 9, Folder 173
Paulin Toy Store, Wilmington, DE, [1949-1957]
Alfred Rainier [fur shop], [1946-1949]
Realty Associates, Empire State Building, 1951
General note
See also: Box 9, Folder 174
Rockefeller, Nelson D., undated
General note
See also: Box 9, Folder 175
Rooney [dress shop], [1949-1957]
Elsa Saks Bar, undated
Transworld Feature Syndicate, [1949-1957]
Zelikow & Rebell, C.P.A., [1949-1957]
Unidentified prints, undated
Unidentified color transparencies, undated
Hoffmann and Heidrich Offices and Apartments
Scope and Contents note
Hoffmann and Heidrich's Offices and Apartments include all of their own offices, and several of their apartments. In at least their final address, both design showroom and apartment(s) were in the same building. The renovation of 208 East 73rd Street garnered a lot of trade press, which is included here.
225 East 57th Street, Apts. 3G and 3I, [1945-1949]
General note
See also: Box 9, Folder 177
208 East 73rd Street, 1957-1963
208 East 73rd Street, 1957-1963
General note
See also: Box 9, Folders 178-179
Series II: Installations and Trade Shows
Scope and Contents note
Series II dates from 1951 to ca. 1964 and primarily contain photos from several years of the National Home Furnishing Show, held in New York City. Hoffmann and Heidrich designed a variety of rooms for these shows; in 1952 they designed a recording studio for the radio show "Breakfast with the Fitzgeralds," and in 1956 a dream bedroom for actress Celeste Holm. Other photographs show product displays from unidentified trade shows.
Folders are arranged chronologically.
National Home Furnishing Show
Combined Room, 1951
Set for radio show "Breakfast with the Fitzgeralds", 1952
General note
See also: Box 8, Folder 138
General note
See also: Box 9, Folder 180
Danish Kitchen, 1953
General note
See also: Box 3, Folder 38
Celeste Holm Bedroom, 1956
General note
See also: Box 9, Folder 181
Sheltered Workshop's World's Fair Nursery, ca. 1964
Unidentified prints, undated
Unidentified color transparencies, undated
Series III: Product and Designer Files
Scope and Contents note
Series III spans the dates from 1940 to 1980 and include products used and designed by Hoffmann & Heidrich. The firm produced industrial designs for many companies, including Congoleum-Nairn, Fabry, Hallam Kitchen, Ironmaster, and LiCo. Hoffmann also designed for Grosfeld House, and created a cabinet with copper doors painted by artist Jan Hugo.
This series includes photographs of Eames furniture designs from an exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Paintings and sculptures (by Hoffmann, Ilse Getz, Lotte Jacobi, and others) are also here, both as a record of artist's work, and as ideas for home decorations. The folder entitled "Swing Table and meubles ingenieus" [sic] contains photographs of furniture pieces that embody Hoffmann and Heidrich's multifunctional aesthetic. Many of these pieces appear throughout the residential commissions. Likewise, the furniture manufactured by Willow Reed was often used by Hoffmann and Heidrich in residential designs.
Folders are arranged alphabetically by Hoffmann's original file titles.
Antico [flooring], undated
Automotive [flooring], [after 1957]
Paul Bry, 1940s-1950s
Cado/Royal System, undated
Cahn men's wardrobe, undated
Congoleum-Nairn, 1952
Eames, 1946
Fabry, 1954 and later
Flooring with models, undated
Folding Table, undated
Greymour and similar, undated
Grosfeld House, 1950s
Hallam Kitchen, undated
Hoffmann & Heidrich lamps, undated
Hoffmann & Heidrich various industrial design, 1950s-1960s
Home Bistro, 1950s-1960s
Hugo copper door, 1946
General note
See also: Box 9, Folder 183
Ironmaster, 1950s
General note
See also: Box 1, Folders 12-13
Jacobi, Lotte, undated
Lamps, 1950s
LiCo, undated
Paintings, undated
General note
See also Box 2, Folder 19
Pelican Upholstory Company, [1949]
Plexiglass, 1940-1980
General note
See also: Box 9, Folder 184
Emery Roth Silver, undated
Ryback figurines, undated
Sax, undated
General note
See also: Box 9, Folder 185
Sebastian, undated
Selling [flooring], undated
Sheltered Workshops, [1940s]
Jack Soskin Associates, 1970s, undated
Swing Table and meubles ingenieus, undated
Table Settings, undated
Tancer, undated
Tewi, undated
Vulpiani Furniture Restoration, undated
Willow Reed, after 1957
X-Spray Bottles, undated
Unidentified prints, undated
General note
See also: Box 9, Folder 182
Unidentified clippings, undated
Series IV: Publicity and Correspondence
Scope and Contents note
Series IV. is divided into three subseries: Articles by Hoffmann and Heidrich, Articles about Hoffmann and Heidrich, and Other Publicity and Correspondence. Some of these articles are enlarged and laminated on 18 x 11 inch boards, possibly for display.
Articles by Hoffman and Heidrich include several series of advice articles written by the pair for design trade magazines. The subseries also includes a few articles written solely by Kim Hoffmann.
Articles about Hoffman and Heidrich hail from trade publications, newspapers, and foreign periodicals. Articles which refer to individual commissions have been filed with other material relating to that commission. Those here are either general articles about the firm's design ideas, or discuss commissions not represented in the client files in the preceding series.
Other Publicity and Correspondence includes postcards sent to Hoffmann, flyers for Hoffmann's interior decorating classes at the New School, as well as several letters of reference written by psychoanalysts in support of Hoffmann's educational venture. "Your course should help your students to avoid unnecessary anxieties and compulsions which so frequently occur in the act of planning one's home," wrote Dr. Edith Jacobsen. It is likely that Hoffmann used these letters to assure students of the benefits of studying interior design with him.
Articles by Hoffman and Heidrich
Articles by Hoffman, 1952-1963, inclusive
Articles by Hoffman and Heidrich in Display World, Dec. 1949-Oct. 1952
Articles by Hoffman and Heidrich in Playthings, Sep. 1955
Articles by Hoffman and Heidrich in Sales Talk: A Digest of the Best in Selling, Apr. 1950-Mar. 1951
Articles by Hoffman and Heidrich - Miscellaneous, 1951-1953
Articles About Hoffmann and Heidrich
In Interiors & Industrial Design, Feb. 1946
In Vogue, Oct. 1947
Miscellaneous, 1947-1970
Other Publicity and Correspondence
New School of Social Research class bulletins, 1965-1971
Letters from psychoanalysts, re: Hoffmann's classes at NSSR, 1973
Postcards sent to Hoffmann, 1961, undated
Unused letterhead, 1940s and later
Series V: Personal Photographs
Scope and Contents note
Series V includes Hoffmann and Heidrich's travel photography, miscellaneous personal photographs, and photographs of interiors in Berlin and Paris, as well as New York. The pair traveled to Italy, Dubrovnik, and other locales along the Mediterranean. The series also contains contact sheets from a party given by Hoffman and Heidrich for the artist Maria Boerner around 1958, as well as a negative of a photographic portrait of Hoffmann.
The series is divided into Travel Photos and Miscellaneous.
Travel Photos
Berlin (Steinhurz), 1940s
Dubrovnik Contacts [Sheets], ca. 1965-1975
Italy 71, 1971
New York Scenes, undated
Paris, undated
General note
See also: Box 10, Folder 194
Unidentified travel photos, undated
Miscellaneous
Boerner, Maria Party, ca. 1957
Interiors - Berlin, Paris, New York, ca. 1940s -1950s
Portrait of Hoffmann, before Mar. 1953
Porges, 1961-1962
Miscellaneous prints, 1937-ca. 1970s
General note
See also: Box 10, Folder 194