The Winterthur Library

The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and Printed Ephemera

OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION

Creator: Gustav Stickley

Title: Business papers

Dates: 1889-1962, bulk 1901-1939

Call No.: Col. 60

Acc. No.: 76x101, 92x80; 07x98

Quantity: 53 boxes, plus bound volumes

Location: 17 E-F 1-5, G 1-4, H 1-5

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

Gustav Stickley was a cabinetmaker and architect; he created The Craftsman Workshops and was a leader of the Arts and Crafts movement in America. Born on March 9, 1857 in Osceola, Wisconsin, he was the oldest of Leopold and Barbara Stoeckel's eleven children. He was apprenticed as a stone mason at the age of 12. A few years later, his father ran off, leaving Gustav responsible for supporting his family and forcing him to drop out of school in the 8th grade. When he was 16, his family moved to Brandt, Pennsylvania, where his mother's brother owned a furniture factory. Gustav was employed there and by the time he was 21, he was manager and foreman of the Brandt Chair Company. On September 12, 1883, Gustav married Eda Simmons.

In 1884, Gustav moved to New York and with two of his brothers, Charles and Albert, opened a furniture business in Binghamton. Although Gustav left the firm in 1888, it continued as a sales operation under the name of Stickley Bros., with another brother, George, joining the firm. After leaving Stickley Bros., Gustav served as vice president of the Binghamton Street Railway and supervised a workshop at Auburn Prison. In 1893, Stickley set up a furniture manufacturing business, Stickley‑Simonds in Eastwood, a suburb of Syracuse; his brothers, Leopold and J. George, came to work for the company. In 1898, Simonds left the partnership, and Stickley visited Europe to meet European leaders of the Arts and Crafts Movement. Upon returning to the United States, he changed the name of his firm to Gustav Stickley Company and began designing a new line of furniture. Gustav set up a profit sharing plan and organized his company as a guild. He called his production shop The United Crafts, reflecting the influences of the guild system and philosophies espoused by John Ruskin and William Morris.

Stickley founded The Craftsman magazine in 1901 to promote and extend the principles established at United Crafts. Stickley took a growing interest in the total environment of the home and extended his work to include architecture and textile design. In 1905, he moved the offices of the Craftsman to New York City. As his business grew, competition increased. His brothers, who founded L. & J.G. Stickley, Inc. around 1900, were among his competitors. Stickley was involved in a variety of social and professional activities, including the New York Athletic Club, the Engineer's Club, the National Arts Club, and the Society of Craftsmen, and around 1908 he developed an interest in farming . In that year, he began purchasing 600 acres of land in Morris Plains, New Jersey, which became the site of Craftsman Farms. Products from the farm were served in the Craftsmen Restaurant on the top floor of the Craftsman Building in New York City.

While Stickley was operating the farm, his Homebuilder's Club had grown and his furniture was sold by more than fifty franchises. A few years later, the Craftsmen Contracting Company was organized to build Stickley designed homes. He also owned sawmills in the Adirondacks, where wood for Craftsman furniture was milled. By 1913, Stickley united all his enterprises under the name of The Craftsman, Inc. On March 24, 1915, two years after the opening of the Craftsman Building, Gustav Stickley was declared bankrupt. The last issue of The Craftsman appeared in December, 1916 and in 1918 the farm was sold. A 1918 issue of Furniture World carried a notice for a new Stickley Company, listing Leopold as president, Gustav as vice president, and J. George as treasurer. A year later, Gustav was no longer associated with the firm. The new company produced Craftsman‑like furniture at Eastwood until 1927, when a line of colonial reproductions began. Leopold and J. George Stickley manufactured furniture into the 1960s.

SCOPE AND CONTENT

The collection documents the rise and fall of Gustav Stickley's business enterprises, particularly Craftsman, Inc., and contains related material from the business activities of his brothers, Leopold and J. George, in the Stickley Manufacturing Co. and L.& G. J. Stickley Showroom. Included are cash vouchers and bills, cancelled checks, stock information, share certificates, minutes of corporate meetings, correspondence, cash receipts, time sheets, payrolls, contracts between the Stickleys and other firms, sales ledgers, patents, telegrams, and financial statements from several banks. Of particular note are the legal records and letters from creditors that relate to the bankruptcy of Craftsman, Inc. in 1915 and 1916 and the dissolution of the Craftsman Publishing Company. Also included re the deed, mortgage, and other legal documents relating to the Craftsman Farm.

The collection also contains 675 glass plate negatives and a set of reproduction proofs made of the printer's blocks used in the production of trade catalogs. Such items as music cabinets, smoking cabinets, a three drawer library table, round tables, drop leaf tables, a tall case clock, teacarts, dressing glass, book shelves, book cases, hat trees, umbrella stands, sideboards, a toy house on wheels, a child's hobby horse, rockers, side rockers, side chairs, arm chairs, high chairs, lamps, trundle beds, day beds, cribs, couches, desks, roll‑top desks, wicker furniture, chests of drawers with mirrors, andirons, fire place tools, etc. are featured.

ORGANIZATION

The glass plate negatives are in Boxes 24-50 and 54. Study prints for these negatives are available in the Decorative Arts Photograph Collection (DAPC), and those must be used rather than the negatives.

Boxes 1-15A contain cash vouchers and bills for 1915-1916, the time immediately after Gustav Stickley’s company declared bankruptcy. The other boxes contain a mixture of business records and correspondence relating to both Gustav Stickley’s enterprises and the firm of L. & J.G. Stickley. Much of this material also comes from the time after bankruptcy was declared.

Most of bound volumes 76x101.1-.67 deal with Gustav Stickley’s businesses. Many of the bound volumes 76x101.4577-.4641 pertain to the businesses of L. and J.G. Stickley or Stickley Mfg. Co.

PROVENANCE

Gift of the American Life Foundation and Study Institute of Watkins Glen, New York (acc. no. 76x101).

Gift of Susan Tarlow and Donald Davidoff (acc. no. 92x80).

Accession 07x98 purchased from Bruce N. Johnson.

ACCESS POINTS

Topics:

L. and J.G. Stickley Inc.

Craftsman Workshops (Eastwood, Syracuse, N.Y.)

Gustav Stickley the Craftsman.

Craftsman, Inc.

Craftsman Publishing Co.

Stickley and Simonds Co.

Craftsman Home Building Co.

Stickley Manufacturing Co.

Craftsman Farms.

Craftsman Restaurant.

Gustav Stickley Co.

Arts and crafts movement.

Furniture making.

Architectural furniture - Photographs.

Furniture design - Drawings.

Furniture, Oak - Photographs.

Furniture, Mission - Photographs.

Furniture industry and trade - New York (State)

Wages - Furniture workers.

Payroll deductions.

Personnel records.

Bankruptcy - History - Sources.

Business failures - History - Sources.

Debtor and creditor.

Decorative arts - Periodicals.

Furniture - Periodicals.

Periodicals, Publishing of - Finance.

Publishers and publishing.

Corporations - Accounting.

Stock ownership.

Retail trade - New York (State) - New York.

Retail trade - New York (State) – Fayetteville.

Business records - New York (State) - Fayetteville.

Business records - New York (State) – New York.

Minutes.

Checks.

Telegrams.

Time sheets.

Payrolls.

Bankruptcy proceedings.

Correspondence.

Ledgers.

Bills (financial).

Glass plate negatives.

Stock certificates.

Contracts.

Patents (licenses).

Cabinetmakers.

Furniture workers.

Furniture designers.

Publishers.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION

Location: 17 E-F 1-5, G 1-4, H 1-5

Box 1: Cash vouchers-bills, June-July 1915

Box 2: Cash vouchers-bills, July-August 1915

Box 3: Cash vouchers-bills, August-September 1915

Box 4: Cash vouchers-bills, September 1915

Box 4A: Cash vouchers-bills, October-November 1915

Box 5: Cash vouchers-bills, November 1915

Box 5A: Cash vouchers-bills, November-December 1915

Boxes 6-7: Cash vouchers-bills, December 1915

Box 8: Cash vouchers-bills, January 1916

Box 9: Cash vouchers-bills, January-February 1916

Box 10: Cash vouchers-bills, February 1916

Box 11: Cash vouchers-bills, March 1916

Box 12: Cash vouchers-bills, March-April 1916

Box 13: Cash vouchers-bills, April-May 1916

Box 14: Cash vouchers-bills, May-June 1916

Box 15A: Cash vouchers-bills, June-July 1916

Box 15B: Correspondence: January 1913-May 1915 (5 folders)

Box 16: Correspondence: June 1915- October 1917 (8 folders)

Box 17A: Stock certificates

Indenture - Wilkins Securities Corp.

Emerick, L.W.

Jones & Brindisi

John Turnbull Jr. & Co.

August Giese & Son

Realty Advertising & Supply Co.

Hasbrook, Roy C.

Meyer, Charles

Stetson Foster Co.

Gustav Stickley, The Craftsman Inc.-Papers executed, Boston store

Gustav Stickley, The Craftsman Inc.-Papers executed, 1910-1913 (4 folders)

Box 17B: Balance sheets, 1915-1916

Inventory, n.d. (2 folders)

Minutes, Craftsman Home Building, 1914

Minutes: Craftsman Publishing Co., 1914-1916 (2 folders)

Minutes: G. Stickley, The Craftsman Inc., 1915-1917 (2 folders)

Invoice book, 1915

Box 18: Gustav Stickley The Craftsman Inc.-Papers executed, 1914-1917 [Craftsman Farms items] (5 folders)

State of New Jersey

Financial statements and notes, ca.1915

Stocks and dividend information (2 folders)

Pacific Bank mortgage and agreement

Deed of Trust

Dodson, Joseph H. (3 folders)

Box 19: Craftsman Publishing Co., legal cases

Craftsman Publishing Co., papers executed

Bankruptcy file (4 folders)

Bankruptcy, correspondence with creditors

Schedules – bankrupt (2 folders)

Minutes, Directors meetings 1889-1912

Box 20: Taxes: The Craftsman, 1914-1916

Taxes: Craftsman Publishing Co., 1908-1915

Taxes: Craftsman Home Building Co., 1913-1915

Lease, G. Stickley, The Craftsman, 1915-1917

Craftsman Co. of Boston: minutes, stock certificates, corporate papers

Stickley & Simonds Co.: capital certificates

Sales books of L. & J.G. Stickley, 1956-61 (2 volumes)

Box 21: Cancelled checks, October 1915-April 1916

Box 22: Cancelled checks, May 1916-September 1916

Adding machine tapes

Metropolitan Trust Co., bank statements 1916

Metropolitan Trust Co., charges 1915-16

Box 23: Telegrams, L. & J.G. Stickley, 1937 (2 folders)

Cash book, L. & J.G. Stickley, 1955-58

L. & J. G. Stickley, Inc. – correspondence, 1925-1936 (acc. 07x98.1-.19)

Box 24-50: Glass plate negatives (see also Box 54) [see DAPC for study reprints]

Box 51: Cancelled checks, 1917-1921

Miscellaneous financial documents

Employee taxes for 1917

Debt payments

Patents

Insurance

Legal documents and papers (3 folders)

Stock, 1920

John George Stickley estate

Yates Hotel contract

Box 52: Expense books for petty cash, 1910-1922 (9 folders)

Box 53: Proofs from printers’ blocks

Box 54: Glass plate negatives (see also Boxes 24-50) (see DAPC for study reprints)

Bound volumes: [note: all accession numbers begin with 76x101]

.1 Inventory, January 1901-January 1904

.2 Inventory, January 1909-1910

.3 Inventory, January 1911

.4 Inventory, January 1912

.5 Inventory, July 1912-January 1913

.6 Inventory, July 1913

.7 Inventory, May 1914

.8 Sales ledger, January 1896 to November 1901

.9 Invoice register, August 1901 to May 1907

.10 Sales ledger, August 1901 to May 1907

.11 General Ledger, 1901 to 1905 [includes notes and bills payable, wages, and some personal expenses]

.12 [List of sales], April 1902 to November 1902

.13-14 Cash received and paid, July 1903 to January 1906

.15 Journal [list of sales], July 1903 to March 1904

.16-18 Records of checks and deposits, December 1907 to April 1914; one volume undated but probably July 1906 to December 1907

.19 Checkbook, September 1914 to March 1915

.20-21 Cash receipts and disbursements, February 1908 to July 1909

.22-25 Trial balance, October 1907 to February 1923

.26-37 Payrolls, November 1907 to July 1908, February 1909 to July 1915, January 1916

.38-47 Sales returns & allowances, February 1908 to August 1917

.48-53 Purchases, returns and allowances, February 1908 to March 1914

.54 Private ledger, 1910 to 1912

.55 Account book, 1915-1920

.56 Invoices payable taken into account, and journal entries, 1913 to 1915

.57 Various accounts: debits, credits, distribution of purchases in New York, Syracuse & Boston stores. Appraisal certificate of G.S. Inc. 1914 (volume labeled Private, 1914-1915), [note: volume has a lock on it]

.58 Cash register, January to September 1915

.59-60 Daily cash receipts, January 1915 to April 1918

.61-62 Purchase register, October 1915 to October 1918

.63 Ledger, accounts payable, March 1915, and Wm. Henkel Receiver’s register, March-June 1915

.64 Record of checks, 1917 to 1919; includes index of names

.65 Accounts payable, with alphabetical index, 1908 to 1910 [note: detailed list of contents of this volume is appended to this finding aid]

.66 Index of names, addresses, n.d., with one bill laid in [note: possibly an index to subscribers of magazine or purchasers of Craftsman products]

.67 List of structures, tools, and machinery in buildings, n.d. [possibly for insurance]

.4577 Purchases, returns, allowances, December 1908 to December 1909

.4578 Cash receipts, disbursements, July 1909 to July 1910

.4579 Cash receipts, disbursements, July 1910 to August 1911

.4580 Cash receipts, disbursements, August 1911 to August 1912

.4581 Cash receipts, disbursements, August 1912 to July 1913

.4582 Sales returns and allowances, September 1917 to September 1920, for Stickley Mfg. Co.

.4583 Purchase and sales register, 1913 to 1914

.4584 Cash receipts and disbursements, July 1913 to October 1914

.4585 Cash receipts and disbursements, November 1914 to November 1916

.4586 Cash receipts and disbursements, December 1916 to December 1918

.4587 Stickley Mfg. Co., cash receipts and disbursements, December 1918 to September 1920

.4588 Stickley Mfg. Co., purchase register, Nov 1918 to Feb. 1923

.4589 Stickley Mfg. Co., bills payable, Sept. 1920 to March 1929

.4590 Stickley Mfg. Co., cash receipts and disbursements, October 1920 to September 1922

.4591 Purchase register, February 1923 to January 1925

.4592 Trial balance & business done, March 1923 to May 1939

.4593 Trial balance, January 1925 to December 1929

.4594 Stock record, 1925 [fabric purchases, not stock certificates]

.4595 Record of cash received, January 1956 to December 1957

.4596 Accounts, arranged by names of firms, 1926-1928

.4597 Various accounts, 1915 (similar to .57) (volume has a lock on it)

.4598 Accounts, arranged by names of firms, 1916-1925

.4599 Accounts, arranged by names of firms, 1918-1925

.4600 Accounts, arranged by names of firms, 1926-1928

.4601 Trial balance, Jan. 1930 to Dec. 1932

.4602 Shipments, May 1933 to Oct. 1936

.4603 L. & J.G. Stickley journal accounts, July 1934 to Dec. 1957

.4604 Stickley Mfg. Co. trial balance, June 1939 to Oct.1948, and financial reports for 1945

.4605 Time sheets, July 1931 to December 1931

.4606 Time sheets, January 1933 to June 1933

.4607 Tome sheets, July 1933 to October 1933

.4608 Time sheets, January 1937 to June 1937

.4609 Time sheets, January 1938 to June 1938

.4610 Time sheets, July 1938 to Dec. 1938

.4611 Time sheets, July 1939 to Nov. 1939

.4612 Accounts, arranged by names of firms, 1944 to 1952

.4613 Trial balance, November 1948 to March 1962

.4614 List of sales, April 1950 to December 1951

.4615 List of sales, January 1952 to August 1956

.4616 L. & J.G. Stickley expense ledger, 1952 to 1957

.4617 Disbursements, January 1954 to December 1957

.4618 Accounts, arranged by names of firms, 1952-1957

.4619 Weekly payroll records, 1957

.4620 Record of cash received, February 1926 to December 1932

.4621 Individual payroll records, 1957

.4622 Individual payroll records, 1958

.4623 List of textile wholesalers, n.d.

.4635 Billing sheets, 1953

.4636 “Numerical copies 438 to 1492,” copies of orders, January to June 1955

.4637 Orders, 08609 to 09914, January to June 1959

.4638 Orders, 09915 to 10846, July to December 1959

.4639 Billing sheets, July to December 1959

.4640 Billing sheets, January to June 1962

.4641 Billing sheets, July to December 1962