The
The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and
Printed Ephemera
Henry
Francis du Pont
5105
Kennett Pike,
302-888-4600 or
800-448-3883
OVERVIEW OF THE
COLLECTION
Creator:
Title:
Dates: 1879-1941
Call
No.:
Acc.
No.: 76x99, 78x314, 87x174, Ph 1382, Ph 1384,
90x91
Quantity: 14 boxes (4.7 cu. ft.)
Location: 16 B 3-5
BIOGRAPHICAL
STATEMENT
Irving Whitall Lyon, 1840-1896, was a
physician in
Irving Phillips Lyon, one of Irving W.
Lyon's three children, was also a physician, practicing in
SCOPE AND
CONTENT
These
papers consist of research notes and correspondence on furniture, ceramics, oak
furniture, cabinetmakers, carvers and genealogy. The notebooks record ocean
voyages to
Irving
P. Lyon had a wide correspondence, including exchanges with Wallace Nutting,
Henry Francis du Pont, the Essex Institute, and many other people and museums.
ORGANIZATION
Miscellaneous
notes and a manuscript copy of Colonial
Furniture in New England are in
A
more detailed description of the some of the items in the collection is
available at this repository. A name
index to accession 78x314 is appended to this finding aid.
LANGUAGE OF MATERIALS
The materials
are in English.
RESTRICTIONS ON ACCESS
Collection is
open to the public. Copyright
restrictions may apply.
PROVENANCE
Gifts
and purchases from various sources.
ACCESS POINTS
People:
Lyon, Irving
Whitall, 1840-1896.
Lyon, Irving Phillips,
1870-1944.
Dennis, Thomas, ca.
1638-1706.
Du Pont, Henry Francis,
1880-1969.
Nutting, Wallace,
1861-1941.
Topics:
Furniture making.
Furniture
- Expertising.
Cabinetmakers
- Genealogy.
Furniture
workers - Genealogy.
Ceramics.
Architecture.
Inventories
of decedents' estates -
Inventories
of decedents' estates -
Inventories
of decedents' estates -
Voyages
and travels.
Clippings.
Scrapbooks.
Correspondence.
Photoprints.
Drafts
(preliminary versions).
Genealogies.
Notes.
Notebooks.
Physicians.
Collectors.
DETAILED
DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION
Location: 16 B
3-5
Folder 1: Letters
between Irving P. & Charles Lyon, brothers, 1929-1930 (acc. 90x91)
Folder 2: Voyage
notebook to
Folder
3: Notebooks, European travels, 1881: Memoranda of inquiries to be made
in
Folder 4: Expense
book, European travels, 1879, 1881 (acc. 76x99.4)
Folder 5: notebooks:
European travels, 1886, 2 vols. (acc. 76x99.5-.6)
Folder 6: English
inventories, 1882-84, 3 vols. (acc. 76x99.7-.9)
Folder 7: Notes
from old
Folder 8:
Folder 9:
Folder 1: Inventories,
Folder 2: Notes
from inventories on old furniture (acc. 76x99.17)
Folder 3: Notes,
queries, etc. especially relating to old furniture (acc. 76x99.18)
Folder 4: Receipts
for old books on furniture, etc.
Folder 5: Letters
& data on old china, glass & delft, etc. (acc. 76x99.20)
Folder 6: Queries,
odd notes, extracts, questions (acc. 76x99.22)
Folder 7: Index:
clock & watchmakers, 1666-1757 (acc. 76x99.23)
Folder 8: Notes on chairs (acc. 76x99.23)
Folder 9: Notes
on clocks (acc. 76x99.25)
Folder 10: Notes
on cupboards (acc. 76x99.26)
Folder 11: Notes on desks (acc. 76x99.27)
Folder 12: Notes on tables (acc. 76x99.28)
Folder 13: Halls & parlours (acc. 76x99.29)
Folder 14: Crittenden, A. R. (acc. 76x99.30)
Folder 15: Caldwell, C. C.
Folder 16: Chests: notes by I. W. Lyon
Folders 1-3: Manuscript of "Colonial Furniture in
Folder 4: Typescript
of "Colonial Furniture in
Folder
5: Dummy book for size, form, etc.; includes a letter from
I. W. Lyon to I. P. Lyon about his meeting with the publishers Houghton,
Mifflin & Co., May 17, 1891 (acc. 76x99.32)
Folder 1: Prospectus for "Colonial
Furniture in
Folder 2: Lyon, Mary Tucker; letters 1879-1881 (acc. 76x99.35-.36)
Folders 3-4: Lyon, Irving Phillips; letters 1879-1896
(acc. 76x99.35 and others)
Folders 5-7: Lyon, Mary E.; letters 1879-1896 (acc. 76x99.35 and others)
Folder
1: Irving P. Lyon’s annotations to
"The Colonial Furniture in
Folder 2: Searches made in English inventories on old furniture (acc.
76x94.10)
Folder 3: Early
Folder 4:
Folder
5: Chests: photos: I.W. Lyon
illustrations (acc. 78x314.809-.815, .817, .819-.820) (see also oversize box)
Folder
6: Clocks: photos: I.W. Lyon
illustrations (acc. 78x314.832-.834, .837) (see also oversize box)
Folder 7: Photo:
Irving W. Lyon, with family information on the back (acc. 90x91)
Folder 8: The Magazine Antiques: loose sheets on
Folders
9-10: The
Magazine Antiques: Nov.-Dec. 1937; Feb., April, June, Aug. 1938 (acc.
90x91)
Folder
1: Letters to Irving P. Lyon: "A" (includes letter from Mary
Allen, photographer,
Folder 2: Letters
to Irving P. Lyon: Allien,
Frederick
Folder 3: Letters
to Irving P. Lyon: Augar, Mrs.
Willis L.
Folder 4: Letters to Irving P. Lyon: "B"
Folder 5: Letters
to Irving P. Lyon: Bailey family
Folder 6: Letters
to Irving P. Lyon: Baldwin, Mrs.
Chas.
Folder 7: Letters
to Irving P. Lyon: Batchelder,
Charles H.
Folder 8: Letters
to Irving P. Lyon: Behrend, Mrs.
B.A.
Folder 9: Letters
to Irving P. Lyon: Blair, Mrs. J.
Insley
Folder 10: Letters to Irving P. Lyon: Blaney,
Dwight
Folder 11: Letters to Irving P. Lyon: Bradstreet,
Ruth
Folder 12: Letters to Irving P. Lyon: Brainard,
Folder 13: Letters to Irving P. Lyon:
Folder 14: Letters to Irving P. Lyon: Bulkeley
family
Folder 15: Letters to Irving P. Lyon: Bull,
C. Sanford
Folder 16: Letters to Irving P. Lyon: Bushnell,
George
Folder
17: Letters to Irving P. Lyon: Buxton, A. K.,
Folder 18: Letters to Irving P. Lyon: "C"
Folder 19: Letters to Irving P. Lyon:
Chittenden, Alice H.
Folder 20: Letters to Irving P. Lyon: Church,
Mrs. W.B.
Folder 21: Letters to Irving P. Lyon:
Clarke, Hermann
Folder 22: Letters to Irving P. Lyon:
Folder 23: Letters to Irving P. Lyon:
Folder 24: Letters to Irving P. Lyon: Cooper,
W.F.
Folder 25: Letters to Irving P. Lyon: Creamer,
Warren Weston
Folder 26: Letters to Irving P. Lyon: "D"
Folder 27: Letters to Irving P. Lyon: Daland,
Mrs. John
Folder 28: Letters to Irving P. Lyon: Davis,
Harry R.
Folder 29: Letters to Irving P. Lyon: Day,
Katherine
Folder 1: Letters
to Irving P. Lyon: Dennis, Harriet
Sawyer
Folder 2: Letters
to Irving P. Lyon: du Pont, Henry
Francis, 1931, 1937
Folder 3: Letters
to Irving P. Lyon: Dyer, Walter A.
Folder 4: Letters
to Irving P. Lyon: "E"
Folder 5: Letters
to Irving P. Lyon: Eliot,
Catharine G.
Folder 6: Letters
to Irving P. Lyon: Elliot, Mrs.
John
Folder 7: Letters
to Irving P. Lyon: Essex Institute
Folder 8: Letters
to Irving P. Lyon: "F"
Folder 9: Letters
to Irving P. Lyon: Fiske, Cornelia
Folder 10: Letters to Irving P. Lyon: Foote,
H. W.
Folder 11: Letters to Irving P. Lyon: French, Hollis
Folder 12: Letters to Irving P. Lyon: Frost,
Mrs. Josephine
Folder 13: Letters to Irving P. Lyon:
"G"
Folder 14: Letters to Irving P. Lyon: Goodwin,
Wm. B.
Folder 15: Letters to Irving P. Lyon: Goss,
George A.
Folder 16: Letters to Irving P. Lyon: Griswold,
Mrs. Samuel A.
Folder 17: Letters to Irving P. Lyon: "H"
Folder 18: Letters to Irving P. Lyon: Heard,
Miss Alice
Folder 19: Letters to Irving P. Lyon: Hutchinson,
Susan A.
Folder 20: Letters to Irving P. Lyon: "I"
Folder 21: Letters to Irving P. Lyon:
Folder 22: Letters to Irving P. Lyon:
Folder 23: Letters to Irving P. Lyon: "J"
Folder 24: Letters to Irving P. Lyon: Johnson,
Rev. Arthur
Folder 25: Letters to Irving P. Lyon: "K"
Folder 26: Letters to Irving P. Lyon: Keyes,
Homer Eaton
Folder 1: Letters
to Irving P. Lyon: "L"
Folder 2: Letters
to Irving P. Lyon:
Folder 3: Letters
to Irving P. Lyon: Leete, Eva B.
and Frank Chapman
Folder 4: Letters
to Irving P. Lyon: Lockwood, Luke
V.
Folder 5: Letters
to Irving P. Lyon: Longfellow's
Wayside Inn
Folder 6: Letters
to Irving P. Lyon: Luther, C.F.
Folder 7: Letters
to Irving P. Lyon: Lynes, Wilson
Folder 8: Letters
to Irving P. Lyon: "M"
Folder 9: Letters
to Irving P. Lyon: Merriam, Marion Pickett (Mrs. C. N.)
Folder 10: Letters to Irving P. Lyon:
Folder 11: Letters to Irving P. Lyon:
Folder 12: Letters to Irving P. Lyon: "N"
Folder 13: Letters to Irving P. Lyon:
Folder 14: Letters to Irving P. Lyon: New
Hampshire Historical Society
Folder 15: Letters to Irving P. Lyon: Nichols,
Mary E.
Folder 16: Letters to Irving P. Lyon: Nutting, Wallace
Folder 17: Letters to Irving P. Lyon: Oviatt, Edwin
Folder 18: Letters to Irving P. Lyon: "P"
Folder 19: Letters to Irving P. Lyon: Paine, John B.
Folder 20: Letters to Irving P. Lyon: Park, Estelle
Folder 21: Letters to Irving P. Lyon: Palmer, Mrs. George
Folder 22: Letters to Irving P. Lyon: Patch, Emily
Folder 23: Letters
to Irving P. Lyon:
Folder 24: Letters to Irving P. Lyon: Putnam, Mrs. W. L.
Folder 25: Letters to Irving P. Lyon:
"R"
Folder 26: Letters
to Irving P. Lyon: Richter, Mrs.
Ferdinand
Folder 1: Letters to Irving P. Lyon: "S"
Folder 2: Letters
to Irving P. Lyon: Seymour, G.
Dudley
Folder 3: Letters
to Irving P. Lyon: Sheldon, Mrs.
George
Folder 4: Letters
to Irving P. Lyon: Short, H.C.
Folder 5: Letters
to Irving P. Lyon: Singleton, Miss
Esther
Folder 6: Letters
to Irving P. Lyon: Smith, Robert (T.
or J.)
Folder 7: Letters
to Irving P. Lyon: Spalding,
Philip
Folder 8: Letters
to Irving P. Lyon: Steiner, Walter
Folder 9: Letters
to Irving P. Lyon: Stoddard, Henry
B.
Folder 10: Letters to Irving P. Lyon: "T"
Folder 11: Letters to Irving P. Lyon: Taylor, G.A.
Folder 12: Letters
to Irving P. Lyon: Towne, Mrs.
G.W.
Folder 13: Letters to Irving P. Lyon: "U"
Folder 14: Letters
to Irving P. Lyon: “V”
Folder 15: Letters
to Irving P. Lyon: "W"
Folder 16: Letters
to Irving P. Lyon:
Folder 17: Letters
to Irving P. Lyon: Waters, William
C.
Folder 18: Letters
to Irving P. Lyon:
Folder 19: Letters
to Irving P. Lyon:
Folder 20: Index
of objects in old houses (acc. 78x314.3)
Folder 1: Bed
index, including outline of chapter on bedsteads (acc. 78x314.4)
Folder 2: Notes
on bedsteads (acc. 78x314.5-9)
Folder 3: Prices
of court cupboards in
Folder
4: Notebook of fire place utensils
and “various odd items found in old houses” (acc. 78x314.11)
Folder
5: Letter, unsigned, to Miss
Rosa, March 26, 1925, re: maple wood, Spanish names for other kinds of wood;
plus a sample of maple wood (acc. 78x314.13-.13)
Folder
6: Letters & notes to Dr. Lyon, re: early uses of
mahogany (acc. 78x314.14-.34 and .39-.58)
Folder
7: Booklets:
"Tropical Woods," numbers 1, 5, 6, and 7 in a series issued by Yale
University School of Forestry (acc. 78x314.35-.38)
Folder
8: Notes on woods used for early American furniture (draft
of an article; lists of different kinds of woods used for furniture) (acc.
78x314.59-.61)
Folder 9: Letters
re: how to distinguish American from English oak (acc. 78x314.62-.73)
Folder
10: Wood specimens – list of specimens sent to Yale and
envelopes with samples (acc. 78x314.74.86)
Folder
11: Draft: "Wainscot New England Chairs in General &
Guilford in particular" (acc. 78x314.87)
Folder
12: Abraham Pierson chair: analysis, history, and genealogy
of Pierson family (acc. 78x314.88-.90)
Folder 13: Nicholas
Disbrowe chair: notes refuting attribution (acc. 78x314.91)
Folder 14: Notes
on
Folder 15: Nagel,
Charles (acc. 78x314.93)
Folders 16-19: Photos of wainscot chairs (acc.
78x314.94-.125)
Folder 1: Letters
re:
Folder
2: Letters & notes re: Joshua Reed highboy and genealogy
records of the Reed family (acc. 78x314.129-.149)
Folder
3: Letters & notes re: Mary Allyn chest and how the
Nicholas Disbrowe inscription could be a forgery (acc. 78x314.150-.158)
Folder
4: Polly Bartlett chest-on-chest;
Folder
5: Dennis family notes, including Thomas Dennis; also
related lines: Hovey, Scullard, Searle, Scarlett, Alderman,
Folder
6: Genealogies of Fowler, Mulliner, Wainwright, Choate,
Perkins, Woodbury, Raymond, Conant, and Dodge families (acc. 78x314.333-.346)
Folder
7: Notes on Pike chest, including genealogy of Sawyer
family, and a clipping of wood from the chest (acc. 78x314.347-.354)
Folder
8: Carvers: Ed. Budd (
Folder 9: Drafts
& notes for articles on
Folder
10: Photos: “The Oak Furniture of Ipswich”; Part I, figs.1-4,
Nov. 1937 (acc. 78x314.412-.417)
Folder
11: Photos: “The Oak Furniture of Ipswich”; Part II,
figs.5-16, Dec. 1937 (acc. 78x314.418-.430)
Folder
12: Photos: “The Oak Furniture of Ipswich”; Part III,
figs.17-24, Feb. 1938 (acc. 78x314.431-.438)
Folder
13: Photos: “The Oak Furniture of Ipswich”; Part IV,
figs.25-38, April 1938, plus drawings of types of spindles and columns found on
cupboards (acc. 78x314.439-.458)
Folder
14: Photos: “The Oak Furniture of Ipswich”; Part V,
figs.40-53, June 1938 (acc. 78x314.454-.470)
Folder
15: Photos: “The Oak Furniture of Ipswich”; Part VI,
figs.54-59, Oct. 1938 (acc. 78x314.471-.476)
Folder 16: Photostats
-
Folder 17: Published
references to articles on
Folder 18: Drafts:
"Oak Furniture of
Folder
19: Drafts: "The
Folder 20: Photos
used in
Folder 21: "The
Oak Furniture of Guilford, Conn.," part 2 (acc. 78x314.564-.565)
Folder 22: Photos
used in
Folder 1: Draft
of oak furniture of
Folder 2: "
Folder 3: Photos
used in
Folder
4: Article: "Oak Furniture of Guilford,
Connecticut", part 4: plain wainscot, photos (acc. 78x314.589-.594)
Folder
5: Drafts & checklist on variants of Guilford carved
furniture, especially pieces from New Haven County, with notes on genealogical
search of the original owners (acc.
78x314.595-.599)
Folder 6: Photos
of furniture in variants article (acc. 78x314.600-.610)
Folder 7: Photos
resembling Lyon's figure I,
Folder 8: Draft:
critique of
Folder 9: "Palm
Paneled Chest...," with checklist and genealogy (acc. 78x314.619-.621)
Folder 10: Photos:
Folder 11: Photos:
carved scroll type (acc. 78x314.641-.653)
Folder 12: Photos:
Folder 13: Photos: spiral turned furniture (acc. 78x314.660-.662)
Folder 14: Photos: furniture, possibly
Folder 15: Photos:
chests on frame (acc. 78x314.667-.677)
Folder 16: Photos:
bracket tables (acc. 78x314.678-.684)
Folder
17: Camehl, Ada Louise: article: “As Told on Old China:
American History on Jugs from Over the Sea.” 1912 (acc. 78x314.685)
Folder
18: Letters to Miss Almira Lathrop (Nov. 20, 1838, from
Caroline, with family news and plans for Thanksgiving) & Mrs. R. Lathrop
(Jan. 8, 1853, from Charles and Rebecca, about their recent marriage), both in
Folder
19: American Antiquarian Society, Proceedings, April 29, 1891,
quoting comments by I. W. Lyon on the Hancock clock and its maker Bowley
Devereux of London (acc. 78x314.688)
Folder
20: Miscellaneous
personal notes & letters, many related to business (acc. 78x314.689-.710)
Folder
21: Miscellaneous
photos of furniture (especially chests), mostly identified on the back (acc.
78x314.711-.746)
Folder
1: Letters & notes re: Haddock
court cupboard (PW 1680), showing possible descent from Peter Woodbury of
Beverley, including genealogies of Haddock, Whitney, and Leach families, and
their connections to Herrick, Conant, Batchelder,
Folder
2: Notes
on M F box from Ipswich, and notes on
Folder
3: Letters & notes re:
Foster-Ames cupboard, including copy of the
Folder
4: Photos:
tables in "Colonial Furniture in
Folder
5-6: Photos: chairs in "Colonial Furniture in
Folder
7: Photos: boxes & desks in
"Colonial Furniture in
Folder
8: Photos: chests on frame,
dressing tables, corner cupboards in "Colonial Furniture in New
England" by I. W. Lyon (acc. 78x314.821-.831)
Folder 1: Chests:
photos: I.W. Lyon illustrations (acc. 78x314.816, .818) (see also
Folder 2: Clocks:
photos: I.W. Lyon illustrations (acc. 78x314.836, .838) (see also
Folder 3: Drawings of furniture & brass: I.W.
Lyon illustrations (acc. 78x314.839-.849)
Folder 4: scrapbook of press notices of The Colonial Furniture in New England
Folder 5: Miscellaneous notes (mostly lists of
furniture with prices)
Index to names
in Acc. 78x314:
Alderman genealogy .83
Allyn, Mary
.150-156
Arnold, Benedict (Governor) .92
Batchelder genealogy .365-.367
Behrend, Mrs. B. A. .441, .649
Bishop, John
.544,.552
Blair, Mrs. J. Insley .468, .671, .682-.684
Bolles Collection .463, .464, .469, .475, .553, .560, .563, .601,
.634, .650, .655, .658, .659, .667, .668, .676, .737
Bragg, Mabel (Mrs.) .348-359, .437
Brainard, Morgan .627, .635
The
Brown, Ruth S.
.450
Brintnall genealogy .596,.605
Bryant, Mrs. George C. .604, .642-.644
Buckley, Morgan
.613, .632, .723
Bull, C. Sanford
.435, .551
Bush genealogy
.165, .171, .174
Buxton, A. E.
.1-.2
Camehl,
Chaloner and Fleming .26
Charles genealogy .186
Chittenden, Simeon Baldwin .559
Choate genealogy .337-.339
Church, Mrs. William B. .556, .570, .721
Clarke, Herman
.446
Conant genealogy
.342-.345
Cortez, Hernando .22,.28
Curtis, George M., Collection .556, .570
Devereux, Bowley .688
Dampier, Captain
.18
Davis, Henry
.159-.163
Day, Mrs. Katherine .582
Dennis, Robert
.186, .187, .228, .231
Dennis, Thomas genealogies .178, .179, .188, .l90-.210, .213-.226, .232-.332
Disbrowe, Nicholas .91,.150-.157
Dodge genealogy
.345
Dorothy Whitfield Historical Society .530
du Pont, Henry F. .387, .392
Eliot genealogy
.573, .586
Erving, Henry W.
.555, .631
Essex Institute Collection .432, .451, .471, .653, .722
Farley genealogy .306, .307, .366
Fay genealogy
.165
Fiske genealogy
.621, .622
Fluckiger and Hanbury .58
Foote, Harry Ward (Prof.)
.573
Foster genealogy
.374, .390-.398, .403, .405
Foster-Ames cupboard .400-.403
Fuller genealogy .377
The
Glenny, W. Harry (Dr.) .581
Goodwin, William B. .630
Goss, George A.
.470, .562, .596, .600, .607, .609
Grafton genealogy .183-.185
Griswold, Samuel .656
Haddock, Charles C. .355-357, .360, .362
Haddock genealogy .358, .359, .362, .363
The
Herrick genealogy .361, .368
Horsfield, Colonel .65
Hovey genealogy
.178
Howe, E. G.
.812
Howe genealogy
.166-.171
Hubbard genealogy .359
Hubbard, William F. .610
Hutchinson, Susan (Miss) .421
Jansen, Adriaen
.48
Keyes, Homer Eaton .63, .126,
.150-.155
Kimball genealogy .378
Knight, Richard
.407, .409
Knowlton genealogy .379
Lathrop, Mrs. R. and Mrs. A. .686, .687
Lauria Austriaca
.1
Leach, Henry Goddard .358-.369, .459
Leach genealogy
.358-.369
Leete, Eva B. (Mrs.) .544
The
Lyon, Irving Woodhall .93
Lyon, Kate Lothrop .703
Merrimam genealogy .596, .607
Mix genealogy
.599, .606
Munger, Nicholas .544
Newman genealogy
.373, .380
Nutting, Wallace
.385
Paine, John B.
.444
Palmer, Mary
.438
Palmer genealogy
.206
Patch, Emily (Miss) .467
Peake genealogy
.599
Penney, Mary Lyon .702
Philip L. Spaulding Collection .641
Pierson, Abraham
.89, .90, .93
Putnam, Mrs. W. S. .429
Raleigh, Walter (Sir) .20, .22, .26-.30
Raymond genealogy .341
Record, Samuel J. (Prof.) .32, .50, .70
Reed, Joshua
.129-.148
Reed genealogy
.129-.148
Richter, Mrs. Ferdinand .623, .711
Rindge genealogy
.373
Robinson genealogy .544, .590
Roxburgh, William (Dr.) .15
Safford genealogy .375
Savage genealogy
.327
Sawyer genealogy
.191, .348-.354, .437
Searle genealogy
.207
Seymour, George Dudley .732, .744
Short, Henry C.
.449
Shotswell genealogy .376
Smith, Mrs. Farnham W. .559
Smith, Robert F., Collection .544, .554
Spaulding, Philip L., Collection .641
Stickney genealogy .206, .438
Stoddard, Henry B. .567, .568, .585
Stratton genealogy .596, .603
Trout, William A. .393
Tuttle (Tuthill) genealogy .596, .609
Treat, Robert
.596, .608
United States Department of Agriculture,
Van Laer, A. J. F. .45, .46, .49
Wainwright genealogy
.336-.339
Waters, William C. .445
Wayside Inn (The
Whitfield Historical Society .530
Whitney genealogy .360
Widdicomb, William .33
Wilcox genealogy .544, .554
Wood, Franklin T. .389
Woodbury genealogy .359, .363