The Winterthur Library

The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and Printed Ephemera

Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum, Winterthur, DE 19735

302-888-4600 or 800-448-3883

OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION

Creator: Downs, Joseph

Title: Papers

Dates: 1949-1954

Call No.: Col. 76

Acc. No.: 86x210

Quantity: 30 boxes

Location: 13 E 1-5 and wire wall

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

Joseph Downs was a scholar of the American decorative arts. He was born in Shutesbury, Massachusetts in 1895, the son of Daniel and Mary MacDonald Downs. He died on September 8, 1954, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Downs graduated from the Boston Museum School in 1921, after serving overseas with the American Expeditionary Forces during World War I. Following his graduation, he went abroad to study art, having won a traveling fellowship from the Boston Museum School, its highest award to a graduate.

His working life began with a two year stint at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, followed by two years in New York designing furniture. From 1925 to 1932 he was at the Pennsylvania Museum of Art. In 1932 Downs was appointed assistant curator of the American Wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Here he curated a series of important exhibitions. Through his writings during this time, he brought many news facts to light and developed the study of American decorative arts into a serious discipline.

In 1949, Downs came to Winterthur to serve as the curator of the Winterthur Museum and to write a history of American furniture to be illustrated with examples from the museum's collection. The first volume, published in 1952, detailed the Queen Anne and Chippendale periods. Unfortunately, Downs died before the other volumes (one to cover Federal and Empire styles and the other to cover 17^th century furniture) were completed. His files contain notes and photographs for the unfinished volumes. In honor of his contributions to the museum, the manuscripts section of the Winterthur library was named for him: The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and Printed Ephemera.

Two sources of further biographical and bibliographical information on Downs should be consulted. First is Henry Francis du Pont, Joseph Downs: An Appreciation and a Bibliography of His Publications (Portland, ME: Anthoensen Press, 1955; reprinted from the 1954 Walpole Society Note Book). Second is Elizabeth A. Ingerman, "The Joseph Downs Manuscript and Microfilm Library," in Winterthur Portfolio 1 (1964):150-159.

SCOPE AND CONTENT

The collection consists of Joseph Downs' working files, plus a few folders containing obituary and memorial materials produced shortly after his death. Included are copies of correspondence, research notes, lectures, book reviews, a great many photographs of pieces of furniture, some lantern slides, and manuscript material relating to the publications about American furniture on which he was working at the time of his death.

The collection also includes two volumes of measured drawings of front and side elevations of furniture. One of the volumes bears Downs' name and the dates 1922 and 1923. The first volume represents items in the South Kensington Museum in England, while the second volume shows pieces in the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in France. Several of the illustrations are accompanied by postcards depicting the object. A variety of English, French, and Italian forms and styles are represented.

Most of the files date from Downs’ years of working at Winterthur Museum; however, a few date from his time at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

ORGANIZATION

The collection is divided into six series. General files (series I) are found in Boxes 1-6. Correspondence files (series II) are in boxes 7-8. Obituary files (series III) are in Box 8. Files relating to Downs’ book on American furniture are in Boxes 9-12 (series IV). These include research notes and correspondence with the publisher. Photographs and other miscellaneous files (series V) are in Boxes 13- 24. Included in this series are note cards (Box 19), Downs’ furniture sketchbooks (Box 24), and oversize materials (Box 17), which includes some magazine articles. The sixth series, located in Boxes 25-29, contains copies of articles written by Joseph Downs.

The papers in this collection were first placed in the Winterthur Archives. They were later transferred to the Downs Collection. It is not now certain that either the original order or the integrity of the collection has been preserved.

Books from Down's personal library were transferred to the Rare Book Collection.

LANGUAGE OF MATERIALS

The materials are in English.

RESTRICTIONS ON ACCESS

Collection is open to the public. Copyright restrictions may apply.

PROVENANCE

Transferred from the Winterthur Archives.

ACCESS POINTS

Topics:

Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum.

Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York, N.Y.)

Furniture.

House furnishings.

Furniture, Colonial - United States.

Furniture, Early American.

Furniture - Drawings.

Furniture - Photographs.

Furniture - Styles.

Furniture - England.

Furniture - France.

Furniture design.

Pewter.

Decoration and ornament.

Pencil drawing.

Drawings.

Postcards.

Sketchbooks.

Photoprints.

Correspondence.

Notes.

Lectures.

Clippings.

Reviews (criticism).

Obituaries.

Curators.

Students.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION

Location: 13 E 1-5 and wire wall

Series I: General files

Box 1:

Folder 1: House and Garden magazine--February 1952 [with an article on Winterthur]

Folder 2: Notes: Down’s outline of categories of artists

Folder 3: New York inventory notes

Folder 4: New York inventories and records

Folder 5: Pewter material

Folder 6: Pewter: library cards

Folder 7: Pewter: photographs

Folder 8: State of Schuykill: Pennsylvania pewter platter

Folder 9: Winterthur Museum: articles about

Box 2:

Folder 1: Downs: Notes: Addresses

Folder 2: Downs: Notes: Art museums

Folder 3: Downs Notes: Belter

Folder 4: Downs: Notes: Book reviews

Folder 5: Downs: Notes: Books and manuscripts. to get

Folder 6: Downs: Notes: Craftsmen’s names

Folder 7: Downs: Notes: Diaries, travel books, letters

Folder 8: Downs: Notes: European trip, 1953

Folder 9: Downs: Notes: Exhibitions

Folder 10: Downs: Notes: Flowers and gardening

Folder 11: Downs: Notes from Furniture books and catalogues

Folder 12: Downs: Notes: Furniture

Folder 13: Downs: Notes: Historical Data

Folder 14: Downs: Notes: Houses and Places

Folder 15: Downs: Notes: Lectures Metropolitan Museum of Art

Folder 16: Downs: Notes: Lectures: Trenton

Folder 17: Downs: Notes: Lectures: Williamsburg Forum, 1953

Folder 18: Downs: Notes: Lectures: Winterthur

Folder 19: Downs: Notes: New York furniture

Folder 20: Downs Notes: New York Furniture Exhibition, American Wing

Folder 21: Downs: Notes: Newspaper editorials and clippings

Folder 22: Downs: Notes: Pennsylvania-German Information

Folder 23: Downs: Notes on Pictures

Folder 24: Downs: Notes: Pottery, Porcelain, Glass

Folder 25: Downs: Notes: Room Notes: Winterthur

Folder 26: Downs: Notes: Textiles

Folder 27: Downs: Notes: Research: Miscellaneous Subjects

Folder 28: Downs: Notes: Woods

Box 3:

Folder 1: Address books

Folder 2: Chestertown Room

Folder 3: Furniture notes

Folder 4: Interiors

Folder 5: Inventories

Folder 6: Magazine articles

Folder 7: McComb: Correspondence 1951

Folder 8: McComb: Correspondence 1952

Folder 9: McComb: Correspondence 1953

Folder 10: McComb: Exports

Folder 11: McComb: Material to be copied and classified

Folder 12: McComb: Notes

Folder 13: McComb: Notes

Folder 14: McComb notes on Kettle, Jonathon (Newburyport)

Folder 15: McComb notes on Ross, Daniel (cabinetmaker, Ipswich)

Folder 16: McComb: Sanderson

Folder 17: McComb: A-G

Folder 18: McComb: H-O

Folder 19: McComb: P-Z

Folder 20: Memoranda

Folder 21: Metropolitan Museum of Art: General Regulations

Folders 22-23: Miscellaneous

Box 4:

Folders 1-4: Miscellaneous

Folder 5: New York Cabinetmakers, vol. I

Folder 6: New York Cabinetmakers, vol. II

Folder 7: New York Furniture: Correspondence

Box 5:

Folder 1: New York State Furniture

Folders 2-6: New York furniture: photographs

Folder 7: Photographs

Folder 8: Photography lists: 8x10 photos

Folder 9: 8x10 Duplicates-Cambridge, Md. List

Folder 10: Photographic Material

Box 6:

Folder 1: Photo Files: Philadelphia Furniture

Folder 2: Photographs and negatives

Folder 3: Publications

Folder 4: Publications: Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography

Folder 5: Publications: Pewter Collectors Club of America

Folder 6: Publications: Wilmington Journal, June 13, 1951

Folder 7: Publishers

Folder 8: Research

Folder 9: Signed out from J.D.'s Files

Folder 10: Three Early N.E. Rooms

Folder 11: Trip to Albany

Folder 12: Winterthur: room index, notes, etc.

Folder 13: Winterthur: room plans

Wire wall:

Certificate from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, naming Downs a Fellow for Life, 1954;

Certificate from the president of Ecuador naming Downs to “La Orden Nacional ‘Al Merito,’” 1945;

Downs’ certificate of Associate Membership in the New York Historical Society, 1951

Series II: Correspondence

Box 7:

Folder 1: Joseph Downs: Personal Correspondence with Virginia Campbell

Folders 2-5: Joseph Downs: Personal Correspondence, undated

Folder 6: Joseph Downs: Personal Correspondence, 1949

Folder 7: Joseph Downs: Personal Correspondence, 1950

Folders 8-10: Joseph Downs: Personal Correspondence, 1951

Folders 11-13: Joseph Downs: Personal Correspondence, 1952

Folders 14-17 Joseph Downs: Personal Correspondence, 1953

Folders 18-20: Joseph Downs: Personal Correspondence, 1954

Box 8:

Folder 1: Miscellaneous Correspondence

Folder 2: Mrs. Norman J. Bruen to J.Downs, 1934

Folder 3: Donnell, Edna, with Downs, 1951

Folder 4: Robinson, B. R., with Downs, 1951

Folder 5: Mrs. Schermerhorn to J.Downs, 1941, about photo of dressing glass

Folder 6: Joanna Q. Buffum to American Wing, 1928

Folder 7: Miss Marie Louise Douglas to American Wing, 1927

Folder 8: Hope L. Foote to American Wing, 1932

Folder 9: Dr. Carl E. McCombs to American Wing, 1930

Folder 10: Florence H. Pelton to American. Wing, 1926

Folder 11: E. T. Weishampel to American Wing, 1926

Folder 12: Mrs. D. G. Anderson to [C.O. Cornelius, American Wing], 1930

Folder 13: G. Alder Blumer from COC[ornelius], 1923

Folder 14: Miss Margie Robertson to COC[ornelius], 1930

Folder 15: Frank Swartzlander to COC[ornelius], 1929

Folder 16: W. S. Wolcott to COC[ornelius], 1927

Folder 17: Mrs. Louise W. Bond with Ruth A. Ralston, American Wing, 1931

Folder 18: Mahlon O. Bradley with R. A. Ralston, 1930

Folder 19: Mrs. E. O. Coleman with R. A. R[alston], 1934

Folder 20: C. Gilmore Watkins with Ruth Ralston, 1929

Folder 21: Mrs. Julian G. Buckley to R. T. H. Halsey, 1930

Folder 22: Francis L. Livingston to Mrs. Hastings, n.d.

Folder 23: Katherine Roof to Mrs. Benkard, 1936

Series III: Downs’ obituary

Box 8:

Folder 24: Joseph Downs

Folder 25: Downs Appreciation and Collection: letters about

Folder 26: Downs Memorial and Walpole Material

Folder 27: Downs memorial announcement

Folder 28: Downs obituary

Folder 29: Photos of J. Downs

Series IV: Downs’ book on American furniture

Box 9:

Folder 1: American Furniture, Vol. I

Folder 2: Work Sheets-Vol. I

Folder 3: Notes: Volume 1, Introduction, Notes

Folder 4: Downs: Notes: Volume I inventories

Folder 5: American Furniture, Vol. II

Folder 6: Potential Information, Vol. II

Folder 7: Photography, Vol. II

Folder 8: Photography, Vol. III

Folder 9: Potential Information, Vol. III

Folder 10: J.D. Book-1

Folder 11: J.D. Book-2

Box 10:

Folder 1: J.D. Book-3

Folder 2: J.D. Book-4

Folder 3: J.D. Book-5

Folder 4: J.D. Book-6

Folder 5: J.D. Book-7

Folder 6: J.D. Book-8

Folder 7: J.D. Book-9

Folder 8: J.D. Book-10

Folder 9: J.D. Book-11

Box 11:

Folder 1: J.D. Book-12

Folder 2: J.D. Book-13

Folder 3: The Winterthur Book by Joseph Downs

Folder 4: Carbon Copies of Winterthur Book-File 1

Folder 5: Carbon Copies of Winterthur Book-File 2

Folder 6: Photography

Folder 7: Research notes

Box 12:

Folder 1: American Furniture-Blockfront Material

Folder 2: Engravers

Folder 3: J.D.'s Flattery File

Folders 4-6 MacMillan Co.

Folder 7: Reviews of American Furniture, vol. I

Folder 8: Revisions and changes to be made to American Furniture

Series V: Photographs and miscellaneous files

Box 13:

Photographs: Tables and Chairs

Photographs: Chairs, Highboys, Tables

Photographs: Painted chest, Chairs, Windsor chairs

Photographs: Tables, Chairs, Chest

Photographs: Chairs

Photographs: Chairs, Chest-on-Chest, Sec., Bookcase, Tables, Linen Press, Bed, Desk

Photographs: Chests, Sec., Bookcase, Desk, Chairs, Tables

Photographs: Tables, Chairs

Box 14:

Photographs: Chairs

Photographs: Chairs, Stool

Photographs: Sofa, Settee, Mirrors, Chest, Chair, Highboy, Tables

Photographs: Chairs, Tables

Photographs: Chest, Chairs, Tables, Lowboy, Costumes (1795)

Photographs: Highboy, Chairs, Lowboy, Chests, Settee, Tables, Clocks

Photographs: Lowboy, Chair, Tables, Sofa, Highboy

Photographs: Mirrors, Chest (Dower), Breakfront, Tables, Chairs, Clock, Desk

Photographs: Beds, Tables, Chairs, Clock, Highboy, Lowboy, Chests, Settee

Photographs: Chests, Cabinet (Advert.) Chairs, Tables, Sewing Tables, Knife Box

Photographs: Room Settings

Box 15:

Photographs: Labels

Photographs: Chest, Desk, Breakfront, Sideboard, Piano, Clocks, Fire Screens, Mirrors

Photographs: Mirror, Tables, Chairs, Chest (Dower) Bench, Settee

Photographs: Chairs

Photographs: Chairs

Photographs: Sofa, Settee, Tables

Photographs: Tables, Chairs, Desk

Photographs and Negatives

Box 16:

Lists

Photographs: Tables, Chest (Dower), Desk, Chairs, Hutch

Photographs: Tables (Candle), Bench, Chairs (Child), Chests,Settee, Clock, Yarn Winder, Mirrors

Photographs: Tables (Candle), Chairs, Chests, Beds, Mirror, Desk

Photographs: Chairs, Chest, Settee, Mirror, Tables, Desk, Clock, Bench

Cards prepared from descriptions by Downs

Box 17:

Photographs, mostly of cabinetmakers’ trade cards

Miscellaneous notes

Philip Dunbar’s notes, Philadelphia, 1951

Photostats of Worcester County, Massachusetts, probate records

Miscellaneous photostats

Antiques, July 1956 (vol. 70, no. 1)

Flair, September 1950

Kenchiku Bunka, December 1952 (vol. 7, no. 12), containing a review (in Japanese) of Downs’ book on Queen Anne and Chippendale furniture

Cheshire Life, August 1950 (vol. 16, no. 8) (with an article on Sadler and Green pottery)

The Connoisseur, June 1944

Interior Design and Decoration, March 1950

House Beautiful, November 1934 (with an article on Chippendale furniture)

The American Home, November 1934 (with an article on Williamsburg, Virginia)

“Papiers Peints d’autrefois: Histoire d’une Résurrection,” from La Revue Française de l’Élite Européenne, n.d., with an advertisement for Carlhian of Paris, Inc., wallpaper manufacturers

Box 18:

André Kertész photos of Winterthur (11x14)

Box 19:

Unsorted Note Cards

Box 20a-b:

Glass lantern slides of various decorative arts objects

Box 21:

Photographs of furniture

Box 22:

Photographs of furniture

Box 23:

Photographs of furniture

Negatives of furniture, possibly from 1937 exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Photos from Philadelphia Museum of Art (rooms and furniture), used to illustrate articles by Downs

Box 24: Two sketchbooks of Joseph Downs

94x30.1 name and date on front flyleaf: Joseph Downs, 1922-1923.

Measured drawings of English and Italian furniture of the 17^th-19^th centuries; also a colored print of two stools; some pages removed; one sketch is labeled as being of a piece in the S. Kensington (Victoria and Albert) Museum

94x30.2 no name, no date

Mostly measured drawings of French furniture, 16^th-18^th centuries; also sketches of ironwork and postcards of some of the items which are sketched; a few pages removed; the postcards are from the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in France

Photographs and negatives of Downs' home (in Connecticut?) and furnishings (2 folders);

Series VI: articles by Joseph Downs

Box 25:

Folder 1: Note cards listing books and articles written by Downs.

The books (numbers 1, 2, 107, 112, 119, 127, 130, and 132) have been transferred to the main library collection. The articles are housed in Boxes 26-30; they are in the same order as these cards. Articles numbered 19, 30, 39, 44-45, 47, 49-50, 52, 54, 56-65, 70-74, 78-79, 82, 85-88, 91, 93-95, 98, 100, 102-104, 134-135, 140, 148-149, 151, 155, 161, 164, 170-172 are missing.

Articles 3-18, 20-21.