The
The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and
Printed Ephemera
Henry Francis du Pont
5105 Kennett Pike, Winterthur,
Delaware 19735
Telephone: 302-888-4600 or 800-448-3883
Series VI: BUSINESS AND REAL ESTATE RECORDS; MANUSCRIPTS; PRINTED EPHEMERA; etc.
This series is comprised mostly of miscellaneous
manuscripts. Included are inventories of
libraries at Byrdcliffe, lists of contents of several buildings at the colony, pottery
production notes, and observations about dyeing and weaving. Of particular interest is a scrapbook with
samples of fabric and thread, all probably hand-dyed, and attendant notes about
dyeing. As well, there is a book related
to the Ambrose Choral Society of Woodstock, a collection of writings by Ralph
Whitehead, and a scrapbook that Jane Whitehead kept when she was in
In addition there are records involving the estate
that Ralph, Sr., left his wife Jane and son Peter, upon his death in 1929;
ledgers and advertisements from “Villetta,” the inn at Byrdcliffe; a library register detailing book
circulation; materials about Woodstock, New York, and organizations and activities
in the town; a book reputed to have been bound by Cobden Sanderson in 1891;
information about real estate in England; and deeds and correspondence
concerning real estate in New York, California, and Oregon. Some miscellaneous pieces of Byrdcliffe
stationery are also in this series.
Note: accession numbers begin with 92x39, unless
otherwise noted
.1148 Volume labeled on first page: “Elevations at Byrdcliffe,
Woodstock, Ulster Co., N.Y., Determined in Aug. 1910 by Albert S. Low, David
Reichgott.” (“elevations” refers to height
above sea level)
.1150 Volume labeled on cover: “Recipes [crossed
out], Books: Dining Room, Hall, Ping P. Room, Weaving Room.” Undated, but after
1930. Includes recipes for wood stains
and varnish. Book inventory includes
author, title, publisher, date and place of publication, location, and a very
few prices.
.1152 Small address book. Undated
and in various hands. (different from
.1130 below)
.1155 Ambrose Choral Society,
.1156 Inventory of the Whiteheads’ library, listing authors, titles,
publishers, dates of publication, and location.
The back of the volume records dates important in British history from
55 B.C. to 1485 A.D. Undated.
.1157 Ralph Radcliffe Whitehead.
Miscellaneous Writings. Probably
done during the 1910s. Chiefly in
manuscript with a few typescripts. In
one loose-leaf binder.
.1158 Scrapbook kept to record the activities of the Misses McCall on a
European trip, 1883-1890. Includes
newspaper clippings; photographs, including a photo of Jane Byrd McCall in
court dress; calling cards; invitations; a portfolio of etchings by W.B.
Closson relating to Oliver Wendell Holmes, dated 1886; several pencil sketches
and watercolors; and programs for concerts and other events. At the end of the volume is a list entitled
“Celebrities I Have Met.” Included are
names of presidents, princes, authors, and artists. Most of the materials relate to
.1162 Volume labeled on cover: “Dante Library, Japanese Library, Ruskin
Library: Inventory of Houses: Evening Star, Seranata, Fleur de Lys, Chanticler,
East Over, Skylights, Villetta.
Ca.1933. Volume contains a list
of the books in the various libraries and inventories of furnishings of the
houses. Also inventoried were the
contents of the cottage named “Apples.”
Included in the volume is a list of houses the contents of which were
not inventoried, and a comment about a story appearing in The Craftsman.
.1300 Small address book (different from .1152, above). No date.
Folder 1: record of furniture made at
Byrdcliffe, and prices (“furniture price list”) [photocopy]
Volumes in box:
.1141 Pottery production notes, 1920-1926. Includes a sketch of the shape, notes on
glazes, and the object number for each piece.
.1142 Pottery production notes, 1915.
Includes a sketch of shapes, notes on colors and glazes, and production
numbers. (Some of the glazes are
attributed to Edith Penman, who worked with the Byrdcliffe Pottery.)
.1143 Volume labeled “Pottery, Collected Notes, Dec. 1915,” but the
period covered actually extends to 1922.
Features colors, recipes for clay and glazes by Rhead; loose papers laid
in with more of same and a letter from Edith V. Evans relating to Albany
Slip.
.1144 Pottery notes 1915, including shapes, colors, production numbers,
glazes. Also includes recipes for glazes
and slips. Volume is labeled on front
cover: “R. Radcliffe Whitehead, R.D. 4,
.1145 Volume labeled on cover: “Overglaze Colors,” from 1916. Includes notes, some shapes, colors, and some
recipes.
.1146 Volume labeled on cover: “Pottery, 1933.” Includes formulas given by Z.S. Parker, types
of clays and glaze materials, other notes on colors, a firing record for
.1147 Volume labeled: “Pottery, July 1917-1918-1919.” General production notes, shapes, and
qualitative judgments on what is produced.
.1149 Volume labeled: “Dyeing & weaving: Current memoranda.” No date.
Notes on colors for linen, cotton, flax, silk, and wool. Some notes for figuring costs of hand-woven
items (probably in order to price them to sell) and cost to warp a loom. Also includes other notes about warping
looms. Most pages blank.
.1151 Volume labeled: “R. Radcliffe Whitehead, Pottery Notes,
1917-1919.” General notes on methods and
recipes.
.1153 Volume labeled “Dyeing & Weaving Memoranda, 1912: copy of
notes on dyeing & weaving.” Includes recipes, methods, and dye suppliers’
addresses.
.1154 Volume labeled “Pottery,” covering 1919-1923. Includes notes on shapes, colors, and prices
of pieces sent to exhibits, to customers (both galleries and individuals), or
which were “packed to stay in
.1301 Sketchbook of oscillators.
(On cover: Rich Art Studio Sketch Book for Water Color…) (most pages are
blank)
.1302 Expenses (approximate), Byrdcliffe, 1931-1938, with other
notes. (The inside front cover is
stamped with the name R. Radcliffe Whitehead, Jr., but the accounts postdate
his death.)
.1160 Scrapbook with samples of fabric and thread, some labeled with notes about dyeing.
Folder 1: “Byrdcliffe Arts & Crafts Colony: Life by Design,” materials from the exhibit at the Delaware Art Museum, 1984-1985.
Folder 2: Writings of R.R. Whitehead and
“Thoughts of R.R. Whitehead,” compiled by James T. Shotwell.
[note: a letter in French addressed to M.
Shotwell is found in Series VIII.]
Folder 3: Introduction to the writings of RRW,
probably by James Shotwell.
Folder 4: Whitehead coat of arms and genealogy of
Whitehead family of Shawhall.
Ralph Radcliffe Whitehead’s variant of the
Whitehead coat of arms (acc. 10x63.9)
Folder 5: R.R.W.: certificate of birth.
Folder 6: R.R.W.: Act of Naturalization, 1899.
Folder 7: R.R.W.: passport, 1910.
Folder 8: R.R.W.: income and other taxes,
1910-1929.
Folder 9: R.R.W.: certificate of life
subscription in Balliol Society, 1927.
Folder 10: R.R.W.: The Council of the American
Geographical Society: certificate as a fellow. 1926.
Folder 11: R.R.W.: Hertz Driveurself Stations,
Inc., identification card.
Folder 12: R.R.W.: printed book plates with his
name and coat of arms.
Folder 13: R.R.W.: “Instructions.” (about location of will, cremation of body)
Folder 14: “The Life of Ralph Radcliffe Whitehead
,” and an article about the Whiteheads giving money for pictures for a new
school in
Folder 15: R.R.W.: Bill from John Rowntree,
Folder 16: Business correspondence from
Folder 17: Stocks in
Folder 18: The Saddleworth - American Connection.
Folder 19: “R. R. Whitehead & Bros. Ltd.: A
Record of Industrial
Folder 20: Whitehead family in
Folder
2: Obituaries: Ralph Radcliffe
Whitehead, 1929; R.R.W., Jr., 1928.
Folder
3: Ralph R. Whitehead’s death:
correspondence with Philip Etting (lawyer).
Folder 4: Estate of Ralph Radcliffe Whitehead,
Deceased, 1929-1930.
Folder
5: Estate of Ralph Radcliffe
Whitehead, Deceased, 1931-1956.
Folder
6: Last Will & Testament,
Jane Byrd McCall Whitehead 1944, 1941.
Folder
7: Jane Byrd McCall Whitehead:
Taxes, 1922-1931.
Folder
8: Jane Byrd McCall Whitehead:
Bank statements, 1929-1932.
Folder 9: Account book: Cash received and paid
out,
Folder
10: Whitehead account book,
1944-1946. (includes account of eggs
sold)
Folder 1: Jane Byrd McCall Whitehead Papers:
stock certificate; dance card designed
by her for the Santa Barbara Flower Ball, 1895; calling cards; invitation;
drawings; miscellaneous notes, including some in Greek.
Folder 2: Royalty statements for Jane Byrd
Whitehead’s book Folk Songs and Other
Songs for Children, 1931, 1933.
Folder 3: Peter McCall (d. 1880): papers related to his estate.
Folder 4: Bouquet ribbon (yellow) worn at
wedding of J.B.W. and R.R.W.,
Folder
5: Height & Weight: Ralph
Whitehead and Peter Whitehead, 1913.
Folder 6: "Flowers from the window of
mother's bedroom at
Folder 7: “Horoscopic Delineation for Geoffrey
J. R. Whitehead,” done by Leigh Hope Milburn, April 13, 1929; with later
addition by unknown person, 1944.
(labeled on back: “Peter’s horoscope;” includes his birth date and time
of birth)
Folder
8: Correspondence, primarily
about Byrdcliffe, R.R.W., 1902-1929.
Folder 9: Correspondence, primarily about
Byrdcliffe, Jane and Peter Whitehead and miscellaneous, 1931-1984, n.d..
Folder
10: Norman Thomas letter, 1953.
Folder
11: Inventory of folk music, 1931.
Folder
12: Manuscript album, labeled
“Music,” 1895.
Folder 13: Notes, letters and clippings from
manuscript album in folder 12, 1898-1903.
Folder 14: Poems by various authors, handwritten,
printed, typed. Includes poems by Thomas
S. Jones, Jr., P.C.B., Ima, Hervey White, John Burroughs, Ann Moore, and
others; one is probably by RRW.; another possibly by Jane Byrd McCall W. (acc.
10x63.17a-b)
Folder 15:
Folder
1: Byrdcliffe: Asphalt &
Roads, 1904-1914, n.d.
Folder 2: Oil stoves, “Wear-Ever” aluminum
utensils, bins and tanks, 1908-1911.
Folder
3: W. H. Edwards (manager of
Byrdcliffe): bonus, 1921.
Folder 4: Byrdcliffe cottages: number of
bedrooms, list of other rooms, and price of rental, n.d.
Folder
5: Byrdcliffe: workman’s
compensation case: injury of dairyman, 1927.
Folder
6: Byrdcliffe: office equipment
information, 1905.
Folder
7: Byrdcliffe: water supply,
1902-1961.
Folder
8: Byrdcliffe: addresses of
people to invite to exhibit, 1908.
Folder 9: Byrdcliffe stationery and printed
ephemera, 1903-1909 and no date: letterhead stationery and invoices; envelopes;
Byrdcliffe price tag, 1907; business cards; advertisements for showroom;
Christmas card; program for concert given by Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Dolmetsch in
the Music Room, 1908; announcements of classes, 1907-1909 and n.d. (the undated
ad has a handwritten list of rugs and prices on the back); ads for the cottages
and inn at Byrdcliffe; postcard of and article about a shrine featuring a della
Robbia Madonna, on the grounds of Byrdcliffe.
(includes acc. 10x63.1 and .15) (also includes
11x13.3-.6)
(for information on Villetta, see
Folder 10: Byrdcliffe: Business letters, 1905 – 1921, n.d. (many about exhibiting and selling woven articles).
Folder 11: Byrdcliffe Afternoons, 1938-1939: printed materials and newspaper articles. (see also Series V, B-23)
Folder
12: Ledger: Weavings Sold, Taken to
New York, 1907-1911.
Folder
13: Byrdcliffe Ledger: Purchases,
Petty Cash, 1928.
Folder 14: White Pines Pottery: two notices of
exhibits of White Pine Pottery (one original, the other a photocopy); photocopy
of someone’s notes about pottery located at White Pines in 1982; a paper label
such as was attached to White Pines Pottery (acc. 06x1.2)
Folder
15: Notes on weaving and color.
(includes manuscript labeled 92x39.204a-b)
Folder
16: Notes on dyeing, bleaching,
silk, cotton - 1909-1910.
Folder
17: Notes on principals of design,
n.d. (manuscript is numberd
92x39.398a-b)
Folder 3: Villetta ledger: Receipts and
disbursements, 1921-1923; Meals served at Villetta, 1921; lists of telegrams
and telephone calls, 1921-1923.
Folder
4: Villetta ledger, n.d.
Folder
5: Villetta ledger, 1924, 1938.
Folder
6: Villetta guest register,
1903-1925
[note: the pages are headed “Hotel Register”;
information recorded includes the names of guests and the cities in which they
lived; for some years, the time of arrival was noted; beginning in 1907 (but
not for every year thereafter) the Villetta room number or the name of the
cottage (Boys’ Shanty, Bottega, Skylight, Quartette, etc.) in which the guests
were staying was also noted]
Folder
7: John Fick, Grocer,
Folder
8: Fly traps: trade card and
brochure.
Folder 1: Ambrose Choral Society (
Folder
2: Information about the
Folder
3:
Folder 4: Woodstock, New York: printed materials
relating to Woodstock: Woodstock Guild of Craftsmen show, 1974; postcards from
old photographs; program from concert to benefit St. Joan of Arc Chapel, 1946;
directions on how to reach Woodstock; program from entertainment to aid United
China Relief, 1942; invitation to a gala given by the Woodstock Guild, to
celebrate purchase of White Pines, 1998; a walking guide to Byrdcliffe, printed
by the Woodstock Guild, 1980s?; photocopy of ad about art and craft classes to
be taught at Byrdcliffe, 1977.
Folder
5: Publications of the
Folder
6:
Folder 7: Woodstock Property Inc., stock certificate in name
of Peter Whitehead, 1928.
Folder
8: Woodstock Valley Hotel, 1926.
Folder 9: Miscellaneous newspaper clippings,
including a clipping and a booklet about Bolton Brown. (Some of the clippings are about
Folder 10: Miscellaneous papers: sheet of figures
about land and taxes; sheet of decorative initials, R and W, from the Chiswick
Press in London; list of books about birds and wild animals, 1923; summer 1949
issue of Bio-Dynamics; announcement
of publication of book about excavations at Gournia, Crete; piece of paper
about patents; a very rough sketch of something (or perhaps just idle
doodling); print of a portrait of a man, inscribed to M. and Mme. Whitehead,
1893, from Mistral (a photo of Mistral is in the photograph series).
Folder
12 Whitehead’s Oregon Property,
1900-1935.
Folder
14: Letter: copyhold to freehold,
Manor of Great Bricet, 1935.
Folder
15: Rent and income tax, Bachton
Farm, England, 1934-1935.
Folder 16: Hervey White autobiography (photocopy of
typescript; original at
Folder 17:
Folder 18:
Folder 1: Survey,
Wood lot for Philip Reeke,
Folder 2: Real
estate deeds and transactions,
Folder 3: Real
estate deeds and transactions, Byrdcliffe, 1902-1909.
Folder 4: Real
estate deeds and transactions, Byrdcliffe, 1910-1919.
Folder 5: Real
estate deeds and transactions, Byrdcliffe, 1920-1929.
Folder 6: Real
estate deeds and transactions, Byrdcliffe, 1930-1939.
Folder 7: Real
estate deeds and transactions, Byrdcliffe, 1940-1949.
Folder 8: Real estate deeds and transactions,
Byrdcliffe, 1950-1959.
Folder 1: Real
estate deeds and transactions, Byrdcliffe, 1960-1971.
Folder 2: Real
estate records, Byrdcliffe undated materials, maps, envelopes, etc.
Folder 3: Real
Estate, Byrdcliffe, letters about, 1901-1928.
Folder 4: Real
estate, Byrdcliffe, letters about, 1929-1969, n.d.
Folder 5: Real
estate: insurance policies, 1930s-1947.
Folder 6: Real
estate, Byrdcliffe: tax assessment grievance, 1961.
Folder 7: Real
estate, Santa Barbara, California, 1901-1957.
Folder 8: Real estate,
92x39.2000a, b piece of birch bark used as the
register for the guests at the wedding of Jane McCall and Ralph Whitehead in
Portsmouth, New Hampshire, August 25, 1892; also a tin container in which the
bark was once housed.
Fourteen guests signed
the register, plus the minister, Jane, and Ralph. Guests included Jane’s mother and sister,
several Mercer relatives, and other friends or relatives from
In 2004, a student in
the conservation department flattened the scroll and mended tears.
Wedding guest register of
Jane Byrd McCall and Ralph Radcliffe-Whitehead (he hyphenated his name in his
signature)
Wm. R. Mercer
Mary R. Mercer
Caudle [?] Mercer
Minnie Leigh Mercer
John H. Ingham
Gertrude McCall
J. B. McCall [presumably this
is Jane Byrd Mercer McCall, mother of the bride]
John Cadwalader
Frances Brinley Wharton
Thomas Francis Bayard
May [or Mary] Willing Clymer
Bayard [Mrs. Thomas Francis Bayard]
Mary Shubrick Clymer
Henry Chapman Mercer
William Robert Mercer, junr.
Henry Emerson Hovey [this is
the minister]
05x83.1 engraving
plate for stationery, reads: Byrdcliffe Arts & Crafts, Hand weaving,
frames, Metal work, Woodstock, Ulster Co., N.Y., with the Byrdliffe octagonal
logo in the middle, bearing the date 1907
05x83.2 engraving
plate for a round label, showing a sun rising from or setting into the sea, a
wing holding an arrow, and sea gulls
Folder 1: Willcox, Mark: correspondence,
1980-1991
Correspondence
chiefly between Mark Willcox and various English museums about the possibility
of hosting a Byrdcliffe exhibit.
Folder 2: “’Arcady,’
Montecito,
Photocopy
of a publication about the gardens at
Folder 3: Videotape: “The Art of Life”:
Byrdcliffe Art Colony at
Videotape
produced by RBH Multimedia,
Map case A, drawer 1:
06x66 Genealogical
chart of the McCall family, beginning with George McCall, son of William McCall
and Marian Dundas, married to Ann Yeates on