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:         Clarke, Thomas B. (Thomas Benedict), 1848-1931.                          

Title:               Scrapbooks and register

Dates:             1872-1879, 1915-1916, 1921-1922

Call No.:         Col. 315

Acc. No.:        67x121; 68x57; 06x11

Quantity:        3 volumes

Location:        17 L 5

 

 

 

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

 

Thomas B. Clarke of New York City was a noted collector of American paintings, Chinese porcelain, and other antiques.  He served as president of the New York School of Applied Design for Women, chairman of the Union League Club’s art committee, treasurer of the National Society of Arts, and was a founding member of both the National Sculpture Society and the National Arts Club.  On November 14, 1871, Clarke married Fannie Eugenia Morris, the daughter of John J. Morris, a New York City alderman.

 

Thomas Benedict Clarke was born in New York, New York, on December 11, 1848. Clarke was one of three sons born to Dr. George Washington Clarke, the founder and head master of the Mount Washington Collegiate Institute of New York City. Clarke graduated from his father’s school and entered the linen business, manufacturing laces, linens, collars, and cuffs.  Initially, he partnered with John Carmichael, a fellow linen dealer.  In 1876, Clarke entered into a partnership with Thomas King of Troy, New York, specializing in linen collars. 

 

Although Clarke was a linen dealer by trade, he always had a strong interest in the arts. As early as 1872, Clarke began collecting works by American artists. At the age of forty, in 1888, Clarke

retired from the linen business to devote himself to the arts and established himself as a full-time

dealer in Chinese porcelain and Greek art.  By October 1891, Clarke had opened Art House, a gallery on Fifth Avenue in New York devoted to the sale of Chinese and Japanese ceramics, Greek vases, and Eastern and Middle Eastern art.  In addition to his sales in Greek and Eastern art, Clarke became one of the premier supporters of American artists during his lifetime, acquiring works by such artists as George Inness (1825-1894), Eastman Johnson (1824-1906), and Albert Bierstadt (1830-1902). By 1878, Clarke had amassed a collection of nearly 185 paintings, with 170 works being from American artists. His extensive collections were freely shared with numerous institutions throughout his lifetime for loan exhibitions, including exhibits held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the World’s Columbian Exposition, Chicago, and the National Academy of Design. 

 

In February 1899, Clarke dispersed his collection of American art at a four day public auction

sale.  Proceeds from the sale totaled almost $235,000.  After the sale, Clarke primarily devoted himself to collecting and studying early American portraits and furniture. In 1919, at the age of 71, Clarke abandoned his business in Chinese porcelains in order to fully concentrate on researching and collecting early American portraits.  At the time of his death on January 18, 1931, Clarke had a collection of 175 paintings rendered by 77 different artists, including 29 portraits by Gilbert Stuart (1755-1828).

 

Thomas Clarke’s former home at 22 East 35th Street is now the headquarters of the Collectors Club.  Clarke had bought the building in 1902 and had it extensively remodeled by Stanford White to accommodate his art collection.

 

 

SCOPE AND CONTENT

 

Consists of three volumes relating to Clarke's collecting activities.  The first volume has the caption title “A Memorandum Book, description of a collection of oil paintings.”  It includes lists of paintings in Clarke's collection, paintings purchased for other collections, trades and sales from his collection, loans to galleries, and old porcelain.

 

The second volume is a scrapbook about an exhibition and sale of Clarke’s collection of “beautiful old textiles and … antique plates of many nations” which took place in January 1916.  The scrapbook holds photos of the exhibition itself, pages from the catalog produced for the exhibit or the auction (probably served both functions), and newspaper articles about the exhibit and the sale.  The articles about the sale include some prices and the names of some buyers, and one notes that a rug which sold for over $10,000 was used as a movie prop.   Nothing indicates who created the scrapbook.  The spine label reads T. B. Clarke, 1916, Old Plates and Textiles.

 

The third volume is a scrapbook kept by Clarke relating to exhibitions of early American portraits held by the Union League Club in 1921 and 1922.  It contains letters written to and from Clarke about the exhibits, photographs of groups of paintings on display, captions description paintings (probably from exhibit catalogs), and newspaper clippings with reviews of the exhibits.

           

 

 

LANGUAGE OF MATERIALS

 

The materials are in English.

 

 

RESTRICTIONS ON ACCESS

 

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

           

 

PROVENANCE

           


Acc. 67x121 purchased from Weyhe, Inc.

Acc. 68x57 gift of Louise du Pont Crowninshield.

Acc. 06x11 transferred from Printed Books and Periodicals collection.

 

 

RELATED MATERIALS

 

Letters from Thomas B. Clarke to Charles Henry Hart are found at this repository in Col. 654, Charles Henry Hart Papers.  They chiefly concern American art.

 

The Archives of American Art at the Smithsonian Institution has additional papers of Thomas B. Clarke.

 

 

ACCESS POINTS

 


Topics:


            Union League Club.

            Art patrons.

            Art - Collectors and collecting.

            Exhibition catalogs.

            Portrait painting, American - Photographs.

            Porcelain - Collectors and collecting.

            Painting, American - Exhibitions - New York - New York.

            Painting - Private collections.

            Textile fabrics - Collectors and collecting.

            Rugs - Collectors and collecting.

            Registers (lists).

            Scrapbooks.

            Correspondence.

            Photographic prints.

            Clippings.

            Art collectors.

 

 


DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION

 

Location: 17 L 5

 

                       

Box 1:            

 

Folder 1:         Acc. 68x57: “A Memorandum Book, description of a collection of oil paintings.”

 

Cover title: Private Art Collection of Thomas B. Clarke, 1872-1879.  It includes lists of paintings in Clarke's collection, paintings purchased for other collections, trades and sales from his collection, loans to galleries, and old porcelain.

Name index to this volume is appended to this finding aid.

 

Folder 2:         Photocopy of the memorandum book (acc. 68x57; 1 folder)

Folders 3-4:    Photographs of pages in scrapbook 67x121 (2 folders)

Folder 5:         Negatives for scrapbook pages (1 folder)

           

                       


 

Box 2:             Acc. 67x121:  Spine and cover labels: U.L.C., Early American Portraits, 1921-22

 

A scrapbook kept by Clarke relating to exhibitions of early American portraits held by the Union League Club in 1921 and 1922.  Includes some letters to and from Alexander C. Humphreys, chairman of the Committee on Art of the Union League Club, and letters to and from Clarkson Cowl, secretary of the committee.  Also includes photos of the exhibits, text of the exhibit catalogs, and newspaper articles about the exhibits.

An index to the artists and subjects of the portraits is appended to this finding aid.

 

 

 

Box 3:             Acc. 06x11      Spine label: T. B. Clarke, 1916, Old Plates and Textiles. 

 

A scrapbook about an exhibition and sale of Clarke’s collection of “beautiful old textiles and … antique plates of many nations” which took place in January 1916, under the management of the American Art Galleries.  It includes photos of the exhibit, text of the catalog, and newspaper ads and articles about the exhibit and sale.


 


Partial index to acc. 67x121: Scrapbook of early American portraits – only artists and subjects of portraits are listed

 

Alexander, Francis 15

Allston, Josias  53

Allston, Washington  53

Ames, Ezra  27

Ames, Joseph A.  28

Anderson, Alexander  28

Astor, John Jacob  50

 

Barlow, Rebecca Sanford  13

Barton, Coralie Livingston  14

Barton, Thomas Pennant  14

Beck, Theodoric Romeyn  16

Beckford, Elizabeth, Countess of Effingham  17

Biddle, Charles  24

Biddle, Thomas (Major)  69

Brown Gawen  54, 82

Brown, Mather  37, 39

 

Calder, Robert (Lt.)  40

Charlotte, Queen of England  36

Constable, William  51

Conyngham, Francis N. P. (Sir)  37

Coolidge, Joseph  50

Copley, John Singleton  12, 39, 54, 66, 79, 82

Cruger, Matilda Caroline  55

 

Dawson, James Massy  40

Dawson, Thomas  39

De Kalb, Johann  70

De Lancey, Stephen  53, 90

Devon, Lord  38

Dexter, (Mrs.) Andrew  50

Dick, John (Sir)   36

Dickson, (Mrs.) John  13

Dyott, Thomas W.  66, 84

 

Earl, Ralph E. W.  70

Eckford, Henrietta  25, 85

Eckford, Henry  25, 29, 85

Eckford, Marian (Bedell)  25, 85

Effingham, Countess of (Elizabeth Beckford)  17

Eichholtz, Jacob  15, 26, 68

Elliott, Charles Loring  29, 67, 71

 

Foster, Stephen  14

Freeman, C. (Dr.)  15

Freeman, Phoebe  15

Fulton, Robert  25, 29, 85

 

Gansevoort, Peter (General)  27

Gates, Horatio (General)  70

George III, King of England  36

Gibson, William (Doctor)  12

Gordon, Elizabeth, Countess of Sutherland  13

Greenwood, Grace  15

Griffin, Cyrus  53

 

Hall, James  29

Hamilton, Alexander  39

Hamilton, James  61

Harding, Chester   69

Harper, Joseph Wesley  26

Harrison, Benjamin  68

Hartigan, Betsey  35

Hartigan, William (Dr.)  35

Hawkins, Augustus Fielding  68

Healy, G. P. A.  28

Hicks, Thomas  14

Hoffman, Charles Fenno  16

Hopkinson, Ann Biddle  24

Hopkinson, Francis  24

Hubard, William James  27

Huntington, Daniel  14, 29

 

Inman, Henry  15, 27, 71

 

Jackson, Andrew  70

Jarvis, John Wesley  25

Johnson, Eastman  26

Johnston, John  66, 88

Jouett, Matthew Harris  68

 

King, Charles Bird  15

Kintzing, Abraham  24

Knox, Henry (General)  70

Krimmel, John Lewis  69, 90

 

Lambdin, James R   69, 84

Laurens, Henry  39

Lawrence, James  25

Leman, Henry Eichholtz  68

Lincoln, Levi  25

Lippincott, Sarah Jane  15

Lloyd, James  52

 

Marchant, Edward D.  16

Marshall, John   27, 69, 84

Melville, Herman  27

Melville, Maria Gansevoort  27

Metcalfe, Eliab  16, 28

Morris, George Pope  71

Morse, Samuel F. B.  14, 16, 25

Mount, William S    67, 71

Murray, William Vans  37

 

Neagle, John  13, 26, 27, 66, 84

 

Peale, Charles Willson  67, 68

Peale, James  69

Peale, Rembrandt  12, 26, 66

Peck, John   66, 88

Pelham, Peter  68

Pierce, Franklin  28

Pine, Robert Edge  70

Pollock, George  51

Pollock, (Mrs.) George   51

Porter, Peter B.   26

Preston, James Patton  17, 79

 

Quidor, John   24

 

Reynolds, Sir Joshua  35, 37, 83

Richards, Guy  14

Rittenhouse, David  67

Rogers, William  54, 88

Rudman, Ann C.  27

Rudman, Wm. C.  27

Rush, William  26

 

Savage, Edward  70

Scott, George  66

Sharples, James  67

Shirley, William (Governor)  17

Smibert, John  17, 53, 68, 90

Smith, Elizabeth Oakes 15

Smith, James P.  26

Southward, George  28

Stow, Edward  54

Stuart, Gilbert  12, 17, 35-38, 40, 50-55, 79, 82, 83

Stuart, Richardson  12

Sturgis, Sarah Blake  15

Sudam., John  66

Sully, Thomas  12, 24, 69, 71

Sutherland, Countess of (Elizabeth Gordon)  13

 

Taylor, Jeremiah  12, 79

Theus, Jeremiah  53, 70

Thew, Robert  12

Thornton, William  52

Thornton, (Mrs.) William  52

Tompkins, Daniel D.  71

Townshend, Thomas  38

Trumbull, John  54, 88

 

Van Rensselaer, Stephen  55

Vanderlyn, John  66

Vanderlyn, Pieter  9, 12

Van Vechten, Johannes  9, 12

Van Winkle, Rip - The Return of   24

 

Waldo, Samuel L.  13

Wallack, James William  27

Walsh, Robert  24

Ware, Katharine Augusta Rhodes  16

Washington, Bushrod  67

Washington, George  66

West, Benjamin  13, 17, 37

White, Luke  40

Willis, Nathaniel Parker  69

 

Yates, Lawrence Reid  55

Yates, Richard  50

Yates, (Mrs.) Richard  50, 76, 82


 


Index to 68x57: Memorandum Book: Paintings in the Collection of Thomas B. Clarke

 

Agazziz   54

Agazziz, J.  57

Allen, Thomas (Jr.)  73

Armstrong, M.  139

Augero, F.   2, 55, 59

 

Baker & Rondel  127

Baker, Geo. A.   4

Baker, E. and Rondel(?)   4, 56

Barstow, S. A.   4

Beard, W. H.   4, 58, 59, 75

Beard, Wm H.   56

Bellows, A. F.   4, 135

Bensa   4

Benson  51

Benson, E.  4

Benson, Eugene  56

Bierstadt   51

Bierstadt, Albert   4, 75

Blakelock   4

Blakelock, R. A.   4, 55, 75

Boughton, G. H.   75

Boughton, Geo. H.   4

Brenneman, G. W.   141

Bridgman, F. A.   4, 75, 123, 139, 151

Bristol J. B.   4, 58

Brown, J. G.   4, 54, 56, 59, 75, 141, 151

Bunner., A. F.   131

Butman   4

 

Cafferty   6

Casilear, J. W.   6, 75

Champney, J. W.  139

Chapin   6

Chapin, C. H.   56, 127

Chapman, J. Linton   6

Chase, Harry  151

Chase, Wm. M.  6, 77

Church, F. E.   77, 151

Church, F. S.   6, 77, 141

Cole, Thomas   6

Colgate   6

Colman, S.   139

Colman, Samuel   6, 77

Cowell   6, 51

Craig, J. Eugene   6

Crane, R. B.   139

Crane, R. Bruce   141

Cropsey, J. F.   6

 

De Elorriaga, R.   8, 52

De Haas, M. F. H.   8, 79

De Haas, W. F.   58

De Haas, Wm. F.  8, 54

De Luce, P.  131, 139

Dewey, C. M.  139, 151

Dewing, T. W.  8, 79

Dielman, F.  79

Dielman, Frederick   8

Dolph, J. H.   8, 79

Dudley, A.   139

Dunell(?), Olive(?)  137

 

Ferris, Gerome  83

Foote, C. B.  149

Frappa  12

Frappa, J    54, 58, 59

Frere, Theo.  12, 54, 58

 

Gelli  14

Gelli, E.  55

Gelli, Edward  57

Gifford, R. Swain  14, 85

Gifford, S. R.  85

Gifford, Sanford R.  14   

Gifford, Swain  151

Gray, H. P.  127

Gray, Henry Peters  14

Guy, S. J.   14, 85, 133

 

Hahs, P. B.  123, 131, 139

Hahs, Phillip B.  87

Hall, G. H.    16

Harland, A. C.  16

Harnett, W.    127

Harnett, W. M.  57, 58, 133, 135, 137, 141

Harnett, Wm M.  16, 87, 143

Harrison   51

Harrison, H.  59

Harrison, Henry   16, 54, 57

Hart, James M.   16

Hart, William   16, 56, 58, 59, 87, 140, 151

Hatch,, D. B.  147

Hazeltine, W. S.  16

Hekking, J. A.  55

Hekking, J. K.  16

Heniman, John  143

Hennessy  51

Hennessy, W. J.  16

Henry, E. L.  16, 87

Holberton, W.  54, 59, 87

Holberton, Wakeman  16

Homer, Winslow   16, 87

Hosford, J. H.   16, 56

Hovenden, T.   131, 135, 141

Hovenden, Thos.   87, 123, 147

Howland., A. C   16, 56

Hubbard, R. W.   16, 127

Huntington, D.   16, 87

 

Inness  51

Inness, G.  127

Inness, George   18, 55-59, 89, 133,  135, 139, 151

Inness, Geo (Jr.)   18

Irving, J. Beaufain 18

Irving, W.  18, 51

 

Johnson, D.  127, 140

Johnson, David  20, 58, 91, 141, 143

Johnson, E.   57

Johnson, Eastman   20, 56, 59, 91, 137, 151

Jones, Bolton  145

Jones, H. Bolton  123, 131, 139, 151

 

Kappes, A.  139

Kappes, Alfred  93

Kensett, J. F.  22, 58, 93

Kilbourne, S. A.  22

King, Thomas  133

 

La Farge, John   24, 55, 95

Lambdin, G. C.  24

Lane  140

Lawrie, Alexander  24, 56

Lehr, A.  127

Lehr, Adam  131

Lemaire, Casimir  24

Loop, H A.   24

 

Macy, W. S.  26, 58, 97, 131

Magrath   58

Magrath, W.  139

Magrath, Wm.  26, 97

Martin, Homer  26

McCord, H.   55, 59

McCord, Herbert   26

McEntee, J.  139

McEntee, Jervis  26, 52, 97

McKie, (Mrs.) Thomas  131

Miller, C. H.  58

Miller, Chas. H.  26

Minor, R. C.  58, 151

Minor, Robt. C.  26, 54

Moore, R. E.  55

Moran, Edward   26, [58,] 97

Moran, Leon  97

Moran, Percy  97, 141

Moran, Peter  26

Moran, T.   51, 58

Moran, Thomas   26, 97

Morse, G. H.   54

Morse, Geo. D.   57

Morse, Henry D.  26

Mount., W. S.  26, 97

Murphy, J. F.   127

Murphy, J. Francis   26

 

Nehlig, V.  137

 

Otter, Thomas  30

Orgazzis  30

 

Parton, A.  127, 131

Parton, Arthur  32, 103, 139

Perry, E. W.  137

Piquet, R. E.  56, 103, 139

Piquet, Rudolph E.   32

Plumb, H. G.  103, 140

Plummer, A. T.   145

Poore, H. R. 103

 

Quartly, A. 151

Quartley, Arthur  34, 105, 141

 

Ream  75

Ream, M.  58, 131

Ream, Marston  36, 55

Rehn, F. K.  131

Ricci  51

Ricci, Pio  36

Richards, W. T.  107, 140

Richards, Wm. T.  36

Robbins, H. W.  36, 55, 58, 151

Roorbach, A. S.  56, 127

Roorback  36

Rosier, D.  54

Rosier, Dominque [Dominiquel  36, 57

Ryder, P. P.  36, 51, 107, 127

 

Sarri  38, 51

Schuchardt, F. (Jr.)  109

Seney, George J.   151

Shattuck  38

Shattuck, A. D.   54, 59

Shirlaw, W.  58

Shirlaw, Walter   38, 56

Smedley, W. T.   109

Smillie, J. D.   38

Smillie, G. H.   59, 151

Smillie, Geo.  55

Smillie, Geo. H.  38

Smith   38

Smith, H. P.  127, 133, 135, 141

Smith, Henry P.  109

Sontagg, W. A.  38, 109

Story, Geo. H.  38, 109

 

Tait, A. F.  40, 57, 137

Tamburini   40, 52

Thompson, Jerome   40, 56, 127

Thorn, J. C.  57

Thorn, J. Crawford   40

Tiffany, Louis C.   40

 

Ulrich, C. F.   151

 

Van Schendel  127

Van Schendel, P.  54

Van Schendel, Pierre   44, 57

Volk, D.   44,  133, 139, 151

Volk, Douglas   115, 124

 

Way, A. J. H.    46, 57

Whittredge    51, 139

Whittredge, W.   117, 137

Whittredge, Worthington   46

Wiederfeld    46, 51

Wiggins, J. C.   46, 137

Wilson, Washington   135

Windmair    46, 52

Witt, J. H.   46, 59, 117, 149

Wood, J. 0.   51, 117

Wood, J. Ogden   46

Wood, T. W.   46, 117, 135, 151

Wyant, A. H.   46, 117, 124, 139, 151

 

Yewell   48

Young, Harvey   48, 51