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
OVERVIEW OF
THE COLLECTION
Creator: Mueller-Dunn Company.
Title: Collection
Dates: 1929-1934
Call No.: Col. 593
Acc. No.: 00x58
Quantity: 10 folders
Location: 18 B 4
BIOGRAPHICAL
STATEMENT
The Mueller-Dunn Company of Newark, New Jersey, advertised
itself as a firm of designers, craftsmen, and decorators, particularly of
“modern bars, grilles, and taverns.” Karl
J. Mueller and Peter Miske worked for the company. The Mueller Studios, Inc. specialized in
making decorations, murals, mosaics, statues, altars, communion rails, pulpits,
and memorial tablets for churches.
Mueller-Dunn was the successor to Mueller Studios. Motter & Drygas made and installed store
and bar fixtures, ice boxes, store and office partitions, and modern
storefronts. Its connection to the other
companies is unknown.
Karl J. Mueller was born in Buchau, Germany on April
17, 1888 and was a stained glass artist.
He was in Newark, N.J., by 1918, and on his draft registration card
listed himself as a self-employed artist working in New York City. His World War II draft registration card
listed his middle name as Ignatz, although the middle initial J. was used
elsewhere. The 1930 and 1940 census records list his wife as Mathilda, also
born in Germany, around 1890. He died in
or near St. Petersburg, Florida, on July 26, 1971.
Nothing was learned about Peter Miske or Howard
Miske.
SCOPE AND
CONTENT
The collection includes photos, testimonial letters,
advertising brochures, price lists, a church contact file, and sketches for an
unknown project being done for or by Howard Miske. The materials are from the
1930s and relate to three Newark, New Jersey companies, Mueller-Dunn, Mueller
Studios, and Motter & Drygas.
Among the photos are interior views of the Long Bar
of Newark, N.J., and Hintelmann’s grocery store in Rumson, N.J., the fixtures
for which were made and installed by Motter & Drygas, and an exterior shot
of that company’s building. There are
several photos of workshops, either Mueller-Dunn or Mueller Studios, in which
men are working on stained glass windows, light fixtures, and statues. As well, there is an album containing
drawings and photos of light fixtures, and photos of the interior of a tavern
decorated by Mueller-Dunn. The
testimonial letters are in regard to work performed by Mueller Studios and
Mueller-Dunn. The church contact file
contains the names and addresses of churches, mostly Roman Catholic, mostly in
New Jersey. The churches were visited
between 1929 and 1933, evidently in an effort to find business. The price lists are from Mueller-Dunn, for
tavern tables and chairs, and from Mueller Studios, for Stations of the Cross.
ORGANIZATION
The materials are divided by company and type of
document.
LANGUAGE OF
MATERIALS
The materials are in English.
RESTRICTIONS
ON ACCESS
Collection is open to the public. Copyright restrictions may apply.
PROVENANCE
Purchased from Judy Barone.
ACCESS POINTS
Topics:
Mueller Studios.
Motter & Drygas.
Bars (Drinking establishments) - New Jersey.
Church
decoration and ornament - New Jersey.
Designers - New
Jersey.
Grocery trade -
New Jersey - Rumson.
Industrialists -
New Jersey.
Lighting,
Architectural and decorative.
Restaurants -
Decoration.
Store fixtures.
Workshops - New
Jersey.
Newark (N.J.) -
Buildings, structures, etc.
Newark (N.J.) -
Commerce.
Rumson (N.J.) -
Buildings, structures, etc.
Black-and-white
photographs.
Business cards.
Advertisements.
Price lists.
DETAILED
DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION
Location: 18 B
4
All accession numbers begin with 00x58.
Folder 1:
Business cards, advertising brochure for Mueller-Dunn
.1a-b business cards: Mueller-Dunn Company,
Designers, Craftsmen, Decorators, represented by Peter Miske
.2 advertising brochure for Mueller-Dunn,
with short piece on “Problems of Today’s Inn-Keeper,” and two photos of the
interior of Pfeifer’s “Tally-ho!” tavern
Folder 2:
Price lists for Mueller-Dunn and Mueller Studios
.3 blotter with advertisement for “A New Station” [of the
Cross], available from Mueller Studio, with prices
.4 “Description
of Rack” for religious literature, specifically marketed to Catholic churches
by Mueller-Dunn
.5a-d “Price List of Tavern Chairs and Tables,” available from
Mueller-Dunn, one page with prices, and three pages of colored pictures of
tables and chairs
.6 contract
for lighting fixtures, addressed to Rev. Thomas J. Herron, St. Lucy’s Church,
Jersey City
Folder 3: testimonial letters for Mueller Studios
and Mueller-Dunn Co.
.7 from John L. O’Toole, Holy Redeemer Rectory, Freeport, N.Y.,
July 1, 1933, to Mueller Studios
.8 from
Ambrose[?] P. Dunnigan, St. Charles Borromeo’s Rectory, Brooklyn, N.Y., July
29, 1933, to Carl Mueller, Mueller Studios
.9 from
James M. Winters, Church of the Holy Rosary, Bronx, N.Y., Jan. 27, 1934, to
Mueller-Dunn Co.
.10 from
Chas. G. McCorristin, St. Joseph’s Church, East Camden, N.J., Jan. 31, 1934, to
Mr. Mueller, for work done on St. Patrick’s Church, Woodbury, N.J.; this letter
mentions that the stained glass windows were made in Germany
.11 from
Martin P. O’Gara, Church of St. Augustine, Ossining, N.Y., to Karl Mueller,
Mueller Studios
.12 from
Fr. Albert Lang, St. Mary’s Monastery, Morristown, N.J., to Mueller Studios,
mentioning that the work was done for St. Benedict’s Church
Folder 4: Photos of a restaurant and bars by Mueller-Dunn
.13 interior of Tally-Ho! Tavern, same photo as in the brochure
that is 00x58.2; includes stained glass windows, murals on walls, tavern
furniture like that in 00x58.5, and shows view of bartender’s side of bar
.14 interior
of Tally-Ho! Tavern, similar to photos in 00x58.2, but this photo includes
three men sitting or standing at the bar; mural over bar and decorative tiles
on bar are easy to see; written on back: Mueller-Dunn Co., Newark, N.J.
.15 another
view of the Tally-Ho! Tavern, showing part of another room in addition to the
bar
.16 view
of the bar of the Tally-Ho! Tavern, this time without people; sign for
Hensler’s Beer is in view; stamped on back: Mueller Studio, Newark, N.J.
.17 view
of bar of the Tally-Ho! Tavern, same photo as in the brochure that is 00x58.2;
written on back: Mueller-Dunn Co., Newark, N.J.
.18 interior
view of the Tally-Ho! Tavern, with bar to left, and several tables; part of a
mural is on the right wall, and a decorative plaque is on the back wall; written
on back: Mueller-Dunn Co., Newark, N.J.
.19 interior
view of the Tally-Ho! Tavern, focusing on tables and chairs
.20 interior
view of the Tally-Ho! Tavern, focusing on one corner, showing two stained glass
windows and the decorative plaque (which makes reference to Noah); written on
back: Mueller-Dunn Co., Newark, N.J.
.21 interior
view of the Tally-Ho! Tavern, focusing on a mural showing a man carrying two
beers and a plate of sausages, some of which a dog is trying to eat; written on
back: Mueller-Dunn Co., Newark, N.J.
.22 stained
glass windows in the Tally-Ho! Tavern, showing men doing sports (boxing,
football, baseball, rowing, tennis, golf, and fishing)
.23 stained
glass windows in the Tally-Ho! Tavern, showing men at work or drinking beer
(saxophone player, dancing, playing piano, sailors drinking, man outside Gents
room, bowling); written on back: Mueller-Dunn Co., Newark, N.J.
.24 stained
glass windows in the Tally-Ho! Tavern, showing couples in different activities:
riding in a car, at the beach, dancing, and kissing
.25 stained
glass window behind a bar; this is not the Tally-Ho! Tavern, although the
stained glass in this photo is a very similar design to the mural behind the
bar at the Tally-Ho!
.26 a
bar, with a tile floor; a rough pencil sketch is on the back; stamped on back:
Commercial Photographic Corporation, Newark
Folder 5: church contact file (unclear whether
Mueller Studio or Mueller-Dunn)
.27a-bbbb cards, arranged by city, with contact
information for various churches (mostly Roman Catholic), and sometimes notes
about decorative work that shourl or needs to be done on the churches; some
cards are dated 1929-1933;
Acc. 00x58.27ii has a sketch of a window on the back of
the card;
Acc.
00x58.27zz has a sketch of a lantern on the back of the card;
Acc.
00x58.27iii has outline sketches of windows on back of card;
Folder 6: album of lighting fixtures
.28 an
album with seven photographic reproductions of colored sketches, and seven
black-and-white photos, all of lighting fixtures, most with numbers
(in album
labeled Photographs on cover, with picture of a gondola and the moon)
Folder 7: advertising brochures for Mueller Studios
.29a-b this brochure features interior photos of St.
Benedict’s Churches in Brooklyn and Newark; specifically targets churches, and
lists churches where the Mueller Studios has done work
.30 this
brochure features altars, statues (including a modernistic wood carving), and
Stations of the Cross
Folder 8: photos of workshops
(all photos were taken by
Commercial Photographic Corporation, Newark)
.31 two men, one carving a statue and the other a Station of the
Cross, with completed work on display
.32 large
room where men are working on stained glass windows; cartoons are seen along
the back wall; a row of windows is on the left wall; nine men are involved in
different activities
.33 three
men making light fixtures
.34 a
room displaying stained glass windows and light fixtures; above the door on the
left is a stained glass sign reading Mueller Studios Inc.
Folder 9: Motter & Drygas Co.: photos and
business card
.35 business card for Motter Drygas, manufacturers of store and
bar fixtures 0 ice boxes, store and office partitions, modern store fronts,
Newark
.36 photo:
men standing outside Motter & Drygas building, with two delivery trucks
loaded with wares
.37 photo
of exterior of Smith’s Long Bar, manufactured and installed by Motter &
Drygas Co.
.38 photo
of interior of Smith’s Long Bar, manufactured and installed by Motter &
Drygas Co.; view is of the bartender’s work space
.39 photo
of interior of Smith’s Long Bar, manufactured and installed by Motter &
Drygas Co.; view is of the customers’ space at the bar
.40 photo
of interior of Smith’s Long Bar, manufactured and installed by Motter &
Drygas Co.; view is of tables and booths
.41 photo
of interior of Hintelmann’s grocery store, manufactured and installed by Motter
& Drygas Co.; view shows produce counter, meat cooler, shelves of canned,
boxed and bottled goods, with cans of Beech-Nut Coffee stacked on the floor
Folder 10: sketches for Kinloch Park, by Howard
Miske
.42a-o design drawings for unknown project, labeled
plates 1-12, 14-16
[all these
are on yellow paper]
.43a-q design drawings for unknown project, probably dimensional drawings
for the plates above, labeled plates 1-7
[most on
white paper, some on yellow paper]