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: Ginsburg & Levy, Inc. (New York, N.Y.)

Title: Papers

Dates: 1911-1982

Call No.: Col. 706

Acc. No.: 03x140; 05x156

Quantity: 12 boxes and 6 volumes (5 cu. ft.)

Location: 15 E 1-4, and Map case E, drawer 6

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

Ginsburg & Levy, Inc. was a noted antiques shop in New York City. Brothers-in-law John Ginsburg and Isaac Levy opened a curio shop in 1901 (Bernard Levy jestingly called it a junk shop), but quickly moved into the antiques trade. The firm also operated under the name The Colony Shops. The company sold high quality American and English antique furniture, porcelain, pottery, silver, brass, and other decorative art objects. After the original owners retired, their sons Benjamin Ginsburg and Bernard Levy continued the business. Over the years, Ginsburg & Levy sold furnishings to many noted museums and collectors, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Henry Ford, Henry Francis du Pont, John D. Rockefeller, Jr., Electra Havemeyer Webb, Ima Hogg, and Henry Flynt. Between 1973 and 1976, partners Benjamin Ginsburg and Bernard Levy dissolved their firm. However, both men continued in the antique business, Ginsburg as Benjamin Ginsburg Antiquary, and Levy (with his son) as Bernard & S. Dean Levy.

John Ginsburg was born around 1876 in Odessa, Russia. He moved to the United States when he was 12 years old, and died on January 3, 1953. He had two children, Benjamin and Ruth.

Isaac Morris Levy was born in Russia in 1877, 1878 or 1879 (all those years have been found on various documents). His family immigrated to the United States in 1891. He married Lena Lapman in 1909; she was born in 1887 in Russia (although a census record listed her birthplace as New York). Their children were Ruth, Beatrice, and Bernard. Isaac Levy died in 1944.

Benjamin Ginsburg was born December 12, 1904, and died on January 28, 1994, in Tarrytown, New York. Although he had studied engineering at Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, he joined the family firm in 1925. He wrote a number of articles on English delftware, brass candlesticks, and American furniture. As well, he served as a consultant for the refurbishing of the White House under Jacqueline Kennedy and for the furnishing of the State Department’s Diplomatic Reception Rooms. He ran his own antique shop as Benjamin Ginsburg Antiquary from 1976 until he retired in 1983.

Cora Kling Ginsburg was born June 26, 1910, and died at the age of 92 on December 12, 2002. She studied at Hunter College and married Benjamin Ginsburg in 1929. After World War II, she became the textile buyer for Ginsburg & Levy. In the middle to late 1960s, she began her own company, Cora Ginsburg, Inc., which specialized in selling costumes, textiles, and needlework. After Cora Ginsburg’s death, her business remained in operation under her name. Cora and Benjamin had three children, Henry, Carl, and Deborah.

SCOPE AND CONTENT

The collection includes sales books, stock books, and export shipping records of purchases which had been made in France and England. The bulk of the collection consists of magazine articles, advertisements, parts of auction catalogs, and photographs and negatives of antiques - particularly porcelain, pottery, and furniture. A number of the photos are of items offered for sale by the firm Ginsburg & Levy. Some advertisements from the company, and a metal engraving plate for one of its ads, also appear in the files, as well as a sketch of the company’s building. There is one folder of photos of Ginsburg & Levy showrooms, and photos of their store window decorated for Christmas in 1965. As well, a few 18^th and 19^th century manuscripts are found in the collection. Most are letters addressed to Mary Anne Jelf in the 1780s; she is supposed to have resided in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Also found is condolence letter from the Society of the Cincinnati of New Jersey to the family of General Lafayette. A few of the negatives are of the Ginsburg family.

The four volumes of sales books cover 1911-1919. The entries are in chronological order, and include the name of the customer, what was sold, and its price. The stock books, numbering six volumes, cover 1918-1982. Although the information recorded changed slightly over time, each entry includes the stock number, a description of the item, the price paid for the item, and from whom purchased. The export shipping records list purchases made in France and England in 1969-1970, and include a brief description of each item, the price paid, and from whom purchased.

ORGANIZATION

Boxes 1-10 contain the clippings and photograph files. Boxes 11-17 contain negatives, including glass plate negatives and some negatives of the Ginsburg family. A metal engraving plate used for an advertisement is in Box 19. The smaller sales and shipping volumes are in Boxes 18-19, and the large stock volumes are lying on the shelf. The sketch of the company’s building, a newspaper, and an oversized letter are in the oversize file.

LANGUAGE OF MATERIALS

The materials are in English.

RESTRICTIONS ON ACCESS

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

PROVENANCE

Both accessions are the gift of Henry Ginsburg, son of Benjamin and Cora Ginsburg.

ACCESS POINTS

People:

Ginsburg, Benjamin, d. 1994.

Ginsburg, Cora.

Ginsberg family.

Jelf, Mary Anne.

Lafayette, Marie Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert Du Motier, marquis de, 1757-1834.

Firms and organizations:

Benjamin Ginsburg Antiquary.

Colony Shops.

Jacobson & Company.

Society of the Cincinnati in the State of New Jersey.

Topics:

Antiques.

Antique dealers – New York (State) – New York.

Christmas show windows.

Pottery.

Staffordshire pottery.

Luster-ware.

Porcelain.

Portrait miniatures.

Furniture, English.

Furniture, American.

Clocks and watches.

Delftware.

Mantels – Catalogs.

Wedgwood ware.

Trade catalogs.

Title:

United States gazette for the country (Philadelphia, Pa. : 1804)

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION

Location: 15 E 1-4, and map case E, drawer 6

Box 1

Folder 1: Art

Folder 2: Battersea enamel – sold [photos]

Folder 3: Boudinot Mansion (Elizabeth, N.J.): program for opening of a loan exhibition , 1943 (acc. 05x156)

Folder 4: Brass and silver: photos

Folder 5: Cabinetmakers, English

Folder 6: Candlesticks

Folder 7: Candlesticks and candelabra – brass, iron, bronze

Folder 8: Chelsea figures

Folder 9: Chinese art

Folder 10: Chinese porcelain, pottery, jade

Folder 11: Clocks, bracket

Folder 12: Clocks, bracket - Graham

Folder 13: Clocks, bracket - Knibb

Folder 14: Clocks, bracket – Quare

Folder 15: Clocks, bracket - Tompion

Folder 16: Clocks, bracket - Windmills

Folder 17: Clocks, continental

Box 2

Folder 1: Clocks, tall

Folder 2: Clocks, tall - Fromanteel, Johannes

Folder 3: Clocks, tall - Knibb

Folder 4: Clocks, tall - Tompion

Folder 5: Cloisonné, Chinese

Folder 6: Delftware

Folder 7: Delftware: Apothecary pill slabs

Folder 8: Delftware, dated - sold

Folders 9-11: Delftware, English

Folder 12: Delftware, English – dated

Folder 13: Delftware, English - plates

Folder 14: Delftware, Irish

Box 3

Folder 1: Delftware – Portrait chargers

Folders 2-3: East and West [influences on each other]

Folders 4-6: English country houses

Folder 7: Faience, Delft - sold

Folder 8: Faience, French

Folder 9: “Ford photos” [items from collection of Henry Ford?] (acc. 05x156)

Folders 10-11: Furniture

Folder 12: Furniture, American

Box 4

Folder 1: Furniture: Chinese furniture for the European market

Folder 2: Furniture, Chippendale

Folder 3: Furniture, Connecticut

Folder 4: Furniture, English

Folder 5: Furniture, English – exhibition photos prior to 1957

[photos of Ginsburg & Levy showrooms]

Folder 6: Furniture, English - general

Folder 7: Furniture, Lacquer

Folder 8: Furniture, Lacquer cabinets

Folder 9: Ginsburg, Benjamin – “The Furniture of Albany’s Cherry Hill”

Folder 10: Ginsburg & Levy – Christmas window, 1965

Folder 11: Glass, Victorian

Folder 12: Glassware

Folder 13: Historical pottery - sold

Box 5

Folder 1: Jacobson & Company: “Chimney-pieces, supplement no. 1” [trade catalog of mantels]

Folder 2: Japanese art

Folder 3: Jelf, Mary Anne: letters (05x156.2-.9)

[The folder which held these letters identified Mary Anne Jelf as having lived in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Indeed, a woman of that name was born there around 1762, the daughter of Joseph Jelf. Family trees show her marrying Aaron Day in 1779, so that cannot be the same person addressed in these letters. The book Perfect Likeness (Cincinnati Art Museum, 2006) has a photo of the Jelf miniature and indicates that Miss Jelf married George Joy (or Jay) in 1786. The miniature portrait was sold by Ginsburg & Levy in the 1930s.]

.2: to Miss Jelf, from George de Haacke, Newtown, [perhaps the one on Long Island], July 29, 1782: his distress at her departure;

.3: to same, from same, Newtown, July 31, 1782: asking whether it is true that she is engaged to a major in American army;

.4, 8: to same, from same, Broeklyn [sic], Aug. 8, 1782: encloses a fan to replace the one broken by Miss Susanna Murray;

.5: to Miss Jelf from G. de Haacke, Flat Bush, May 4, 1783: letter of introduction for Major de Morlsbourg[?] of the Hessian Corps, who is passing through Elizabethtown on his way to Philadelphia;

.6: transcript of letter to Miss Jelf, from Geo. Joy, May 22, no year: sending her a locket executed by Mr. Ramage; with added note stating that the letter was with a miniature portrait of Miss Jelf;

.7: to the Miss Jelfs, from Mr. & Mrs. Ricketts, no date: invitation to a dance;

.9a-b: partial letter, to Susan and another sister, from a sibling, dated London, Oct. 28, 1792: gives advice for conduct of life; mentions them living with Mrs. Lawrence, and a man named Hampton;

Also a note about Ramage;

Folder 4: Langlois, Pierre – ebeniste

Folder 5: List of names and addresses, 1903 (probably clients or potential clients) (05x156)

Folder 6: Lusterware, European

Folder 7: Lusterware - sold

Folder 8: Metal objects: tools, locks, keys, brasses, hardware, chafing balls, hand warmers, brass boxes, etc.

Folders 9-10: Miniatures (portraits)

Folder 11: Miniatures: Morgan Collection

Folder 12: Miniatures (portraits) – 19^th century

Folder 13: Mirrors

Folders 14-15: Miscellaneous

Folder 16: Miscellaneous photographs of merchandise (acc. 05x156)

Folder 17: Musical instruments

Box 6

Folder 1: Needlework, tapestry, straw plaiting, paper work

Folder 2: Painting: still life

Folders 3-4: Porcelain

Folders 5-6: Porcelain and pottery

Folder 7: Porcelain and pottery - miscellaneous

Folders 8-9: Porcelain, Bow

Box 7

Folder 1: Porcelain, Chelsea

Folder 2: Porcelain, Chelsea – figures and vases

Folder 3: Porcelain, Chinese export

Folder 4: Porcelain, Derby

Folder 5: Porcelain, English [for Swansea and Nantgawr, see Porcelain, French]

Folder 6: Porcelain, English - Lorimer

Folder 7: Porcelain, European

Folder 8: Porcelain, French

Folder 9: Porcelain, German

Folder 10: Porcelain – Liverpool, Longton Hall

Box 8

Folder 1: Porcelain – Painters and workers

Folder 2: Porcelain, Worcester

Folder 3: Porcelain, Worcester – early bowls, baskets, plates, dishes

Folder 4: Porcelain, Worcester – early mugs, pitchers, vases

Folder 5: Porcelain, Worcester - figures

Folder 6: Porcelain, Worcester - late

Folder 7: Porcelain, Worcester – tea things, cups, teapots

Folder 8: Porcelain, Worcester – yellow and green ground

Folder 9: Portrait medallions and busts

Folders 10-11: Portraits

Folder 12: Postcards [mostly of pottery and porcelain]

Folder 13: Pottery

Box 9

Folder 1: Pottery, American – Bennington, Tucker - sold

Folder 2: Pottery – creamware, Leeds

Folder 3: Pottery, Italian

Folder 4: Pottery – redware and stoneware

Folders 5-6: Saltglaze

Folder 7: Saltglaze – animals and figures

Folder 8: Saltglaze, dated - sold

Folder 9: Saltglaze, English

Folder 10: Saltglaze - jugs

Folder 11: Saltglaze - teapots

Folder 12: Sconces, wall lights, girandoles

Folder 13: Secretaries

Folder 14: Silver

Box 10

Folder 1: Slipware – hollow pieces

Folder 2: Slipware - sold

Folder 3: Staffordshire – figures, busts

Folder 4: Staffordshire – figures, etc. - sold

Folder 5: Staffordshire pottery

Folder 6: Sundials and scientific instruments

Folder 7: Upholstery

Folder 8: Wedgwood and portrait medallions – sold

Folder 9: Wedgwood jasperware

Folder 10: Whieldon

Folder 11: Whieldon - Astbury

Folder 12: Whieldon – sold

Folder 13: Wooden objects

Box 11: negatives (4”x5” or smaller)

Bedsteads and daybeds

Benches and stools

Breakfronts

Doorways

Cabinets and cupboards

Chairs

Chests: blanket chests, chests of drawers

China, porcelain and pottery (continued in next box)

Box 12: negatives (4”x5” or smaller)

China, porcelain and pottery (continued from previous box)

China, porcelain and pottery: Dr. Smith’s Bennington collection

Clocks and barometers

Desks and secretaries

Fire screens (some doubling as candle stands)

Furniture and object groups, including Ophir Hall exhibit

Glass

Hanging shelves

Hardware

Highboys

Labels and inscriptions

Lowboys

Mantels

Metals – especially andirons and fenders [see also Silver]

Box 13: negatives (4”x5” or smaller)

Mirrors

Musical instruments

Paintings, art

Sideboards

Silver

Small objects and miscellaneous

Sofas and settees

Tables and stands (continues in next box)

Box 14: negatives (4”x5” or smaller)

Tables and stands (continued from previous box)

Ginsburg family negatives

Boxes 15a-c: glass plate negatives of paintings, statues, and furniture (4”x5” or smaller)

Also includes some of Ginsburg family

Box 16: negatives (larger than 4”x5”)

Bedsteads

Chairs and benches (includes a glass plate negative)

Chests and cupboards

China, porcelain, pottery

Clocks

Groups of furniture and objects

Highboys and lowboys

Labels

Mantel in paneled room

Metal objects, especially andirons and fenders

Paintings and miniatures

Secretaries, desks, breakfronts

Box 17: negatives (larger than 4”x5”)

Sideboards

Silver and pewter

Small objects; musical instrument

Sofas and settees

Tables

Box 18

Folder 1: Sales book, December 21, 1911-March 28, 1914

(acc. no. 03x140.1)

Folder 2: Sales book, April 1, 1914-December 31, 1915

(acc. no. 03x140.2)

Folder 3: Sales book, January 3, 1916-May 11, 1918

(acc. no. 03x140.3)

Folder 4: Sales book, July 5, 1918-December 1919

(acc. no. 03x140.4)

Box 19

Folder 1: Shipping book, from France, 1969

(acc. no. 03x140.11)

Folder 2: Shipping book, from England, April 1969

(acc. no. 03x140.12)

Folder 3: Shipping book, from England, June 1970

(acc. no. 03x140.13)

Folder 4: Shipping book, from England, n.d.

(acc. no. 03x140.14)

Folder 5: engraving plate used for ad in The Magazine Antiques, Dec. 1940: mantel group

Volumes on shelf:

03x140.5 Stock book, July 1, 1918-September 1922

entry numbers 1-5274

03x140.6 Stock book, September 1922-March 1928

entry numbers 5275-11726

03x140.7 Stock book III, April 1928-March 1936

entry numbers 11727-16804

03x140.8 Stock book, March 1936-December 1946

entry numbers 16805-23156

[note: the volume is mislabeled as ending with entry 23152]

03x140.9 Stock book, January 1947-May 1960

entry numbers 23157-30000

[note: this volume is mislabeled on the cover as beginning in 1948]

03x140.10 Stock book, May 1960-March 1982

entry numbers 30001-36045

Map Case E, Drawer 6 (oversize items)

03x140.15 sketch of the Ginsburg & Levy store, labeled “ok for vignette half tone, B. Ginsburg”

05x156.1 United States Gazette for the Country, Philadelphia, August 6, 1817 (vol. 17, no. 1689).

Warning: fragile – handle with care

05x156.10 letter, New Jersey State Society of Cincinnati, Trenton, July 4, 1834, to the family of General Lafayette, expressing the Society’s bereavement at the death of the General