The Winterthur Library

 The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and Printed Ephemera

Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum

5105 Kennett Pike, Winterthur, Delaware  19735

302-888-4600 or 800-448-3883

 

 

OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION

 

Creator:         Zimmermann, Marie, 1879-1972.                              

Title:               Marie Zimmermann papers

Dates:             1919-ca.1984, bulk dates 1936-1940

Call No.:         Col. 804

Acc. No.:        06x132; 09x65; 12x46

Quantity:        6 boxes (ca. 2.5 linear feet)

Location:        9 C 1-2

 

 

 

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

 

Marie Zimmermann was an American artist, working chiefly with metals, in the first half of the 20th century.  She was born on June 17, 1879, in Brooklyn, New York, though one source reported that she had been born in Switzerland, where her ancestral home was located.  Her parents were Marie and John C. Zimmermann; her father imported straw used for making hats.  Marie studied painting, sculpture, and metal craft at the Art Students League in New York City from 1897-1901, followed by additional study at the Pratt Institute from 1901-1903.  She designed jewelry, vases, silverware, tea sets, candlesticks, bowls, furniture, andirons, door knockers, sculptures, garden ornaments, and gates.  Marie worked in copper, bronze, silver, iron, and gold.  Her pieces often included wood, enamels, and precious or semi-precious stones.  A friend remarked that she made “everything from tiaras to tombstones.”  Among her notable works were bronze doors for the mausoleums of the Montgomery Ward and Levi Strauss families.   She also crafted ornaments for Mrs. James Ward Thorne’s miniature English Gothic church, which is now at the Art Institute of Chicago.  Over her career, she exhibited at a number of museums and galleries around the country.  In 1937, Marie moved out of her studio at the National Arts Club and several years afterwards retired from her art career.  She eventually left New York City, settling on the family farm near Milford, Pennsylvania; there she enjoyed hunting and fishing.

 

Miss Zimmermann did not execute all her designs herself.  She employed up to six craftsmen to carry out some of the work, such as blacksmithing and carpentry, and had a foundry cast her bronze pieces for her.  Other individuals or companies did engraving, stone cutting, electroplating, or enameling to her specifications.  She also used “found” pieces, such as carved jade from China, in some of her works.

 

Beginning in the 1950s, Marie spent her winters in Punta Gorda, Florida, moving there full time in 1969.  She died on June 17, 1972, in Florida, and her ashes were scattered at her farm in Pennsylvania.  Two years later, the federal government purchased the Pennsylvania property because it was to be flooded by the Tocks Island Dam, a project that was eventually abandoned.  The farm is now part of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area.  Her former home is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

 

 

SCOPE AND CONTENT

 

Collection includes sales records, bills for supplies, correspondence about exhibitions and design work, pictures that Miss Zimmermann liked (mostly of Switzerland), photos of antique urns which she used as inspiration for some of her own work, and samples of her stationery and bookplate.  Only a few design drawings are included, but there are several lists of items she made.  Information about her home and farm in Pennsylvania and some correspondence with a relative are also included.  Most of her papers were destroyed at her request. 

 

Sales records give the name and address of the customer and a brief description of the item(s) purchased.  The records also indicate that Miss Zimmermann repaired jewelry and silver and restrung necklaces.  Some of the correspondence is about sales, commissions, and exhibits; some of it pertains to the business side of her work, especially insurance, and to her artwork; and some of it is personal.  Bills for supplies and for work done for her by others shed light on her business practices.  A number of the insurance policies were written to cover her pieces while they were on exhibit in a museum or gallery.  Consequently, lists of the items being covered are appended to the policies. 

 

Collection also includes newspaper clippings reviewing Miss Zimmermann’s exhibits.  Several magazine articles mention her as a distinguished craftsperson, while one magazine includes an article she wrote about decorative metal work.  Only a very few design drawings are part of the collection, including designs for knives, forks, and decorative metal work.  As well, a few additional sketches of her pieces appear on bills or on a list of her works.

           

 

ORGANIZATION

 

The collection is in two series.  Most items are in Series I, where the folders are in alphabetical order, with legal size folders in Box 4 and oversize items in Box 6.  What remains of her stationery is in Box 5.

 

Series II contains research notes and materials gathered by Kim Ahara for her thesis.

 

 

LANGUAGE OF MATERIALS

 

Most of the materials are in English.  A few letters and publications are in German and French.

 

 

RESTRICTIONS ON ACCESS

 

Collection is open to the public.  Copyright restrictions may apply.  Newspaper articles have been photocopied, and the copies must be used first.  A number of items are brittle and must be used with care.

           

 

PROVENANCE

           

Accession 06x132: Gift of Jack Zimmermann.

Accession 09x65: gift of Mr. and Mrs. Erwin Benz.

Accession 12x46: gift of Kim Ahara (her research notes).

 

 

RELATED MATERIALS

 

Ahara, Kimberley A.   Marie Zimmermann, Master of a Thousand Crafts.  (thesis, 2006)

 

Waters, Deborah D. et al.  The Jewelry and Metalwork of Marie Zimmermann.  (Yale University Press, 2011)

 

 

ACCESS POINTS

 

Topics:

            Blooming Grove Hunting and Fishing Club (Pa.)

            Girl Scouts of the United States of America.

National Arts Club (New York, N.Y.)

Art metal-work, American.

            Architectural metal-work.

            Art - Exhibitions.

Jewelry making.

            Jewelry – Repairing.

Metals – Finishing.

            Sales.

Sepulchral monuments.

            Stationery.

            Tableware.

Women artisans – United States.

 

Bookplates.

Calling cards.

Insurance policies.

            Artisans.

            Designers.

 

 

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION

 

Location: 9 C 1-2

 

Note: all items are from accession 06x132, unless otherwise noted

 

Box 1:

 

Folder1:           Appraisal report of the estate of Marie Zimmermann [buildings and land only], Pike County, Pennsylvania, 1973

 

Folder 2:          Bills: automobile expenses, 1924-1925

 

Folder 3:          Bills: Cosmopolitan Club (New York City), 1941-1943

 

Folder 4:          Bills: miscellaneous, 1936-1938, no date

 

Folder 5:          Bills, mostly for John Zimmermann, 1924-1925

 

Folder 6:          Bills for items “veiled in rhodium” by Marie Zimmermann, 1934-1936

 

Folder 7:          Blooming Grove Hunting and Fishing Club, 1934-1935;

Note: a list of items made by Marie Zimmermann, including a couple of sketches of pieces, is found on back of pages 5-6 of the April 1, 1935, trout fishing notice

 

Folder 8:          Bookplate and calling cards for Marie Zimmermann

                        [a box of bookplates is also found in Box 6]

 

Folder 9:          Correspondence, 1925-1937

                        Includes business and personal correspondence        

 

Folder 10:        Correspondence, 1938-1944

                        Includes business and personal correspondence        

 

Folder 11:        Correspondence, 1958, 1961, no date

Includes business and personal correspondence and dedication program for Girl Scout Camp Marie Zimmermann in New Jersey

 

Folder 12:        Correspondence and consignment sales: Chase, P. Adell (Mrs. Lewis), Peking, China, 1929-1941

 

Folder 13:        Correspondence: Duryee, Zunino & Amen, counsellors at law, 1933-1935

 

Folder 14:        Correspondence: E.A. Punnett & Co., Peking, China, 1933-1936

 

Folder 15:        Correspondence: Faulkner Memorial Art Gallery (Santa Barbara, Calif.), with list of exhibit objects, 1938-1939

 

 

Box 2:

 

Folder 1:          Correspondence: Honolulu Academy of Arts, 1938

 

Folder 2:          Correspondence and bills: Perkins, Mary Russell, 1919-1925, no date

 

Folder 3:          Correspondence: Rosen, Walter T., 1937-1939

 

Folder 4:          death notice of Marie Zimmermann

 

Folder 5:          unsigned drawing, “Merry Xmas to Ruthie” (by Marie Zimmermann?)

 

Folder 6:          Europe trip, July 15-August 29, 1938

 

Folder 7:          Exhibition catalog: “Catalogue of Jewelry and Metal Work by Marie Zimmermann,” no date

 

Folder 8:          “Historic Structure Report: Marie Zimmermann House, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area,” by John Albright, no date (ca. 1984);

                        Note: the report includes pictures of works by Marie Zimmermann

           

Folder 9:          Jigsaw puzzle: photo of completed puzzle

                        [the puzzle is in a box from F.A.O. Schwarz, in Box 6]

 

Folder 10:        miscellaneous items, no date

 

Folder 11:        “M.Z.’s interesting pictures,” mostly of Switzerland

 

Folder 12:        “M.Z.’s Swiss scenes for painting”

           

Folder 13:        Photographs, including photos of antique urns, paintings, a waterfall, and one photo of elderly woman with palm trees in background, probably Marie Zimmermann in Florida

 

Folder 14:        Records, 1930s [originals]: bills for work done by Percy Gardner for Marie Zimmermann, bills for supplies, and some design drawings

                        [use copies in folder 15]

 

Folder 15:        Records, 1930s, photocopies of items in folder 14, plus a pattern for a leaf design, the original of which is not in folder 14

 

 

Box 3:

 

Folder 1:          Sales records, A-M, ca.1929-1941

                        Note: see also sales books in Box 4, folder 14

 

Folder 2:          Sales records, N-Z, ca. 1929-1941

                        Note: see also sales books in Box 4, folder 14

 

Folder 3:          Sales tax and jewelers’ tax

                        Note, see also tax book in Box 4, folder 14

 

Folder 4:          Stationery samples

                        Note: additional supplies of stationery are found in boxes 5 and 6

 

Folder 5:          Tax receipts

 

Folder 6:          Work done by others for M.Z., utility bills, supplies, etc., A-G, ca.1933-1943

 

Folder 7:          Work done by others for M.Z., utility bills, supplies, etc., H-Z, ca.1933-1943

 

Folder 8:          Yeamans Hall (Charleston, S.C.): membership list, 1946, 1948

 

Folder 9:          Zimmermann, Jack

 

 

Box 4 [legal size folders]:

 

Folder 1:          Coats of arms and crests

                        [see also button in Box 6]

 

Folder 2:          Correspondence: Felse, Lillian, 1940-1970

 

Folder 3:          Correspondence and design drawings: Rogers, Mr. and Mrs. H. H., 1926-1937;

                        Note: design drawings are for knives and forks

 

Folder 4:          Correspondence and design drawings: Ward, Marjorie, 1928;

                        Note: design drawings appear to be for iron grillwork

 

Folder 5:          Insurance: correspondence, 1922-1923

 

Folder 6:          Insurance: correspondence, 1924

 

Folder 7:          Insurance policies, 1922-1924

Note: lists of items being insured are attached to a number of the policies

 

Folder 8:          Insurance policies: automobiles, 1922-1923

 

Folder 9:          Insurance policy for Percy Gardner

 

Folder 10:        Newspaper articles: originals

Note: Copies of these articles are in folder 13; due to the brittleness of the originals, the copies must be used

 

Folder 11:        Publicity [includes photocopies of articles in folder 12]

 

Folder 12:        Publicity: original newspaper articles;

Note: because these items are brittle, use the copies in folder 11

 

Folder 13:        Publicity: loaned to Miss Perkins by Miss Zimmermann

                        [includes copies of articles in folder 10; use these copies]

 

Folder 14:        Sales books, 1935-1936; Tax book, 1937-1942

 

Folder 15:        Signs: “Notice: This Land is Private Property…,” with name Marie Zimmermann, 1943, printed on cloth

 

 

Box 5 [stationery and book]:

 

Folder 1:          Bouvier, Auguste.  J. G. Zimmermann: un représentant Suisse du cosmopolitism littéraire au XVIIIe siècle.  Geneva: 1925.

 

Folder 2:          envelopes, with Gramercy Park return address

 

Folder 3:          envelopes: addressed to Marie Zimmermann in Pennsylvania or Florida

 

Folder 4:          letter sheets for The Farm, Milford, Pennsylvania

 

Folder 5:          note cards for The Farm, Milford, Pennsylvania, two styles

 

Folder 6:          blank sales books, printed for Marie Zimmermann, Gramercy Park

 

 

Box 6: oversized items; magazines

 

Box of note cards for The Farm, Milford, Pennsylvania, in Crane’s box

 

Box of bookplates for Marie Zimmermann, with the engraving plate [for a sample, see Box 1, folder 8]

 

F.A.O. Schwarz box containing a wooden jigsaw puzzle entitled “Indian Summer” [for picture of the completed puzzle, see Box 2, folder 9; there are two extra puzzle pieces in the box]

 

Book: Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam (San Francisco: William Doxey, at the Sign of the Lark, 1898).  With inscription: “Zim – Keep this always near you – you can never read it too often.  Then too, let it be a token of our friendship.  Hal.  [date mostly covered, probably 1898.]”  The front cover has Marie Zimmerman’s bookplate.  Inside was found a loose bookplate for Marguerite Zimmerman.  The volume came in an envelope printed with Marie Zimmerman’s Punta Gorda address. (acc. 09x65)

[note: handle book with care – brittle pages]

 

Button in envelope labeled “use Preston Davie crest for his cuff links,” the Davie crest is in Box 4, folder 1

 

Magazines:

 

Arts & Crafts, vol. 3, no. 2

 

Arts and Decoration, January 1922.  See article beginning on page 185.

 

Arts & Decoration, May 1940.  See page 13, article by Marie Zimmermann.

 

Decorative Arts, June-July 1935.  See pages 56 and 63.

 

House & Garden, February 1922.  See article, p. 28.

 

Metropolis, January/February 1994.  See pages 50-51.

 

Series II: Research notes of Kim Ahara (acc. 12x46)

 

Note: see Ahara’s thesis, Marie Zimmermann, Master of a Thousand Crafts, in the Winterthur Library

 

Box 7:

 

Folder 1:          Art Students League  

 

Folder 2:          Clubs and memberships

 

Folder 3:          Clubs:  National Arts Club

 

Folder 4:          Donations made by Marie Zimmermann

 

Folder 5:          Exhibitions     

 

Folder 6:          Exhibitions: Art Institute of Chicago, 1903, 1911, and Thorne Rooms

 

Folder 7:          Exhibitions: Faulkner Memorial Art Gallery, 1939   

 

Folder 8:          Exhibitions: Gibbes Museum, 1935

 

Folder 9:          Exhibitions: insurance policies           

 

Folder 10:        Marie Zimmermann in Pike County

 

Folder 11:        Metal castings and cemetery monuments      

 

Folder 12:        Tax payments: New York City sales tax

 

Folder 13:        Zimmermann genealogy