Archives of American Art

A Finding Aid to the 3EP Ltd. Records, 1970-1984, bulk 1979-1984, in the Archives of American Art

Summary

Collection ID:
AAA.3epltd
Creators:
3EP Ltd. (Palo Alto, Calif.)
Dates:
1970-1984
bulk 1979-1984
Languages:
The collection is in English.
Physical Description:
4.3 Linear feet
Repository:
The records of California fine arts print publisher 3EP Ltd. founded by Moo (Mary Margaret) Anderson, Joseph Goldyne, and Paula Kirkeby measure 4.3 linear feet and date from 1970 to 1984. The records include scattered administrative files; artists' files that include correspondence, lists, price lists, and miscellany; printed materials, photographs, including two dismantled photo albums and negatives; and numerous fine arts prints by various contemporary artists, including Gordon Cook, Claire Falkenstein, Joe Fay, Sam Francis, David Gilhooly, Joseph Goldyne, Jack Jefferson, Frank Lobdell, Fred Martin, Ed Moses, Nathan Oliveira, Jay Phillips, Matt Phillips, and Joseph Zirker.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
The records of California fine arts print publisher 3EP Ltd. founded by Moo (Mary Margaret) Anderson, Joseph Goldyne, and Paula Kirkeby measure 4.3 linear feet and date from 1970 to 1984. The records include scattered administrative files; artists' files that include correspondence, lists, price lists, and miscellany; printed materials, photographs, including two dismantled photo albums and negatives; and numerous fine arts prints by various contemporary artists, including Gordon Cook, Claire Falkenstein, Joe Fay, Sam Francis, David Gilhooly, Joseph Goldyne, Jack Jefferson, Frank Lobdell, Fred Martin, Ed Moses, Nathan Oliveira, Jay Phillips, Matt Phillips, and Joseph Zirker.
Administrative records consist of chronological correspondence, subscriber lists and forms, price lists, exhibition lists, and other miscellaneous records. Business/administrative correspondence is mostly between the 3EP Ltd. founders and various museums, galleries, and collectors, with a few letters to artists. Artists' files include resumes, correspondence, catalogs, clippings, photographs and slides. Artists include Chuck Arnoldi, Billy Al Bengston, Gordon Cook, Claire Falkenstein, Joe Fay, Sam Francis, Jack Jefferson, Frank Lobdell, Ed Moses, George Sugarman, and Joseph Zirker, among many others.

Arrangement

Arrangement
This collection is arranged as 5 series.
  • Series 1: Administrative Records, 1978-1984 (0.2 linear feet; Box 1)
  • Series 2: Artists Files, 1970-1984 (1.8 linear feet; Box 1-2)
  • Series 3: Printed Material, 1981-1984 (0.1 linear feet; Box 3)
  • Series 4: Artwork, 1979-1984 (1.9 linear feet; OV 4-22)
  • Series 5: Photographic Material, 1981-1983 (0.3 linear feet; Box 3)

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
3EP Ltd. was founded by Moo (Mary Margaret) Anderson, Joseph Goldyne, and Paula Kirkeby in 1978 in Palo Alto, California. The print publisher worked with over 20 artists to produce fine art prints and monotypes and operated until 1984.
Harry W. and Mary Margaret Anderson, respectively known as Hunk and Moo, are avid art collectors with one of the largest private art collections of 20th Century American Art. Moo has a special interest in works of art on paper and prints. Moo and Paula Kirkeby, director of Smith Anderson Gallery in Palo Alto, along with San Francisco artist Joseph Goldyne formed 3EP Ltd. In addition to sales, the mission of 3EP Ltd. was to encourage experimentation with the monoprint. Anderson and Kirkeby commissioned a custom-built Takach-Garfield press for their facilities and invited artists to work with the monotype technique and printmaking, techniques that were initially unfamiliar to many of the artists who worked with 3EP Ltd. Artists invited to work at 3EP include Gordon Cook, Claire Falkenstein, Joe Fay, Sam Francis, David Gilhooly, Frank Lobdell, Ed Moses, Nathan Oliviera, Jay and Matt Phillips, and many others. 3EP Ltd. closed in 1984.

Administration

Author
Rihoko Ueno
Existence and Location of Copies
Portions of the collection are also available on 35 mm microfilm reels 3534-3536 at Archives of American Art offices, and through interlibrary loan. Researchers should note that the arrangement of material described in the container inventory does not reflect the arrangement of the collection on microfilm.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The 3EP Ltd. records were donated in 1984 by Moo (Mary Margaret) Anderson and Paula Kirkeby. Plates received with the donation were returned to the donors.
Processing Information
The collection was partially microfilmed shortly after receipt on reels 3534-3536. The collection was additionally re-processed and a finding aid prepared by Rihoko Ueno in 2014. At that time, the fine art prints were housed more appropriately.

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Access
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. research facility.
Terms of Use
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
Preferred Citation
3EP Ltd. records, 1970-1984. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Related Materials
The de Young Museum has a collection of 3EP Ltd. prints which are part of the Anderson Graphic Arts Collection.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Prints Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Photograph albums Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Photographs Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Art publishing -- California -- Palo Alto Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Intaglio printing Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Graphic arts Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Prints -- 20th century Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Printmakers -- California Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Gilhooly, David Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Francis, Sam, 1923-1994 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Fay, Joe, 1950- Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Falkenstein, Claire, 1908-1997 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Lobdell, Frank, 1921- Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Jefferson, Jack, 1921-2000 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Goldyne, Joseph R. Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Phillips, Jay, 1954-1987 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Phillips, Matt Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Sugarman, George, 1912-1999 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Zirker, Joseph Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Cook, Gordon Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Bengston, Billy Al Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Arnoldi, Charles, 1946- Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Olivera, Nathan Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Moses, Ed, 1926- Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Kirkeby, Paula Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Anderson, Mary Margaret Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

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