Archives of American Art

American Handicraft Council records

Summary

Collection ID:
AAA.amerhand
Creators:
American Handicraft Council
Dates:
circa 1937-1940
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
1 Microfilm reel
circa 750 items on 1 microfilm reel
Repository:

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
The microfilmed American Handicraft Council records contain a certificate of incorporation; draft of articles of incorporation and by-laws; meeting minutes (1939 April-1940 January); 12 reports regarding progress of activities and council objectives; a fundraising file containing correspondence (some photocopies) between the American Handicraft Council and possible contributors (1937-1939); and a list of sponsors. Also included are files on the economic study of handicrafts in the United States under a grant from the Carnegie Corporation including surveys of craftspersons' production, marketing, and financing skills and experiences; photographs of sample handicrafts; financial records; and miscellany.

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
The American Handicraft Council was founded in 1939 in Wilmington, Delaware. It merged with the Handcraft Cooperative League of America in 1942 to form the organization now known as the American Craft Council. Humphery Emery, who appears in this collection, was director of the Society of Arts and Crafts, Boston in the 1930s and became secretary of the American Handicraft Council upon its founding. The two organizations worked closely together in 1939-1940 to conduct an economic survey of handicrafts, first in New England, and later in the United States. As Emery kept papers concerning both organizations, additional material pertaining to the American Handicraft Council can be found in the papers of the Society of Arts and Crafts.

Administration

Existence and Location of Copies
35mm microfilm reel 3466 available at Archives of American Art offices and through interlibrary loan.
Reproduction Note
Some of the correpondence in file concerning fundraising is photocopied.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Lent for microfilming 1982 and 1985 by the Society of Arts & Crafts.

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Access
The Archives of American art does not own the original papers. Use is limited to the microfilm copy.
Citation
American Handicraft Council records. Owned by the Society of Arts & Crafts, Boston. Microfilmed by Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Related Materials
The Archives of American Art also holds the Society of Arts and Crafts records, 1899-1960.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Decorative arts Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Interviews Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Arts organizations Function Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Handicraft Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Emery, Humphery Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Society of Arts and Crafts (Boston, Mass.) Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Carnegie Corporation of New York Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

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