Archives of American Art

A Finding Aid to the Challis Galleries Records, 1950-1994, in the Archives of American Art

Summary

Collection ID:
AAA.chalgall
Creators:
Challis Galleries (Laguna Beach, Calif.)
Dates:
1950-1994
Languages:
The collection is in English.
Physical Description:
2.2 Linear feet
Repository:
The records of Challis Galleries located in Laguna Beach, California, measure 2.2 linear feet and date from 1950 to 1994. The bulk of the records consist of artists' files and sales ledgers. Also included are a few administrative files and business correspondence.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
The records of Challis Galleries located in Laguna Beach, California, measure 2.2 linear feet and date from 1950 to 1994. The bulk of the records consist of artists' files and sales ledgers. Also included are a few administrative files and business correspondence.
Administrative files include Challis Galleries brochures, materials related to exhibitions and events; one folder on Adele Bednarz Galleries, which Richard Challis ran for two years; and one folder of miscellaneous printed material.
Business correspondence is from art world colleague Paul Farron, accountant Lacy Marlette, Laguna Beach City Council, and Laguna Beach Museum of Art on matters relating to operating Challis Galleries.
Artists' files include a range of materials on artists represented by Challis Galleries such as biographical outlines, photographs, printed material and price lists. Notable artists include Bennett Bradbury, Sergei Bongart, Rex Brandt, Virginia Dan, Paul Di Bert, Phil Dike, Leon Franks, Roger Kuntz, Eliot O'Hara, Polia Pillin and Burt Proctor, among others.
There are 16 ledgers that record the sales of artwork at Challis Galleries.

Arrangement

Arrangement
The collection is arranged as four series.
  • Series 1: Administrative Files, 1965-1989 (Box 1; 6 folders)
  • Series 2: Business Correspondence, 1951-1983 (Box 1; 0.2 linear feet)
  • Series 3: Artists' Files, 1950-1994 (Boxes 1-2; 1.3 linear feet)
  • Series 4: Sales Ledgers, 1958-1984 (Boxes 2-3; 0.6 linear feet)

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
Challis Galleries (1950-1984) was an art gallery in Laguna Beach, California, that featured the work of local and regional artists.
Richard Challis was born in London, England in 1920 and moved to Laguna Beach, California in 1946. Roughly three years after arriving in California, he purchased a building at 1390 South Coast Highway which became Laguna Studio Gallery, later renamed as Challis Galleries in 1966. The gallery officially opened its doors in 1950.
Challis Galleries showcased the work of California watercolorists and regional artists. Among the artists represented are Bennett Bradbury, Sergei Bongart, Rex Brandt, Virginia Dan, Paul Di Bert, Phil Dike, Leon Franks, Roger Kuntz, Eliot O'Hara, Polia Pillin, Burt Proctor, and many others. The gallery held regular exhibitions with Richard Challis as its director until his retirement in 1984. Shortly thereafter the gallery was sold to Esther Wells and became known as the Esther Wells Collection.

Administration

Author
Rihoko Ueno
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The Challis Galleries records were donated to the Archives of American Art by gallery owner Richard Challis in 1994.
Processing Information
The collection was processed and a finding aid prepared by Rihoko Ueno in 2018.

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Access
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C., Research Center.
Preferred Citation
Challis Galleries records, 1950-1994. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Art, Modern -- 20th century -- California -- Exhibitions Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Art galleries, Commercial -- California Function Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Bradbury, Bennett Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Brandt, Rex, 1914-2000 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Bongart, Sergei, 1918-1985 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Challis, Richard Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Dan, Virginia Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
DiBert, Paul Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Dike, Phil, 1906-1990 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Farron, Paul Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Franks, Leon Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Kuntz, Roger, 1926-1975 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Marlette, Lacy Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
O'Hara, Frank, 1926-1966 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Pillin, Polia Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Proctor, Burt Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Adele Bednarz Galleries Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Laguna Art Museum (Laguna Beach, Calif.) Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Laguna Beach. City Council (Calif.) Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

Archives of American Art
750 9th Street, NW
Victor Building, Suite 2200
Washington, D.C. 20001
https://www.aaa.si.edu/services/questions