Archives of American Art

A Finding Aid to the Robert Ebendorf Papers, 1920-2015, bulk 1960-2010, in the Archives of American Art

Summary

Collection ID:
AAA.ebenrobe
Creators:
Ebendorf, Robert, 1938-
Dates:
1920-2015
bulk 1960-2010
Languages:
Collection is in English.
Physical Description:
4.8 Linear feet
0.554 Gigabytes
Repository:
The papers of metalsmith and jeweler Robert Ebendorf measure 4.8 linear feet and 0.554 GB and date from 1920 to 2015, with the bulk of the material from 1960 to 2010. The papers document Ebendorf's career through scattered biographical material; business correspondence with galleries, universities, and professional groups as well as personal correspondence with friends and family, including a large collection of mail art; artist statements, teaching philosophies, and reflections by Ebendorf as well as writings by others; application materials for the artist's position as Belk Chair at East Carolina University, student fellowship applications, and other teaching files; audio and video recordings of interviews in digital format; inventories, invoices, and publicity material, including several folders of notes and materials for retrospectives; exhibition catalogs, news clippings, and other printed material; sketches, cut paper, and collage work loose and in sketchbooks; and photographic materials of the artist, friends, family, and artwork.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
The papers of metalsmith and jeweler Robert Ebendorf measure 4.8 linear feet and 0.554 GB and date from 1920 to 2015, with the bulk of the material from 1960 to 2010. The papers document Ebendorf's career through scattered biographical material; business correspondence with galleries, universities, and professional groups as well as personal correspondence with friends and family, including a large collection of mail art; artist statements, teaching philosophies, and reflections by Ebendorf as well as writings by others; application materials for the artist's position as Belk Chair at East Carolina University, student fellowship applications, and other teaching files; inventories, invoices, and publicity material, including several folders of notes and materials for retrospectives; audio and video recordings of interviews in digital format; exhibition catalogs, news clippings, and other printed material; sketches, cut paper, and collage work loose and in sketchbooks; and photographic materials of the artist, friends, family, and artwork.

Arrangement

Arrangement
The collection is arranged as nine series.
  • Missing Title
  • Series 1: Biographical Material, 1920-2014 (Boxes 1, 6; 0.2 linear feet, ER01-ER02; 0.554 GB)
  • Series 2: Correspondence, 1965-2015 (Boxes 1-2; 1.1 linear feet)
  • Series 3: Writings, circa 1945-2014 (Box 2; 4 folders)
  • Series 4: Teaching Files, 1974-2012 (Box 2; 5 folders)
  • Series 5: Personal Business Records, circa 1963-2006 (Box 2; 0.4 linear feet)
  • Series 6: Printed Material, 1949-2015 (Boxes 2-3, 6; 0.7 linear feet)
  • Series 7: Artwork, circa 1940-1987 (Boxes 3, 6; 0.2 linear feet)
  • Series 8: Sketchbooks, circa 1963-1968 (Boxes 3, 6; 5 folders)
  • Series 9: Photographs, circa 1920-2012 (Boxes 3-7; 1.9 linear feet)

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
Robert Ebendorf (1938-) is a metalsmith and jeweler in Greenville, North Carolina. Ebendorf was born in Topeka, Kansas, and earned a BFA in 1958 and an MFA in 1963 from the University of Kansas. Upon receiving a Fulbright grant, he studied in Norway at the School for Applied Arts and Crafts in 1963 and returned to work at Norway Silver Designs in Fredikstad on a Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation grant from 1965 to 1966.
A founding member and once president of the Society of North American Goldsmiths, Ebendorf has been deeply committed to forwarding the metals field as an innovator, organizer, and teacher. The artist is known for his original combinations of precious and non-precious materials alongside found objects and has held teaching positions at Stetson University, the State University of New York at New Paltz, Haystack Mountain School of Crafts in Maine, Penland School of Crafts in North Carolina, and East Carolina University.

Administration

Author
Kimberley Henze
Processing Information
The collection was processed to a minimal level, and a finding aid was prepared by Kimberley Henze in 2015. Born-digital materials were processed by Kirsi Ritosalmi-Kisner in 2019 with funding provided by Smithsonian Collection Care and Preservation Fund.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The collection was donated by Robert Ebendorf in 2015.

Using the Collection

Preferred Citation
Robert Ebendorf papers, 1920-2015, bulk 1960-2010. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
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.
Conditions Governing Access
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center. Use of sound recordings requires advance notice. Contact Reference Services for more information.

Related Materials
Also in the Archives of American Art is an oral history interview of Robert Ebendorf conducted 2004 April 16-18, by Tacey Rosolowski, in Greenville, N.C.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Jewelers -- North Carolina Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Mail art Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Art -- Study and teaching Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Sketches Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Sketchbooks Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Metal-workers -- North Carolina Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Collages Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
East Carolina University -- Faculty Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

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