Archives of American Art

A Finding Aid to the Enid Klass Correspondence Regarding George Perutz Art Collection, 1965-2009, in the Archives of American Art

Summary

Collection ID:
AAA.klasenid
Creators:
Klass, Enid
Dates:
1965-2009
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
0.4 Linear feet
Repository:
The Enid Klass correspondence regarding George Perutz art collection measures 0.4 linear feet and dates from 1965-2009.. The majority of the letters are from Perutz to various dealers and artists, inquiring about artworks and tracking provenance. There is also correspondence between George Perutz and his friend and art consultant Enid Klass indicating their exchange of often detailed information about various art works to consider buying and comments about the current art scene. Correspondence between Perutz and dealers have been forwarded to Klass, sometimes with an additional note to Klass. Perutz collected American art, including artists John James Audubon, Thomas Hart Benton, Stuart Davis, Philip Evergood, Marsden Hartley, Childe Hassam, Robert Henri, Edward Hopper, George Inness, Yasuo Kuniyoshi, John Marin, Maurice Prendergast, John Sloan, Grant Wood, and others. Correspondence with galleries includes Ankrum, Banfer, Downtown, David B. Findlay, Forum, Martha Jackson, Kennedy, Kraushaar, Landou-Alan, Midtown, Milch, Rosenberg, Jacques Seligmann, Zabriskie, and others.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
The Enid Klass correspondence regarding George Perutz art collection measures 0.4 linear feet and dates from 1965-2009. The majority of the letters are from Perutz to various dealers and artists, inquiring about artworks and tracking provenance. There is also correspondence between George Perutz and his friend and art consultant Enid Klass indicating their exchange of often detailed information about various art works to consider buying and comments about the current art scene. Correspondence between Perutz and dealers have been forwarded to Klass, sometimes with an additional note to Klass. Perutz collected American art, including artists John James Audubon, Thomas Hart Benton, Stuart Davis, Philip Evergood, Marsden Hartley, Childe Hassam, Robert Henri, Edward Hopper, George Inness, Yasuo Kuniyoshi, John Marin, Maurice Prendergast, John Sloan, Grant Wood, and others. Correspondence with galleries includes Ankrum, Banfer, Downtown, David B. Findlay, Forum, Martha Jackson, Kennedy, Kraushaar, Landou-Alan, Midtown, Milch, Rosenberg, Jacques Seligmann, Zabriskie, and others. Also found are two exhibition catalogs annotated by Perutz.

Arrangement

Arrangement
Due to the small size of this collection the papers are arranged as one series.

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
Enid Klass (1931- ) is an art consultant in New York, N.Y. George Perutz (1925-2016) was an art collector in Dallas, Texas. Enid Klass and George Perutz became friends in the 1950s when they both lived in Dallas, Texas. Following her stint as assistant in the Paintings Department of Parke-Bernet and Sotheby's, Klass became an art consultant assisting Perutz in the development of his American art collection.

Administration

Author
Hilary Price
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donated to the Archives of American Art in 2018, 2019 and 2020 by Enid Klass.
Processing Information
The collection was processed and a finding aid prepared by Hilary Price in 2018. The 2019 addition was processed in 2020 by Ryan Evans.

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Access
This collection is access restricted; written permission is required. Access, with permission, requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center. Contact Reference Services for more information.
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
Enid Klass correspondence regarding George Perutz art collection, 1965-2009. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Art dealers -- New York (State) -- New York Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Art, American -- Collectors and collecting Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Perutz, George Personal 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