Archives of American Art

Marlis Schratter papers

Summary

Collection ID:
AAA.schrmarl
Creators:
Schratter, Marlis, 1919-
Dates:
1956-2004
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
1.8 Linear feet
(partially microfilmed on 3 reels)
Repository:

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
The papers of cermaicist Marlis Schratter (1919-2014) measure 1.8 linear feet and date from circa 1956-2004. Included are correspondence, technical notes, business records, scrapbooks, printed material, photographs, a motion picture film, and fired clay samples documenting Schratter's ceramic techniques and her artistic and teaching activities.
Scope and Contents
REEL 970: Notes concern marketing and methods of attracting customers, record sales and customer reactions, and list supply purchases and prices for her work (1960-1975). The collection also contains 6 letters from Schratter's colleagues (1971-1973), a clipping, and a blueprint for a kiln.
Scope and Contents
REELS 982-983: Thirty-nine letters to Schratter from colleagues concern her exhibitions and her work (1957-1975). One notebook contains technical information concerning topics related to ceramics (1956- 1974). A second notebook concerning the construction of a gas kiln contains 16 letters, a receipt, and kiln log sheets. Seven letters and miscellaneous notebook pages concern glazes, slab construction, and related topics (1956- 1974). Eight pages from a kiln log contain notes and 5 firing charts recording the kiln's performance. A scrapbook contains clippings, exhibition announcements, and catalogs (1956-1975). Photographs show Schratter's work (1967-1974). The collection also contains 2 resumes and 2 artist's statements.
Scope and Contents
UNMICROFILMED: Six letters to Schratter from colleagues concern her exhibitions and work (1974-1983). A card file contains glaze and slip recipes. Three notebooks contain technical notes on clay bodies, chemicals, recipes, glazes and teaching (1956-1975), and gas kilns (1965-1975). Nineteen course evaluation sheets are from Schratter's class at the DeCordova Museum (1974- 1975). Printed material consists of a clipping (1972) and an announcement and catalog for the exhibition "The Potter's Wheel" at the DeCordova Museum (1976). Photographs and slides show Schratter and her work. An 8mm motion picture "Pots" by Richard Morehouse shows Schratter teaching a class (1968). Thirty- two fired clay test samples are annotated with formulas. Also included is a three-ring binder containing biographical information, photographs of works of art and of Schratter, Also included are loose sheets of correspondence, newspaper clippings and additional biographical information.

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
Marlis Schratter (1919- 2014) was a ceramicist in Baltimore, Maryland and Lincoln, Massachusetts. Born in Germany, Marlis Schratter came to the United States in 1940. In 1954, she began her training as a ceramist at the Baltimore Museum of Art, continuing her studies at the Boston Museum School and the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts in Maine. In addition to participating in many exhibitions, Schratter was on the art faculty of the DeCordova Museum, Lincoln, Massachusetts.

Administration

Existence and Location of Copies
35mm microfilm reels 970 and 982-983 available for use at Archives of American Art offices and through interlibrary loan.
Existence and Location of Originals
Reels 970 and 982-983 (part): Originals returned to the lender, Marlis Schratter, after microfilming.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
9 letters (reel 982: frames 1042, 1046, 1053, 1058, 1062, 1065, 1066, 1067, and 1087), technical correspondence and notes (reel 982: frames 1092-1200), kiln log (reel 982: frames 1266-1278), and the majority of photographs of works (reel 983: frames 230-373) donated by Marlis SChratter in 1983 and 1985. All other materials were loaned by Marlis Schratter. An additional scrapbook donated in 2022 by Reina SChratter, Marlis Schratter's daughter.

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research. Access to original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center.
Researchers interested in accessing audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies. Contact References 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.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Glazes -- Formulae Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Kilns -- Massachusetts Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Women artists Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Scrapbooks Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Ceramicists -- Massachusetts Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Art teachers -- Massachusetts Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Women ceramicists Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Women educators Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

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