Archives of American Art

A Finding Aid to the Signa Gallery Records, 1957-1963, in the Archives of American Art

Summary

Collection ID:
AAA.signgall
Creators:
Signa Gallery
Dates:
1957-1963
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
1.4 Linear feet
Repository:
The records of the Signa Gallery measure 1.4 linear feet and date from 1957 to 1963. The records document the history of the gallery through administrative files; correspondence; guestbooks, artist biographies, and photographs of Franz Kline paintings and exhibition opening; exhibition files for exhibits at the gallery; insurance documents, ledgers, invoices, and other financial records; clippings, ehixibition announcements and catalogs, and other printed material.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
The records of the Signa Gallery measure 1.4 linear feet and date from 1957 to 1963. The records document the history of the gallery through administrative files; correspondence; guestbooks, artist biographies, and photographs of Franz Kline paintings and exhibition opening; exhibition files for exhibitions at the gallery; insurance documents, ledgers, invoices, and other financial records; clippings, ehixibition announcements and catalogs, and other printed material.
Administrative files are comprised of a lease for the gallery and a certificate of incorporation for the gallery. Correspondence is between gallery managers Alfonso Ossorio, Elizabeth Parker, and John Little and other galleries, business associates, and artists, including Fritz Bultman, Philip Guston, and Jack Tworkov. Guestbooks and notes include a guestbook and an address book for the gallery, various artist biographies, and some miscellaneous notes. Also included are a file of photographs of exhibition openings, and a file of photographs of Franz Kline paintings.
Exhibitions and Lecture files are comprised of photographs, press material, and correspondence related to exhibitions at the gallery. Also included are a series of lectures and two untranscribed audio tape reels that accompany one of the lectures.
Financial material includes insurance documents, bank records such as checking accounts, invoices, consignments, and some ledgers.
Printed material is made up of newspaper clippings, exhibition announcements, and exhibition catalogs.

Arrangement

Arrangement
The collection is arranged into four series.
  • Series 1: Administrative Files, 1957-1963 (0.4 linear feet; Box 1)
  • Series 2: Exhibition Files, 1957-1960 (0.3 linear feet; Box 1)
  • Series 3: Financial Records, 1957-1963 (0.6 linear feet; Boxes 1-2)
  • Series 4: Printed Material, 1957-1960 (0.1 linear feet; Box 2)

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
The Signa Gallery was founded in 1957 with the purpose of exhibiting the works of contemporary East Hampton, N.Y. artists. Alfonso Ossorio was one of the founding members and owners of the gallery.

Administration

Author
Ricky Gomez
Sponsor
The processing of this collection received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care and Preservation Fund, administered by the National Collections Program and the Smithsonian Collections Advisory Committee.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donated 1981 by Alfonso A. Ossorio, one of the initial founders and owners of the gallery.
Existence and Location of Copies
Portions of the collection are available on 35mm microfilm reels 3983-3984 at Archives of American Art offices and through interlibrary loan. Researchers should note that the arrangement of material described in the container inventory does not reflect the arrangement of the collection on microfilm.
Processing Information
The collection was processed, and a finding aid prepared by Ricky Gomez in 2021.

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing 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
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.
Preferred Citation
Signa Gallery records, 1957-1963. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Art galleries, Commercial -- New York (State) Function Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Sound recordings Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Ossorio, Alfonso, 1916-1990 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

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