Archives of American Art

A Finding Aid to the David Stuart Papers and Gallery Records, 1910-1984, in the Archives of American Art

Summary

Collection ID:
AAA.stuadavi
Creators:
Stuart, David, 1910-1984
Dates:
1910-1984
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
1.3 Linear feet
Repository:
The David Stuart papers and gallery records measure 1.3 linear feet and date from 1910 to 1984. The collection sheds light on Stuart's personal and professional life through scattered correspondence, photographs, and appraisal records; and his galleries' operations through scant artist files, exhibition files, photographs, and printed material.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
The David Stuart papers and gallery records measure 1.3 linear feet and date from 1910 to 1984. The collection contains Stuart's personal and professional papers as well as gallery records. Personal and professional papers include correspondence concerning Stuart's career in New Orleans jazz music; appraisal records of pre-Columbian artifacts; papers related to the Louis Armstrong Statue Fund in New Orleans; scattered family papers and personal photographs; and more. Gallery records shed light on the operations of both galleries owned by Stuart through scant artist, exhibition, collector, and gallery files; printed material such as newspapers clippings and gallery posters; and photographs of the gallery, artwork, and artists.

Arrangement

Arrangement
The collection is arranged as two series.
  • Series 1: David Stuart Personal and Professional Papers, 1910-1984 (Box 1; 11 folders)
  • Series 2: Gallery Records, 1960s-1983 (Box 1-2, OV 3; 1.1 linear feet)

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
David Stuart (1910-1984) was a gallery owner and owner of a jazz shop and record label in Los Angeles, California. Stuart opened Jazz Man Record Shop in Hollywood in 1939, and then in 1941 started a record label, Jazz Man Records. Stuart parted ways with both the label and the shop by 1946. In 1961, David Stuart along with his friend, Edward Primus, founded the Primus-Stuart Gallery in Los Angeles, California. In the same location two years later, Stuart founded David Stuart Galleries. The gallery specialized in showing emerging contemporary artists and pre-Columbian art and artifacts. Included in the list of artists shown at Stuart's galleries is John Altoon, Oliver Andrews, Sorel Etrog, Marvin Harden, and June Harwood.

Administration

Author
Christopher DeMairo
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
The collection was donated by Jacqueline Anhalt Stuart in 1985.
Processing Information
The collection was processed and a finding aid prepared by Christopher DeMairo in 2021.

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.
Preferred Citation
David Stuart Papers and Gallery Records, 1910-1984. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
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.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Art, Modern -- 20th century -- California -- Los Angeles Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Gallery directors -- California -- Los Angeles Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Art galleries, Commercial -- California Function Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Art dealers -- California -- Los Angeles Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Pre-Columbian art Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Jazz Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
David Stuart Galleries Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

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