Archives Center, National Museum of American History

Guide to the Andre Piette Collection

Summary

Collection ID:
NMAH.AC.0129
Creators:
Piette, Andre, 1934-1984 (ceramic designer, artist)
Dates:
1954-1979
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
8 Cubic feet
8 boxes, 1 oversize folder
Repository:
Collection documents Andre Piette's career as an illustrator and designer. The materials include sketches, drawings, tracings, photographs (color transparencies, slides, and prints), and samples of wallpaper, designs for gift wrap, and a few textiles.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
The collection consists of a wide range of materials documenting Andre Piette's career as an illustrator and designer. The materials include sketches, drawings, tracings, photographs (color transparencies, slides, and prints), and samples of wallpaper, designs for gift wrap, and a few textiles. The materials are the product of the Piette's early years in the United States (1960s) as a landscape artist in New England and as an associate of Norman Rockwell and of his later work for Tiffany & Company as a freelance designer. As an employee of Tiffany, Piette designed the White House china set for Mrs. Lyndon B. Johnson. Materials documenting this effort—White House China—are the largest series in the collection. Other design work includes cards, silver, parquet flooring, and china. There also are drawings and tracings not associated with specific functional products.

Arrangement

Arrangement
The collection is arranged into four series.
Series 1: White House China, 1967-1970, undated
Series 2: Other Designs, undated
Series 3: Andre Piette Scrapbook, undated
Series 4: Oversize, undated

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
Piette, artist and designer, spent his early years studying at the Academie Royale De Beaux-Arts in Liege, Belgium. He is noted for his designs of Christmas cards, wrapping paper, and wallpaper. In 1968 he was commissioned by Mrs. Lyndon B. Johnson to design a set of White House state china, consisting of 2,500 pieces.

Administration

Author
Alison Oswald
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donated by Sam Magdoff, Dean of Continuing Education, Parsons School of Design, July 29, 1985.
Processing Information
Collection processed by NMAH Staff, undated
Custodial History
Collection transferred to the Archives Center from the Division of Ceramics and Glass (now Division of Cultural and Community Life) December 4, 1984.

Using the Collection

Preferred Citation
Andre Piette Collection, 1954-1979, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Ceramics Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Porcelain -- 20th century Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Correspondence -- 1940-2000 Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Ceramics -- Design Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Design -- United States Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Black-and-white photographic prints -- Silver gelatin -- 1950-2000 Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Drawings -- 1950-1990 Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Design drawings -- 1950-2000 Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Christmas cards Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Designs Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Clippings -- 1950-2000 Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Tracings Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Wallpaper -- Design Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Designers Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
White House china Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Christmas card design Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Wrapping materials -- Design Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Johnson, Lady Bird, 1912-2007 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
National Museum of American History (U.S.). Division of Ceramics and Glass Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Magdoff, Sam Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

Archives Center, National Museum of American History
P.O. Box 37012
Suite 1100, MRC 601
Washington, D.C. 20013-7012
archivescenter@si.edu