Smithsonian Institution Archives

Central Administrative File, Records, 1908-1974

Summary

Collection ID:
SIA.FARU0313
Creators:
National Collection of Fine Arts
Dates:
1908-1974
Languages:
English
Physical Description:
59 cu. ft. (1 record storage box) (116 document boxes)
Repository:
Smithsonian Institution Archives

Descriptive Entry

Descriptive Entry
The records pertain to the administration of David W. Scott, director, 1965-1968, Robert Tyler Davis, interim director, 1969, and Joshua C. Taylor, director, 1970- . Some records, most noticeably correspondence with Smithsonian Art Commission members, have been pulled up into the files from previous administrations.
Also included are Smithsonian Art Commission and National Collection of Fine Arts (NCFA) Commission reports, and correspondence with Commission members, 1908-1972; NCFA fiscal material; memoranda between NCFA staff; NCFA policies and procedures; correspondence with Smithsonian administrators; exhibition material; gifts and purchases; renovation of the old Patent Office Building; correspondence with professional organizations; correspondence with state, local, and private art galleries; correspondence with universities concerning art programs and exhibits; and correspondence with federal agencies and foreign art museums. Projects and museums supported by NCFA, or responsible to NCFA, and documented in these records include the Barney Studio House; Bicentennial Inventory of American Painting; Cooper Union Museum; Renwick Gallery; and the White House art program seminars.
Important correspondents, organizations, and art museums, whose material appears in the records include the American Federation of Art, Archives of American Art, Adelyn D. Breeskin, Alexander Calder, Edith Halpert (Downtown Gallery), William H. Holmes, Harry Lowe, Stanton MacDonald-Wright, Paul Manship, National Council on the Arts, National Gallery of Art, George Rickey, and S. Dillon Ripley.
The index card file only partially indexes the records of the Central Files and is arranged alphabetically by name. An asterisk before a folder denotes that the folder contains art catalogs, pamphlets, or photographs of art work.

Historical Note

Historical Note
The Central Administrative File was established in order to receive records of the director, assistant director, and copies and original incoming and outgoing correspondence carried on by museum curators, administrators, technicians, and research assistants. This system was discontinued in 1975.

Administration

Author
Finding aid prepared by Smithsonian Institution Archives

Using the Collection

Prefered Citation
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 313, National Collection of Fine Arts, Central Administrative File, Records

More Information

Notes

SI Records


Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Calder, Alexander, 1898-1976 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Breeskin, Adelyn Dohme, 1896-1986 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Davis, Robert Tyler Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Halpert, Edith Gregor, 1900-1970 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Lowe, Harry, 1922- Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Manship, Paul, 1885-1966 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Rickey, George Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Scott, David W., 1916- Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Taylor, Joshua C. (Joshua Charles), 1917-1981 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Holmes, William Henry, 1846-1933 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Ripley, S. Dillon (Sidney Dillon), 1913-2001 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Macdonald-Wright, Stanton, 1890-1973 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
National Collection of Fine Arts (U.S.) Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
American Federation of Arts Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Archives of American Art Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Smithsonian Art Commission Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Barney Studio House (Washington, D.C.) Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Bicentennial Inventory of American Paintings Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Cooper Union Museum for the Arts of Decoration Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Downtown Gallery (New York, N.Y.) Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
National Collection of Fine Arts Commission Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
National Collection of Fine Arts (U.S.). Office of the Director Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
National Council on the Arts Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
National Gallery of Art (U.S.) Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Patent Office Building (Washington, D.C.) Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Renwick Gallery Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
White House Art Program Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
National Collection of Fine Arts (U.S.). International Art Program Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
White House (Washington, D.C.) Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Art museums Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Art museum directors Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Museums -- Administration Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Manuscripts Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

Smithsonian Institution Archives
Washington, D.C.
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