Smithsonian Institution Archives

Records, circa 1938-1987, with related records from 1914

Summary

Collection ID:
SIA.FARU0406
Creators:
National Museum of American History. Division of Ceramics and Glass
Dates:
circa 1938-1987, with related records from 1914
Languages:
English
Physical Description:
16 cu. ft. (16 record storage boxes)
Repository:
Smithsonian Institution Archives

Descriptive Entry

Descriptive Entry
These records include the correspondence and memoranda of Paul V. Gardner, J. Jefferson Miller II, and Susan H. Meyers pertaining to private donations, loans, exhibition planning, identification of ceramic and glass pieces, conferences and seminars, staff research, and administrative matters. Also included are inquiries from collectors, museums, historical associations, university professors, ceramics and glass manufacturers, and publishers; minutes of meetings; research notes of J. Jefferson Miller II, for the publication English Yellow-Glazed Earthenware; newspaper clippings; Kiln Club information and photographs; exhibition photographs, blueprints, and scripts; and research material on the Hans Syz Collection in the Division.

Historical Note

Historical Note
Among the Smithsonian's earliest ceramic and glass artifacts were those acquired at the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exposition and from archeological sites throughout North America. Edward Foreman, Curator for the ethnological collections at the United States National Museum (USNM), cataloged ceramic artifacts from 1881 to 1883, as did his successor, Otis T. Mason, from 1884 to 1902. The curator for the Section of Historical Collections, A. Howard Clark, cataloged glass artifacts during the same years.
In 1897, the Section of Ceramics was established in the Division of Ethnology, Department of Anthropology. The glass collections were added to the Section but remained the curatorial responsibility of Clark, Curator of the newly organized Division of History. Paul Edmond Beckwith, Assistant Curator for the Division of History, was responsible for the Section from 1903 to 1907. From 1907 to 1920, a National Gallery of Art (NGA) was established and administered by USNM, and selections of contemporary porcelain and glass were placed with NGA during this period.
From 1908 to 1935, the Section of Ceramics became the curatorial responsibility of Walter Hough, Curator of Ethnology. Mrs. Julian James, a patron of the Division of History at USNM, assisted Hough with maintaining the collections, as did private collectors and donors such as Eliza Ruhamah Scidmore and Olive Risley Seward. Samuel W. Woodhouse served as Collaborator of the Section from 1933 to 1943. In 1935, Herbert W. Krieger replaced Hough as Curator of Ethnology and was responsible for the Section.
In 1957, the Section was removed from the Division of Ethnology to become the Division of Ceramics and Glass, Department of Arts and Manufactures (and successor departments). In 1978, the Division transferred to the Department of Cultural History and continued under its successor departments. Additional details on the history of the Division are located in the introductions to the Departments of Social and Cultural History and the History of Science and Technology.
Curators and staff of the Division included Paul V. Gardner, Acting Curator, 1958-1960, Associate Curator, 1961, Curator, 1962-1977, and Curator Emeritus, 1978- ; J. Jefferson Miller II, Assistant Curator, 1962, Associate Curator, 1963-1969, Curator, 1970-1977, Consultant, 1978, and Curator Emeritus, 1979- ; Susan H. Myers, Assistant Curator, 1980-1983, and Curator, 1984- ; and Ivor Noel Hume, Research Associate, 1980-1984.

Administration

Author
Finding aid prepared by Smithsonian Institution Archives

Using the Collection

Prefered Citation
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 406, National Museum of American History. Division of Ceramics and Glass, Records

More Information

Notes

SI Records


Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Gardner, Paul Vickers, 1908-1994 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Miller, J. Jefferson Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Myers, Susan H. Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Foreman, Edward Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Mason, Otis Tufton, 1838-1908 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Clark, A. Howard Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Beckwith, Paul E. Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Hough, Walter, 1859-1935 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
James, Julien, Mrs. Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Scidmore, Eliza Ruhamah, 1856-1928 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Seward, Olive Risley, 1844-1906 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Woodhouse, S. W. (Samuel Washington), 1821-1904 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Krieger, Herbert W. (Herbert William), 1889- Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Noël Hume, Ivor Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Alfred Duane Pell Collection Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Kiln Club of Washington, D.C. Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Hans Syz Collection Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
United States National Museum. Section of Historical Collections Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
United States National Museum. Section of Ceramics Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
United States National Museum. Division of Ethnology Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
United States National Museum. Department of Anthropology Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
United States National Museum. Division of History Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
National Gallery of Art of the Smithsonian Institution Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
National Museum of History and Technology (U.S.). Department of Arts and Manufactures Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
National Museum of History and Technology (U.S.). Department of Cultural History Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Centennial Exhibition (1876 : Philadelphia, Pa.) Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
English Yellow-Glazed Earthenware (Monograph) Title Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Museum exhibits Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Museum curators Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Glass Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Ceramics Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Historical museums Topic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Floor plans Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Illustrations Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Black-and-white photographs Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Clippings Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Manuscripts Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Exhibition catalogs Genre/Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

Smithsonian Institution Archives
Washington, D.C.
Contact us at osiaref@si.edu