Archives of American Art
3EP Ltd. records
3EP Ltd. (Palo Alto, Calif.)
AAA.3epltd
Archival Resource Key
4.3 Linear feet
1970-1984
bulk 1979-1984
The records of California fine arts print publisher 3EP Ltd. founded by Moo (Mary Margaret) Anderson, Joseph Goldyne, and Paula Kirkeby measure 4.3 linear feet and date from 1970 to 1984. The records include scattered administrative files; artists' files that include correspondence, lists, price lists, and miscellany; printed materials, photographs, including two dismantled photo albums and negatives; and numerous fine arts prints by various contemporary artists, including Gordon Cook, Claire Falkenstein, Joe Fay, Sam Francis, David Gilhooly, Joseph Goldyne, Jack Jefferson, Frank Lobdell, Fred Martin, Ed Moses, Nathan Oliveira, Jay Phillips, Matt Phillips, and Joseph Zirker.
The collection is in English.
Arrangement
This collection is arranged as 5 series.
- Series 1: Administrative Records, 1978-1984 (0.2 linear feet; Box 1)
- Series 2: Artists Files, 1970-1984 (1.8 linear feet; Box 1-2)
- Series 3: Printed Material, 1981-1984 (0.1 linear feet; Box 3)
- Series 4: Artwork, 1979-1984 (1.9 linear feet; OV 4-22)
- Series 5: Photographic Material, 1981-1983 (0.3 linear feet; Box 3)
Biographical / Historical
3EP Ltd. was founded by Moo (Mary Margaret) Anderson, Joseph Goldyne, and Paula Kirkeby in 1978 in Palo Alto, California. The print publisher worked with over 20 artists to produce fine art prints and monotypes and operated until 1984.
Harry W. and Mary Margaret Anderson, respectively known as Hunk and Moo, are avid art collectors with one of the largest private art collections of 20th Century American Art. Moo has a special interest in works of art on paper and prints. Moo and Paula Kirkeby, director of Smith Anderson Gallery in Palo Alto, along with San Francisco artist Joseph Goldyne formed 3EP Ltd. In addition to sales, the mission of 3EP Ltd. was to encourage experimentation with the monoprint. Anderson and Kirkeby commissioned a custom-built Takach-Garfield press for their facilities and invited artists to work with the monotype technique and printmaking, techniques that were initially unfamiliar to many of the artists who worked with 3EP Ltd. Artists invited to work at 3EP include Gordon Cook, Claire Falkenstein, Joe Fay, Sam Francis, David Gilhooly, Frank Lobdell, Ed Moses, Nathan Oliviera, Jay and Matt Phillips, and many others. 3EP Ltd. closed in 1984.
Conditions Governing Access
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. research facility.
Terms of 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.
Existence and Location of Copies
Portions of the collection are also available on 35 mm microfilm reels 3534-3536 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.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The 3EP Ltd. records were donated in 1984 by Moo (Mary Margaret) Anderson and Paula Kirkeby. Plates received with the donation were returned to the donors.
Preferred Citation
3EP Ltd. records, 1970-1984. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Processing Information
The collection was partially microfilmed shortly after receipt on reels 3534-3536. The collection was additionally re-processed and a finding aid prepared by Rihoko Ueno in 2014. At that time, the fine art prints were housed more appropriately.
Related Materials
The de Young Museum has a collection of 3EP Ltd. prints which are part of the Anderson Graphic Arts Collection.
Scope and Contents
The records of California fine arts print publisher 3EP Ltd. founded by Moo (Mary Margaret) Anderson, Joseph Goldyne, and Paula Kirkeby measure 4.3 linear feet and date from 1970 to 1984. The records include scattered administrative files; artists' files that include correspondence, lists, price lists, and miscellany; printed materials, photographs, including two dismantled photo albums and negatives; and numerous fine arts prints by various contemporary artists, including Gordon Cook, Claire Falkenstein, Joe Fay, Sam Francis, David Gilhooly, Joseph Goldyne, Jack Jefferson, Frank Lobdell, Fred Martin, Ed Moses, Nathan Oliveira, Jay Phillips, Matt Phillips, and Joseph Zirker.
Administrative records consist of chronological correspondence, subscriber lists and forms, price lists, exhibition lists, and other miscellaneous records. Business/administrative correspondence is mostly between the 3EP Ltd. founders and various museums, galleries, and collectors, with a few letters to artists. Artists' files include resumes, correspondence, catalogs, clippings, photographs and slides. Artists include Chuck Arnoldi, Billy Al Bengston, Gordon Cook, Claire Falkenstein, Joe Fay, Sam Francis, Jack Jefferson, Frank Lobdell, Ed Moses, George Sugarman, and Joseph Zirker, among many others.
Prints
Photograph albums
Photographs
Art publishing -- California -- Palo Alto
Intaglio printing
Graphic arts
Prints -- 20th century
Printmakers -- California
Gilhooly, David
Francis, Sam, 1923-1994
Fay, Joe, 1950-
Falkenstein, Claire, 1908-1997
Lobdell, Frank, 1921-
Jefferson, Jack, 1921-2000
Goldyne, Joseph R.
Phillips, Jay, 1954-1987
Phillips, Matt
Sugarman, George, 1912-1999
Zirker, Joseph
Cook, Gordon
Bengston, Billy Al
Arnoldi, Charles, 1946-
Olivera, Nathan
Moses, Ed, 1926-
Kirkeby, Paula
Anderson, Mary Margaret
Administrative Records
Series 1
Archival Resource Key
0.2 Linear feet
Box 1
1978-1984
Scope and Contents
Administrative records consist of chronological correspondence, subscriber lists and agreement forms, price lists, letterhead samples, exhibition lists, miscellaneous notes, and other business material. The correspondence is mostly between the 3EP Ltd. founders and various museums, galleries, and collectors on the subject of prints and billing, along with a few letters to artists.
Correspondence
Archival Resource Key
1978
1
1
Correspondence
Archival Resource Key
1979
1
2
Correspondence
Archival Resource Key
1980
1
3
Correspondence
Archival Resource Key
1981
1
4
Correspondence
Archival Resource Key
1982
1
5-8
Correspondence
Archival Resource Key
1983
1
9-10
Correspondence
Archival Resource Key
1984
1
11-12
Undated Correspondence
Archival Resource Key
1978-1984
1
13
Subscribers Lists
Archival Resource Key
circa 1981-1984
1
14
Subscribers Agreement Forms
Archival Resource Key
1981-1982
1
15
Subscribers Agreement Forms
Archival Resource Key
1983
1
16
Subscribers Agreement Forms
Archival Resource Key
1984
1
17
Price Lists of Artwork
Archival Resource Key
circa 1982
1
18
Price Lists of Artwork
Archival Resource Key
1983
1
19
Terms of Agreement for Work with Artists
Archival Resource Key
circa 1979
1
20
Exhibitions List
Archival Resource Key
1981-1984
1
21
Letterhead and Business Cards
Archival Resource Key
circa 1981-1983
1
22
Glossary of Printmaking Terms
Archival Resource Key
circa 1983
1
23
Promotional Material and Mission Statement
Archival Resource Key
circa 1981
1
24
Miscellaneous Notes
Archival Resource Key
circa 1981-1984
1
25
Artists Files
Series 2
Archival Resource Key
1.8 Linear feet
Box 1-2
1970-1984
Scope and Contents
Artists' files include resumes, correspondence, exhibition announcements, catalogs, invoices, curatorial sheets with information on artwork, clippings, photographs, and slides of artwork. Notable artists include Chuck Arnoldi, Billy Al Bengston, Gordon Cook, Laddie John Dill, Claire Falkenstein, Joe Fay, Sam Francis, David Gilhooly, Joseph Goldyne, Russel T. Gordon, Jules Heller, Tom Holland, Jack Jefferson, Frank Lobdell, Fred Martin, Ed Moses, Nathan Oliviera, Jay Phillips, Matt Phillips, Miklos Pogany, Inez Storer, Joseph Zirker, and others.
Arrangement
This series is arranged alphabetically.
Arnoldi, Chuck
Archival Resource Key
1982-1983
1
26
Bengston, Billy Al
Archival Resource Key
1983-1984
1
27-28
Cook, Gordon
Archival Resource Key
circa 1983-1984
1
29
Dill, Laddie John
Archival Resource Key
circa 1982-1984
1
30-35
Falkenstein, Claire
Archival Resource Key
1981-1982
1
36-37
Fay, Joe
Archival Resource Key
circa 1979-1984
1
38-39
Francis, Sam
Archival Resource Key
circa 1981-1984
1
40-47
Gilhooly, David
Archival Resource Key
1982-1983
1
48-50
Goldyne, Joseph
Archival Resource Key
circa 1979-1982
2
1-3
Gordon, Russell T.
Archival Resource Key
1973-1981
2
4-5
Heller, Jules
Archival Resource Key
1982-1984
2
6
Holland, Tom
Archival Resource Key
1970-1982
2
7-9
Jefferson, Jack
Archival Resource Key
1984
2
10
Lobdell, Frank
Archival Resource Key
1981-1984
2
11-14
Martin, Fred
Archival Resource Key
1980-1981
2
15-16
Moses, Ed
Archival Resource Key
circa 1980-1982
2
17-26
Oliviera, Nathan
Archival Resource Key
1979-1982
2
27-28
Phillips, Jay
Archival Resource Key
circa 1980-1983
2
29-33
Phillips, Matt
Archival Resource Key
1974-1984
2
34-38
Pogany, Miklos
Archival Resource Key
circa 1982-1983
2
39-40
Storer, Inez
Archival Resource Key
1982-1983
2
41
Sugarman, George
Archival Resource Key
1981-1982
2
42
Zirker, Joseph
Archival Resource Key
1979-1982
2
43-44
Printed Material
Series 3
Archival Resource Key
0.1 Linear feet
Box 3
1981-1984
Scope and Contents
Printed material consists of a few exhibition announcements, catalogs, and clippings.
Exhibition Announcements
Archival Resource Key
1981-1984
3
1
Exhibition Catalogs
Archival Resource Key
1983
3
2
News Clippings
Archival Resource Key
1982
3
3
Artwork
Series 4
Archival Resource Key
1.9 Linear feet
OV 4-22
1979-1984
Scope and Contents
Artwork includes numerous fine arts prints by 14 artists. Several of the folders include curatorial sheets with information about the prints, such as the medium, title, and date of individual prints.
Arrangement
The artwork is arranged alphabetically by artist's surname.
Gordon Cook Prints
Archival Resource Key
1984
OV 4
Scope and Contents
Includes 1 print titled Point Richmond.
Claire Falkenstein Prints
Archival Resource Key
1981
OV 5
Scope and Contents
Includes 2 prints titled Allegory 4 and Allegory 5.
Joe Fay Artwork
Archival Resource Key
circa 1982
OV 6
Scope and Contents
Includes painted boards cut into various shapes and one untitled print.
Joe Fay Artwork
Archival Resource Key
circa 1982
OV 7
Scope and Contents
Includes sketches in pencil and 1 untitled print.
Sam Francis Prints
Archival Resource Key
1981-1982
OV 8
Scope and Contents
Includes numerous prints titled Pivot, Tar Flower, Self Portrait, and several untitled prints.
Sam Francis Prints
Archival Resource Key
1981-1982
OV 9
David Gilhooly Prints
Archival Resource Key
1983
OV 10
Scope and Contents
Includes several prints titled Food Descending the Staircase, My Daily Bread, The First Morning Cup of Paula's Coffee, and Selbstbildnis mit Tod. There are more multiple versions of some prints.
David Gilhooly Prints
Archival Resource Key
1983
OV 11
Joseph Goldyne Prints
Archival Resource Key
1979
OV 12
Scope and Contents
Includes 3 impressions each of two prints titled Dirty Dish and Garbage Can.
Jack Jefferson Prints
Archival Resource Key
1981
OV 13
Scope and Contents
Includes 2 untitled prints.
Frank Lobdell Prints
Archival Resource Key
1981
OV 14
Scope and Contents
Includes 9 untitled prints.
Fred Martin Prints
Archival Resource Key
1980
OV 15
Scope and Contents
Includes Tarot of California, a portfolio of six prints, and 3 reproductions of a cover sheet for the portfolio along with the original version of the cover sheet with a pasted-in negative of the cover image.
Ed Moses Prints
Archival Resource Key
1980-1983
OV 16
Scope and Contents
Includes the following prints: EM G-1, EM G-2, EM G-3, EM G-5, P-Bl (2 prints), Bite Head II, Noh-bu Wall A, Noh-bu Wall B, Noh-Bu Wall C, Portrait, Krak WI I, Krak WI II, Krak WI III, and several untitled prints.
Ed Moses Prints
Archival Resource Key
1980-1983
OV 17
Nathan Oliviera Prints
Archival Resource Key
1979
OV 18
Scope and Contents
Includes 6 prints titled Archive Site, Emerson Site 1, and Emerson Site 2.
Jay Phillips Prints
Archival Resource Key
1982-1983
OV 19
Scope and Contents
Includes 13 prints total, some titled Beverly and Melrose, others untitled.
Jay Phillips Prints
Archival Resource Key
1982-1983
OV 20
Matt Phillips Prints
Archival Resource Key
1979-1984
OV 21
Scope and Contents
Includes 2 prints titled New York Recalled and Sighs and Whispers.
Joseph Zirker Print
Archival Resource Key
1981-1982
OV 22
Scope and Contents
Includes 1 print titled Cosmic Entity.
Photographic Material
Series 5
Archival Resource Key
0.3 Linear feet
Box 3
1981-1983
Scope and Contents
Photographic material includes 2 dismantled photograph albums that depict the delivery of the custom-built printing press to 3EP Ltd. facilities, and portraits of various artists, such as Sam Francis, Jules Heller, and Joseph Zirker, at work on prints alongside master printers employed by the print publisher. There are also negatives of the photos in the albums, and one folder of an exhibition of 3EP Ltd. prints at a gallery.
Arrangement
The photograph albums were dismantled prior to their arrival at the archives, and the order of the photographs was preserved in the folders during preliminary arrangement by a previous archivist.
Album 1
Archival Resource Key
1981-1982
3
4-12
Scope and Contents
Includes photographs of Joseph Goldyne, Nathan Oliviera, Joseph Zirker, Sam Francis, Fred Martin, Frank Lobdell, and Inez Storer. Also includes photographs of Paula Kirkeby, Moo Anderson, and 3EP Ltd. master printmaker Ikuru Komahara.
Negatives from Album 1
Archival Resource Key
1981-1982
3
13
Album 2
Archival Resource Key
1982
3
14-15
Scope and Contents
Includes photographs of Laddie John Dill, David Gilhooly, Ed Moses, and Jay Phillips.
Negatives from Album 2
Archival Resource Key
1982-1983
3
16
3EP Ltd. Exhibition at Gump's Gallery
Archival Resource Key
1983
3
17