The collection is arranged as 8 series.
Lockwood de Forest (1850-1932) was an architect, interior designer, collector, landscape painter, and writer based in New York City and Santa Barbara, California.
Lockwood de Forest was born in New York City in 1850. His parents were Julia Weeks and Henry Grant de Forest. He was one of four children. In 1869, he went to Rome, Italy and began studying art under the tutelage of the American painter Frederic Edwin Church whom he met during his trip. Church continued to be de Forest's mentor after they returned to America. De Forest set up a studio in New York City and first exhibited his work in 1872. From 1875-1878, he went on two more trips abroad to Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
In 1878, de Forest cofounded Associated Artists in New York along with Louis C. Tiffany, Candace Wheeler, and Samuel Coleman. The design firm closed around 1882 but was tremendously influential. He married Meta Kemble the same year that he began Associated Artists and the couple traveled to India where they stayed for the next two years. During that trip, de Forest met philanthropist Muggunbhai Hutheesing and together they established a woodcarving company and supplied Associated Artists with furniture and architectural objects.
Around 1882, De Forest opened his own business in New York City that managed the design and production of furniture and architectural accents, along with importing similar objects from India. In 1887, he purchased a house on 7 East 10th Street that he elaborately decorated with furnishings from India.
De Forest began spending winters in Santa Barbara, California starting in 1889. He eventually purchased a house and relocated there around 1922. While in California, he resumed painting with fervor and created many landscapes of the West Coast shorelines. De Forest died in Santa Barbara in 1932.
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The bulk of the collection was digitized in 2017 and is available on the Archives of American Art website. Materials which have not been digitized include blank pages, blank versos of photographs, and duplicates. In some cases, exhibition catalogs and other publications have had their covers, title pages, and relevant pages digitized.
The Lockwood de Forest papers were donated in 1982 by Mrs. Lockwood de Forest III, daughter-in-law of Lockwood de Forest.
Lockwood de Forest papers, 1858-1980. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Materials received a preliminary level of arrangement after receipt and were partially microfilmed on reels 2730-2734. The collection was fully processed and described by Rihoko Ueno in 2017 with funding provided by The Walton Family Foundation and the Terra Foundation for American Art.
The papers of New York and California based interior designer, architect, collector and painter Lockwood de Forest measure 3.8 linear feet and date from 1858 to 1980, bulk dates 1870 to 1930. The collection includes correspondence, writings, diaries, journals, exhibition files, personal business records, printed material, sketchbooks, drawings, and photographs.
Lockwood de Forest's professional correspondence includes letters regarding de Forest's wood carving business in India. Notable correspondents from friends and colleagues include Stewart Culin, Alfred Korzybski, and Purushottam M. Hutheesing & Sons. Also included are two letter books which contain copies of letters written by de Forest. There is a fair amount of correspondence with family members, especially de Forest's parents, his brother Robert, and his wife Meta Kemble. There are also a few folders of Meta Kemble de Forest's correspondence with family.
Writings include drafts of Lockwood de Forest's book
Diaries and journals kept by Lockwood de Forest and his wife Meta focus on travels abroad to Europe, the Middle East, and India.
Exhibition files consist of materials related to a Lockwood de Forest exhibition (1976) at the Heckscher Museum in New York and the Santa Barbara Museum of Art in California. Documentation includes correspondence, exhibition lists, inventories, and loan forms.
Personal business records include a wide range of financial and legal records. Financial records consist of ledgers, account records, receipts, invoices, and shipping records. Legal records include contracts, certificates, and deeds related to assets, properties, and businesses.
Printed material consists of exhibition catalogs, auction catalogs, magazines, books, announcements, event invitations, and clippings. Most of the material is about Lockwood de Forest, but there are some clippings and publications about his brother Robert and other subjects.
There are numerous sketchbooks usually depicting places de Forest visited in Europe and the Middle East. There are also a few loose drawings.
Photographs are of Lockwood de Forest, his wife, family, friends, colleagues, paintings, houses, wood carvings, and art objects.
Lockwood de Forest's professional correspondence includes letters to and from friends and colleagues about de Forest's wood carving business in Ahmedabad, India, the export of carvings, and the sale of the operation to Tiffany Studios. Notable correspondents include M. D. C. Crawford, Stewart Culin, Alfred Korzybski, and Purushottam M. Hutheesing & Sons. Also included are two letter books which contain copies of letters De Forest sent to various people in chronological order. There is a fair amount of correspondence with family members, especially De Forest's parents, his brother Robert, and his wife Meta Kemble. In addition, there are a few folders of Meta Kemble de Forest's correspondence with her mother-in-law Julia Mary de Forest and her grandmother Margaretta Du Pont. Typed transcriptions of letters are scattered throughout the series.
Lockwood de Forest's correspondence is arranged alphabetically, followed by the 2 letter books in chronological order. His wife Meta Kemble de Forest's correspondence is grouped together at the end of the series.
The bulk of this series has been digitized, except for duplicates.
A, Miscellaneous: 1883-1926
Bryn Mawr College: 1907-1919
B, Miscellaneous: 1880-1928
"Colles": 1869-1870
Crawford, M. D. C.: 1918-1930
Culin, Stewart: 1918-1919
Culin, Stewart: 1922-1927
C, Miscellaneous: 1907-1924
De Forest, Alfred and Izette: 1898-1924
De Forest, Henry Grant: circa 1858-1884
De Forest, Henry Wheeler: circa 1869-1925
De Forest, Johnston: 1931
De Forest, Judith: 1890-1898
De Forest, Julia Brasher: 1875-1922
De Forest, Julia Mary: 1869-1892
De Forest, Meta Kemble: 1884-1885
De Forest, Meta Kemble: 1886-1927
De Forest, Robert Weeks ("Robin"): 1858-1931
Denig, Lynde: circa 1923
D, Miscellaneous: 1880-1922
Frohne, Henry W.: 1918
F, Miscellaneous: 1928
Garrett, M. E.: 1887
Gould, Arthur L.: 1925
H, Miscellaneous: 1868-1925
Jacob, S. S.: 1893-1894
J, Miscellaneous: 1893-1926
Kahil, A. A.: 1911-1912
Korzybski, Alfred: 1921-1924
Korzybski, Alfred: 1926-1930
K, Miscellaneous: 1880-1914
Laufer, Berthold: 1922
L, Miscellaneous: 1880-1921
M-N, Miscellaneous: 1882-1925
Observatories Correspondence: 1923
Correspondence with various observatories about de Forest's observations of the solar corona.
Polzer, Ludwig: 1926-1927
Pratt, George D.: 1928
Pritchett, Mr.: 1920
Purushottam M. Hutheesing & Sons: 1911
P, Miscellaneous: 1876-circa 1930
Ravell, H.: 1924
Robinson, Edward Stevens: 1925-1928
Roosevelt, W. E.: 1876
R, Miscellaneous: 1912-1926
Simmonds, Barbara: 1922-1923
S, Miscellaneous: 1886-1928
T, Miscellaneous: 1921-1922
Warner, Langdon: 1921
Weeks, Arthur: 1865-1868
W-Z, Miscellaneous: circa 1923
Miscellaneous Letter Fragments and Unidentified Correspondence: 1880-1931
Letter Book from India: 1881-1882
Oversized letter book housed in Box 4.
Letter Book: 1905-1918
De Forest, Julia Mary (Undated Correspondence): circa 1879-circa 1893
De Forest, Julia Mary: 1879-1893
Du Pont, Margaretta (Mrs. Alfred): circa 1888-1892
Du Pont, Margaretta (Mrs. Alfred): 1893-1897
Typed Excerpts of Meta De Forest's Letters: 1892-1893
Writings include handwritten and typescript drafts of Lockwood de Forest's book
Drafts of
The bulk of this series has been digitized, except for duplicates.
Oversized book housed in OV 5.
Auditorium Description: circa 1910
Biographical Essays: circa 1912
"Collecting": 1919
"Definition of Terms": 1909
Education and Training Essays: 1919-1923
Furniture Construction Essay: circa 1900-circa 1910
George Baker Portrait Essay: circa 1919
Landscape Architecture Essay: 1919
"Museum Arrangement": 1919
Museum Collections Essays: 1919-1922
"Museum Management": 1919
"Natural History and Ethnological Museums, Art Museums": 1919
"Notes for Art School" and "Suggestions for the Normal Art School Course": 1918
"Observations on the Sun's Corona": 1923
"Psychic Research": 1919
"Review of Count Korzybski's
"Study of Nature": 1919
"What is Art?": 1919
Miscellaneous Essays: 1920-1924
Handwritten Itinerary of Nepal and India Trip: circa 1881
Notes on Panama-Pacific Exposition: 1915
Miscellaneous Notes: circa 1919-circa 1924
Typescript of Lockwood de Forest Biography by Anne Lewis: circa 1976
Diaries and journals kept by Lockwood de Forest and his wife Meta chronicle their travels abroad. De Forest's entries cover trips to the Middle East and countries in Europe, such as France and Italy. Lockwood de Forest's letters from 1875-1876, and the accompanying transcriptions, describe his travels abroad to study painting and are considered a journal even though they take the form of correspondence. Meta Kemble de Forest's journals and diaries are mostly on travels in India.
Lockwood de Forest's diaries and journals are grouped together at the beginning of the series and arranged chronologically, followed by Meta Kemble de Forest's diaries and journals.
The bulk of this series has been digitized, except for duplicates.
Diary of Trip to France and Italy: 1868
Diary of Trip to Turkey, Austria, Italy, and France: circa 1969
Diaries: 1871-1873
Travel Journal for Europe and the Middle East: 1875-1876
Typescript 1 of Travel Journal in Europe and the Middle East: 1875-1876
Meta Kemble de Forest's India Travel Journal Pages: circa 1880
Meta Kemble de Forest Diary: 1890
Exhibition files consist of materials related to an exhibition of Lockwood de Forest's art travelling from the Heckscher Museum in Huntington, New York to the Santa Barbara Museum of Art in California, probably compiled by the collection donor, Mrs. Lockwood de Forest III. The series includes correspondence between the museums and Elizabeth de Forest, exhibition lists, inventories, and loan forms.
The materials in this series are grouped together by document type, then arranged chronologically within those groupings.
The bulk of this series has been digitized, except for duplicates.
Correspondence: 1974
Correspondence: 1975
Correspondence: 1976
Correspondence: 1977
Correspondence: 1978
Exhibition Inventories and Lists: 1975-1978
Loan Forms: 1976-1978
Personal business records include a wide range of financial and legal records. Financial records consist of ledgers, account records, receipts, invoices, and other material mostly related to Lockwood de Forest's businesses. Legal records contain contracts and agreements on the management of properties and businesses.
This series is arranged as 2 subseries, reflecting the original order.
The bulk of this series has been digitized, except for blank pages and duplicates.
Financial records consist of ledgers, account records, bills, receipts, invoices, and shipping records. Some of the material in this series is related to Lockwood de Forest's business designing furniture and importing objects from India, notably the records related to his business partner, philanthropist Muggunbhai Hutheesing.
The material in this series is grouped by document type, then chronologically within those groupings.
The bulk of this series has been digitized, except for blank pages of ledgers and duplicates.
Ledger: 1880
Ledger possibly belongs to Meta Kemble de Forest.
Meta Kemble de Forest Ledger: 1881
Ewart Latham & Co. Account Records: circa 1882
General Account Records: 1911-1912
Muggunbhai Hutheesing Account Records: 1881
Muggunbhai Hutheesing Account Records: 1882
Muggunbhai Hutheesing Account Records: 1886
Muggunbhai Hutheesing Invoices (1 of 3): circa 1880-circa 1889
Oversized invoices housed in OV 6.
Muggunbhai Hutheesing Invoices (2 of 3): circa 1880-circa 1889
Muggunbhai Hutheesing Invoices (3 of 3): circa 1880-circa 1889
Receipts and Invoices: 1869-1879
Receipts and Invoices: circa 1882-circa 1889
Receipts and Invoices: 1904-1922
Shipping and Transportation Costs: 1882-1923
Inventory of Purchases in India: circa 1880-circa 1889
Miscellaneous Financial Records: circa 1880-circa 1920
Legal records include contracts, agreements, certificates, and deeds related to assets, properties, and business. There is documentation related to the management of several properties, mostly de Forest's houses in New York City and Santa Barbara, in the form of leases and inventories of contents.
The material in this series is grouped by document type, then chronologically within those groupings.
The bulk of this series has been digitized, except for duplicates.
Agreement with Warren, Fuller & Lange: 1883
Deed on the Sale of Stocks: 1931
Deeds and Other Documents for Santa Barbara Property: 1917-1921
Inventory of Items at 335 4th Avenue, New York: circa 1882-circa 1900
Inventory of Contents at 7 East 10th Street, New York: circa 1890-circa 1915
Inventory of Objects Loaned or Stored at the Metropolitan Museum of Art: circa 1912-circa 1914
Legal Contract with Muggunbhai Hutheesing: 1882
Legal Contract with Louis C. Tiffany: 1882
Legal Contract Regarding a Trust Fund: 1890
Memorandum on Burial: 1930
New York City Apartment Leases: 1883
Record of Sale of 7 East 10th Street, New York: 1922
Shipping Insurance Policy: 1881-1883
Wedding Certificate Signed by Witnesses (Photocopy): 1880
Printed material consists of exhibition catalogs, auction catalogs, magazines, books, announcements, event invitations, and clippings. Most of the material is about Lockwood de Forest, but there are some clippings and publications about his brother Robert and his friend Alfred Korzybski.
Printed material by or about Lockwood de Forest is at the beginning of the series. The rest of the material is grouped together by document type.
The bulk of this series has been digitized, except for duplicates. In some cases, exhibition catalogs and other publications have had their covers, title pages, and relevant pages scanned.
Lockwood de Forest Clippings: 1904-1978
John Taylor Johnston Collection Annotated Auction Catalog: 1876
Lockwood de Forest Collection Annotated Auction Catalogs: 1922
Lockwood de Forest Memorial Exhibition Catalogs: 1933-1935
Robert de Forest Collection Auction Catalog: 1936
Magazines: 1890-1894
Magazines: 1900-1913
Magazines and Other Publications: 1925-1980
Alfred Korzybski Printed Material: 1921-1926
Robert de Forest Clippings: circa 1928-circa 1942
Clippings: circa 1918-circa 1924
Event Invitations and Exhibition Announcements: circa 1867-1977
Miscellaneous Printed Material: circa 1917-circa 1924
There are numerous sketchbooks of places de Forest visited in Europe and the Middle East, often depicting landscapes, cities, and people. A few loose sketches and drawings and one design for a wood carving are in this series as well.
The sketchbooks are arranged chronologically, followed by the sketches and drawings.
The bulk of this series has been digitized, except for blank pages.
Sketchbooks: 1869
Sketchbook: 1871-1872
Sketchbook: 1872
Sketchbooks: 1875
Sketchbook: 1875-1876
Sketchbooks: 1876 January-March
Sketchbooks: 1876 March-June
Sketchbook: 1877-1878
Sketchbooks: 1878
Sketchbooks: 1880-1881
Sketches: circa 1870-circa 1880
Drawing of Woodwork Pattern "Plan for Tracing #1": circa 1980
Photographs are of Lockwood de Forest, his wife, family, friends, colleagues, landscape paintings, his house on 7 East 10th Street in New York City, houses in Maine and California, wood carvings, and various objects he collected or sold, such as decorative tiles, rugs, weapons, and tools. There are a few negatives scattered throughout the series, but all of them have been developed into prints that can be found in the same folder.
Photographs of Lockwood de Forest are at the beginning of the series. The rest of the photographs are grouped by subject.
The bulk of this series has been digitized, except for duplicates and blank versos of photographs.
Lockwood de Forest: circa 1870-circa 1930
Family Photographs: circa 1870-circa 1890
Friends and Colleagues in India: circa 1879-circa 1890
Mary Garrett: 1916
Muggunbhai Hutheesing and Wife: circa 1879
Unidentified People: circa 1882-circa 1900
Landscape Paintings: circa 1880-circa 1930
Paintings probably by Lockwood de Forest
7 East 10th Street, New York City: circa 1887-circa 1900
Houses in Maine, California, and Sicily: circa 1915-circa 1926
Wood Carvings: circa 1879-circa 1900
Objects: circa 1880-circa 1930
Annotated Photographs of Weapons and Tools: circa 1879-circa 1932