Gift of Henry Varnum Poor's son, Peter V. Poor, in 2007. A smaller portion was loaned to the Archives in 1973 by Anne Poor for microfilming and returned to the lender; this material was included in the 2007 gift.
An oral history interview with Henry Varnum Poor was conducted by Harlan Phillips for the Archives of American Art in 1964.
A small portion of the papers are also available on legacy 35 mm microfilm reels 633-634 at the Archives of American Art offices, and through interlibrary loan. The bulk of the collection was digitized in 2016 and is available on the Archives of American Art's website. Materials which have not been scanned include personal biographical information, 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 scanned.
The collection was fully processed and a finding aid prepared by Catherine S. Gaines in 2008. In 2014, the finding aid was revised and the collection was prepared for digitization by Jayna Josefson with funding provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art. Motion picture film reels were inspected and re-housed in 2016 with funding provided by the Smithsonian Collections Care and Preservation Fund.
Henry Varnum Poor papers, 1873-2001, bulk 1904-1970. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. Research Center. Contact Reference Services for more information. Use of audiovisual recordings with no duplicate access copy requires advance notice.
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
Henry Varnum Poor (1888-1970), best known as a potter, ceramic artist, and a co-founder of the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, was also an architect, painter, muralist, designer, educator, and writer who lived and worked in New City, New York.
A native of Chapman, Kansas, Henry Varnum Poor moved with his family to Kansas City when his grain merchant father became a member of the Kansas Board of Trade. From a young age he showed artistic talent and spent as much time as possible - including school hours - drawing. When a school supervisor suggested that Henry leave school to study at the Art Institute of Chicago, the family disagreed. Instead, he enrolled in the Kansas City Manual Training High School where he delighted in learning skills such as carpentry, forge work, and mechanical drawing. In 1905, he moved with his older brother and sister to Palo Alto, California and completed high school there. Because Poor was expected to join the family business, he enrolled at Stanford University as an economics major, but much to his father's disappointment and displeasure, soon left the economics department and became an art major.
Immediately after graduation in 1910, Poor and his major professor at Stanford, Arthur B. Clark, took a summer bicycling tour to look at art in London, France, Italy, and Holland. As Poor had saved enough money to remain in London after the summer was over, he enrolled in the Slade School of Art and also studied under Walter Sickert at the London County Council Night School. After seeing an exhibition of Post-Impressionism at the Grafton Galleries in London, Poor was so impressed that he went to Paris and enrolled in the Académie Julian. While in Paris, Poor met Clifford Addams, a former apprentice of Whistler; soon he was working in Addams' studio learning Whistler's palette and techniques.
In the fall of 1911, Poor returned to Stanford University's art department on a one-year teaching assignment. During that academic year, his first one-man show was held at the university's Old Studio gallery. He married Lena Wiltz and moved back to Kansas to manage the family farm and prepare for another exhibition. Their daughter, Josephine Lydia Poor, was born the following year. Poor returned to Stanford in September 1913 as assistant professor of graphic arts, remaining until the department closed three years later. During this period, Poor began to exhibit more frequently in group shows in other areas of the country, and had his first solo exhibition at a commercial gallery (Helgesen Gallery, San Francisco). In 1916, Poor joined the faculty of the San Francisco Art Association. He and his wife separated in 1917 and were divorced the following year. Poor began sharing his San Francisco studio with Marion Dorn.
During World War I, Poor was drafted into the U. S. Army, and in 1918 went to France with the 115th Regiment of Engineers. He spent his spare time drawing; soon officers were commissioning portraits, and Poor was appointed the regimental artist. He also served as an interpreter for his company. Discharged from the Army in early 1919, Poor spent the spring painting in Paris. He then returned to San Francisco and married Marion Dorn.
Once Poor realized that earning a living as a painter would be extremely difficult in California, he and his new wife moved to New York in the autumn of 1919. They were looking for a place to live when influential book and art dealer Mary Mowbray-Clarke of the Sunwise Turn Bookshop in Manhattan suggested New City in Rockland County, New York as good place for artists. In January of 1920, the Poors purchased property on South Mountain Road in New City. The skills he acquired at the Kansas City Manual Training High School were of immediate use as Poor designed and constructed "Crow House" with the assistance of a local teenager. Influenced by the farmhouses he had seen in France, it was made of local sandstone and featured steep gables, rough plaster, chestnut beams and floors, and incorporated many hand-crafted details. Poor designed and built most of their furniture, too. Before the end of the year, he and Marion were able to move into the house, though it remained a work in progress for many years. Additions were constructed. Over time, gardens were designed and planted, and outbuildings - a kiln and pottery, work room, garage, and new studio - appeared on the property.
In 1925, two years after his divorce from Marion Dorn, Poor married Bessie Freedman Breuer (1893-1975), an editor, short story writer, and novelist. Soon after, he adopted her young daughter, Anne (1918-2002), an artist who served as his assistant on many important mural commissions. Their son, Peter (b. 1926) became a television producer. Crow House remained in the family until its sale in 2006. In order to prevent its demolition, Crow House was then purchased by the neighboring town of Ramapo, New York in 2007.
Between 1935 and 1966 Poor designed and oversaw construction of a number of houses, several of them situated not far from Crow House on South Mountain Road. Poor's designs, noted for their simplicity, featured modern materials and incorporated his ceramic tiles. Among his important commissions were houses for Maxwell Anderson, Jules Billig, Milton Caniff, MacDonald Deming, and John Houseman.
Poor's first exhibition of paintings in New York City was at Kevorkian Galleries in 1920, and sales were so disappointing that he turned his attention to ceramics. His first pottery show, held at Bel Maison Gallery in Wanamaker's department store in 1921, was very successful. He quickly developed a wide reputation, participated in shows throughout the country, and won awards. He was a founder of the short-lived American Designers' Gallery, and the tile bathroom he showed at the group's first exposition was critically acclaimed. Poor was represented by Montross Gallery as both a painter and potter. When Montross Gallery closed upon its owner's death in 1932, Poor moved to the Frank K. M. Rehn Gallery.
Even though Poor's pottery and ceramic work was in the forefront, he continued to paint. His work was acquired by a number of museums, and the Limited Editions Club commissioned him to illustrate their republications of
Poor's first work in true fresco was shown in a 1932 mural exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art. Between 1935 and 1949 he was commissioned to produce several murals in fresco for Section of Fine Arts projects at the Department of Justice and the Department of the Interior,
As a member of the War Artists' Unit, Poor was a "war correspondent" with the rank of major in World War II, and for several months in 1943 was stationed in Alaska.
Along with Willard Cummings, Sidney Simon, and Charles Cuttler, in 1946 Henry Varnum Poor helped to establish the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture in Skowhegan, Maine. He served as its first president. Poor and his daughter, Anne, were active members of the Board of Trustees and were instructors for many years. The summer of 1961 was Henry Varnum Poor's last as a full-time teacher, though he continued to spend summers at Skowhegan.
Henry Varnum Poor exhibited widely and received many awards, among them prizes at the Carnegie Institute, Syracuse Museum of Fine Arts, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, and the Architectural League of New York. Poor was appointed to the United States Commission of Fine Arts by President Roosevelt in 1941 and served a five year term. He was elected a member of the National Institute of Arts and Letters in 1943. The National Academy of Design named him an Associate Artist in 1954 and an Academician in 1963. He became a trustee of the American Craftsman's Council in 1956. The work of Henry Vernum Poor is represented in the permanent collections of many American museums including the Cleveland Museum of Art, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Brooklyn Museum, Addison Gallery of American Art, and Syracuse Museum of Fine Arts.
Henry Varnum Poor died at home in New City, New York, December 8, 1970.
The papers of Henry Varnum Poor measure 12.9 linear feet and date from 1873-2001, with the bulk from the period 1904-1970. Correspondence, writings, artwork, printed material and photographs document Poor's work as a painter, muralist, ceramic artist and potter, architect, designer, writer, war artist, educator and a co-founder of the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture. Also found is extensive information about the design and construction of Crow House, his home in New City, New York, commissions for other architectural projects, and his personal life.
Henry Varnum Poor's correspondence documents his personal, family, and professional life. Correspondents include family and friends, among them George Biddle, Charles Burchfield, John Ciardi, Marion V. Dorn (who became his second wife), Philip Evergood, Lewis Mumford, John Steinbeck, David Smith, and Mrs. John Work (Alice) Garrett. Among other correspondents are galleries, museums, schools, organizations, fans, former students, and acquaintances from his military service and travels. Family correspondence consists of Henry's letters to his parents, letters to his parents written by his wife, and letters among other family members.
Among the writings by Henry Varnum Poor are manuscripts of his two published books,
Subject files include those on the Advisory Committee on Art, American Designers' Gallery, Inc., William Benton, Harold Dickson,
Artwork by Henry Varnum Poor consists mainly of loose drawings and sketches and 45 sketchbooks of studies for paintings, murals, and pottery. There is work done in France, 1918-1919, and while working as a war correspondent in Alaska in 1943. There are commissioned illustrations and some intended for his monograph,
Documentation of Poor's architectural projects consists of drawings and prints relating to houses designed and built for Jules Billing, MacDonald Deming, John Houseman, Burgess Meredith, Isabel Padro, and Elizabeth S. Sargent. Also found is similar material for the new studio Poor built in 1957 on the grounds of Crow House.
Miscellaneous records include family memorabilia and two motion picture films,
Printed material includes articles about or mentioning Poor, some of his pottery reference books, family history, a catalog of kilns, and the program of a 1949 Pennsylvania State College theater production titled
Photographs are of Henry Varnum Poor's architectural work, artwork, people, places, and miscellaneous subjects. This series also contains negatives, slides, and transparencies. Images of architectural work include exterior and interior views of many projects; Poor's home, Crow House, predominates. Photographs of artwork by Poor are of drawings, fresco and ceramic tile murals, paintings, pottery and ceramic art. People appearing in photographs include Henry Varnum Poor, family members, friends, clients, juries, students, and various groups. Among the individuals portrayed are Milton Caniff, Marcel Duchamp, Wharton Esherick, M. R. ("Muktuk") Marston, and Burgess Meredith. Among the family members are Bessie Breuer Poor, Marion Dorn Poor, Anne Poor, Eva Poor, Josephine Graham Poor, Josephine Lydia Poor, Peter Poor, and unidentified relatives. Photographs of places include many illustrating village life in Alaska that were taken by Poor during World War II. Other places recorded are French and California landscapes, and family homes in Kansas. Miscellaneous subjects are exhibition installation views, scenes of Kentucky farms, and a photograph of Poor's notes on glazes.
The collection is arranged as 9 series:
This series includes Poor's desk diary containing sporadic, sparse notes along with addresses and phone numbers; army discharge material; biographical notes on Poor by Bessie Breuer Poor and others; a desk diary; genealogical material; medical documents; and wills of Henry Varnum Poor and Bessie Breuer Poor. Awards and certificates document: Carnegie Institute Third Prize, 1933; Limited Editions Club Fellowship in Book Illustration, 1937; announcement of gold medal award from the Architectural League of New York, 1938; appointment to the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, 1941; and membership certificate, National Institute of Arts and Letters, 1943. The posthumous item is a proclamation of Henry Varnum Poor Centennial Month, Clarkstown, New York, 1987.
Materials are arranged by document type.
This series has been partially scanned. Documents with sensitive information have not been scanned.
Address Book
Army Discharge
Awards and Certificates
Oversized material housed in OV 18
Biographical Notes and Reminiscences of Henry Varnum Poor, Bessie Breuer Poor
Biographical Notes and Reminiscences of Henry Varnum Poor, by Others
Desk Diary
Genealogical Notes and Related Correspondence
Proclamation of Henry Varnum Poor Centennial Month, Clarkstown, N.Y.
Wills, Henry Varnum Poor and Bessie Breuer Poor
Henry Varnum Poor's correspondence documents his personal life and professional activities in a number of fields. Correspondents include family and friends, among them George Biddle, Charles Burchfield, John Ciardi, Marion V. Dorn (who became his second wife), Philip Evergood, Lewis Mumford, John Steinbeck, David Smith, and Mrs. John Work (Alice) Garrett. Other correspondents are individuals representing galleries, museums, schools, and organizations. There is fan mail from readers of his books, and letters from former students and colleagues, as well as friends and acquaintances from his military service and travels.
Family correspondence consists mainly of incoming letters from Henry to his parents Albert J. and Josephine Poor about his education, travels, World War I experiences, and his teaching and painting career. Scattered throughout are letters from his wife Bessie Breuer Poor to his parents, and from Anne and Peter. Correspondence between Albert and Josephine Poor was written in 1911 while she was traveling in Europe with Henry. Also found are letters from other relatives and friends. A few letters are addressed to Lena Wiltz, Henry Varnum Poor's first wife. After the death of Josephine Poor circa 1940, Poor's letters are addressed to his sister Eva and her husband Herbert Stone. Josephine Poor's relatives, the Graham family, are represented by a small number of 19th century letters.
Nineteenth century letters are from Josephine Poor's relatives, the Graham family. Items post-dating Poor's lifetime consist of condolence letters, correspondence regarding Poor's papers and writings, estate matters, loans, and exhibitions.
Professional correspondence is arranged alphabetically and is followed by condolence and estate related letters. Poor family correspondence is arranged chronologically by sender.
Researchers should note that genealogical correspondence and related notes are found with biographical materials (Series 1). Additional correspondence is included among the subject files (Series 4).
This series has been scanned in its entirety.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
H
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
R
S
T
V
W
Y
Z
First Names Only
Outgoing Drafts
Henry Varnum Poor to Marion Dorn
Condolence Letters
Business Correspondence
Business Correspondence
Includes correspondence regarding estate matters, Henry Varnum Poor exhibitions, and loans
Henry Varnum Poor to Family
Henry Varnum Poor to Family
Henry Varnum Poor to Family
Henry Varnum Poor to Family
Henry Varnum Poor to Family
Henry Varnum Poor to Family
Henry Varnum Poor to Family
Henry Varnum Poor to Family
Henry Varnum Poor to Family
Henry Varnum Poor to Family
Henry Varnum Poor to Family
Henry Varnum Poor to Family
Henry Varnum Poor to Family
Henry Varnum Poor to Family
Henry Varnum Poor to Family
Henry Varnum Poor to Family
Henry Varnum Poor to Family
Henry Varnum Poor to Family
Henry Varnum Poor to Family
Henry Varnum Poor to Family
Henry Varnum Poor to Family
Henry Varnum Poor to Family
Henry Varnum Poor to Family
Henry Varnum Poor to Family
Henry Varnum Poor to Family
Poor Relatives and Friends
Poor Relatives and Friends
Poor Relatives and Friends
Poor Relatives and Friends
Poor Relatives and Friends
Poor Relatives and Friends
Poor Relatives and Friends
Poor Relatives and Friends
Graham Family Letters
Includes many photocopies
To Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Poor
To Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Poor
To Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Poor
To Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Poor
To Eva and Herbert Stone
Writings by Henry Varnum Poor include manuscripts of his two published books,
Among the writings by others are poems, notes, and reminiscences, including those by M. R. ("Muktuk") Marston, Waldo Peirce, Bessie Brueuer Poor, Josephine Poor, and unidentified individuals. The unsigned "Outline for a Proposed Artists Corps," circa 1942, is most likely written by Olin Dows or George Biddle.
Materials are arranged by document type.
Additional scattered writings and notes are found in biographical materials (Series 1) and within Poor's sketchbooks (Series 5).
This series has been scanned in its entirety.
"Painting is Being Talked to Death" and item for "Notes on Art Education" (both published in
"The Relation of Art to Life"
Table of Contents and Introduction
"Penn Station"
"San Francisco"
"Seattle"
"The Turner Passage"
"Fort Richardson"
"Days from My Diary at Ladd Field"
"Two Days on the Yukon"
"Nome"
"Golovin"
"Unalakleet"
"Nome Again"
"Bering Strait"
"Teller"
"Cape Prince of Wales"
"Little Diomede"
"Shishmareff"
"Kotzebuu - Seat of Empire"
"Kotzebue"
"Point Hope"
"The Arctic Ocean"
"Wainwright"
"Point Barrow"
"Journey Back"
Outlines
Longhand Draft of Chapters 2-11, and Fragments
Longhand Draft of Chapters 2-11, and Fragments
Typescript Draft of Chapters 1-11, and Fragments
Typescript Draft of Chapters 1-11, and Fragments
Film Script, "Painting in True Fresco"
Fragments
March 9-June 11
May 27-Sept. 20
Photocopy
Lists, Miscellaneous
Notebooks
Notebooks may include notes on pottery, tile procedures, glazes, measurements, and lists of supplies or various projects.
"Drawing Ideas from Slade School and Walter Sickert in London," "The Whistler Palette and Notes Gathered from [Clifford] Addams," "Grafton Galleries Post-Impressionists," and Untitled Miscellaneous Notes
"Painting Points to Remember from Henry Varnum Poor"
Mimeographed sheet
Miscellaneous Notes
Report, "Virgin Island Clays"
Speeches, "Remarks on the Frescoes in Old Main at the Pennsylvania State College" and "Painting, Sculpture, and People"
Marston, M. R. ("Muktuk")
Account of Henry Varnum Poor rescuing an eskimo
Peirce, Waldo
"A Tribute to My Mother-in-Law"
Poor, Bessie Breuer
Poor, Josephine
Poem, photocopy
Unidentified (probably Olin Dows or George Biddle)
"Outline for a Proposed Artists Corps"
"The Dolphin Passed Last Night: A Mural Drama"
Notes on "Rakku" and "Painting w/ Ethyl Sillicate"
Poem, "The New Moon of our Incoherence"
Subject files are found on various topics and appear to have been established by Poor. The largest group is for the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture and includes financial reports, by-laws, correspondence, miscellaneous administrative files, and minutes. Contents of the files are varied and may contain correspondence, printed material, and photographs.
Materials are arranged alphabetically by subject.
This series has been scanned in its entirety.
Advisory Committee on Art, Division of Cultural Cooperation, Department of State
American Designers' Gallery, Inc.
Oversized material housed in OV 23
Automobile
Benton, William
Dickson, Harold (Pennsylvania State College)
Insurance
Marston, M. R. ("Muktuk")
Pennsylvania State College,
Correspondence
Articles, Editorials, Letters to the Editor Published in Other Periodicals
Auctions and Miscellaneous Galleries
Frank K. M. Rehn, Inc.
Sales and Consignments, Market Fair
Budgets and Financial Reports
By-Laws
Correspondence of Anne Poor
Correspondence of Henry Varnum Poor
Grant Proposal, Old Dominion Foundation
Leases
Master Plans
Minutes of Board of Directors
Minutes of Board of Governors
Minutes of Board of Trustees
Minutes of Faculty Meetings
Minutes of Officers' Meetings
Notes and Lists
Poor Scholarship Fund
Printed Material
Reports and Recommendations
Scholarships
Sixteen Year Survey and Evaluation
Taxes
Truro, Massachusetts Property
Utilities
War Posters
Artwork by Henry Varnum Poor consists of loose drawings , sketches, designs, watercolors, and prints, as well as 45 sketchbooks. Many are studies for paintings, murals, and pottery. Included is work done in France, 1918-1919, and produced in Alaska while a war correspondent in 1943. Also found are commissioned illustrations and illustrations drawn for his monograph
Additional drawings and prints are found in architectural projects (Series 6).
The series is arranged as 2 subseries.
This series has been scanned in its entirety.
Some of the unidentified figure studies, portraits, and heads of women are probably Bessie and Anne Poor. Illustrations include those produced for
A fair number of drawings and sketches are on sheets of paper with images on both sides; often, they are very different subjects. Since item level description with cross referencing is not provided, researchers conducting exhaustive studies of specific categories or subjects of Poor's works on paper are advised to examine all.
Loose drawings and sketches are arranged by subject.
Animals
Animals
Oversized material housed in Box 9, Folder 1
Birds and Fish
Oversized material housed in Box 9, Folder 2
Bathroom Fixtures and Tiles
Oversized material housed in Box 9, Folder 3
Ceiling Tiles, Union Dime Savings Bank
Tiles, Phillip Goodwin Pool Shelter
Oversized material housed in Box 9, Folder 4
Covers of Skowhegan School Publications
Exhibition Announcement, Montross Gallery
Fireplaces
Furniture
Miscellaneous
Oversized material housed in Box 9, Folder 3 and OV 19
Figures
Figures
Figures
Figures
Figures
Figures
Oversized material housed in Box 9, Folder 5
Figures, Nude
Figures, Nude
Figures, Nude
Figures, Nude
Oversized material housed in Box 9, Folder 6
Figure Studies (hands and feet)
Oversized material in Box 10, Folders 8-9
Miscellaneous Illustrations of Pottery Construction Techniques (possibly for
Landscapes
Landscapes
Landscapes
Landscapes
Landscapes
Landscapes
Landscapes
Landscapes
Oversized materials housed in Box 9, Folders 7-9 and OV 20
Miscellaneous Subjects
Miscellaneous Subjects
Oversized material housed in Box 9, Folder 10
"Ben Hecht Leda and Swan"
Oversized material housed in OV 21
Unidentified
Plants
Oversized material housed in Box 10, Folder 1
Children
Children
Oversized material housed in Box 10, Folder 2
Men
Men
Men
Oversized material housed in Box 10, Folders 3-4
Women
Women
Women
Women
Oversized material housed in Box 10, Folder 5
Portraits (identified)
Includes Bessie Breuer, Charles Duback, Jim Fickes, David Friedenthal, Stuard Frost, Ben Hecht, Helen Hayes, DeWitt Peters, Rollo Peters, Alfred Poor, Herbert Poor, Peter Poor, Ed Rowan, Concetta Scaravaglione, and John and Gwen Steinbeck Family. Oversized material housed in Box 10, Folder 6.
Portraits (self-portraits)
Oversized material housed in Box 10, Folder 7
Plates
Vessels and Birdhouses
Still Life
Oversized material housed in Box 10, Folder 10
Prints
Oversized material housed in Box 10, Folder 11 and OV 22
Sketchbooks 1 and 2
France
Sketchbooks 3 and 4
Early pottery drawings and notes
Sketchbook 5
Sketch of Wharton Esherick plate
Sketchbook 6
Notes on pottery glazes
Sketchbook 7
"Pottery/Sketches/Peter in Hat"
Sketchbook 8
Sketchbooks 9 and 10
Sketchbook 11
Pottery sketches and notes
Sketchbooks 12 and 13
Southwest Sicily and notes on art seen in Italy
Sketchbook 14
"Pitigliano/Grotto di Castri"
Sketchbook 15
Colorado Springs, and "Gedney and Dominick" (contains a few 19th century drawings)
Sketchbook 16
Interior Department mural and statement regarding art
Sketchbook 17
Penn State mural
Sketchbook 18
Sketchbooks 19 and 20
Alaska
Sketchbook 21
Alaska
Sketchbook 22
Sketchbook 23
Sketchbook 24
Studio sketch class and State College drawings
Sketchbook 25
Sketchbook 26
Journal entry dated Aug. 18, 1962
Sketchbook 27 and 28
Early Truro and Florida
Sketchbooks 29, 30, and 31
Notes, pottery sketches, and lists
Sketchbooks 32 and 33
Pottery sketches, notes, and biographical notes
Sketchbooks 34 and 35
Sketchbooks 36 and 37
Sketchbooks 38 and 39
Sketchbook 40
Sketchbook 41
Sketchbook 42
Sketchbook 43
Sketchbook 44
Sketchbook 45
Watercolors
Oversized material housed in Box 10, Folder 12
The other artists represented in this subseries are Anne Poor and Ernest Watson.
Artwork by Ernest Watson and Anne Poor
Drawings by: Anne Poor of Henry Varnum Poor's Hands for the Lincoln Figure in
Found are drawings and architectural prints documenting houses designed and built by Poor, including his own studio. Other projects include the homes of Jules Billig, Milton Caniff, MacDonald Deming, Burgess Meredith, Bessie B. Poor, Isobel Prado, John Houseman, and Elizabeth S. Sargent. Researchers should note that photographs of architectural projects may be found within the photographs series (Series 9).
This series has been partially scanned. Rolled documents of architectural prints have not been scanned due to the fragile nature of the document.
Milton Canniff and Bessie B. Poor houses, and Unidentified
Oversized material housed in OV 24-26
Family memorabilia consists of the autograph book belonging to Josie Graham Poor, a stored wheat account sheet from the Poor Elevator business, and two motion picture reels. Researchers should note that the script of the film
Materials are arranged by document type.
This series has been partially scanned.
Family Memorabilia
Guest Book Pages (unidentified events)
Family history includes the
Also included are a copy of Jack London's
Materials are arranged by document type.
This series has been partially scanned. In some cases, exhibition catalogs and other publications have had their covers, title pages, and relevant pages scanned.
About and/or Mentioning Henry Varnum Poor
About and/or Mentioning Henry Varnum Poor
About and/or Mentioning Henry Varnum Poor
About and/or Mentioning Henry Varnum Poor
About and/or Mentioning Henry Varnum Poor
About and/or Mentioning Henry Varnum Poor
About and/or Mentioning Henry Varnum Poor
Henry Varnum Poor's House (includes "My Kitchen" by Bessie Breuer)
Henry Varnum Poor's House (includes "My Kitchen" by Bessie Breuer)
Art Topics
Miscellaneous Subjects (not art-related)
Book,
Barber, Edwin Atlee.
Binns, Charles F.
Cox, George F.
Searle, Alfred B.
Catalogs of Kilns
Henry Varnum Poor Solo and Group Shows
Henry Varnum Poor Solo and Group Shows
Henry Varnum Poor Solo and Group Shows
Henry Varnum Poor Solo and Group Shows
Henry Varnum Poor Solo and Group Showsv
Other Artists
Other Artists
Family History
Anson Quadrangle, Somerset County, Maine
Oversized material housed in Box 11, Folder 2
Clarkstown, N.Y., showing Poor property
Oversized material housed in OV 27
Book Announcement, Brochures, Menu
Mentioning and/or Belonging to Mrs. A. J. Poor
Portfolio,
Oversized material housed in Box 11, Folder 3
Posters illustrated by V. Prouvé
Oversized material housed in OV 29
American Artists Group Greeting Cards and Other Reproductions
Oversized material housed in Box 11, Folders 4-6
Illustrations,
Oversized material housed in OV 28
Oversized material housed in OV 28
Oversized material housed in Box 11, Folder 4
Oversized material housed in Box 11, Folder 5
Reproductions of Illustrations by Henry Varnum Poor (
Oversized material housed in Box 11, Folder 6
Theater Program from Pennsylvania State College production of
Travel Souvenirs
Photographs record exterior and interior views of Henry Varnum Poor's architectural work, artwork by Poor and others, people, places, and miscellaneous subjects. This series also contains negatives, slides, and color transparencies.
The series is arranged as 6 subseries.
This series has been partially scanned. Negatives, slides, and transparencies have not been scanned.
Among the photographs of architectural work are views of Poor at the building sites of the Jules Billig and Milton Caniff houses. Many views of Poor's own home, Crow House, show the original portion under construction as well as a later addition; also included are views of the grounds and outbuildings such as Poor's new studio, workroom, and garage.
Arranged alphabetically by family name.
Among the photographs of people (Series 8.3) are views of Poor with others at Crow House that show exterior and interior details.
Maxwell Anderson House
Oversized material housed in Box 12, Folder 1
Jules Billig House
Oversized material housed in Box 12, Folder 2
Milton Caniff House
Oversized material housed in Box 12, Folder 3
MacDonald Deming House
Oversized material housed in Box 12, Folder 4
Ben Hecht Poker Room
John Houseman House
Oversized material housed in Box 12, Folder 5
Burgess Meredith House and Bathing Pavilion
Construction
Construction
Oversized material housed in Box 12, Folder 7
Exterior, Some by Marjorie Content Toomer
Exterior, Some by Marjorie Content Toomer
Oversized material housed in Box 12, Folder 8
Exterior of House and Interior of Studio and Pottery, Ed McCarthy, photographer
Interior
Interior
All 1973 photographs by Ed Hausner of living and dining rooms include Anne Poor. Oversized material housed in Box 12, Folder 9
Garden
Garage
Pottery Interior
Studio [new], Exterior
Studio [new], Interior
Studio [old], Interior
Work Room, Marjorie Content Toomer, photographer
Various Projects, Multiple Location
Photographs of Poor's artwork include drawings and sketches, murals, paintings, pottery and ceramics. Also among the photographs of works of art are pieces by Willard W. Cummings, Wharton Esherick, unidentified artists, and pottery from the collections of the American Museum of Natural History and the Metropolitan Museum of Art (possibly research material for
Among the photographs of architectural work are views of Poor at the building sites of the Jules Billig and Milton Caniff houses. Many views of Crow House show the original portion under construction, as well as a later addition; also included are views of the grounds and outbuildings such as Poor's new studio, workroom, and garage. Some Crow House photographs are by Marjorie Content Toomer.
Images of Poor's artwork are arranged by medium and subject.
Figures
Landscapes
Mural Studies for Pennsylvania State College
Portraits
Department of the Interior
Department of Justice
Louisville
Oversized material housed in Box 13, Folder 3
Pennsylvania State College,
Fresno Post Office and Court House
Klingenstein Pavilion, Mount Sinai Hospital, New York City
Unidentified
Figures
Figures
Landscapes
Portraits
Portraits
Self-Portraits
Still Life
Figures
Fountain (
Oversized material housed in Box 13, Folder 2
Heads
Miscellaneous Objects
Plates
Plates and Other Objects
Tile Screen for Abraham Lincoln High School Auditorium
Oversized material housed in Box 13, Folder 1
Tiles
Vessels
Cummings, Willard W.
Esherick, Wharton
Pottery from the collections of American Museum of Natural History and Metropolitan Museum of Art (for
Unidentified
Pictures of people include portraits and informal views of Henry Varnum Poor, Poor at work, and making a life mask. Among the views of Poor are several by photographer Marjorie Content Toomer, including one of the artist's hands holding brushes and a palette. Other photogaphs are of Poor with friends, clients, juries, students, various groups, and family members. Photographs of individuals include friends, immediate family, and various relatives.
Henry Varnum Poor
Henry Varnum Poor
Henry Varnum Poor in World War II
Henry Varnum Poor
Henry Varnum Poor
Oversized material housed in Box 13, Folder 4
Henry Varnum Poor (Marjorie Content Toomer, photographer)
In the Pottery
Making a Life Mask
Painting
Painting Murals, Department of the Interior (with Anne Poor)
Painting Murals, Pennsylvania State College
Oversized material housed in Box 13, Folder 5
Alaska (with M. R. ("Muktuk") Marston and Alaskans; aboard the
California
Clients (representative of Rockefeller Center, Mr. Billig, unidentified woman)
Friends (including Milton Caniff, Marcel Duchamp, Wharton Esherick, Burgess Meredith, and unidentified)
Oversized material housed in Box 13, Folder 6
Groups (high school class, Académie Julian [?], Town and Country dinner)
Juries (Art Institute of Chicago, Carnegie Institute, Syracuse Museum of Fine Arts, and unidentified)
Parties at Crow House
Students (Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center and unidentified)
Students with Poor's Ceramic Tile Mural at Unidentified School
Sister, Mother and Other Relatives
Family Groups (with Bessie Breuer, Marion Dorn, Anne Poor, Josephine Lydia Poor, and Peter Poor)
Breuer, Bessie
Dorn, Marion Victoria
Poor, Anne
Poor, Candide
Poor, Josephine Graham
Poor, Josephine Lydia, 1951
Poor, Peter
Relatives [?], Unidentified
Individuals, Identified
Individuals, Unidentified
Classes and Students
Classes and Students
Faculty and Visitors
There are many photographs of Alaska taken in 1943 when Poor was a war correspondent. Landscapes and aerial views of the territory, boats and boatbuilding, dogs, airplanes, buildings, and other subjects illustrate village life. Some illustrations for
Photographs of places do not include houses designed and built by Henry Varnum Poor.
Aerial Views
Airplanes (Ft. Richardson and/or Ft. Ladd?)
Boats and Boatbuilding
Buildings
Dogs
Landscapes
Oversized material housed in Box 13, Folder 8
Miscellaneous Subjects
People
People
People
Various Subjects
Contact sheets
California
France (landscape, Institut Militaire)
Kansas (Poor and Graham family houses in Chapman and Bonner Springs)
Buildings
Landscape
Oversized material housed in Box 13, Folder 8
Miscellaneous subjects include exhibition installations and photographs of Poor's notes on glazes. The Kentucky farm scenes may have been used as research material for a mural commissioned by the
Carnegie Institute, Frank K. M. Rehn Galleries, and Unidentified Location
National Academy of Design
Kentucky Farm Scenes
Notes on Glazes by Henry Varnum Poor
Nude Models
Negatives, slides, and transparencies are of architectural work and artwork by Poor, people, places and miscellaneous subjects.