John McAllister Crawford Papers, 1964-1976

 

RLIN ID No.

NYGG01-A31

 

Creator

Crawford, John,  1913-       

 

Title

Papers, 1964-1976.

 

Physical Description 

1 box (.5 linear ft.)  

8 photographs

                                     

Historical/Biographical Note

Born in Parkersburg, West Virginia (6 August 1913). Crawford’s father was a partner in a Tulsa, Oklahoma company which manufactured steel tanks, gas heaters, and oil separators. Crawford was educated privately and at the Asheville School in North Carolina. Following his graduation from Brown University in 1937, he traveled around the world for one year. Settling on the East Side of Manhattan, Crawford pursued his collecting and bibliophile interests over the years. He was elected to membership in the Grolier Club in 1947, and Club member Bruce Rogers designed his bookplate. Two foci of Crawford’s collecting interests were William Morris and the Kelmscott Press, and Chinese calligraphy and landscape painting. His donation of the Morris collection to the Pierpont Morgan Library became the occasion for its exhibit “William Morris and the Art of the Book,” mounted in the fall of 1976. His Chinese collection was donated to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

 

Scope and Contents

Incoming correspondence, ca. 1964-1976, regarding collecting and social activities. Includes autograph and typescript letters from Joseph Blumenthal, Donald F. Hyde, David Jackson McWilliams (Director of La Casa del Libro, Puerto Rico), Bruce Rogers, Charles Ryskamp (Director of the Pierpont Morgan Library), Norman Strouse, and Schuyler Watts, a lighting designer.  Bookplate and other designs by Bruce Rogers executed for Crawford. Also biographical information about British bookbinder Katherine T. Adams.                                                                    

 

Names

Adams, Katherine, 1862-1952.

Blumenthal, Joseph, 1897- . Correspondence.

Hyde, Donald Frizell, 1909-1966.

McWilliams, David Jackson. Correspondence.

Rogers, Bruce, 1870-1957. Correspondence.

Ryskamp, Charles. Correspondence.

Strouse, Norman H., d. 1992. Correspondence.

Watts, Schuyler. Correspondence.

Grolier Club.

 

Subjects

Book collectors. United States. Correspondence.

              

Genre  

Bookplates. United States. 20th century.

Photographs.

 

Occupation (as reflected in collection)   

Book collectors. New York (State). New York. 20th century.

 

Location

Grolier Club, 40 East 60th Street, New York, N.Y. 10022-1098.

 

Collection Inventory

 

f.1          Joseph Blumenthal to JMC. ALS undated. 1 p. Discusses nomination of Herbert Johnson to membership in Grolier Club; Johnson was elected in 1970.

 

JB to JMC. ALS undated. 1 p. Discusses proof of a bookplate and place card

Blumenthal is designing for a dinner held 15 April 1970.  Signed “Joe Spiral”

 

f.2          Norman Strouse to JMC. TLS  St. Helena, California. 12 September 1969. 3 p.  Discusses homes

he and his wife are building in California and his plans to create a Robert Louis Stevenson Museum. Strouse was the retired chairman of the J. Walter Thompson advertising agency.

 

               NS to JMC. St. Helena, California. TLS 5 December 1969. 1 p. Acknowledges receipt of four books purchased from JMC. .

 

               Charles Ryskamp to JMC. New York, N.Y. TLS 31 December 1975. Discussion of JMC gift of

William Morris collection to Pierpont Morgan Library. Includes typed list of items with valuations written in right hand margin. 

 

“Talk of the Town” piece in New Yorker, 11 October 1976 about JMC and opening of “William

Morris and the Art of the Book” exhibit at the Pierpont Morgan.

 

David Jackson McWilliams to JMC. Old San Juan, P.R. 11 TLS written between 1964 and 1976.   McWilliams succeeded Elmer Adler as directed of La Casa del Libro in Puerto Rico.

 

               Robert F. Metzdorf to JMC. TLS  North Colebrook, Connecticut.  26 October 1969.  1 p.  Discusses appraisals made for JMC and possible sale of some of Crawford’s books. Folder also includes review of catalog of JMC Chinese calligraphy collection exhibited at the Pierpont Morgan in 1962.

 

f.4          Bruce Rogers. Metal sign painted by BR ca. 1930 in a style imitating stencil lettering to protect his property in Fairfield, CT from trespassers:  Private/No Fishing/B. Rogers. 26 cm. x 25cm.

 

f.5          Bruce Rogers. Copy of his drawing “Head of the cove, Annisquam, Massachusetts,” sent as a Valentine greeting from October House, near Fairfield, CT. n.d. 30x24cm.

              

               ALS from BR to JMC. ALS. 18 or 19 January 1946.  1 p. Thanks JMC for a gift.

 

 Folder includes Bruce Rogers printed ephemera.

 

f.6          Bruce Rogers. Metal die for printing/gold stamping leather labels to read “John McAllister Crawford”.

 

f.7          Bruce Rogers to Philip Duschnes (antiquarian bookseller of New York). . 4 February ?  Regarding JMC book label.

 

f.8          Bruce Rogers. Original drawing for JMC bookplate and proof. N.d.  6 cm. x 5 cm.

 

f.9          JMC bookplate. 6 paper; 4 leather. 6-1/2 cm. x 5-1/2 cm. and smaller.

 

f.10        Miscellaneous information on English bookbinder Katherine T. Adams (Mrs. Edmund Webb).

 

f.11        Schuyler Watts to Donald F. Hyde.  TLS regarding issue of payment for design consultation Watts carried out for Grolier Club, of which both were members, with related correspondence.

 

f.12        Miscellaneous printed ephemera.

 

f.13        Donald A. Frazier, Acting Librarian at Syracuse University, to JMC regarding gifts by JMC to the library. TLS 1 p.  23 July 1964.

 

f.14        Decherd Turner, librarian at Southern Methodist University, to JMC regarding gift of Gutenberg

fragment to Library and other gifts made 1969-1976. 3 TLS; 1 ALS.

 

Photographs documenting event held at Southern Methodist University, Perkins School of Theology Library on 12 November 1971 to mark JMC donation of "Gutenberg Fragment. 8 photographs. 25 cm. x 21 cm. (8x10”). Photographs in brown leatherette loose-leaf embossed “Mr. John Crawford.”