Lucien
Goldschmidt, Inc. Records, 1930-1991
RLIN ID No.
NYGG01-A53
Lucien Goldschmidt, Inc.
Title
Records, 1930-1991 (bulk 1937-1986)
Physical Description
7 linear ft. (11 boxes; 16 bound volumes)
7 photographs
Historical/Biographical
Note
Lucien Goldschmidt was born in Brussels 1912 and studied in
Berlin. From 1930 to 1932 he worked in Berlin for the auction house of Max
Perl. In 1933 Goldschmidt joined the Paris firm of Pierre Berès, and in 1937 he
established the New York shop. While maintaining the shop, he served with the
United States Third Army from 1943 to 1945, rising to the rank of 2nd
Lieutenant. Among his assignments was the interrogation of German prisoners of
war. Goldschmidt worked as the manager of Berès shop until 1954, when he opened
his own shop and gallery. The business was first located at 6 West 56th
Street, later moving to 6 West 56th Street, 33 East 75th
Street, 1116 Madison Avenue, and finally to 1117 Madison Avenue in 1966. Lucien
Goldschmidt, Inc. dealt in European drawings and illustrated books as well as
art books and French language books. The gallery issued 63 scholarly catalogs
in the course of its existence and finally closed its doors on 28 February
1987. Goldschmidt remained active until his death in 1992. His private
collection was sold at auction by Swann Galleries of New York City on 12 May
1994.
Goldschmidt joined the Antiquarian Booksellers Association
of America in 1949, the year of its founding, as manager of Pierre Berès’ New
York shop. From 1954 he was a member as proprietor of Lucien Goldschmidt, Inc.
In addition, Goldschmidt was also a member of the Art Dealers Association of
America and of the Grolier Club (1963-1992).
Marguerite Goldschmidt, a professional librarian with a
diploma from Geneva University (1935), became an Associate of the Library
Association (Great Britain) in 1938. She worked briefly at the Tübingen
University Library (Germany) and then as a cataloger at the Bristol University
Library from 1935 too 1945. She was working as a Librarian for the BBC at Bush
House (1945-1946) when she met and married Lucien Goldschmidt. Goldschmidt came
to New York with her husband in 1946 and worked in his business as a cataloger
and in other capacities.
Lucien Goldschmidt was a member of the Grolier Club from
1963 to 1992. Marguerite Goldschmidt has been a member since 1996.
Scope and Contents
Note
Business and some personal correspondence; ledgers and other
business records. The collection also includes correspondence of Pierre Berès
(1948-1954), including personal letters relating to Berès’ divorce, as well as
bound and unbound catalogs and special lists issued by Berès in Paris and New
York (1933-ca. 1955). The business correspondence of Lucien Goldschmidt
includes letters from, among others: Jean Adhemar, Louis Auchincloss, Gabriel
Austin, Leonard Baskin, Huguette Berès, J. Rives Childs, Caresse Crosby, Marcel Duchamp, Peter Gay, Philip Hofer, Ada
Louise Huxtable, Mary Hyde (later Vicountess Eccles), William A. Jackson, and
Andre James. Also: Abe Lerner, A. Hyatt Mayor, Paul Mellon, Robert Nikirk,
Howard M. Nixon, Charles Ryskamp, Lessing Rosenwald, Leo Steinberg, Francis
Steegmuller, and Donald Wing. A separate correspondence file relates to the purchase
of a collection of works by the French artist Felicien Rops by film director
Michael Wilson. The unbound collection of catalogs issued by Lucien
Goldschmidt, Inc. between 1957 and 1986 includes annotations regarding prices,
purchasers, and dates catalogs were mailed to customers. Also, an extensive
collection of obituary and other articles on rare book and fine arts dealers.
Miscellaneous material includes: appraisals of the collections of Frank
Altschul and Claus von Bulow; documents relating to William Smith (1727-1803),
Provost of the College of Philadelphia; galley proofs for Unpublished Correspondence of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, edited by
Lucien Goldschmidt and Herbert D. Schimmel (London: Phaidon, 1969); and several
lists of materials prepared by Goldschmidt’s wife, Marguerite Goldschmidt.
Restrictions on Use
Personal correspondence of Pierre Berès and Simone Groger
restricted for ten years following death of Pierre Berès.
Goldschmidt, Lucien, and Schimmel, Herbert D., eds. Unpublished Correspondence of Henri de
Toulouse-Lautrec. London: Phaidon, 1969.
Names
Adhemar, Jean. Correspondence.
Altschul, Frank, 1887-1981. Appraisals.
Auchincloss, Louis. Correspondence.
Austin, Gabriel. Correspondence.
Barker, Nicholas. Correspondence.
Baskin, Leonard, 1922- Correspondence.
Berès, Huguette, d. 1999.
Berès, Pierre, b. 1913-
Berès, Pierre, b. 1913- Correspondence.
Childs, J. Rives (James Rives), 1893-1987. Correspondence.
Crosby, Caresse, 1892- Correspondence.
Duchamp, Marcel, 1887-1968. Correspondence.
Gay, Peter, 1923-
Goldschmidt, Lucien. Correspondence.
Goldschmidt, Lucien, ed. Unpublished
Correspondence of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. 1969
Goldschmidt, Marguerite.
Groger, Simone. Correspondence.
Hofer, Philip, 1898- Correspondence.
Huxtable, Ada Louise. Correspondence.
Hyde, Mary. Correspondence.
Jackson, William A. (William Alexander), 1905-1964.
Correspondence.
Jammes, Andre. Correspondence.
Lerner, Abe, 1908- Correspondence.
Mayor, A. Hyatt
(Adolphus Hyatt), 1901-
Correspondence.
Mellon, Paul. Correspondence.
Nikirk, Robert. Correspondence.
Nixon, Howard M. Correspondence.
Rops, Felicien, 1833-1898.
Ryskamp, Charles. Correspondence.
Rosenwald, Lessing, 1891-1979. Correspondence.
Schimmel, Herbert D. 1909- ed. Unpublished correspondence of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. 1969.
Smith, William, 1727-1803.
Steinberg, Leo, 1920- Correspondence.
Steegmuller, Francis. 1906- Correspondence.
Toulouse-Lautrec, Henri, 1864-1901. Correspondence. English
and French. Selections. 1969.
Von Bulow, Claus, 1925-
Appraisals.
Wilson, Michael. Correspondence.
Wing, Donald, 1904- Correspondence.
Subjects
Antiquarian booksellers. New York (State). New York. 20th
century.
Antiquarian booksellers. New York (State). New York.
Catalogs.
Antiquarian booksellers. United States. 20th
century. Obituaries.
Antiquarian booksellers. France. Paris. 20th
century
Antiquarian booksellers. France. 20th century.
Obituaries.
Art dealers. New York (State). New York.
Art dealers. New York (State). New York. Catalogs.
Prints. Dealers. New York (State). New York. 20th
century.
Rare books. Catalogs.
Appraisals. New York (State). New York. 20th
century.
Bookseller catalogues. New York (State). New York. 20th
century.
Bookseller catalogues. France. Paris. 20th
century.
Clippings. 20th
century.
Financial records. New York (State). New York. 20th
century.
Ledgers. New York (State). New York. 20th century
Photographs. 20th century.
Occupation (as
reflected in collection)
Antiquarian booksellers. New York (State). New York. 20th
century.
Antiquarian booksellers. France. Paris. 20th
century.
Antiquarian booksellers. 20th century.
Obituaries.
Grolier Club, 47 East 60th Street, New York, N.Y.
10022-1098.
Lucien
Goldschmidt, Inc.: Inventory of Collection
[Lucien Goldschmidt’s connection with Pierre Berès ended in
1954; a shop bearing the name Pierre Berès is still active in Paris as of
2001.]
Statement signed by Pierre Berès specifying that Lucien
Goldschmidt would represent him in New
York
City and start his business there. 1937 June 17. In French
Testimonial from Max Perl (Berlin auction house), stating
that Lucien Goldschmidt was employed there
from 1930 to 1932 and praising his capabilities, etc.] In French
Business correspondence of Lucien Goldschmidt with Pierre
Berès, 1948-1954 (bulk 1958-1951).
Incoming (originals) and outgoing
(copies). Includes some cablegrams.
1948
1949
1950
1951
[includes a few letters dated 1952-1954]
Personal correspondence regarding divorce of Pierre and
Huguette Berès, 1950-1952. In French.
RESTRICTED FOR 10 YEARS FOLLOWING
DEATH OF PIERRE BERÈS.
Pierre Berès to LG. 1952.
Simone Groger (assistant to LG
Berès) to LG). 1951.
Misc. correspondence. 2 ALS (photocopies)
Librairie Incidences
(Paris shop operated by PB at 24 Rue Lafitte, Paris IX): Catalogs:
Unbound
#2
#3
#5 Autographes
de Peintres. 1933.
#6 Editions
originales. 1933. (2 copies)
#8 Editions
originales…Autographes, etc. n. d.
Pierre Berès, Inc.
(6 West 56th Street, New York City):
Special Lists: Unbound (all undated).
(See also
list following Box 2)
#55 Literary Criticism
#56 Music and Musicians
#57 Philosophy
#59 Autograph Letters and
Manuscripts
#62 Music
#70 Baroque Book Illustration
#72 French Literature: 20th
Century
#73 Bibliographies and
Reference Works
#74 Middle Ages
#75 Gay Nineties
#76 Autographs
#77 Russia
M. Edouard Girard (Paris).
Auction catalogs. Appraised
values by M. Pierre Berès.
1933 March 6
1933 June 22
Raoul Dufy. “The Story of Light and Power.” Lithograph.
1937. Brochure announcing reproduction
of
this 20-foot lithograph published
by Berès. 1953. Includes color reproduction of a portion of the
lithograph which was issued in an
edition of 350 copies.
Shelf.
Pierre Berès (14
Avenue de Friedland, Paris). Bound catalogs. Text in French
#10-15 1935-1937
#16-20 1937-1938
#21-26 1939-1940
#27-34 1941-1943
#35-39 1944-1946
#40 n.
d. (Beaux livres des XVII & XVIII
siecles)
#41-42 n. d. [New York address on
inside of front cover]
#43-46 n. d. [New York address on
inside of front cover]
#47-49 n. d. [New York address on
inside of front cover]
[Bound with this vol.: Nova
Galeria de Arte. Livres rare concernant
l’Amerique du Sud et principlement le Bresil…. (Rio de Janeiro: n.d.)
Pierre Berès, Inc. (8 East 54th Street, New York
City). Bound Special Lists: Mostly
undated
#4-8; 10
(includes annotated copy of catalog #7).
[1941-1942?]
#13-37
#38-57
Pierre Berès, Inc. (New York City). Bound catalogs
#1-4 1938-1940 [Paris address on inside front cover]
#7-8 1943-1944
#9-12 Winter
1945-Christmas 1946
#13-20 Spring 1947-n. d. [1952?]
#2 Books and
Bindings/Autographs and Portraits. 1938
Exposition
Balzac. [1939] (not numbered)
#21 Beaux livres anciens.
N.d.
#22 Livres reliures et
autographes. 1939.
#23 Livres anciens et
modernes. 1939.
#24 Livres anciens et modernes. 1940.
#40 Beaux livres des XVIIeme
et XVIIIeme siecles. N.d.
#44 Livres anciens…du duc de
Chartres. N.d.
#5 Autograph Letters and
Manuscripts, 1576-1940. 1941 (2 copies)
#6 Illustrated Books
1941/1942 (3 copies)
#11 French Books 1946/1947
#12 Christmas 1946
#13 Books on Social Thought.
Spring 1947
#14 French Books… Winter 1947
[Includes list of purchasers and prices]
#15 Surrealist Movement. 1948
[Includes list of purchasers and prices]
#16 The 17th
Century, N.d. (4 copies) [One copy includes list of purchasers and
prices]
#17 Books about the Fine Arts.
N.d.
#19 The
18th Century. N.d.
M. Edouard Girard (Paris)
Auction catalogs;
valuations by M. Pierre Berès. 1933 6 March and 22 June.
Correspondence with customers, collectors and dealers, etc.
1954-1989. Includes incoming and outgoing (copies) correspondence. English and French.
A to F
G to K
L to Z
Correspondence with film director Michael Wilson (James Bond
007 films) regarding his purchase in April
1977 of the Broccoli-Wilson
collection of the drawings and photographs of artist Felicien Rops.
Correspondence with customers, incoming and copies of some
outgoing. 1960-1978.
A to H
J to Ri
Ro to W
Folder
of lists of correspondents prepared by Marguerite Goldschmidt.
Correspondence with customers, collectors and dealers, etc.
1954-1986.
Correspondence with Lucile Johnson Rosenbloom re sale of her
husband’s collection. 1979 February
24-1986 June 10.
Customers’ letters to LG. 1974-1991 [Most are ALS]
A to F
G to M
N to R
S to Z
Customers’ letters to LG: Private File. 1977-1979.
A to K
L to Z
Andre Jammes. Confidential correspondence to LG. 1981-1984.
[In French]
6 ALS
2
Autograph postcards
Customers’ letters regarding closing of gallery and shop.
1987.
Correspondence 1987-1991
A to E
F to H
I to L
M to Z
Correspondence with Philip Hofer. 1966-1983. [PH had retired
as the founder and first Curator of the Department of Prints and Graphic Arts at
the Houghton Library of Harvard University.]
Includes
“Confidential letter” to LG 1981 October
28
Lucien Goldschmidt, Inc.
Catalogs
Master copies with annotations
re purchasers and prices and date catalog was mailed to customers
#26-45 1957-1974
#26 New series #3
French Literature. 1957
#27 New
Series #3 Illustrated Books
from the 16th to the 20th centuries. 1958
#28 New
Series #4 1959
#29 Mannerism:
1530-1640. 1961
#30 Beautiful
Cities of Europe. 1962
#31 16th
Century Etchings, Engravings and Woodcuts. 1963
#32 Architecture.
1964
#33 Illustrated
Books. 1966
#34 Books about
the Fine Arts… 1968
#37 Jacques
Villon. Exhibit November 1970.
#38 Books about
the Fine Arts and Illustrated Books. 1971
#39 Dutch and
Flemish 16th and 17th
Century Engravings and Etchings.
1972
#40 Illustrated
Books from other Renaissance to the Present.
1972.
#41 Books about
the Fine Arts. 1973
#42 French
Literature. 1974
#43 Prints by
European Masters. 1974
#44 Books
about the Fine Arts. 1975
#45 llustrated
Books from 1472 to 1974. 1980
#46 to 62 1977-1986
#46 Prints by
Old and Modern Masters… 1977
#47 Prints by
Old and Modern Masters… 1978
#48 Charles
Maurin (1846-1914): Exhibition 2-29
November 1978
#49 French
Literature…. 1979
#50 Jacques
Villon…Exhibition 31 October-27 November
1979
#51 Prints by
Old and Modern Masters. 1979
#52 The Good
Citizen. 1981
#53 Prints by
Old and Modern Masters. 1982
#54 Illustrated
Books… 1982/1983
#56 Prints by
Old and Modern Masters. 1983
#57 Illustrated
Books. 1984
#58 Prints by Old
and Modern Masters. 1984
#59 Illustrated
Books. 1985
#61 Prints by
Old and Modern Masters. 1986
#62 The
Vaporizer: Watercolors of Charles Maurin. Exhibition April 9-
May 3 1986.
“Last
Catalog: Final Announcement and Offer.” Not numbered.
October 1986.
Box 8
Lucien Goldschmidt, Inc.
Special Lists and Misc. Catalogs
Special
Lists #78-111: Unbound and Undated
#78 New Series no. 1 Italy
#79 New Series no. 2 French Literature
#80 New Series no. 3 Modern
French Illustrated Books….
#81 New Series no. 4 Autograph
letters and Manuscripts….
#82 New Series no. 5 Music
#83 New Series no. 6 Literary Criticism
#85 New Series no. 8 Books…Literature and History
#86 New Series no. 9 French Books [ca. 1956]
#87 New Series no. 10 Bibliographies and Reference Books
#88 New Series no. 11 Literary Criticism
#89 New Series no. 12 Italy
#91 New Series no. 14 French Books
#92 New Series no. 15 Book
Arts
#94 New Series no. 17 French Literature
#96 New Series, no. 19 French Literature
#97 Latin and Neo-Latin Texts
#100 French Literature
#103 French Literature
#104 French Literature
#105 Books on Art
#106 Architecture and Ornaments
[December 1965?]
#109 French Literature
#110 Illustrated Books. 1863-1977
#111 Illustrated Books from the 16th
to the 20th Centuries.
1980
Unnumbered Sale and Exhibition Catalogs
French
Modern Drawings of the 20th Century… Exhibition 1-27 February 1965.
Jacques
Villon Drawings and Watercolors.
Landscape
Drawings. 10 January-7 February 1968. [Prices marked]
Fine
Modern Bindings… Exhibition 15 November-9 December 1972.
Old Master Drawings of the 16th, 17th
and 18th Centuries. Exhibition 14
November-10 December 1973.
Miscellaneous sheets on Jacques Villon catalog, etc.
Special Offer [catalog]: Books about the Fine Arts. n.d.
Appraisal documents re collection of Claus von Bulow. 1981.
[Includes some legal documents relating to
Trial of
von Bulow vs. von Bulow. 1986.]
Appraisal documents re
Estate of Frank Altschul. 1981.
Exhibition announcements. 1948-1982. (26 items)
Philip Hofer Symposium. Corrected typescript of talk by LG
and associated materials. 1988-1989.
Photograph: LG in his shop.
1986. Black and white photograph. 13x18cm. Photographer: Cynthia B.
Matthews, New York. [Used for
article on LG in Manuscript Society News]
Theft reports, etc. 1980-1981.
Grolier Club. The
Truthful Lens: a Survey of the Photographically Illustrated Book, 1844-1914. Lucien
Goldschmidt and Weston J. Naef. New York: Grolier
Club: 1980. Miscellaneous entries from catalog. Photocopies.
Miscellaneous notes for catalogs. N.d.
Jean Hugues (Bookseller of Paris). Collections of Manuscripts
by Arthur Rimbaud, Paul Verlaine and
Rene Char. Sold at auction 1988 20 March.
Catalogs. Also ALS to Marguerite Goldschmidt
dated 1998 31 March.
Box 10
Clipping, etc. Files on
Antiquarian Booksellers and Art Dealers, etc.
Obituary notices, memorial tributes, etc. collected by
Lucien Goldschmidt from the New York
Times, Antiquarian Bookman, and etc. ca. 1952-1991.
A to F
G to L
M to R
S to Z
“Rare Book Chase,” Vogue
[Magazine]. 15 February 1952. LG mentioned on page 95.
List of obituary notices in collection compiled by
Marguerite Goldschmidt.
Photographs: Black and white glossies. 20 x 25 cm. (8x10”) and smaller in photograph
envelope
Mildred
Bliss (Dumbarton Oaks article)
Louis Carre
Peter
Deutsch
Francis
Edwards, Ltd. (London)
Marjorie
Kovler
Museum
of Modern Art (Bernard Karpel with Rene d’Harnoncourt)
Ledgers. November 1978 to December 1986.
Receipts
Disbursements
New York
State. Division of Taxation and Finance. Sales Tax Bureau. Resale Certificates.
1950-1987.
Arranged alphabetically by dealer.
A
to F
G
to R
S
to Z
Reports by Master Sergeant L.G. on his
interrogation of German prisoners of war. 2 folders. Extremely fragile.
Document 1815 December acknowledging that sous-lieutenant
Hachard is leaving the service.
Oxford University. Certificate concerning William Smith of
the College of Philadelphia where he serves as
provost. March 1759 Vellum. In
Latin.
Trinity College, Dublin (Dublin). Certificate concerning
same William Smith who holds the degree of Dr.
of Theology. January 1761. Vellum.
In Latin with several signatures and paper seal.
Document about a marriage. 1817. In French.
Charles Smith of Washington College. Printed text of
commencement speech, cut from Maryland
Journal.
1783.