W. P. Wilstach Collection Records
Scope and Contents
The records include correspondence of the Committee chairmen, the Custodians, and the conservators, lists, and clippings. This small collection documents the care of the Wilstach collection in Memorial Hall. Much of the correspondence is addressed to Miss E. A. Shunk, who took care of the collection. Hanging arrangements of the artwork are discussed, as well as shipments of paintings to New York City and conservation treatments. Shunk regularly consults with John G. Johnson, and correspondence is included from Eli Kirk Price, Knoedler galleries, Pasquale Farina, and George Widener. One letter from Christian Brinton is included. Some lists and catalogs of the paintings in the collection are included, as well as a number of maps of land that perhaps were purchased at auction by Wilstach.
Dates
- 1886-1922
Creator
- Fairmount Park Commission (Philadelphia, Pa.) (Creator, Organization)
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
The W.P. Wilstach Collection Records are the physical property of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Archives. The Museum holds literary rights only for material created by Museum personnel or given to the Museum with such rights specifically assigned. For all other material, literary rights, including copyright, belong to the authors or their legal heirs and assigns. Researchers are responsible for obtaining permission from rights holders for publication and for other purposes where stated.
Biographical / Historical
The W. P. Wilstach Collection of art was bequeathed to the City of Philadelphia in 1893 following the probate of Anna H. Wilstach's will. Originally administered by the Commissioners of Fairmount Park and a Wilstach Committee, the museum formally acquired custodianship in 1917 when Director Langdon Warner was appointed Curator of the Collection. Currently, the Commissioners continue to administer the collection while custody remains with the Museum.
Extent
2 feet (One document case and one oversize flat Solander box)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
This small collection documents the care of the Wilstach collection in Memorial Hall.
Custodial History
Some materials in this collection were previously housing in the Prints, Drawings, and Photographs department. They have numbers in the range of PDP-961 through PDP-985.
Processing Information
These materials were arranged and described by Merle Chamberlain and Louise F. Rossmassler. Funded by a grant from The Gladys Kriebel Delmas Foundation. Further arrangement and description, including additional materials, was completed by Rose Chiango in October 2019.
Creator
- Fairmount Park Commission (Philadelphia, Pa.) (Creator, Organization)
- Farina, Pasquale, 1864- (Person)
- Johnson, John Graver, 1841-1917 (Person)
- M. Knoedler & Co. (Organization)
- Price, Eli Kirk, 1860-1933 (Person)
- Shunk, E. A. (Person)
- Widener, George D., 1889-1971 (Person)
Source
- Philadelphia Museum of Art (Organization)
- Title
- Guide to the W. P. Wilstach Collection Records
- Author
- Finding aid prepared by Merle Chamberlain and Louise F. Rossmassler, edited by Rose Chiango
- Date
- 2006, 2019
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Sponsor
- Funded by a grant from The Gladys Kriebel Delmas Foundation
Repository Details
Part of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Library and Archives Repository
Philadelphia Museum of Art
PO Box 7646
Philadelphia PA 19101-7646 United States
archives@philamuseum.org