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Start Over Repository Philadelphia Museum of Art Archives Year 1800 to 1849

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Henry P. McIlhenny Papers, 1817-1824, 1902-1988, undated (bulk 1934-1986) (inclusive)

Extent:
62.5 linear feet
Abstract:
The Henry P. McIlhenny Papers document the privileged and urbane lifestyle of the man whose tastes and talents earned him a reputation as a distinguished connoisseur of art and antiques, world traveler, host extraordinaire, philanthropist and generous friend. Although Henry McIlhenny (1910-1986) is the primary creator, this collection is very much a family affair, encompassing the art collections initiated by his parents, John D. and Frances P. McIlhenny, which passed, along with the family trust fund, on to McIlhenny and his sister Bernice ("Bonnnie") Wintersteen. Much of the material deals with McIlhenny's activities from the mid-1930s to his final years, with particularly extensive documentation of his art collection and of his homes, the latter of which encompasses his penchant for interior design and his passion for horticulture. Also well documented are his many years of service to and support of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Academy of Music, and the Philadelphia...(see more)

Held at: Philadelphia Museum of Art Archives [Contact Us]

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John G. Johnson Papers, 1846-1918, 1927-1955, 1973-1993, undated [bulk: 1880-1918] (inclusive)

Extent:
26.5 linear feet
Abstract:
Born, raised and educated in Philadelphia, John Graver Johnson (1841-1917) became one of the city's preeminent citizens, noted not only for his long and successful practice as a corporate lawyer but also for his extensive collection of European art. The John G. Johnson Papers consist of correspondence, hundreds of photographs and other documents that make evident Johnson's consultation with noted scholars and art dealers and his own methodology in building and refining an art collection. Estate inventories and appraisals and a copy of Johnson's will outline the disposition of those acquisitions and other personal belongings after his death. Also well documented are three of Johnson's European excursions. Oversized photograph albums hold more than twelve hundred images of the sites Johnson took in with his wife Ida. The lives of Johnson and his wife are also chronicled through portraits--Johnson from the ages of six to sixty-six and Ida from little girl to young mother to...(see more)

Held at: Philadelphia Museum of Art Archives [Contact Us]

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John Stephen Benezet Diaries, 1838-1850, 1892, 1949 (inclusive)

Extent:
2 linear feet
Abstract:
The diaries of John Stephen Benezet offer a glimpse of life in antebellum Philadelphia from 1838 to 1850. By the time he begins to keep these journals, Benezet is already a husband and father supporting a family of at least four children as a clerk at the United States Mint in Philadelphia. In addition to his personal activities, such as attending church, assisting at a school and taking tea and dinner with family and friends, Benezet's entries occasionally give a glimpse of contemporary social and political activities. The most recurring subject is the outbreak of cholera.

Held at: Philadelphia Museum of Art Archives [Contact Us]

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Zieget Shaker Collection Papers, 1841-1868, 1919-1968, undated (inclusive)

Extent:
2.5 linear feet
Abstract:
The Zieget Shaker Collection Papers underscore Irene and Julius Zieget's reliance on members of the Shaker community in acquiring hundreds of samples of their art and crafts. Correspondence dating from 1929 to 1968 and a journal illustrated with photographs document the Ziegets' interaction with a number of Shaker sisters and eldresses, particularly Sister Marguerite Frost of Canterbury, NH. The papers also include some of the Ziegets' acquisitions--nineteenth- and early twentieth-century manuscript material. Included here are records of deaths, recipes and other household instructions along with spiritual messages, blessings and hymns all recorded neatly in the distinctive and decorative Shaker hand. A scrapbook Irene Zieget compiled of printed material dating from 1881 to 1960 includes published writings by Shakers as well as numerous newspaper and magazine articles and advertisements that chronicle the public's interest in the Shaker lifestyle and aesthetic.

Held at: Philadelphia Museum of Art Archives [Contact Us]