Descriptive Summary and Abstract
Cushing Memorial Library
College Station, TX 77843-5000
Wall,
Bernhardt
Inventory of the Bernhardt
Wall Collection:
1922 -1994 [bulk dates = 1922-1937]
7.03 linear
ft.
Artist and historian,
Bernhardt Wall (1872-1956) was a pioneer etcher and producer of fine press
books who treated a vast array of subjects, including Texas and the Southwest.
Historians of fine press printing have compared him to William Blake. This
collection of Wall’s scrapbooks, publications, and correspondence was built by
collector Natalie Williams of Marshall, Texas. The collection was purchased
through Oak Knoll Books of New Castle, Delaware. The collection includes
correspondence between Williams and Wall, as well as photographs, original
drawings, etchings (some showing cancelled plates), newspaper clippings,
postcards, books, and other Walliana. The letters concern Wall's printmaking
and publishing activities and provide a unique glimpse into his personal and
professional concerns. Mentioned significantly in the letters is Wall's friend
and mentor, the master printer and paper historian Dard Hunter. Among the books
is the first of only eight trial copies of The Odyssey of the Etcher of Books,
as well as Following General Sam Houston, The Invitation to Gettysburg, and
Windjammer. This collection is important in part because it documents Wall’s
devotion to his craft. There are two letters (Xerox copies) from US President
Franklin D Roosevelt, one when he was governor of New York and the other as
president.
Kelsey MSS 00158
English.
Biographical Note
Bernhardt Wall was born in Buffalo, New York on
Dec. 30, 1872. He studied at the Buffalo Art Student’s League then moved on to
study in New York under Henry Reuterdahl and also apprenticed under William
Auerbach-Levy. Wall began a career as a lithographic illustrator in 1889
working primarily as a commercial artist in New York and Buffalo. He soon
became known as the
Postcard King and designed over 5,000
comic cards. The year1915 marked a defining point in Wall’s artistic career.
Wall visited Colorado, Nevada and California making etchings of Indians,
cowboys and major cities which were later published in a portfolio entitled,
Under Western Skies. These proved to
be very successful and the artist shortly thereafter moved to California
permanently. Wall continued to produce many fine etchings of the American West
and by 1930 had also become a much respected historian of the region.
Bernhardt Wall was unique in that he not only drew
the etchings for his books, but he also printed and bound them. His books are
in libraries and universities around the world including the British Museum,
Library of Congress, the libraries of Harvard, Yale, Columbia, and Brown
Universities. His works were also in the private collections of J. P. Morgan,
Franklin D. Roosevelt, Henry C. Frick and
Dr. N.C. Mathewson. Wall etched three sitting
presidents of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt, Warren Taft, and Henry
Coolidge. Other prominent individuals etched by Wall include
Sam Houston, Mark Twain, Thomas A. Edison,
Abraham Lincoln, and
Andrew Jackson.
Scope and Content Note
The collection includes correspondence between Williams and Wall, as
well as photographs, original drawings, etchings (some showing cancelled
plates), newspaper clippings, postcards, books, exhibition notices, and other
Walliana. The letters concern Wall's printmaking and publishing activities and
provide a unique glimpse into his personal and professional concerns. The
collection contains numerous self-portrait etchings of Wall and etchings of his
friends, correspondents, and subjects of his writings. Wall’s personal
stationery contains a variety of etchings, drawings, and self-portraits. Much
of this material has been captured in oversized scrapbooks that were
reconditioned, re-boxed, and professionally conserved by Carrabba Conservation,
Inc. Additional information on conservation treatment of the collection can be
found in the Bernhardt Wall control folder .
The collection is arranged in three series, Series I: Oversized
scrapbooks, 1922-1937; Series II: Works by Bernhardt Wall-1922-45; Series III:
Collected Publications and Artwork-1931-1994.
Organization of the Papers
This collection is organized into 3 series:
- Series 1. OVERSIZED SCRAPBOOKS, 1922-1937.
- Series 2. Works by Bernhardt, 1922-1945.
- Series 3. Collected Publications and Artwork, 1931-1994.
Access
No restrictions.
Usage Restrictions
Contact the repository.
Online Catalog Terms
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online
catalog of Cushing Memorial Library. Researchers wishing to find related
materials should search the catalog under these index terms.
Names
Wall, Bernhardt
Williams, Natalie
Hunter, Dard
Roosevelt, Franklin Delano
Markham, Edwin
Wall, Jane
Allen, Hervey
Mathewson, Dr. N. C.
Drake, Marsten E
Drake, James F.
Lincoln, Abraham
Jackson, Andrew
Houston, Sam
Powell, Ernest
Whistler, James McNeill
Subjects
Printmaking--United
States
Book binding—United States
Artists-etchers—United States
Artists-painters—United States
Collectors--etchings—United States
The Light—newspaper--San Antonio, TX
The Houston Chronicle—newspaper—Houston, TX
Waterbury Republican—newspaper—Waterbury, CT
New York Herald—newspaper—New York, NY
Miami Daily News—newspaper—Miami, FL
Dallas Morning News—newspaper—Dallas, TX
Houston Post—newspaper—Houston, TX
Marshall News Messenger—newspaper-Marshall, TX
Places
Texas—United
States
Houston—Texas—United States
San Antonio—Texas—United States
Paris—France
Lime Rock—Connecticut—United States
Marshall—Texas—United States
Provenance
The collection was acquired in honor of the 90th birthday of Dr. Mavis
P. Kelsey, class of 1932, for whom the Mary and Mavis P. Kelsey Reading Room is
named. Dr. Kelsey and his late wife were leading collectors of 19th century
historic prints, the history of illustration, Texas and Southwest History, and
many other subjects. Dr. Kelsey continues to be a major supporter of the
Cushing Library that houses his Kelsey American and Kelsey Illustrators
Collections. He has donated numerous other collections to Cushing and provides
the funding for an endowment in his name. Additional information on the
Bernhardt Wall acquisition is available via the
online press release:
http://lib-oldweb.tamu.edu/cushing/press/2002/bernhardt.html
Processing Information
Processed by Rebecca Hankins in
April 2004-July 2004.
Detailed Description of the Collection:
Series 1. Oversized Scrapbooks,
1922-1937.
1/1
Scrapbook 1-Part 1-1922-1932-titled
Walliana this scrapbook contains two photographs
of Wall; correspondence between Wall and
Edwin Markham; correspondence with
Natalie Williams plus a book he dedicated to
her; writings of
Hervey Allen and Wall’s wife Jane; news
photo of Whistler and his mother Ann McNeill Whistler; numerous etchings and
news articles on Wall, and exhibit announcements.
1/1a
Correspondence-Governor
Franklin D. Roosevelt-letter (photocopy of
card board), January 24, 1930 Roosevelt thanking Wall for informing him about
his publication
Pirates. He enjoyed
Windjammers and encloses a
check to purchase
Pirates.
Box 2
Scrapbook 1-Part II-1923-1936-This scrapbook contains
handwritten and typed letters to
Natalie Williams, many that contain
Bernhardt Wall etchings. The scrapbook has a
photocopy of a letter from US President
Franklin D. Roosevelt dated December 30,
1933, thanking Wall for sending a book of his etchings. Wall’s etchings of
Abraham Lincoln are also included. There are
numerous articles on
General Sam Houston and Wall’s etchings,
writings, and lectures on him. The scrapbook also contains other letters,
numerous etchings by other artists, photographs of Jane and Bernhardt Wall,
newspaper articles about Wall and his work.
Box 3
Scrapbook II-Part I-1922-1937-This scrapbook contains
numerous etchings of architecture and self portraits, correspondence to
Dr. N. C. Matheson, a noted collector of
etchings and Mayor of Marshall, Texas, while Wall was in Paris, France,
correspondence with
Natalie Williams,
Marston E. and James F. Drake,
Dard Hunter, photographs of Bernhardt and
Jane Wall at their home in Marshall, Texas,
postcards, news clippings, Christmas card from the Wall’s with his etching,
photograph of Lime Rock, Connecticut building, a speech by Wall titled F. D. R.
in Argentina; etchings from a book titled
Following Franklin D. Roosevelt to
Argentina; and an exhibit booklet of works by Houston artists at the
Museum of Fine Arts of Houston.
The scrapbook also contains an article from 1936 about
an 11 year old boy named E. L. Lyons, Jr. attacking a burglar and saving his
father’s insurance and investment papers.
Box 4
Scrapbook II-Part II-1937-This scrapbook contains
correspondence to
Natalie Williams; etchings of his wife, Jane
Wall; etchings of Andrew Jackson; photographs of the Bernhardt and
Jane Wall with Mr. and Mrs.
Ernest Powell, poet and writer; drawings by
Wall during his visit to Marshall; a bibliography of Wall’s etched books;
numerous examples of Wall’s postcards from around the country, some humorous
and others with holiday themes.
Of particular interest are numerous etchings and writing
by Wall from his book on
James McNeill Whistler, etcher and painter,
with a chronology of Whistler’s life included.
Series 2. Works by Bernhardt Wall,
1922-1945.
Box 5
Books by
Bernhardt Wall or that include Wall’s
etchings:
Following General Sam Houston.
Austin, Texas: The Steck Company, 1935. Etchings and signed by
Bernhardt Wall
The Invitation to Gettysburg.
Copy No. 41 of 100 copies. Writings and etchings by
Bernhardt Wall
The Odyssey of the Etcher of
Books. This copy includes an index and description of 117 plates in the
book by
Bernhardt Wall, written July 14,
1945.
Gleason, Dorothy.
Windjammers. New York:
Bernhardt Wall Publisher, 1922. Text etchings done and signed by
Bernhardt Wall, also signed by author
Gleason and picture and decorations etcher J Duncan Gleason. Copy 105 of 325
copies produced. A Xerox copy of a letter from Governor and later President of
the United States
Franklin D. Roosevelt of New York thanking
Wall for informing him about Pirates and praising
Windjammers was enclosed and
mounted on cardboard. (removed to correspondence file)
Series 3. Collected Publications and Artwork,
1931-1994.
Box 5
Weber, Francis J.
Following Bernhardt Wall.
Austin, Texas: The Book Club of Texas, 1994. Only 145 copies produced.
Barton, William.
Abraham Lincoln’s America. Lime
Rock, Connecticut, 1931. Etchings by
Bernhardt Wall. The book includes a letter
from Barton written Jan 8 that is glued in the book. The book also includes
correspondence from Barton to Wall that Wall etched into the book. Copy 12 of
100 copies produced.
Original etching by Margaret Wright Meisenheimer from
Jefferson, Texas. The etching is titled
East Texas and signed with
the author’s initials only.