Inventory of the Bernhardt Wall Collection:
1922 -1994 [bulk dates = 1922-1937]
Descriptive Summary and Abstract | ||
| Creator | Wall, Bernhardt | |
| Title | Inventory of the Bernhardt Wall Collection: | |
| Dates | 1922 -1994 [bulk dates = 1922-1937] | |
| Abstract | 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. | |
| Identification | Kelsey MSS 00158 | |
| Extent | 7.03 linear ft. | |
| Language | English. | |
| Repository | Cushing Memorial Library College Station, TX 77843-5000 | |
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. | ||
Restrictions
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 | ||
Administrative Information
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: