INVENTORY OF THE DAVID PIPER PAPERS RELATING TO BRITISH
MUSEUMS AND ART INSTITUTIONS, 1916-1990
Finding aid created by Kirstin Hammer.
The Getty Research Institute
Research Library
Special Collections and Visual Resources
1200 Getty Center Drive, Suite 1100
Los Angeles, California 90049-1688
Phone: (310) 440-7390
Fax: (310) 440-7780
Email Requests: http://www.getty.edu/research/conducting_research/library/reference_form.html
URL: http://www.getty.edu/research/conducting_research/library
©1998
J. Paul Getty Trust.
INVENTORY OF THE DAVID PIPER PAPERS RELATING TO BRITISH
MUSEUMS AND ART INSTITUTIONS, 1916-1990
Accession no. 960020
Finding aid prepared by Kirstin Hammer
Getty Research Institute
Contact Information:
- The Getty Research Institute
- Research Library
- Special Collections and Visual Resources
- 1200 Getty Center Drive, Suite 1100
- Los Angeles, California 90049-1688
- Phone: (310) 440-7390
- Fax: (310) 440-7780
- Email Requests: http://www.getty.edu/research/conducting_research/library/reference_form.html
- URL: http://www.getty.edu/research/conducting_research/library/
- Processed by:
- Kirstin Hammer
- Date Completed:
-
January 1997, revised Oct 2005
- Encoded by:
- Philip Curtis
©1998 J. Paul Getty Trust.
Descriptive Summary
Title: David Piper papers relating to British museums
and art institutions
Date (inclusive): 1916-1990
Collection number: 960020
Creator:
Piper, David
Extent:
ca. 3 linear ft.
Repository:
Getty Research Institute
Research Library
Special Collections and Visual Resources
1200 Getty Center Drive, Suite 1100
Los Angeles, CA
90049-1688
Abstract: British museum director, art historian, and novelist (1918-1990). These papers reflect Piper's tenure as director of the National
Portrait Gallery (1964-1967), the Fitzwilliam Museum (1967-1973), and the Ashmolean Museum (1973-1985), as well as his position
on various boards and institutions. The collection consists of letters, notes, essays, reports, clippings, and some single
journal issues and promotional material concerning the arts in Britain.
Language: Collection material in English
Administrative Information
Access
Open for use by qualified researchers.
Publication Rights
Preferred Citation
David Piper Papers Relating to British
Museums and Art Institutions, 1916-1990, Getty Research Institute, Research
Library, Accession no. 960020.
Acquisition Information
Acquired in 1996.
Biographical/Historical Note
British museum director, art historian, and novelist (1918-1990).
Scope and Content of Collection
The David Piper Papers relate to Piper's tenure as director of the
National Portrait Gallery (1964-1967), the Fitzwilliam Museum (1967-1973), and
the Ashmolean Museum (1973-1985), as well as his position on various boards and
institutions, such as the Royal Fine Art Commission and the Leeds Castle
Foundation. The papers consist of letters, notes, essays, reports, clippings,
and some single journal issues and promotional material concerning the arts in
Britain. Incorporated are the miscellaneous papers of Isherwood Kay, Keeper at
the National Gallery from 1933-1938. Dating mostly from 1924-1938, these papers
include correspondence with members of the art world, including Collins Baker,
Kenneth Clark, Charles Holmes, Ellis Waterhouse, Martin Davies, and others, as
well as additional ephemera and a small collection of art postcards. Piper's
literary manuscripts are not included.
Arrangement
Series I.
Correspondence,
ca. 1916-1985
Physical Description:
17 folders
Scope and Content Note
Includes letters to and from art historians and British
institutions concerning works of art, exhibitions, building programs, and
general news. The correspondence is primarily professional although some
letters have a personal tone. Collins Baker, the Burlington Fine Arts Club,
Kenneth Clark, the Fitzwilliam Museum, Charles Holmes, Leeds Castle, and the
Royal Fine Art Commission are among the most frequent correspondents or
subjects of correspondence. The end of the series includes an alphabetical
grouping of miscellaneous correspondence.
Box 1, Folder 1
Baker, Collins,
ca. 1916-1935
Box 1, Folder 2
Baker, Collins,
ca. 1936-1938
Box 1, Folder 3
Burlington Fine Arts Club,
ca.
1925-1928
Box 1, Folder 4
Christ's College, Cambridge,
ca.
1966-1968
Box 1, Folder 5
Clark, Kenneth, ca. 1930-1938
Box 1, Folder 6
Cooper's and Lybrand/National Heritage,
ca.
1985
Box 1, Folder 8
Holmes, Charles,
ca. 1927-1934
Box 1, Folder 10
Royal Fine Art Commission,
ca.
1970-1984
Box 1, Folder 17
Unidentified Correspondence
Series II.
Notes and writings,
ca.
1928-1989
Physical Description:
6 folders
Scope and Content Note
Arranged alphabetically by topic and concerning primarily artists,
such as Diego Velazquez, and art institutions, including the Leeds Castle
Foundation. Primarily drafts of essays and reports, with several biographical
entries in typescript and manuscript form. The end of the series includes
miscellaneous writings arranged by date.
Box 1, Folder 19
Leeds Castle Foundation,
ca. 1989
Box 2, Folder 2
Waterhouse, Ellis,
ca. 1972-1989
Series III.
Ephemera,
ca. 1925-1989
Physical Description:
2 and 1/2 boxes
Scope and Content Note
The largest part of the collection, this series contains ephemera
related to British arts institutions, including the Leeds Castle Foundation,
the Victoria and Albert Museum, and a large section on the Royal Fine Art
Commission, as well as an obituary file.
Box 2, Folder 6
Christ's College, Cambridge,
ca. 1959
Box 2, Folder 7
Cooper's and Lybrand/ National
Heritage
Box 2, Folder 9
Leeds Castle Foundation Publications,
ca.
1976-1983
Box 3, Folder 2
Parnham House,
ca. 1982-1986
Box 3, Folder 3
Royal Fine Art Commission,
1978
Box 3, Folder 4
Royal Fine Art Commission,
1979
Box 3, Folder 5
Royal Fine Art Commission,
1980
Box 3, Folder 6
Royal Fine Art Commission,
1981
Box 3, Folder 7
Royal Fine Art Commission,
1982
Box 3, Folder 8
Royal Fine Art Commission,
1983
Box 3, Folder 9
Royal Fine Art Commission,
1984
Box 3, Folder 10
Royal Fine Art Commission,
1984
Box 3, Folder 11
Royal Fine Art Commission,
1985
Box 3, Folder 12
Royal Fine Art Commission,
n.d.
Box 3, Folder 13
Tradescant Trust,
1984-1985
Box 4, Folder 1
Victoria and Albert,
1987-1989
Box 4, Folder 3
Watts Gallery, ca. 1985-1986
Series IV.
Clippings,
ca. 1926-1990
Physical Description:
10 folders
Scope and Content Note
Miscellaneous clippings arranged by date and concerning
institutions, exhibitions, art trends, collecting, and theft. Also included are
two folders devoted to "Oxbridge" and the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Box 4, Folder 6
Victoria and Albert Museum,
ca.
1987-1989
Box 4, Folder 7
Victoria and Albert Museum,
n.d.
Box 4, Folder 8
Miscellaneous Clippings,
1926-1938
Box 4, Folder 9
Miscellaneous Clippings,
ca. 1966-1979
Box 4, Folder 10
Miscellaneous Clippings,
ca. 1980-1987
Box 4, Folder 11
Miscellaneous Clippings,
ca. 1988
Box 4, Folder 12
Miscellaneous Clippings,
ca. 1989
Box 4, Folder 13
Miscellaneous Clippings,
ca. 1990
Box 4, Folder 14
Miscellaneous Clippings,
n.d.
Series V.
Art postcards,
n.d.
Physical Description:
1 box
Scope and Content Note
Early postcards depicting works of art. In original alphabetical
order arranged by artist, collection, region, or subject, possibly assembled by
Isherwood Kay.
Box 5
Postcards, arranged alphabetically by artist,
institution, region or subject
