Descriptive Summary
	Creator:	Johnny Nicholson
	Title:	Cafe´ Nicholson Archive
	Dates:	1948-2005
	Abstract:	This collection of photographs, newspaper and magazine clippings, publications, and Cafe´ Nicholson memorabilia all give a distinct sense of the character and culture of the restaurant and its significance to New York City social, cultural and culinary history.
	Quantity:	1.5 linear feet in 2 boxes
	Call Phrase:	MSS 165

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Historical Note

Cafe´ Nicholson was opened in 1949 by Johnny Nicholson. Born to Albanian immigrants, Nicholson moved from St Louis to New York after he was declared exempt from military service. Nicholson originally had dreams of becoming a fashion designer, but after an unsuccessful stint in the design industry, Nicholson opened a modest cafe on Manhattan's Upper East Side. Nicholson's good friend and extraordinary southern cook, Edna Lewis co-owned the restaurant until the mid 1970s and made Cafe´ Nicholson famous for its fabulous cuisine--especially its chocolate souffle. Cafe´ Nicholson was a pioneering establishment in the restaurant industry because it was invested in food innovation long before food innovation was popular. Over the years Cafe´ Nicholson moved around to several addresses on Manhattan's Upper East Side, although it is most remembered for its location near the Queensborough Bridge. After nearly fifty successful and memorable years, Cafe´ Nicholson closed its doors in 2000.

Known for its lavish greco-roman interior, inspired by Cafe´ Greco in Rome, Cafe´ Nicholson made the ideal background for fashion magazine photo shoots, and various advertisements. Filmmaker Woody Allen used the restaurant for a scene in his 1994 movie, Bullets Over Broadway. Soon after its opening in 1949, the combination of its decor, consistently good food, and lively personal staff, established Cafe´ Nicholson as one of New York's fashionable hotspots. In addition to members of high society, Cafe´ Nicholson attracted artistic and literary figures such as Tennessee Williams, Gore Vidal, Jean Renoir and many more. Photographer Karl Bissinger documented this scene and many of his original photographs are included in the collection. Cafe´ Nicholson's client list included a range of celebrities, movie stars, politicians, old New York aristocrats and young "up and comings". In the center of this glamorous, theater-like setting was Johnny Nicholson energically running the show with his parrot Lolita perched on his shoulder. Tiffany and Co.'s design director John Loring commented, "High society loves to meet high bohemia, and at Johnny's that made for a certain cafe society." Cafe´ Nicholson holds a unique place in New York City social memory.

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Scope and Content Note

The collection, consisting of photographs, newspaper and magazine clippings, publications, and Cafe´ Nicholson memorabilia, gives a distinct sense of the character and culture of the restaurant and its significance to post WWII New York City social, cultural, and culinary history.

The collection is organized into four series. Series I is composed of materials from 5 scrapbooks compiled by Johnny Nicholson. Arranged in rough chronological order, the scrapbooks document the restaurant from the early 1950s through to the restaurant closing in 2000. Series I contains clippings from newspapers and magazines as well as visual materials including small paintings and Karl Bissinger photographs of restaurant patrons including Paul Bowles, Hoagy Carmichael, Jenny Tourel, Jean Renoir and others. Series II consists of correspondence to Johnny Nicholson from various restaurant patrons. Series III contains printed materials and is organized into two subseries, one for articles, mentions, and reviews of the restaurant; the second for books with mentions of the restaurant. Series IV consists of Cafe´ Nicholson objects and memorabilia.

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Arrangement
	Series I is arranged chronologically, and Series II, III, and IV are arranged alphabetically.

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Related Material at Fales Library and Special Collections

The Cecily Brownstone Papers

The Les Dames d'Escoffier New York Archive

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Separated Material

There is no information about materials that are associated by provenance to the described materials that have been physically separated or removed.

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

Open to researchers without restrictions. Appointments are necessary to consult archive and manuscript materials.

Use Restrictions

Collection use is subject to all copyright laws. Permission to publish materials must be obtained in writing from the Director of Fales Library and Special Collections. For more information, contact
Fales Library and Special Collections
Elmer Holmes Bobst Library
70 Washington Square South
New York, NY 10012

Phone: (212) 998-2596
Fax: (212) 995-3835
Email: fales.library@nyu.edu

URL: http://www.nyu.edu/library/bobst/research/fales/cdfa.htm

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Access Points
	Subject Names:
		Bissinger, Karl
		Lewis, Edna
		Nicholson, Johnny
	Subject Organizations:
		Cafe´ Nicholson
	Subject Topics:
		Cookery, American--History--20th century
		Culinary Industry
		Dinners and Dining--New York
		Dinners and Dining--United States--History
		Gastronomy
		Restaurants -- New York (N.Y.)
		Women cooks--United States
		Women cooks--United States--History--20th century
	Subject Places:
		New York, New York
	Document Types:
		Black-and-white photographs
		Clippings
		Correspondence
		Printed materials

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Administrative Information

Provenance

Collection donated by Johnny Nicolson in 2005

Preferred Citation

Published citations should take the following form:

Cafe´ Nicholson Archive, MSS 165, box number, folder number, Fales Library and Special Collections, New York University.

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Container List

[The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.]

Series I: Scrapbooks
Scope and Content: Various printed materials, photographs, and visual materials relating to Cafe´ Nicholson. The scrapbooks were compiled by Johnny Nicholson.
Subseries A: Scrapbook I
Scope and Content: This subseries consists of materials from Scrapbook I, dating from June 1948-July 1952 when Cafe´ Nicholson was located at 212 East 58th Street, New York, NY.
Box	Folder	Title	Date
1	1	Typescript, "Mr. Nicholson's Magical, Moveable Feast." By Michael Batterbury	undated
1	2	Two photocopies of black and photographs	undated
1	3	One 8"x10" black and white photograph by Gerri Mindell	1949
1	4	Two 8"x10" black and white photographs by Gerri Mindell	1949
1	5	One 9"x11.5" watercolor by Richard De Menocal	undated
1	6	One 10"x7", one 8"x11" and three 4"x5" black and white photographs of Jenny Tourel by Karl Bissinger	ca. 1950
1	8	Printed materials of fashion photographs from unknown magazines	1950
1	9	Photocopy of 8"x10" black and white photograph taken by Karl Bissenger of Tranquil LeClercq, Donald Windham, Buffie Johnson, Tenessee Williams, Gore Vidal and Ellen Lewis.	undated
1	10	One 8"x11" black and white photograph of Charles Russell Bennett by Karl Bissinger	undated
1	11	One 9"x 11.5" black and white photograph of Hoagy Carmichael by Karl Bissinger	ca. 1950
1	12	One 7.5"x 8.5" black and white photograph of Gower and Marge Champion by Karl Bissinger	ca. 1950
1	13	Magazine clipping of Karl Bissinger photograph of Jean Renoir	ca. 1950
1	14	Mixed media painting by Tom Prentiss	undated
1	15	NY Herald Tribune clipping, "New Discovery in Restaurants", by Clementine Paddleford	1951
Subseries B:Scrapbook II
Scope and Content: This subseries consists of materials from Scrapbook II, dating from 1952-1954, when Cafe´ Nicholson was at 323 East 58th Street and Cafe´ New Johnny was at 146 East 57th Street
Box	Folder	Title	Date
1	16	Clipping from Town and Country, "New Years' Newest"	1953
1	17	Clippings from unknown publications including review by Herb Caan	1952
1	18	Clipping from unknown publication, "New Johnny's Cafe´ a Decorator's Dream," by Clementine Paddleford	1955
Subseries C: Scrapbook III
Scope and Content: This subseries consists of materials from Scrapbook III, dating from 1954-1967, when Cafe´ Nicholson was at 147 East 57th Street
Box	Folder	Title	Date
1	20	Cover of The Continental Magazine	1962
1	21	Full page layout in unknown publication	undated
1	22	One 9"x11.5" black and white photograph of restaurant facade	undated
1	24	New York Times clipping, "Restaurant on Review", by Craig Clairborne	ca. 1964
1	26	Clippings from unknown publications	undated
1	27	Town and Country and DeCor Furs advertisement	1959
1	28	Clippings from unknown publications including Saks Fifth Ave advertisement	undated
1	29	One 8"x10" black and white photograph of Paul Bowles by Karl Bissinger for Millicent Dillon's "A Little Original Sin"	undated
1	30	Advertisement from unknown publication	undated
1	33	Two 8"x10" black and white photographs, photographer unknown.	undated
1	34	Old Charter Bourbon advertisement	undated
1	38	Two "with compliments" cards, and one copy of photograph from unknown publication	undated
Subseries D: Scrapbook IV
Scope and Content: This subseries consists of materials from Scrapbook IV, dating from 1967-1999, when Cafe´ Nicholson was at 320 East 57th Street
Box	Folder	Title	Date
1	40	Fourteen page feature article in Mademoiselle magazine, photographs by David McCabe	1970
1	42	One 4"x6" color photograph, printed invitation, and 4"x6' mounted print of a pastel drawing by Jared Barn	ca. 1988
1	43	Three 4"x6" color photographs, and two 3.5"x4.5" color photographs	1981, undated
1	46	Photocopy from New York Cookbook, by Molly O'Neil	undated
1	47	Misc. printed materials and copy of color photograph from closing night at Cafe´ Nicholson	1967, 1995 and undated
Subseries E: Scrapbook V
Scope and Content: This subseries consists of materials from Scrapbook V, dating from 1967-1999, when Cafe´ Nicholson was at 323 East 58th Street
Box	Folder	Title	Date
1	48	Four 8"x10" color photographs of the restaurant interior	undated
1	49	Two 8"x10" color stills taken from the Woody Allen film "Bullets Over Broadway"	undated
1	52	Two 8"x10" black and white photographs of the restaurant interior	undated
1	53	Clipping from On the Town in New York City by Michael and Araine Batterberry	1973
1	54	Misc. printed materials from Forbes Magazine	1994
1	58	Printed materials, unknown publication, photograph of Edna Lewis	undated
1	60	Printed materials, unknown publication, Benson and Hedges 100s advertisement	undated
1	63	Seven 8"x10" black and white photographs by Bill Cummingham	1985
1	66	Misc. enclosures and color copy of "staff" photograph	1952-71
1	67	Misc. enclosures, Forbes correspondence	1994, 1997
1	68	Misc. enclosures from the end of scrapbook

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Series II: Correspondence
Scope and Content: Correspondence to Johnny Nicholson. The bulk of the materials date from the 1980s-1990s; some items are undated.
Box	Folder	Title	Date
1	69	Correspondence A-D	various
1	70	Correspondence E-H	various
1	71	Correspondence I-L	various
1	72	Correspondence M-P	various
1	73	Correspondence Q-T	various
1	74	Correspondence U-Z	various
1	75	Correspondence, misc envelopes	various

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Series III: Printed Materials
Scope and Content: Articles, reviews, mentions and books
Subseries A: Articles, Reviews, Mentions
Box	Folder	Title	Date
2	76	Article from Architectural Digest, "Brendan Gill: Cafe´ Nicholson"	1992
2	77	Article from Diversion, "Cafe´ Nicholson" by Geri Trotta	1994
2	78	Article from Esquire magazine, "A Cafe´ That's Never Open" by Suzanne O'Malley	1978
2	79	Mention in Gourmet magazine, "Specialities de la Maison" by Donald Aspinwall Allan	1968
2	80	Advertisement from The New Yorker	1961
2	81	Mention from The New Yorker, "Talk of the Town"	1975
2	82	Mention from New York Magazine, "The Place to Be" by John Homans and Marc Jacobson	2003
2	83	New Yorkskiye Sezony	1997
2	84	Advertisement in The Playbill	1960
2	85	Advertisement in The Playbill	1977
2	86	Advertisement in The Playbill	1978
2	87	Advertisement in The Playbill	1988
2	88	Prestige Art	1995
2	89	Mention in New York Magazine, "Blow-Out: The Decline and Fall of the Fashion Photographer" by Owen Edwards	1973
2	90	article in Vanity Fair, "High Bohemia" by Gore Vidal	2003
2	90A	Article in Vanity Fair, "A Nightspot to Remember" by Mary Cantwell	1999
Subseries B: Books
Box	Folder	Title	Date
2	91	ABC-The Museum of Modern Art New York, by Florence Casen Mayers	1986
2	92	The New York Times Guide to Dining Out in New York	1972
2	93	The New York Times Guide to Dining Out in New York, by Brian Miller	1976
2	94	The New York Times Guide to Restaurants in New York City	1991-1992
2	95	On the Town in New York From 1776 to the Present, by Michael and Ariane Batterberry
2	96	Richtig Reisen New York	1978
2	97	The Tiffany Gourmet Cookbook by John Loring	1992
2	98	Zagat Survey 1999 New York City Restaurants	1999

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Series IV: Objects and Memorabilia
Scope and Content: Restaurant related objects and memorabilia.
Box	Folder	Title	Date
2	99	Staff ledgerbook	1962-65
2	100	Matchbooks	undated

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Oversize Series I: Scrapbooks
Scope and Content: Oversize materials from scrapbooks in Series I.
Oversize - Subseries A: Scrapbook I
Box	Folder	Title	Date
3	7	Color copy of a photograph of unknown painting	undated
Oversize - Subseries C: Scrapbook III
Box	Folder	Title	Date
3	19	Color copy of a photograph	undated
3	23	Fashion of the Times, Crompton Velvet advertisement	1966
3	25	Clipping from unknown magazine	undated
3	31	New York Times Magazine, "Swinging Victorians"	1966
3	32	Clipping from unknown publication, "Tabled Tables"	undated
3	35	New York Journal-American, "Shirt Waist Revival"	1959
3	36	Today's Living, "Neon Lights"	1959
3	37	clipping from unknown publication, "Life of the Party"	1960
Oversize - Subseries D: Scrapbook IV
Box	Folder	Title	Date
3	39	The Washington Post, "Auditioning New Roles"	1970
3	41	The New York Times, "Ambassador" advertisement	1973
3	44	New York Post, "New York's Romantic Restaurants"	1973
3	45	W Magazine, "In and Out"	1987
Oversize - Subseries E: Scrapbook V
Box	Folder	Title	Date
3	50	New York Times Magazine, "Remembrance of A Souffle Past"	1979
3	51	Various clippings, The Wall Street Journal and the New York Times	1990-91
3	55	Clipping from unknown publication, "Center Pieces to Taste With the Eye"	undated
3	56	page from the New York Times Magazine	undated
3	57	New York Times Magazine, Geoffrey Bean advertisement	1977
3	59	Hanes advertisement	undated
3	61	Vogue, Trevira advertisement	undated
3	64	W Magazine, "Louise Eats Out"	1987
3	65	New York Times, "The Evening Hours"	1985

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