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Helen Burr Smith papers

Call Number

MS 0573

Date

1918-1980, inclusive

Creator

Smith, Helen Burr

Extent

27 Linear feet in 76 boxes

Language of Materials

The documents in the collection are in English.

Abstract

This collection consists of the research notes, correspondence, and personal papers of Helen Burr Smith (1892-1980), an authority on Colonial American silversmiths and portrait painters.

Biographical / Historical

Helen Burr Smith (1892-1980) was an authority on early American silver and portrait painters. She was a direct descendant of Michael Hillegas, the first Treasurer of the United States, and a collateral descendant of Aaron Burr, and her family history and genealogy was also a focus of her research. Smith was a frequent contributor to the New-York Historical Society Quarterly, the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society Record, American Collector, Antiques Magazine, and the New York Sun newspaper.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged into 6 series by subject:

Series I: Research

Series II: General Correspondence

Series III: Catalogs

Series IV: Documents Related to Colonial Silver

Series V: Personal Papers

Serries VI: Published Volumes

Scope and Contents

This collection contains the research notes, correspondence, and personal papers of Helen Burr Smith, an authority on Colonial American silversmiths and portrait painters.

The collection includes both typed and handwritten notes and drafts, as well as correspondence related to researching, writing and publishing articles on topics of her expertise. Smith was a frequent contributor to the New-York Historical Society Quarterly, the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society Record, American Collector, Antiques Magazine, and the New York Sun newspaper.

Also included are 73 photostats and 1 original document related to colonial American silver and silversmiths. These documents include bills, receipts, and legal writs related to the affairs of the silversmiths themselves, as well as inventories of estates of people who owned objects made of silver.

Smith's personal papers include personal correspondence, family scrapbooks and photo albums, and genealogical research. Correspondence between Smith and her lawyers covers topics such as her rent-controlled apartment in Manhattan, medical bills, and income tax. There are also a few copies of a memoir Smith wrote in 1978, which consists of a series of vignettes about various unrelated incidents in her life. There are also books and journals from Smith's personal library, the most significant of which are her books on silver and silversmiths.

Access Restrictions

Open to qualified researchers.

Use Restrictions

Taking images of documents from the library collections for reference purposes by using hand-held cameras and in accordance with the library's photography guidelines is encouraged. As an alternative, patrons may request up to 20 images per day from staff. Application to use images from this collection for publication should be made in writing to: Department of Rights and Reproductions, The New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West, New York, NY 10024-5194, rightsandrepro@nyhistory.org. Phone: (212) 873-3400 ext. 282.

Copyrights and other proprietary rights may subsist in individuals and entities other than the New-York Historical Society, in which case the patron is responsible for securing permission from those parties. For fuller information about rights and reproductions from N-YHS visit: https://www.nyhistory.org/about/rights-reproductions

Preferred Citation

The collection should be cited as: Helen Burr Smith Papers, MS 0573, New-York Historical Society.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of Helen Burr Smith, 1975 and 1980.

Related Materials

The library holds Smith's two volume Early American Silversmithing. The volumes contain a series of articles written by Smith based on her original research on colonial silversmiths. The articles were published in the New York Sun and Antiques Magazine between 1938-1945. The volumes were apparently assembled by Smith to give to friends. The articles are mimeographed or otherwise copied from clippings of their newspaper and magazine appearances.

Early American Silversmithing, by Helen Burr Smith

Collection processed by

Marybeth Kavanagh

About this Guide

This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2023-08-21 15:47:04 -0400.
Using Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language: Finding aid written in English

Processing Information

Processed by archivist Marybeth Kavanagh, January 2021.

Repository

New-York Historical Society
New-York Historical Society
170 Central Park West
New York, NY 10024