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Richard Kressler and Laylen Sweet collection of American art posters

Call Number

PR 334

Date

1891-1899, 1919, inclusive

Creator

Sweet, Laylen H. (Role: Collector)
Kressler, Richard N. (Role: Collector)

Extent

3 Linear feet in one oversize folder

Language of Materials

English .

Abstract

The collection includes 23 art posters, dating principally from 1891-1899, representing covers of publications including Harper's, Lippincott's, Scribner's, and The Century magazine.

Biographical/Historical Note

Richard N. Kressler (1930-2016) was, for most of his career, an advertising manager for New York's Magee Carpet Company and, later, marketing manager for Revlon, Inc. In the 1970s, Kressler, along with his brother Dan and friend Laylen H. (Lee) Sweet (1926-2012), bought a classic Brooklyn brownstone, at 233 Baltic Street, which led to his long involvement with the Heights and Hill Community Council and the Brooklyn Historical Society. Kressler and Sweet collected art and antiques, with works on paper of particular interest to the two, especially given Sweet's professional background as a graphic designer. The works donated to N-YHS were part of a collection that had been displayed in the dining room of their Cobble Hill home.

(Source: From Richard Kressler's obituary in the on-line Brooklyn Daily and information provided by the donor.)

Arrangement Note

The container list below is arranged first by title and then chronologically. The posters themselves are all encapsulated, with most enclosures holding more than one poster, though not in the order of the container list.

Scope and Contents

The collection includes 23 art posters. All but one are of covers of publications from 1891-1899, including Harper's, Lippincott's, Scribner's, and The Century magazine. The lone exception is a reproduction of an 1848 lithograph of Broadway, published by Valentine's Manual in 1919. Most of the posters are signed by the artist, especially Edward Penfield for Harper's. The container list includes a detailed inventory.

Access Restrictions

Open to qualified researchers by appointment only.

Use Restrictions

Permission to reproduce any Print Room holdings through publication must be obtained from: Rights and Reproductions, The New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West, New York, NY 10024. Phone: (212) 873-3400 ext. 270. Fax: (212) 579-8794.

Preferred Citation Note

The collection should be cited as: Richard Kressler and Laylen Sweet collection of American art posters, PR 334, Department of Prints, Photographs, and Architectural Collections, The New-York Historical Society.

Credit line: Gift of Susan Phillips and Thomas Kenny in Memory of Richard Kressler and Laylen Sweet.

Immediate Source of Acquisition Note

Gift of Susan Phillips and Thomas Kenny in memory of Richard Kressler and Laylen Sweet, July 2017.

Related Archival Materials Note

New-York Historical Society also holds an extensive collection of art posters compiled over time; see the Art Poster File (PR 55-1).

Collection processed by

Larry Weimer

About this Guide

This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2023-08-21 15:51:28 -0400.
Using Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language: Description is written in: English, Latin script.

Processing Information Note

Conservation work (unframing and encapsulation) performed by conservator Alan Balicki in August, 2017. Processing done by archivist Larry Weimer in August 2017.

Repository

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