%eadnotat; ]> 6S002west Benjamin West Society Records, 1922-1975 Finding Aid Prepared by FHL staff Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College. 2007 Text converted and initial EAD tagging provided by FHL Staff, 2007 ENG FHL staff Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College. 2007 Descriptive Summary Benjamin West Society Records 1922-1975 RG6/S-002 Benjamin West Society Records 4 boxes ; 2 linear feet Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College.

Swarthmore, Pennsylvania 19081-1399 U.S.A.

For current information on the location of materials, please consult the Library's online catalog. Inaugurated October 24, 1931, the Benjamin West Society was dedicated to promoting the arts at Swarthmore College and to promoting the memory of painter Benjamin West (1738-1820) whose traditional birthplace is on the campus of Swarthmore College. The Society organized annual lectures on art and exhibits, and each year sent its members an art print. Its activities were lead by a small group of officers, particularly New York Quaker art dealer, Frederic Newlin Price, a Swarthmore College graduate. The organization was disbanded in 1954. The Benjamin West Memorial Lecture series was continued, supported by the income from a donation made by Price.

Repository:

Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College

500 College Avenue, Swarthmore, PA 19081-1399

Phone: (610) 328-8496 FAX: (610) 690-5728

BIOGRAPHICAL AND HISTORICAL NOTE

Officially inaugurated on Founder's Day, October 24, 1931, the Benjamin West Society was an organization dedicated to promoting the arts at Swarthmore College. The society supported an annual lecture given at Swarthmore College on the arts and worked to acquire artwork for the College. The organization sponsored a variety of exhibits by contemporary artists as well as regular exhibitions on Commencement Day. In 1944 and 1945, the group organized art competitions for Swarthmore College students.

Originally, the Society also was focused on preserving the memory of the famous American artist, Benjamin West (1738-1820) whose traditional birthplace is on the campus of Swarthmore College. The group was successful in helping to renovate the Benjamin West House.

The group's activities were spearheaded by Frederic Newlin Price (1884-1963), a Quaker who graduated from Swarthmore in 1905 and was a successful New York City art dealer. His gallery, Feragil Galleries, featured American artists including Thomas Eakins, Edward Hicks, and the Ashcan School. Price served as the Society's director from its founding to its disbandment. For an annual membership dues of $5.00, members received an art print and were invited to the lectures and exhibits organized by the Society. The Society was a member of the American Federation of the Arts.

The Society's officers worked to acquire artwork, mostly paintings and drawings by Benjamin West. Originally, their intent was to exhibit this art at a museum on campus, possibly located in a renovated Benjamin West house, but eventually determined that the ideal place for exhibiting West's artwork was in various buildings on campus. By 1975, mostly due to the efforts of the Benjamin West Society, Swarthmore had ten paintings by West and two hundred of his drawings.

In a letter dated December 27, 1954, it was announced that Benjamin West Society as a dues-based society was discontinued, but that the Benjamin West Lectures would continue, supported by the income from a donation made by Frederic Newlin Price. Price was reluctant to see the end of the Society. but College administration wanted donations to be given directly to the College rather than diverted to departments or organizations within the structure of the College.

SCOPE AND CONTENT OF THE RECORDS

Includes minutes (1929-1942) and correspondence relating to membership, exhibits, lectures, the Benjamin West House, and artwork the Society collected. Also includes financial records (1931-1954) and correspondence relating to the February 10, 1975, Benjamin West Memorial Stamp Ceremony held at Swarthmore College.

Organized into six series:

Organization: History and Organization Lectures, Exhibits, Prints Financial Correspondence Art Collections Miscellaneous.

All folders are organized chronologically, except for the two general correspondence files which are organized alphabetically.

ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION Accession information

Donor: Benjamin West Society

Access

Collection is open for research.

Use Restrictions

Copyright has not been assigned to Friends Historical Library. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in to the Director. Permission for publication is given on behalf Friends Historical Library as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by reader.

Preferred Citation

[Indicate the cited item or series here], Swarthmore College Archives, Benjamin West Society Records, RG6/S-002, Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College

Processing information

The records were processed as organized by the Benjamin West Society. In 2003, they were rehoused and a new finding aid produced. In 2004, the collection was transferred from RG6/Q- Student Activities to RG 6/S-Affiliated organizations.

SELECTED SEARCH TERMS DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE RECORDS

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Friends Historical Library (TRIPOD). Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings:

Benjamin West Society Swarthmore College Price, F. Newlin (Frederic Newlin) Art Exhibitions -- Swarthmore (Pa.) West, Benjamin, 1738-1820 Quakers -- Art dealers Price, F. Newlin (Frederic Newlin)

Japanese color prints "Illustrations to the epitome of the ancient history of Japan. . 1877."

Drawings and paintings by Benjamin West, deposited in Friends Historical Library and Swarthmore College

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE RECORDS

Note to Researchers: To request materials, please note both the location and box numbers shown below:

Series 1 History and Organization of the Society History of Benjamin West Society, in letters, memos, lectures and miscellaneous papers. 11/26/1925 - 1/7/1955 1 folder 1 Minutes, list of officers, memoranda 11/27/1929 - 7/27/1942 1 folder 1 Membership lists ca. 1929 - 7/21/1954 1 folder 1 Series 2 Lectures, Exhibits, Prints Inauguration Lecture, by Royal Cortissoz 10/24/1931 1 folder 1 Other Lectures and Publicity 3/28/1930 - 4/16/1953 1 folder 1 Annual prints and other publications ca. 1939 - 4/20/1949 1 folder 1 Exhibits (1) 6/6/1922 - 1945 1 folder 1 Exhibits (2) 10/22/32 - 10/22/1944 1 folder 1 Exhibit of Quaker Artists 6/15/1934 - 10/2/1935, scattered 1 folder 1 Series 3 Financial Receipts and Disbursements 10/1/1931 - 12/31/1954 1 folder 2 Statements of Receipts and Disbursements 12/31/1931 - 11/9/1939 1 folder 2 Checkbook 1/27/1942 - 2/4/1946 1 folder 2 Swain Bequest 11/27/1945 - 6/22/1949 1 folder 2 Miscellaneous Financial Papers 9/29/1931 - 12/31/1954 1 folder 2 Series 4 Correspondence Frederic Newlin Price, Director: 1929-1939 12/28/1929 - 6/27/1939 1 folder 2 Frederic Newlin Price, Director: 1940-1959 1/22/1940 - 6/28/1959 1 folder 2 Leonard Ashton, Treasurer 11/4/1931 - 10/22/1952 1 folder 2 President Aydelotte 12/2/1930 - 11/26/1940 1 folder 2 President Nason 11/26/1940 - 6/19/1952 1 folder 2 Robert Walker, Curator 3/6/1935 - 3/3/1955 1 folder 2 Helmut von Erffa, Curator 2/21/1944 - 7/9/1945 1 folder 2 Ethel H. Brewster, Secretary 7/5/1924 - 11/4/1948 1 folder 3 Ethel Stilz 4/19/1930 - 2/27/1945 1 folder 3 Organizations and Dealers 10/30/1931 - 8/14/1942 1 folder 3 General Correspondence, A-K (organized alphabetically by last name of sender or receiver) ca. 1926 - ca. 1950 1 folder 3 General Correspondence, L-Z (organized alphabetically by last name of sender or receiver) ca. 1938 - ca. 1952 1 folder 3 Correspondence relating to Benjamin West House, West's life and descendents 10/3/31 - 2/17/51 1 folder 3 Series 5 Art Collections Art Collection Catalog 10/1933 1 folder 3 Art Acquisitions ca. 1929 - 12/6/1950 1 folder 3 Restoration, Shipping, etc. 7/11/1940 - 9/25/1947 1 folder 3 Arthur Middleton, Wife and Son (by West) 10/2/1941 - 6/3/1942 1 folder 3 Christ Rejected (by West) ca. 1935 1 folder 3 Portrait of Benjamin West (by Thomas Sully) 11/18/1926 - 5/16/1942 1 folder 3 Penn's Treaty with the Indians (by West) 4/13/1938 - 2/6/1942 1 folder 3 Cupid Stung by a Bee (by West) 5/1/1939 1 folder 3 Correspondence relating to a letter, dated 4/27/1808, from West to Mr. Taylor about the Duke of Norfolk 6/17/1941 - 6/24/1941 1 folder 3 John the Baptist (drawing by West or pupil) 2/24/1932 1 folder 3 Portrait of John West 11/16/1938 1 folder 3 Miniature of West (by James Morris Davis) 10/2/1931 1 folder 3 Ophelia and Laertes (by West) 10/9/1946 - 11/2/1950 1 folder 3 Portrait of Booth Grey (by West) 4/26/1944 - 10/16/1944 1 folder 3 Nativity (by West) in St. Marylebone Church, London 3/29/1932 1 folder 3 Portrait of Joshua Reynolds (by West) 10/19/1938 - 10/24/1938 1 folder 3 Telemarchus and Calypso (by West) 9/26/1931 1 folder 3 The Three Graces Decking Flora (by West) 7/9/1931 1 folder 3 Triptych (possibly by West) 2/26/1948 1 folder 3 Portrait of West (by Samuel F.B. Morse) 3/12/1944 - 8/15/1944 1 folder 3 Series 6 Miscellaneous Miscellaneous correspondence, including correspondence relating to the 1975 Benjamin West Memorial Stamp ceremony. 11/20/1970 -5/28/1975 1 folder 3 Portrait of 1975 10¢ Benjamin West stamp (2 copies) 2/10/1975 1 folder oversize Index cards with names and addresses of people connected to the Benjamin West Society. ca. 1929 - 1939 1 folder 4 Index cards with names and addresses of people connected to the Benjamin West Society ca. 1941 1 folder 4 Copper plate of Man's Head by Ben West n.d. 1 folder 4 Copper plate of Benjamin West House, Swarthmore College n.d. 1 folder 4