»he Museum of Contemporary Crafts, 29 West 53rd Street, New York Q (Q § « ^ o.2 e (9 •g 0 § ^ 0 22 May—13 September 1964 s Trustees of the American Craftsmen's Councii Mrs. Vanderbilt Webb, Chairman of the Board Kenneth Chorley, Vice-Chairman William J. Barrett, President and, Treasurer May E. Walter, Secretary Mrs. 8. D. Adams Alfred Auerbach Thomas D'Arcy Brophy Rene d'Harnoncourt Mark EIIingson Mrs. John Houseman Bernard Kester Walter H. Kilham, Jr. V. Lada-Mocarski Jack Lenor Larsen Dorothy Liebes Harvey K. Littleton Francis S. Merritt Forrest D. Murden, Jr. Mary S. Nelson De Witt Peterkin, Jr. Frank Stanton John B. Stevens Mrs. R. Peter Straus Edward Worm ley Museum Staff Paul J. Smith, Director Sybil Frank Marion Lehane Robert Nunnelley Ben E. Watkins An introduction to THE AMERICAN CRAFTSMAN In assembling this exhibition, emphasis was given to representing the wide range of work being done today by America •: ::";: ftsmen—from the strictly utilitarian object to the non-functional work of fine art, from use in personal adornment to application in architectural setting, from devotion t<^ traditional means of work- ing to experimentation with new fabrication pro: .. -rom creation of unique pieces to design application in industrial production. The thirty craftsmen rep- resented, chosen from the hundreds of craftsmen of equal stature, are from every section of the country, of all ages, with every type of background and a wide variety of training. In illustrating the diversity of the work of the American craftsmen no attempt has been made, however, to explain this diversity in terms of geographical areas; cultural influences, or mingling of various art forms. Though it is impossible to derive from this group a sense of a national style, it is apparent that there is something in their way of working as creative craftsmen that is distinctively American. A special selection of work by American Indian and Eskimo craftsmen has been included in this exhibition to illustrate the too often ignored activity of individ- uals who continue to work within the traditions of this indigenous American culture. This group of objects, all of which have been made within the past five years, has been selected to illustrate the work of those who draw directly on their Indian artifact heritage. Mention should be made, however, of another direction taken by some Indian craftsmen who, while maintaining contact with their cultural past, are exploring the creative means of the present to find new ways of expressing through their work the estate of the Indian today. In a planned future exhibition the Museum will deal with this work. One of the most significant events in relation to the recent developments of contemporary Indian art has been the founding, in 1963, of the Institute of American Indian Art in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where the academic program includes study of Indian culture and craft techniques in various professional areas. Another important factor in encouraging and drawing attention to the work of the Indian and Eskimo has been the activity of the Indian Arts and Crafts Board of the De- partment of the Interior. These institutions and many others on the local level have accomplished a great deal in beginning to return the American Indian to his proper position in our national cultural scheme. The Museum of Contemporary Crafts would like to express its gratitude to the following persons whose assistance in assembling this exhibition was invaluable: Mr. Robert G. Hart, General Manager, and Mr. Myles Libhart, Staff Curator, of the Indian Arts and Crafts Board of the IT. S. Department of the Interior, Washington, D. C.; Mr. Alexander Girard and the Girard Foundation, Santa Fe, New Mexico; Mrs. Carl Muschenheim of The American Indian Arts Center of the Association on American Indian Affairs, New York; the Editors of Woman's Day magazine. We are also grateful to the lenders of works to the exhibition, who were: Grace Dhaemers, Hella Hammid, Mrs. Sherman Handy, Mrs. Helen W. Lee, The Howard W. Lipman Foundation, Eeed & Barton, Mrs. Donald Sober, Mrs. E. E. Trefethen, Jr., and Mason Wells. Paul J. Smith, Director Museum of Contemporary Crafts JANICE BORNT 1 Tapestry/wool, mounted on wooden base, 22WX20" 2 Tapestry / wool, mounted on wooden base, 37"x28V2" r».-.4-^» 3 Tapestry/wool, 14" x 13 V2" ,3 4 Tapestry/wool, mounted on wooden base, 18" x 15" w< 5 Tapestry/wool, mounted on wooden base, 24" x 22" 6 Tapestry / wool, mounted on wooden base, 18Wx18V4" 7 Robe/wool, 30" x 32" 8 Tapestry/wool, mounted on box, 17" x 11 W 9 Tapestry/wool, mounted on box, 11V*"x 10V*" IRENA BRYNNER 10 Bracelet/ 18K gold 11 Box/18K gold, peari and malachite crystal 12 Chain/18K gold 12 Four pill boxes/18K gold 14 Necklace/14K gold, rutiiated quartz, Chatham emerald 15 Ring/18K gold 16 Ring /22K gold, rutiiated amethyst 17 Ring/18K gold 18 Pyx/silver, 24K gold-plated, oriental jade WENDELL CASTLE 19 Chest of drawers / cherry, dovetail construction, 31"x32" 20 Piano bench/Brazilian rosewood, 19" x 25" 21 Music rack / laminated oak and walnut, h. 56" 22 Chair /oak with leather sling, h. 48" ROBERT DHAEMERS 23 Ring / cast gold, 22 rubies, 2 diamonds Lent by Mrs. E. E. Trefethen, Jr. 24 Ring / cast gold, star ruby Lent by Mrs. Helen W. Lee 25 Pin / cast bronze Lent by Grace Dhaemers 26 Ring/silver, cast pod 27 Necklace /14K gold, five pearls, Brazilian topaz 28 Necklace / bronze, cast Easter egg frosting and wax 29 Necklace / bronze, broken wax forms, baroque pearl 30 Pendant/bronze, cast mushroom, papaya seed and cake frosting 31 Pendant/silver, cast oranges and wax WHARTON ESHERICK 32 High stools / walnut & hickory, elm & hickory, h. 25" 33 Low stools/elm & hickory, h. 19" 34 Tray/poplar, 17" x 17" 35 Three bowls/walnut, 3" x 11" 36 Bowl / mahogany, poplar, W x 18" "Galaxy," silk-screen 37 Pair of salad servers / boxwood, I. 13" printed fabric. 33 Spoon / cocobola, h. 17" SSarU1^ 39 Utensil board/cottonwood, 24" x 31" KENNETH FERGUSON FREDA KOBLICK 40 Storage jar/stoneware, h. 16" 77 Pierced panel/clear and Acrylic plastic, 28" x 70" 41 Casserole dish/stoneware, d. 11" 78 Cast panel with color/Acrylic, 16" x 53" 42 Water jar/stoneware, h. 16" 79 Cast structure with faceted areas/Acrylic, 70" x 19" 43 Tea pot / stoneware, h. 7" 80 Study for a fountain (wall hung) / Acrylic 44 Lasagna dish/stoneware, d. 11" (fabricated), 16" x 26" x 12" 45 Batter bowl / stoneware, h. 7" 46 Bread-rising bowl/stoneware, h. 8" MARY KRETSiNGER 47 Pitcher / stoneware, h. 14" 81 Box / gold, enamel, 1 W x 3W 48 Ramikins / stoneware, d. 5" 82 Box/silver, enamel, 1 W x2V*" 49 Set of mugs / stoneware, h. 7" 83 Box/gold, enamel, 1"x2V4" 50 Pie plate/stoneware, d. 10" 84 Pin/gold 51 Set of dessert dishes/stoneware, h. 4" 85 Pin/gold 86 Pin / gold, enamel PHILLIP FIKE 87 Pin / gold, enamel 52 Pendant/ebony, libidibia, gold, silver with nylon cord and ebony finding HARVEY L1TTLETON 53 Ring/silver, gold and niello 88 Vase / clear glass, 3" x 7W 54 Pendant/silver with nylon cord and ebony finding 89 Vase / red glass, 6" x 4" 55 Pendant / silver, ebony, gold with nylon cord and 90 Experimental vase / clear glass, S'/i" x 6V2'" gold finding 91 Vase/clear glass, rose tint, 3V2" x 6" 56 Pendant/gold and silver with nylon cord and gold 92 Vase/amber glass, 6V2" x 2" ,'" lng ., „._ ,, , 93 Experimental vase/clear glass, green tint, 6" x7V2" Lent by Mrs. Sherman Handy ' a , e, , p.» D J , u J -i •[ , -, J ,J 94 Vase / 6" x 3" 57 Pendant/gold and silver with nylon cord and gold ,, , , , , , , , , findine Vase/ clear glass with v/hite glass line decoration, Lent by Mrs. Donald Sober h- 9V2" 58 Ring /yellow and white gold 96 Vase^ clear glass with white glass fluted ;,•;.; Aril 59 Pendant/gold, silver and niello with nylon cord ' , , - and gold finding 97 "Croce" / glass form, h. 12" 60 Pin / gold, silver, and moonstone 61 Earrings / white and yellow gold SAM MALOOF 98 Drop leaf dining table with B drawers/43" x 84" TED HALLMAN " Rocking chair/ Brazilian rosewood, 46" x 25W 62 Dome screen / woven linen, steel, plastic, d. 60" 100 side chair/ splnd\e back' curved arms' Jack Lenor ,_ - -. , , , , , . ,. Larsen Hibiscus upholstery faerie, h. 37" 63 Group of interlaced forms/steel, nylon, linen ,-, - , . „ , , , , , , , ..,,,„. ,, . , , „ 101 Settee/spindle back, sculptured arms & back. Jack 64 Upholstery fabric / woven wool, rayon & cotton ^enor Larsen blue upholstery fabric, h. 39" 65 "Seamless Robe II"/wool, plain weave, purple, ^ Chair/sculptured arms & back, Jack Lenor Larsen green, blue, 36" x 38" , , , , , . , -,,„ green upholstery fabric, h. 37 66 Jacket/woven wool, cotton,' rayoni ,' linen,• oiai• n ..„•103, nBench/to i-/.. p grai• n Lblac] i k » tufteci Jd i leatherii. I, .h .iri 16i weave, 26" x 28" , , ,, , 104 Sculptured 9-candie menorah PAULHULTBERG -los Sculptured 6-candle candelabra 67 Panel/enamel on steel, 60" x 66" 10HN MASON 68 Panel / enamel on steel, 60" x 42" ...... „ , , , , . , , ..„ 106 Cross form / clay, brown mustard glaze, h. 66 69 Panel/enamel on steel, 60" x 42" .,.., ., .. , , , , , , , „..„ 107 Vertical sculpture/clay, orange glaze, h. 90 70 Panel/enamel on steel, 60" x 78" .,,..,, ., . , , . , , ,, , , . , 108 Vertical sculpture/clay, gray-black glaze with spot of red, h. 66" BRENT KINGTON 71 Totem candlestick /cast sterling, h. 8W GLEN MICHAELS 72 Bell candlestick/cast steri ing, h.6V2" 109 Mosaic panel/white tile and glazed pottery, 73 Candlestick/cast sterling, h.4V2" 36" x 40" 74 Spring Easter egg bell candlestick/cast sterling, 110 Mosaic panel/white tile, porcelain and wood, h.SVi" 10V4"x18" 75 Bird whistle bell / cast sterling, h.