James Woodman Thompson papers, 1909-1955

Summary Information

At a Glance

Arrangement

Arrangement

This collection is arranged into 10 series. Production files are arranged alphabetically and chronologically. Contracts are arranged chronologically.

• Series I: Correspondence
• Series II: Documents and Memorabilia
• Series III: Printed Material
• Series IV: Source Material
• Series V: Illustration File
• Subseries V.1: Architecture
• Subseries V.2: Costumes
• Subseries V.3: Countries
• Subseries V.4: Crafts
• Subseries V.5: Painting
• Subseries V.6: Styles
• Subseries V.7: Miscellaneous
• Series VI: Production File
• Series VII: Miscellaneous Commissioned Projects
• Series VIII: Thompson Studies
• Series IX: Thompson the Student
• Series X: Thompson the Teacher

Description

Summary

Correspondence, documents, memorabilia, photographs, original drawings, sketches and studies, and printed materials of Thompson. Correspondence, mostly uncataloged, relating to purchases made in Spain, France, and Italy during 1928; documents; memorabilia; photographs; printed material including publicity, books, engravings, and reproductions; an illustration file containing source illustrations for architectural details, costumes -- subdivided by century, country, societal role, sex, age, and by countries, crafts, painting, styles, etc., and including some original Thompson drawings; a production file containing related correspondence and documents; miscellaneous commissioned projects; and Thompson Studies, including studies done by Thompson, his work as a student, and materials pertaining to his activities as a teacher.

Productions and miscellaneous commissioned projects contain one or more of the following items: correspondence; contracts (not Thompson's); expense itemizations; notes; property lists; costume lists; cast lists; schedules; rehearsal schedules; scripts; music "run-throughs;" programs; publicity; blueprints and other photo-reproductions of drawings; drawings, usually schematics or prop detail, done in pencil and/or ink; sketches, generally costume but some schematics, usually in pencil (costume sketches may have swatches of material attached and may be colored); rough sketches, often quite crude, usually schematics and construction, but also costume ideas (these are always in pencil); studies, usually in color: watercolors, poster paint, melted crayon, light oil, ink, and pencil (generally of backdrops or sets); cardboard miniature mock-ups, presumably for studies of different lighting effects; photographs of sets, scenes, and the cardboard mock-ups; and source illustrations and photographs for a particular production.

• Series I: Correspondence

  [See also Map Cases]

• Series II: Documents and Memorabilia

• Series III: Printed Material

• Series IV: Source Material

• Series V: Illustration File

• Series VI: Production File

  Contains: correspondence; contracts; expenses; notes; property lists; costume lists; cast lists; schedules; scripts; music "run throughs"; programs; publicity; blueprints; drawings, usually schematics or prop details, done in pencil and/or ink; sketches, generally costume, but some schematics; rough sketches in pencil; studies in color (watercolor, poster paint, melted crayon, light oil, ink and pencil) usually for sets; cardboard minature mock-ups; photographs of sets, scenes, and mock-ups; source illustrations.

• Series VII: Miscellaneous Commissioned Projects

  [See also Map Cases] -- Contains: correspondence; contracts; expenses; notes; property lists; costume lists; cast lists; schedules; scripts; music "run throughs"; programs; publicity; blueprints; drawings, usually schematics or prop details, done in pencil and/or ink; sketches, generally costume, but some schematics; rough sketches in pencil; studies in color (watercolor, poster paint, melted crayon, light oil, ink and pencil) usually for sets; cardboard minature mock-ups; photographs of sets, scenes, and mock-ups; source illustrations.

• Series VIII: Thompson Studies

• Series IX: Thompson the Student

• Series X: Thompson the Teacher

Using the Collection

Rare Book and Manuscript Library

Restrictions on Access

You will need to make an appointment in advance to use this collection material in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room. You can schedule an appointment once you've submitted your request through your Special Collections Research Account.

This collection has no restrictions.

Boxes A and B are located on site. The following boxes are located off-site: 1-107. You will need to request this material from the Rare Book and Manuscript Library at least three business days in advance to use the collection in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room.

Terms Governing Use and Reproduction

Much of the material is very fragile and must be handled with extreme care.

Single photocopies may be made for research purposes. The RBML maintains ownership of the physical material only. Copyright remains with the creator and his/her heirs. The responsibility to secure copyright permission rests with the patron.

Preferred Citation

Identification of specific item; Date (if known); James Woodman Thompson papers; Box and Folder; Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Columbia University Library.

Accruals

Materials may have been added to the collection since this finding aid was prepared. Contact rbml@columbia.edu for more information.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Source of acquisition--Brander Matthews Dramatic Museum. Method of acquisition--Transfer; Date of acquisition--1971. Accession number--M-71.

Transfer from Brander Matthews Dramatic Museum, 1971.

Transfer from Art Properties, 2001.

About the Finding Aid / Processing Information

Columbia University Libraries, Rare Book and Manuscript Library

Processing Information

Processed by ELC 2/22/1973. Cataloged Christina Hilton Fenn 09/--/1989.

Series XI and XII contained oversized materials, and Series XIII contained an addition, all of which were otherwise related to materials in Series I through X. These materials were integrated into Series I through X and Series XI-XIII were deleted by Celeste Brewer in May 2022.

Revision Description

2010-03-30 Legacy finding aid created from Pro Cite.

2019-05-20 EAD was imported spring 2019 as part of the ArchivesSpace Phase II migration.

2022-05-01 Map case locations updated by JG

2022-05-13 Oversized materials and addition integrated into Series I-X by CLB

Subject Headings

The subject headings listed below are found in this collection. Links below allow searches at Columbia University through the Archival Collections Portal and through CLIO, the catalog for Columbia University Libraries, as well as ArchiveGRID, a catalog that allows users to search the holdings of multiple research libraries and archives.

All links open new windows.

Genre/Form

Subject

History / Biographical Note

Biographical / Historical

New York stage, costume, and scenic designer.