This collection is located on-site.
Set models require special preparation to see. A spreadsheet describing the individual pieces of the set models, and the corresponding box number, is available. Contact RBML for more information. The remainder of the collection has no restrictions.
Some materials in this collection have been digitized and available:
Collection contains watercolor renderings, sketches, technical drawings (ground plans, elevations and details), photographs, glass plate and acetate negatives, scrapbooks, set models and some related papers covering Urban's career in Vienna and New York as an architect, set designer, decorator and illustrator. There is a thorough representation of his New York career including his set designs for Florenz Ziegfeld (1915-1932) and the Metropolitan Opera (1917-1933). The collection also contains information on Urban's work for William Randolph Hearst as art director for Cosmopolitan Studios, his exhibitions including his 1921 Wiener Werkstätte store, and his many architectural projects. Biographical information and research gathered by Richard Cole and Randolph Carter including contributions from his daughter,Gretl Urban, and biographical notes and some letters from his widow, Mary Urban, are also present.
This series contains the records of the architecture and design projects from Urban's career in Vienna. It is arranged chronologically divided into five sections: General files-dated, General files-undated, Illustrations, Exhibits and Unidentified. It contains watercolor drawings, rough drawings, technical drawings, photographs, post cards, clippings, playbooks and exhibit catalogs. Of note are the catalogs from the 1902-1908 Hagenbund exhibits and the photographs of the 1908 Kaiserfest.
Series II: Boston Opera, 1910-1914
Joseph Urban was made artistic director of the Boston Opera Company beginning with the 1912-1913 season. The previous season, he had designed four operas for the Boston Opera while working in Vienna with Heinrich Lefler. This series contains files on all the productions from the repertory in chronological order. Each production is listed by title, opening date and production information. The production information is based on contemporary reviews taken from microfilm readings of the Boston Transcript and the Boston Herald. Those sets that Urban redesigned or retouched are so noted in parentheses after the title information. In addition to the drawings, plans, and photographs, the files contain production records--light plots, cast lists, set lists, line drops, etc
Series III: New York, 1912-1933, undated
This series is arranged chronologically within five subseries: Theater, Ziegfeld, Met, Film, and Architecture and Design. The series are preceded by a listing of general files in which photograph scrapbooks, clippings scrapbooks and Square Yard Books are followed by undated and unidentified files. The clippings scrapbooks are the major source for Urban's New York career and document some projects and activities not found in the archive. The square yard books contain drawings and measurements of set pieces for opera, theater and film sets. There is very little documentation in the form of letters, contracts, and financial accounts. Numerous photographs of sets and set models are to be found but production photographs are rare.
This collection is arranged into 6 series.
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 is located on-site.
Set models require special preparation to see. A spreadsheet describing the individual pieces of the set models, and the corresponding box number, is available. Contact RBML for more information. The remainder of the collection has no restrictions.
Some materials in this collection have been digitized and available: Joseph Urban Stage Design Models Documents Stabilization Access Project and Digital Library Collection.
Reproductions 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.
Identification of specific item; Date (if known); Joseph Urban papers; Box and Folder; Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Columbia University Library.
Materials may have been added to the collection since this finding aid was prepared. Contact rbml@columbia.edu for more information.
Gift of Mrs Joseph Urban, 1955.
Gift of Gretl Urban, 1987-1992.
Gift of Randolph Carter, 1988 (audio cassettes).
Gift of Robert Reed Cole, 1990 (research notes) & 1992.
Gift of Manuel Moreno, 1996.
Gift of Randolph Carter, 1998.
Source of acquisition--Urban, Mrs. Joseph. Method of acquisition--Gift; Date of acquisition--1955. Accession number--M-55.
Research notes and related materials for a book on Joseph Urban: Source of acquisition--Cole, Robert Reed. Method of acquisition--Gift; Date of acquisition--09/12/1990. Accession number--M-90-09-12.
Papers: Source of acquisition--Urban, Gretl. Method of acquisition--Gift; Accession number--M-92-04-17.
7 audio cassettes re. Gretl Urban: Source of acquisition--Cole, Robert Reed. Method of acquisition--Gift; Date of acquisition--05/28/1992. Accession number--M-92-05-28.
Gold cigarette box: Source of acquisition--Urban, Gretl. Method of acquisition--Gift; Date of acquisition--10/09/1992. Accession number--M-92-10-09.
91 letters & mss. of Gretl Urban: Source of acquisition--Cole, Robert Reed. Method of acquisition--Gift; Date of acquisition--11/09/1992. Accession number--92-11-09.
Papers: Source of acquisition--Moreno, Manuel. Method of acquisition--Gift; Date of acquisition--1996. Accession number--M-1996.
16 audio cassettes: Source of acquisition--Carter, Randolph. Method of acquisition--Gift; Date of acquisition--1998. Accession number--M-1998.
Columbia University Libraries, Rare Book and Manuscript Library
Cataloged Christina Hilton Fenn 09/--/1989.
Research notes and related materials for a book on Joseph Urban Added to collection 09/17/1990.
Papers Processed HR 05/01/1992.
7 audio cassettes re. Gretl Urban Processed HR 05/28/1992.
Gold cigarette box Processed HR 10/15/1992.
91 letters & mss. of Gretl Urban Processed HR 11/20/1992.
Papers Processed GC 11/19/1998.
16 audio cassettes Processed GC 11/19/1998.
More information about the processing and stabilization of the collection can be found here: http://www.columbia.edu/cu/lweb/eresources/archives/rbml/urban/.
2010-04-02 Legacy finding aid created from Pro Cite.
2019-05-20 EAD was imported spring 2019 as part of the ArchivesSpace Phase II migration.
Joseph Urban (1872-1933) studied architecture at the Akademie der bildenden Künst in his native Vienna. He established himself as an architect as well as a book illustrator, exhibit designer, interior decorator and set designer often in collaboration with the painter Heinrich Lefler. Urban and Lefler were co-founders of the Hagenbund, an exhibiting society similar to the Secessionists. In 1912, at the age of 40, Urban emigrated to the United States and became the designer for the Boston Opera Company where he introduced the innovations of the "New Stagecraft" from the european theater. After the Boston Opera Company went bankrupt in 1914, Urban began designing sets in New York. He designed the Ziegfeld Follies as well as all other Ziegfeld productions from 1915 to 1932. In 1917 he began designing for the Metropolitan Opera and continued to do so until his death in 1933. From 1921 to 1925 Urban was also the art director for William Randolph Hearst's Cosmopolitan Studios He had branched out to other artistic endeavors since moving to New York including designing shop windows, roof gardens and interior decoration. From 1921 to 1922, he introduced the works of Viennese artists to the United States through his Wiener Werkstätte shop.
He received his license to practice architecture in the United States in 1926 after which he designed homes, buildings, ballrooms, and theaters in New York and elsewhere. Notable examples of his extant architecture are the Paramount Theater Building and Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida and the New School and the Hearst Magazine Building in New york.
The subject headings listed below are found in this collection. Links below allow searches for other collections at Columbia University, through CLIO, the catalog for Columbia University Libraries, and through ArchiveGRID, a catalog that allows users to search the holdings of multiple research libraries and archives.
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