Finding Aid to the Edward S. Curtis Collection MS.647

Holly Rose Larson
Library and Archives at the Autry
2012 October 29
210 South Victory Blvd.
Burbank, CA 91502
rroom@theautry.org


Contributing Institution: Library and Archives at the Autry
Title: Edward S. Curtis Collection
Creator: Sniffen, Matthew K.
Creator: Curtis, Edward S.
Creator: Myers, W. E.
Identifier/Call Number: MS.647
Physical Description: 2.5 Linear Feet (1 box, 1 oversized folder)
Date (inclusive): circa 1910, 1986
Abstract: Edward S. Curtis (1868-1952) spent many years photographing, writing about, and recording the songs of Native Americans. This collection contains original manuscripts and photocopies of manuscripts by Edward Curtis regarding his studies and his photo book series North American Indian. Original manuscripts include a lecture on Native American religion, an annotated list of items in Curtis' artifact collection and a synopsis of the list as it could be used in the North American Indian series, and a circa 1910 annotated catalogue of photographs for the North American Indian publication, including descriptions of photographs that do not appear in the publication. The collection also includes photocopies made in 1986 of materials from 1911-1962.
Language of Material: English .

Biographical Note

Edward S. Curtis (1868-1952) spent many years photographing, writing about, and recording the songs of Native Americans. His work was finally realized in 20 encyclopedic volumes entitled The North American Indian, published between 1907 and 1930.

Scope and Contents

This collection contains original manuscripts and photocopies of manuscripts by Edward Curtis regarding his studies and his photo book series North American Indian. Original manuscripts include a lecture on Native American religion, an annotated list of items in Curtis' artifact collection and a synopsis of the list as it could be used in the North American Indian series, and a circa 1910 annotated catalogue of photographs for the North American Indian publication, including descriptions of photographs that do not appear in the publication. Photocopied materials include a grouping of copies of material spanning from 1911-1962 of correspondence, clippings, newspaper clippings, and copies of images; copies of a collection of unpublished manuscripts and field notes, undated; photocopies of research and reference material used by Curtis, including handwritten references to other reference material and typed notes within the text, some by Curtis' main field assistant, W. E. Myers; and photocopies of a group of transcripts from 1924-1937 of field notes from Curtis' 1924 season living with Pueblo tribes, transcripts of interviews taken by others, including Matthew Sniffen, concerning religious freedom, and correspondence between Curtis and Sniffen.

Preferred Citation

Edward S. Curtis Collection, circa 1910, 1986, Braun Research Library Collection, Autry Museum of the American West, Los Angeles; MS.647; [folder number] [folder title][date].

Processing History

Processing completed by Library staff after 1981. Finding aid completed by Holly Rose Larson, NHPRC Processing Archivist, 2012 October 29, made possible through grant funding from the National Historical Publications and Records Commissions (NHPRC).

Custodial History

Andrew Smith bought the original Curtis materials in this collection from people who purchased it from C. E. Laurait Company.

Acquisition

Original manuscript material purchased in memory of Ronald Brooks from Andrew Smith, Inc., Albuquerque, New Mexico, 1986 March 24. The photocopied material from the collection of Andrew Smith was given to the Braun Library in exchange for photocopies of the Library's Edward S. Curtis/Frederick Webb Hodge Correspondence.

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright has not been assigned to the Autry Museum of the American West. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Research Services and Archives. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Autry Museum of the American West as the custodian of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader.

Conditions Governing Access

Appointments to view materials are required. To make an appointment please visit https://theautry.org/research-collections/library-and-archives  and fill out the Researcher Application Form.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Manuscripts
Photocopies
Correspondence
Clippings
Field notes
Transcripts
Indians of North America -- Portraits
Indians of North America -- Religion
Jicarilla Indians
Haida Indians
Northwest Coast Indians
Cochiti (N.M.)
Jemez Pueblo (N.M.)