George Turner Marsh papers, 1875-2001, bulk 1875-1931

Printable guide [HTML]
Request items

Summary

Creators:
Marsh, George Turner, 1857-1932
Abstract:
The George Turner Marsh papers consist of personal and professional material related to Marsh's business selling primarily Japanese arts and antiques.
Extent:
26 boxes, 2 oversize folders, and 1 envelope (11 linear feet)
Language:
The material is in English .

Background

Scope and content:

The George Turner Marsh papers consist of professional and personal correspondence, documents, ephemera, financial records, legal documents, negatives, photographs, and typescripts dating from 1875-2001. The bulk of the first series contains correspondence to and from customers, export agents, art, and antique dealers including Singleton, Benda & Co., Ltd, Zung Chang Ziang Company, and Zung Chang Trading Company, Ltd (1879-1970). Included are letters from C.R. Conway and legal documents related to San Fernando Petroleum and Mining Company; Conway claimed to be one of the original claimants with interest in the company. The more recent letters, with supporting enclosures, concern the origin of the Japanese Tea Garden in San Francisco, California. The second series includes letters from Marsh's wife Lucy E. Whiteside Marsh writing from Pasadena, California (1903), grateful recipients of Marsh's book Citizenship for Nations (1931-1932), and direct mail from the International Coalition and the New Commonwealth (1928-1953). Included in the same series are research notes, possibly conducted by Marsh for his 1931 book. The third series includes numerous clippings, ephemera, and postcards concerning arts, culture, and politics (1881-2001). Also included is a box containing various drafts about Japanese sword mountings entitled Catalogue of Kozuka by George Turner Marsh. The fourth series consists of one daguerreotype, negatives, photograph albums, and photographs (1894-1986). Most of the photograph albums and photographs showcase Asian arts and antiques for sale at Marsh's stores and from dealers. Also included are scenes from the Japanese Village during the California Midwinter International Exposition of 1894. Note: There is an envelope of unavailable negatives too fragile to be handled.

Arranged in four series:

  • Series 1: Business material, 1875-2001
  • Series 2: Personal material, 1877-1953
  • Series 3: Ephemera, 1881-2001
  • Series 4: Photographs, 1894-1986

Biographical / historical:

George Turner Marsh (1857-1932) was born in Richmond, Australia; son of Stephen Hale Marsh, who was court musician to Queen Victoria. When George Marsh was 15 years old his family decided to move to America. On the journey to America they stopped in Japan and the young Marsh fell in love with both the country and culture; he then persuaded his parents to let him stay. His father found him work with a tea import/export firm in Yokohama, Japan. Several years later he joined his family in San Francisco where he went on to use the expertise he gained in Japan to open one of the first Asian art galleries in the United States. Sometime after 1876, G.T. Marsh & Company: Japanese Art Repository opened at 625 Market Street at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco, California. Marsh married Lucy Elvira Whiteside in 1880; the couple had one daughter and five sons. He passed away in 1932 at the age of 75.

G.T. Marsh & Company specialized in fine antiques, works of art and textiles; the store quickly flourished as the West embraced Japanese culture and became increasingly fascinated with all things Eastern. Marsh was keen to share his enthusiasm and interest in Asia with his clients and as his experience and success grew, he opened branches in Coronado, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Pasadena, and Monterey. According to William Hertrich's (1878-1966) memoir The Huntington Botanical Gardens, 1905-1949 : personal recollections of William Hertrich curator emeritus, Henry E. Huntington purchased the house in the Japanese Garden, along with the ornaments and fixtures from Marsh's store located on Fair Oaks Avenue and California in 1911. Source: "Marsh & Co." Hancocks. Accessed 1 June 2019.https://www.hancocks-london.com/maker/marsh-%26-co./

Acquisition information:
Gift of Caterina Marsh, June 2018.
Rules or conventions:
Finding Aid prepared using Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Location of this collection:
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, CA 91108, US
Contact:
(626) 405-2191
reference@huntington.org
Website