Alice Parsons Millard Papers and Addenda: Finding Aid
Finding aid prepared by Brooke M. Black, April 13, 2009 and updated July 9,
2012; updated by Sarah Kam-Gordon January 25, 2013. and updated by Brooke M.
Black, September 18, 2013.
The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical
Gardens
Manuscripts Department
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
Phone: (626) 405-2191
Email: reference@huntington.org
URL: http://www.huntington.org
© 2013
The Huntington Library. All rights reserved.
Overview of the Collection
Title: Alice Parsons Millard Papers and
Addenda
Dates (inclusive): Approximately 1890-2012
Bulk dates: 1927-1938
Collection Number: mssMillard papers
Creator:
Millard, George M., Mrs., 1873-1938.
Extent: 306 items in 3 boxes + oversize
volume
Repository:
The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens.
Manuscripts Department
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
Phone: (626) 405-2191
Email: reference@huntington.org
URL: http://www.huntington.org
Abstract: The majority of the collection deals with the estate and assets of rare book seller Alice Parsons Millard (1873-1938)
at the time of her death. There is also some correspondence and photographs, including images of Millard's homes in Highland
Park and South Pasadena, California.
Language: English.
Access
Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services
Department. For more information, contact Reader Services.
Administrative Information
Publication Rights
The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to
quote from or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such
activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is
one, and obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item]. Alice Parsons Millard Papers and Addenda, The
Huntington Library, San Marino, California.
Provenance
Gift of Lucille V. Miller, June 10, 1984, and gift of Peter Thompson, January 19,
2000, July 26, 2002, July 20, 2011, and May 10, 2013. Gift of Pam Melone, March
26, 2012.
Biographical Note
Alice Parsons Millard (1873-1938) was born in Jefferson City, Missouri, on May 4,
1873. When she was a young girl, her family moved to Chicago, Illinois. In 1896, she
and her sister, Emily, were sent to Europe to be educated; Alice was sent to London
to study art. She and bookseller George Millard met in a bookshop in Chicago shortly
after Alice returned to the United States. A friendship and partnership began, and
in 1901, she accompanied George on his book buying trip to Europe. While in Europe,
the two were married. The couple had one child, Roxana (born in 1904), who had
disabilities and lived her entire life in an institution. The Millards moved to
California in 1914 and opened up a bookstore called “George M. Millard Rare &
Fine Imported Books.” Their friend Frank Lloyd Wright built them a home in Pasadena
known as “La Miniatura;” it was finished in 1923. George died in 1918 and Alice ran
the rare book business by herself. She also started buying and selling antiques. In
1926, Frank Lloyd Wright’s son, Lloyd, built an addition to their house that became
Alice’s “Little Museum of the Book,” where she would often have exhibits of her
books and antiques. Alice, a Christian Scientist, was active in the book trade up to
her death of cancer in July 1938. Much of the Millards’ collection of books was
given to the Huntington Library.
Scope and Content
The collection contains 208 items housed in two boxes (with one
oversize volume). The majority of the collection deals with Alice Parsons Millard’s
estate and assets at the time of her death. There are documents and five volumes of
inventories of the house and “museum,” as well as 52 inventory note cards. These
inventories list items (including furniture, books, etc.) owned by the Millards and
often include the price they paid for it and/or the price for which they sold it.
There is also a twelve-page, typed memoir of Alice Parsons Millard by Lucille V.
Miller (1984). The correspondence includes 31 pieces, sixteen of which were written
by Alice Parsons Millard. Many of the letters and postcards were written while Alice
was abroad. One of her letters is to her client, collector Estelle Doheny. A number
of her letters were to the Vanderhoef family, particularly Francis Bailey
Vanderhoef, Jr. and his mother, Cornelia Young Vanderhoef. Ten letters by Alice
Parsons Millard’s secretary, Gertrude E. Treat, revolve around Alice’s failing
health, death, and the distribution of her estate. The photographs consist of 57
black and white photographs (and two negatives) of the following: the Millard’s
Highland Park house, the exterior and interior of “La Miniatura,” the house’s
exhibits, the South Pasadena House, and three gates Alice contemplated purchasing
while in London. There are also several personal photographs of Alice Parsons
Millard, George Millard and various family members. There are five pieces of
ephemera including Alice Parsons Millard's passport (1926) and copies of three of
her obituaries (1938).
The oversize guest book begins in 1924 and has 31 pages of visitors’ inscriptions.
Several notable people are in this volume including: Leslie Bliss, John Collier,
Albert and Elsa Einstein (they visited in 1932 and 1933), Charlotte Perkins Gilman,
Robert A. Millikan and Frank Lloyd Wright.
The first addenda is several folders of material (43 items) with similar material
and topics as the main collection and begins at Box 2, folder 8. The second addenda
(39 items) is primarily correspondence and begins at Box 2, folder 18. The third
addenda consists of four folders (93 items) and begins at Box 2, folder 27 (most of
it is photocopies). It contains some photographs of Millard, La Miniatura and the
house in Illinois, as well as research material about Millard and “La Miniatura” and
photocopies of correspondence between Millard and Frank Lloyd Wright.
Note: Alice Parson Millard’s Library of Congress authorized heading is Mrs. George
M. Millard, 1873- 1938. This name is used in the container list and on the folders.
Arrangement
Arranged in the following order:
-
Box 1: Manuscripts, Documents and Correspondence
-
Box 2: Ephemera and Photographs and Addenda
-
Oversize volume: La Miniatura Guest book
Indexing Terms
Subjects
Millard, George
M.
Millard, George M.,
Mrs., 1873-1938 -- Archives.
Wright, Frank Lloyd,
1867-1959.
Wright, Lloyd,
1890-1978.
Antiquarian booksellers --
California.
Antique dealers --
California.
Booksellers and bookselling --
California.
Women -- California.
Women book collectors --
California.
Pasadena
(Calif.)
Forms/Genres
Black-and-white photographs --
California -- 20th century.
Estate inventories -- California --
20th century.
Letters (correspondence) -- California
-- 20th century.
Memoirs -- California -- 20th century.
Additional Contributors
Doheny, Estelle, 1875-1958.
Einstein, Albert, 1879-1955.
Einstein, Elsa, 1876-1936.
Gilman, Charlotte Perkins, 1860-1935.
Miller, Lucille V.
Wright, Frank Lloyd, 1867-1959.
Box 1
Manuscripts, Documents and Correspondence
Folder 1
Miller, Lucille V. “Remembering Alice Parsons Millard (1870?-1938):” [memoir] (1984, Apr.). 1 item.
Folder 2
Documents regarding Alice Parsons Millard’s Will and Estate (1938-1959). 3 items.
Folder 3
Inventory Notecards (1927-1937). 52 items.
Folder 4
Notebook 1: Inventory of Sleeping Balcony, Terrace, Minstrel Gallery, Study Bathroom and Studio [1938]. 1 item.
Folder 5
Notebook 2: Inventory of Studio-continued, Dining Room Stairway and Closet and Pantry [1938]. 1 item.
Folder 6
Notebook 3: Inventory of Office, Terrace and Garden [1938]. 1 item.
Folder 7
Notebook 4: Inventory of Museum: Balcony, Misc. and Books [1938]. 1 item.
Folder 8
Notebook 5: Inventory of Warehouse [1938]. 1 item.
Folder 9
Millard, George M., Mrs., 1873-1938. 1 postcard (1934, Oct. 2) to Estelle Doheny, 1875-1958. 1 item.
Folder 10
Millard, George M., Mrs., 1873-1938. 1 postcard [1934] to “Mrs. Farrington.” 1 item.
Folder 11
Millard, George M., Mrs., 1873-1938. 5 letters (1933-1937) to Lucille V. Miller. 5 items. Includes two postcards and note
on calling card.
Folder 12
Stock, Mabel Hilton. 1 letter (1978, Jan. 30) to “Betty Hunt Thompson.” 1 item.
Box 2
Ephemera and Photographs and Addenda
Folder 1
Ephemera (1926-1938). 3 items. Includes Passport and two newspaper clippings.
Folder 2
Photographs: Highland Park House [c.1936]. 6 items.
Folder 3
Photographs: La Miniatura (Exterior) [c.1936]. 16 items. Includes two negatives, one postcard, and one card addressed to Alan
H. Jutzi, 1945-, (2012).
Folder 4
Photographs: La Miniatura (Interior) [c.1936]. 10 items.
Folder 5
Photographs: La Miniatura (Interior Exhibits) [c.1936]. 11 items.
Folder 6
Photographs: Personal ([c.1890]-1963). 10 items.
Folder 7
Photographs: South Pasadena House [c.1936]. 2 items.
Folder 8
Diagrams: La Miniatura [undated]. 1 item.
Folder 9
Documents regarding Alice Parsons Millard’s Estate and Trust (1940-1988). 9 items.
Folder 10
Family Tree of Alice Parsons Millard [after 1978]. 1 item.
Folder 11
Life Insurance Documents (1937). 7 items.
Folder 12
Munger, Estelle. 2 letters (1944) to Emily Parsons Hunt. 3 items.
Folder 13
Photographs: Chaucer’s Canterbury Pilgrims [undated]. 1 item.
Folder 14
Photographs: La Miniatura (Interior) [c.1936]. 1 item.
Folder 15
Photographs: Personal ([c.1896]-1937). 7 items. With note.
Folder 16
Photographs: Roxana Millard (1904-1975). 5 items.
Folder 17
Thompson, Betty Hunt. 1 letter (1939) to Emily Parsons Hunt. Includes lists of items from the Millard estate reserved for
various family members and items sold. 8 items.
Folder 18
Dakin, Susanna Bryant, 1905-1966. 1 letter (1939, Jan. 9) to [F. Bailey (Francis Bailey)] Vanderhoef, 1914-. 1 item.
Folder 19
Millard, George M., Mrs., 1873-1938. 3 letters (1935-1937) to Cornelia Young Vanderhoef. 3 items.
Folder 20
Millard, George M., Mrs., 1873-1938. 6 letters (1936-1938) to F. Bailey (Francis Bailey) Vanderhoef, 1914-. Includes 4 envelopes
and 3 photographs. 9 items.
Folder 21
Thompson, John R. G. 2 letters (1938) to F. Bailey (Francis Bailey) Vanderhoef, 1914-. 2 items.
Folder 22
Treat, Gertrude E. 5 letters (1938) to Cornelia Young Vanderhoef. 5 items. Includes 1 stamp.
Folder 23
Treat, Gertrude E. 5 letters (1937-1940) to F. Bailey (Francis Bailey) Vanderhoef, 1914-. 6 items. Includes ephemera.
Folder 24
[Vanderhoef, Cornelia Young]. 1 letter (1937, Nov. 8) to [F. Bailey (Francis Bailey) Vanderhoef, 1914-]. 1 item. Includes
1 envelope.
Folder 25
Receipts (1937). 2 items. Includes 1 envelope.
Folder 26
Ephemera (1938). 2 items. Includes two newspaper clippings.
Folder 27
Articles and Printed Items regarding Alice Millard and La Miniatura (1955-1994). 9 items.
Folder 28
Frank Lloyd Wright Correspondence (1928-1939). 36 items. Photocopies.
Folder 29
Papers regarding Millard Estate and Family (1927-1993). 33 items.
Folder 30
Photographs ([c.1900]-1998). 15 items.
Box 3
Ephemera and Photographs and Addenda
Folder 1
Reminiscences. Alice Millard as I Remember Her by Ward Ritchie (1993, Mar. 17). 1 item
Folder 2
Treat, Gertrude E. 1 letter (1940, June 15) to F. Bailey (Francis Bailey) Vanderhoef, 1914-. 1 item. Photocopies
Folder 3
Millard, George M., Mrs. 1 letter (1937, Oct. 21) to F. Bailey (Francis Bailey) Vanderhoef, 1914-. 1 item. Photocopies
La Miniatura Guest book (1924-1991). 1 item. [In fragile condition.]
