Finding aid for the Duits, Ltd. (Gallery: London, England) records, 1920-1979

Finding aid prepared by Jocelyn Gibbs.

Descriptive Summary

Title: Duits, Ltd. (Gallery: London, England) records

Date (inclusive): 1920-1979

Number: 860290

Creator/Collector: Duits, Ltd. (Gallery : London, England)

Physical Description: 26.0 linear feet (69 boxes)

Repository:

The Getty Research Institute

Special Collections

1200 Getty Center Drive, Suite 1100

Los Angeles, California, 90049-1688

(310) 440-7390

Abstract: Extant sales and financial records and photographs of the Duits, Ltd. Gallery in London for the period 1920-1979, providing provenance, sales history, and some expertise on art and antiques (including estates and collections) handled by the firm.

Request Materials: Request access to the physical materials described in this inventory through the catalog record for this collection. Click here for the access policy .

Language: Collection material is in English

Biographical/Historical Note

The firm started as a general dealer in art and antiques in Dordrecht in 1836 before moving to Amsterdam in 1875. In 1920 Charles Duits opened a gallery in London where he was joined by his brother William Henry and both his son, Clifford and grandson Graham. After 1920 the Duits Gallery concentrated on old masters, with a special interest in Dutch and Flemish works, many originally handled in association with their Amsterdam gallery, which closed in 1938. The London gallery closed in 1985.

Administrative Information

Access

Open for use by qualified researchers.

Publication Rights

Contact Library Rights and Reproductions .

Preferred Citation

Duits Ltd. (Gallery: London, England) records, 1920-1979, Getty Research Institute, Research Library, Accession no. 860290.

http://hdl.handle.net/10020/cifa860290

Acquisition Information

The Duits Ltd. records were received from the London gallery upon closing business in 1985.

Scope and Content of Collection

The Duits Ltd. records, which represent the extant sales and accounting records from 1924, were received from the London gallery when the business closed in 1985. Together the stock and sales records, which include two books regarding antiques (1920-1937), and photographs provide provenance information, sales history, and some expertise on works handled by the firm. Included are miscellaneous records (ca. 1940-1979) with correspondence and notes on Holbein, El Greco, and other expertises and records relating to the estates of Borthwick-Norton and du Vere Clinton and the Charles E. Duits collection (ca. 1937-1977).

Arrangement note

Arranged in one series.

Indexing Terms

Subjects - Names

Borthwick-Norton, H. F. P.

Clifton, Harry Talbot de Vere, 1907-

Cuyp, Aelbert, 1620-1691

Greco, 1541?-1614

Holbein, Hans, 1497-1543

Rubens, Peter Paul, 1577-1640

Subjects - Topics

Antiques

Art dealers--Great Britain

Art dealers--Netherlands

Art--Private collections

Painting, Dutch

Painting, European

Painting, Flemish

Painting--Expertising

Genres and Forms of Material

Catalogs

Photographic prints

Contributors

Duits, Charles

Duits, Graham, 1935-

Box 1

Ledgers

Box 1

Duits Bros Inheritance Accounts, 1925-1927

Box 1

Profit and Loss and Bad Debt accounts

Box 1

1926-1927

Box 1

1928

Box 2

Ledgers - Profit and Loss

Box 2

1929

Scope and Content Note

Entries from auctions, mostly blank.

Box 2

1929

Box 2

1930

Box 2

1931

Box 3

1932

Box 3

1933

Box 3

1934

Box 3

1935

Box 4

1936

Box 4

1937

Box 4

1938-1943

Box 5

Ledgers - Sales accounts with galleries and auction houses

Box 5

1931

Box 5

1932

Box 5

1933

Box 6

1934

Box 6

1935

Box 7

1937

Box 7

1938-1941

Box 7

1942-1949

Box 8

Ledgers and statement of accounts (looseleaf and bound)

Box 8, Folder 1

Statement of accounts, 1938-1939

Box 8, Folder 2

Statement of accounts, 1940-1941

Box 8, Folder 3

Statement of accounts, 1949-1960

Box 8, Folder 4

Ledger - Expense 1942-1944

Box 9

Accounts Ledgers (looseleaf and bound)

Box 9, Folder 1

1948-1950

Box 9, Folder 2

1952-1955

Box 9, Folder 3

1956-1958

Box 9, Folder 4

1958-1961

Box 9, Folder 5

bound ledger 1961-1964

Box 10

Ledgers and accounts

Box 10, Folder 1

Profit and loss 1925-1926

Box 10, Folder 2

Ledger balance 1929

Box 10

Monthly analysis of expenses, 1948-1960

Box 10, Folder 3

Bound ledgers (5 vols.)

Box 10, Folder 4

Debit and credit entries, ca. 1957-1963

Box 10, Folder 5

Accounts invoiced, 1968-1971

Box 10, Folder 6

Expenses, 1938-1939

Box 10, Folder 7

17th c. Masters Ltd, Record of loose-leaf sheets issued, 1949-1956

Box 10, Folder 8

Wages and salaries, 1961-1966

Box 11-18

Diaries

Scope and Content Note

Record sales and purchases, almost daily entries.

Box 11

1931

Box 11

1932

Box 11

1933

Box 11

1934

Box 12

1935

Box 12

1936

Box 12

1937

Box 12

1938

Box 13

1939

Box 13

1940

Box 13

1941

Box 13

1942

Box 13

1943

Box 13

1944

Box 13

1945

Box 14

1946

Box 14

1947

Box 14

1948 (Duits)

Box 14

1948

Box 14

1949 (17th c. Masters)

Box 14

1949

Box 15

1950

Box 15

1951

Box 15

1952

Box 15

1953

Box 15

1954

Box 16

1955

Box 16

1956

Box 16

1957

Box 16

1958

Box 16

1959

Box 17

1960

Box 17

1961

Box 17

1962

Box 17

1963

Box 17

1964

Box 18

1965

Box 18

1966

Box 18

1967

Box 18

1968

Box 19

Invoices and Approval books

Box 19, Folder 1

Invoices and other loose accounting sheets from bound volumes in this box

Box 19, Folder 2

Appro 5 [approvals] ca. 1933-1936

Scope and Content Note

1 volume, lists stock, dealers, prices, status.

Box 19, Folder 3

Appro 6, ca. 1930-1938

Scope and Content Note

1 volume, lists stock, dealers, prices, status.

Box 20

Approval books (3 vols.) and 1 notebook

Box 20

1938-1941

Box 20

1942-1948

Box 20

1960-1966

Box 20

"Hofstede De Groot Catalogue (Dutch Painters) Supplement vols. I-VIII, IX, X"

Scope and Content Note

1 small bound handwritten notebook with notes on paintings, provenance, sales and prices.

Box 21-23

Stockbooks

Scope and Content Note

Contain listings by stock number, with titles of works and prices.

Box 21

Antique stock, 1920-1937

Box 21

Stockbook, 1921-1925

Box 21

Stockbook, ca. 1937-1942

Box 21

Stockbook, ca. 1946-1949

Box 21

Stockbook, 1954-1968

Box 22

Stockbook, ca. May 1937 - Oct 1944

Box 23

Stock book

Scope and Content Note

Bound volume with handwritten entries by artist name, include descriptions of works, provenance, with some pages of stock numbers

Box 23

Accounts of Debits and Credits, ca. 1966-1969

Box 23

Diaries

Scope and Content Note

5 volumes that record nearly daily meetings, clients and works seen.

Box 23

1968

Box 23

1969

Box 23

1970

Box 23

1971

Box 23

1972

Box 24

Financial papers

Box 24, Folder 1-8

Invoices and correspondence, ca. 1964-1979

Box 25

Invoices and correspondance

Box 25, Folder 1-4

Sales of works, 1970-1971

Scope and Content Note

Invoices with exhibit catalogs attached (from Clifford Duits estate), Jan -June 1970, plus lists of artworks, Jan 1971-

Box 25, Folder 5

Notes, letters and clippings regarding clients interests

Box 25, Folder 6

Correspondence with U.S. museums, ca. 1972

Box 25, Folder 7

Form letter introducing gallery to German museums, 1972

Box 25, Folder 8

Other correspondence worldwide, 1972

Box 25, Folder 9

Bruegal letter campaign, 1972

Box 25, Folder 10

Clifford Duits correspondence, notes and assorted, 1968

Box 26

Society of London Art Dealers correspondence, by date

Box 26, Folder 1

1974-1978

Box 26, Folder 2

1973-1974

Box 26, Folder 3

1971-1973

Box 26, Folder 4

1969-1971

Box 26, Folder 5

1965-1969

Box 27

Estates papers

Box 27, Folder 1

H. F. P. Borthwick-Norton Estate, Dec 1950

Scope and Content Note

Inventory of furniture and effects, Dec 1950

Box 27, Folder 2

Borthwick-Norton estate, ca. 1951-1954

Scope and Content Note

Correspondence, clippings, insurance documents.

Box 27, Folder 3

Borthwick-Norton Estate, undated

Scope and Content Note

Probate and executors accounts.

Box 27, Folder 4

H. T. de ver Clifton estate, 1961

Scope and Content Note

Inventories, expertises, correspondence and photographs.

Box 28

Other legal and business papers

Box 28, Folder 1

Stock shares, wills, statements

Box 28, Folder 2

Leases (Wigmore St., London), 1908-1947

Box 28, Folder 3

Leases (Wigmore St.), 1947

Box 28, Folder 4

Leases (Wigmore St.), 1965-1978

Box 28, Folder 5

Leases (Duke St.), , , 1932 1946-1947 1965

Box 28, Folder 6-8

Insurance policies, 1945-1970

Box 29

Duits library and office

Box 29, Folder 1

Lists of books in the office, undated

Box 29, Folder 2

Photograph (Duits family?)

Box 29, Folder 3

Lists of artworks in the office, undated

Box 29, Folder 4

Library catalogue: Dutch and Flemish monographs, exhibit, museum and sales catalogues

Scope and Content Note

Notebook

Box 29, Folder 5

"Old Library Catalogue"

Scope and Content Note

Notebook, lists monographs, museum, exhibit and sales catalogues.

Box 29, Folder 6

Photographs record book

Scope and Content Note

Alphabetical list by artist of artwork, type of photograph taken and date.

Box 29, Folder 7

Notebook with lists of artworks by artist, with inventory numbers

Box 30

Photographs of stock

Scope and Content Note

Mounted on loose pages, organized alphabetically by artist or school.

Box 30, Folder 1

Box 30, Folder 2

C - D

Box 30, Folder 3

F - G

Box 30, Folder 4

H - L

Box 30, Folder 5

Box 30, Folder 6

P, R

Box 30, Folder 7

S - T

Box 30, Folder 8

V - Z

Box 30, Folder 9

notes on Cuyp, and Bruegal, 3 pp

Box 30, Folder 10

El Greco, letters about works and photographs

Box 30, Folder 11

Holbein, letters about works and photographs

Folder 12

Rubens Equistrian portrait of Philip II, letters and photographs

Box 30, Folder 13

Ruisdael, notes and printed matter

Box 30, Folder 14

Duits exhibition brochure and catalogue

Box 30, Folder 14

Exhibition of fine 18th and 19th-century drawings and watercolors, n.d.

Box 30, Folder 14

Exhibition of Gothic Sculpture, 13 June 1933

Scope and Content Note

With annotations and pasted in clippings.

Box 31

Catalogues

Box 31

Dutch Pictures 1450-1750, Royal Academy of Arts, London, 1952-1953

Scope and Content Note

Catalogue annotated by C. E. Duits.

Box 31

Small notebook with descriptions of artworks, by artist, undated

Scope and Content Note

With some notes, clippings inserted.

Box 31

Catalogue of Charles Duits Probate valuation

Scope and Content Note

Notebook, includes typed lists of works, with valuations, plus pages of negatives.

Box 32

Assorted papers

Box 32, Folder 1

Pastel drawing on board

Scope and Content Note

On verso, Expo Universelle de 1855, Honorable Mention.

Box 32, Folder 2

Notebook (Charles Duits?) of travel notes, with inserts

Box 32, Folder 3

Exports log, 1946-1964

Box 32, Folder 4

Early Flemish Painters, 1906

Scope and Content Note

Catalogue with annotations.

Box 32, Folder 5

untitled catalogue of art works

Scope and Content Note

With annotations.

Box 33

Address book, clients, museums, experts, undated

Box 34

Index cards, A-Z, clients inquiries

Box 35

Index cards of stock sold, A - N

Scope and Content Note

Alpha by artist. Lists artist, stock number, subject/description of work, to whom sold.

Box 36

Index cards of stock sold, N - Z

Box 37

Index cards of work sold, A - N

Scope and Content Note

Alpha by artists. Most sales 1950s - early 1970s.

Box 38

Index cards of work sold, O - Z

Box 39

Index cards for W. E. Duits collections - A -Z

Scope and Content Note

Alpha by artist, no stock numbers. Include descrption of work, current owner, sales and exhibits.

Box 40

Combination 2, 1930-1933

Scope and Content Note

Ledger of accounts of artworks bought/sold in partnership with other dealers.

Box 41

Combination 3, 1934-1937

Box 42

Ledger - Cash received, Cash paid, ca. 1938-1950

Box 43

Ledger - Cash accounts, 1950-1958

Box 44

Ledger - Cash accounts, 1958-1965

Box 45

Photograph album of stock, #1-30

Box 46

Photograph album of stock, #31-60

Box 47

Photograph album of stock, #61-90

Box 48

Photograph album of stock, [91-120

Box 49

Photograph album of stock, #122-151

Box 50

Photograph album of stock, #152-180

Box 51

Photograph album of stock, ¶-211

Box 52

Photograph album of stock, #212-240

Box 53

Photograph album of stock, #241-270

Box 54

Photograph album of stock, #271-299

Box 55

Photograph album of stock, #300-329

Box 56

Photograph album of stock, #329-357

Box 57

Photograph album - Italian and Spanish

Box 58

Photograph album - Still life, 18th - 19th c

Box 59

Scrapbook with photographs of artworks - A - D (van Aelst - van Dyck)

Scope and Content Note

Large black scrapbook, untitled, with photographs alphabetically by artist.

Box 60

Scrapbook with photographs of artworks - E - K (Eeckhout - Koninck)

Box 61

Scrapbook with photographs of artworks - L - R (Lancret - Ruisdael)

Box 62

LScrapbook with photographs of artworks - S - W (Saenredam - Wynants)

Box 63

Scrapbook with photographs of artworks - assorted work

Box 64

Scrapbook with photographs of artworks - assorted work

Box 65

Small Scrapbook with photographs of artworks - A - D (van Aelst - Dusart)

Box 66

Small Scrapbook with photographs of artworks - E - K (Eeckhout - Koninck)

Box 67

Small Scrapbook with photographs of artworks - L - R (Le Nain - Ruysch)

Box 68

Small Scrapbook with photographs of artworks - S - Z

Box 69

Small Scrapbook with photographs of artworks - assorted artists