Abbott Handerson Thayer and Thayer Family papers

ArchivalResource

Abbott Handerson Thayer and Thayer Family papers

1851-1999

The papers of painter and naturalist, Abbott Handerson Thayer, and the Thayer family date from 1851 to 1999, with the bulk of the material dating from 1881 to 1950, and measure 5.12 linear feet. Thayer's painting career, interest in concealing coloration in nature, and relationships with artists, patrons, family, and friends are documented through correspondence, writings, scattered legal and financial records, printed materials, and a scrapbook. Photographs are of Thayer, his family, studio, and friends, including artists. The collection also contains family papers created by his second wife, Emma Beach Thayer, his son Gerald, his daughters Mary and Gladys, and Gladys' husband David Reasoner, who managed Thayer's estate after his death. Scattered Biographical Material includes a brief autobiographical statement and chronology by Abbott Thayer, lists of artworks by Abbott Thayer and Gladys Thayer Reasoner, and biographical information about Thayer's granddaughter, Jean Reasoner Plunket. Two linear feet of family correspondence includes Abott Thayer's correspondence with patrons Charles L. Freer and John Gellatly; with many artists, several of whom were close friends, including Samuel Colman, Thomas Millie Dow, Daniel Chester French, Richard Meryman, Everton Sainsbury, Louis Agassiz Fuertes, and E. M. Taber; and former students, such as Ben Foster and Barry Faulkner; and with other friends, many of them prominent members of society, such as Samuel Clemens, Royal Cortissoz, Edward Waldo Emerson, and Stanford White. Also found is Thayer's correspondence with scientists and naturalists discussing his theories on protective coloration in nature. Correspondence of his second wife Emma Beach Thayer, his first wife, Kate Bloede Thayer, his daughter, Gladys Thayer Reasoner, her husband and executor of Thayer's estate, David Reasoner, and other family members are also included in the papers. Writings and notes by Thayer record his thoughts on concealing coloration, nature, restoration of artwork, and other topics. Writings by others include those by Emma Beach Thayer, daughters Mary and Gladys, and Thayer scholars. The collection also contains correspondence of David Reasoner and other family members, as well as financial and legal documents regarding the estate of Abbott Handerson Thayer and Emma Beach Thayer. Additional financial and legal material includes ledgers, accounts statements, bills, a patent granted to Thayer and Gerome Brush, legal agreements, property deeds, and a map of Thayer's property. Printed material include books, including one written by Theodore Roosevelt in response to Thayer's book on concealing coloration. Also found are newspaper and magazine clippings, and exhibition announcements and catalogs. Photographs are of Abbott Thayer, his wife Emma; his studio and home in Dublin, New Hampshire; friends, including Rockwell Kent and Ralph Waldo Emerson; and of unidentified people. Artwork includes a few drawings by Thayer, drawings and paintings by his children, and sketchbooks belonging to David Reasoner and Jean Reasoner Plunket. The collection also includes one large scrapbook kept by David Reasoner documenting Abbott Thayer's artwork.

5.12 linear feet

Information

SNAC Resource ID: 6630751

Archives of American Art

Related Entities

There are 33 Entities related to this resource.

Sainsbury, Everton.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w61p5w6c (person)

Thayer, Kate Bloede.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6xp8x8w (person)

Dow, Thomas Millie.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6q54ftq (person)

Taber, E. M.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6c55cjk (person)

Thayer, Mary.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w67h9dn2 (person)

French, Daniel Chester.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6618vpc (person)

Reasoner, David.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6ns8q62 (person)

Thayer, Abbott Handerson, 1849-1921

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w62910m0 (person)

Painter; Dublin, New Hampshire. From the description of Abbott Handerson Thayer papers, 1861-1936 [microform]. 1962. (Defense Special Weapons Agency). WorldCat record id: 79732064 American painter. From the description of Autograph letter signed : Dublin, N.H., to Mr. Clark, [no year] Jun. 16. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270571900 Artist Abbott Handerson Thayer was born in Boston and raised in rural New Hampshire, where he became an avid outdoorsman a...

Emerson, Ralph Waldo, 1803-1882

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w63k44cq (person)

Ralph Waldo Emerson (May 25, 1803, Boston, Massachusetts– April 27, 1882, Concord, Massachusetts), American essayist, lecturer, philosopher, and poet who led the transcendentalist movement of the mid-19th century.Epithet: American essayist British Library Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue : Person : Description : ark:/81055/vdc_100000000621.0x000365 ...

Twain, Mark, 1835-1910

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6dg7gd6 (person)

Mark Twain (b. Samuel Langhorne Clemens, November 30, 1835, Florida, MO – d. April 21, 1910, Redding, CT) was an American writer, humorist, entrepreneur, publisher, and lecturer. Among his novels are The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) and its sequel, the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1885). Twain served an apprenticeship with a printer and then worked as a typesetter, contributing articles to the newspaper of his older brother Orion Clemens. He later became a riverboat pil...

Faulkner, Barry, 1881-1966

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6sf2x45 (person)

Artist. From the description of Barry Faulkner papers, 1861-1966 (bulk 1900-1966). (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 82380415 Muralist, painter, and teacher; Keene, N.H. Studied with George de Forest Brush, Abbott Handerson Thayer, and at the American Academy in Rome. Was a trustee of the McDowell Colony, Peterborough, N.H. Died Oct. 27, 1966. From the description of Barry Faulkner papers, 1900-1973. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 78618549 ...

Thayer, Gladys, 1886 or 1887-1945

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6z33r9t (person)

Thayer, Mary

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w66j7j1x (person)

Freer, Charles Lang, 1854-1919

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6m047zc (person)

Epithet: American collector British Library Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue : Person : Description : ark:/81055/vdc_100000000301.0x000033 Manufacturer and art collector. From the description of Charles Lang Freer letter, 1928. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 79450299 Art collector; Detroit, Michigan. Collected Asian, American, and European art, including a large collection of works by James McNeill Whistler. Founded the Freer G...

Thayer, Emma B., 1850-1924.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w64j26j0 (person)

Fuertes, Louis Agassiz, 1874-1927

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6s1834c (person)

Artist, naturalist. From the description of Louis Agassiz Fuertes exhibit items, 1982-1983. (Cornell University Library). WorldCat record id: 74897982 From the description of Louis Agassiz Fuertes pencil drawing, [ca.1900]. (Cornell University Library). WorldCat record id: 77010685 Louis Agassiz Fuertes was an ornithologist and a painter of birds. He was a resident lecturer at Cornell University for several years. From the description of Louis Agassiz Fu...

Kent, Rockwell, 1882-1971

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6td9w2g (person)

Painter; New York, N.Y. From the description of Rockwell Kent interview, 1957 Sept. 12. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 80242441 Painter, illustrator, writer, lecturer; Ausable Forks, New York. From the description of Rockwell Kent letters to Robert T. Hatt, 1935-1936. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122553040 In addition to being a successful painter, printmaker, illustrator, designer, and commercial artist, Kent pursued careers as a writer, professional ...

Gellatly, John, 1853-1931

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w63r2k6t (person)

Art collector; New York (N.Y.). From the description of John Gellatly letters received from artists, 1887-1931. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122565648 ...

Sainsbury, Everton

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w68q9128 (person)

Cortissoz, Royal, 1869-1948

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w69z97ch (person)

American art critic. From the description of Autograph letters signed (2), dated : [New York], 10 Apirl 1940 and 22 March 1942, to Harry [Harkness Flagler], 1940 Apr. 10 and 22 March 1942. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270564650 Royal Cortissoz (1869-1968), respected American art critic, was born in Brooklyn, NY. He trained as an architect, spending six years working at the firm of McKim, Mead, and White before embarking on his journalism career. Cortissoz served as the art...

Plunket, Jean Reasoner

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6bw5bx1 (person)

White, Stanford, 1853-1906

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w66m379z (person)

Collector, artist; New York, N.Y. From the description of Stanford White papers, 1873-1920. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 86132941 Stanford White (1853-1906) was an American architect, and a partner in the architectural firm of McKim, Mead, and White. He designed numerous homes for wealthy individuals as well as public buildings in and around New York City. He was murdered in 1906 by Harry Kendall Thaw for having had an affair with Thaw's wife, the very beautiful (and very ...

Emerson, Edward Waldo, 1844-1930

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w66m3mbz (person)

Foster, Ben 1852-1926

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w67d4mrz (person)

Reasoner, David

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w67n38j5 (person)

Thayer, Gerald Handerson, 1883-1939

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6xs5wrn (person)

Thayer, Kate Bloede

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6d92c2v (person)

Taber, E. M.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6wr34br (person)

Dow, Thomas Millie

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6qp97cg (person)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w60h488d (person)

Roosevelt, 26th U.S. president, served 1901-1909. From the description of DS, 1904 March 1. : Washington, D.C. Homestead Certificate. (Copley Press, J S Copley Library). WorldCat record id: 15210791 26th president of the United States, 1901-1909. From the description of Theodore Roosevelt letters, 1917, 1918. (Buffalo History Museum). WorldCat record id: 213408920 Roosevelt was then Governor of New York. Chapman was one of the founders of the New York St...

Meryman, Richard Sumner, 1881-1963

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w69p4sz3 (person)

French, Daniel Chester, 1850-1931

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6h70hnm (person)

Sculptor and artist. From the description of Daniel Chester French papers, circa 1848-1968 (bulk 1911-1945). (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 79450719 Sculptor; New York, N.Y. and Glendale, Mass. From the description of Daniel Chester French letters, 1908-1921. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122648173 Biographical Note 1850, Apr. 20 Born, Exeter, N.H....

Colman, Samuel, 1832-1920

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6bc41n5 (person)

Painter of landscape and genre subjects, etcher and watercolorist; born in Portland, Maine. Studied in New York with Asher B. Durand, and abroad. Last name alternatively spelled Coleman. From the description of Samuel Colman papers, 1855-1961. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122545621 ...