Mary W.A. and Francis V. Crane Papers 1926-1978.

ArchivalResource

Crane, Mary Winslow (Allen), 1902-1982. Mary W.A. and Francis V. Crane Papers 1926-1978.

Mary W.A. and Francis V. Crane Papers 1926-1978.

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/69382664

The Crane papers, contained in eight 12.5 x 15.5 x 10-inch boxes, one 5 x 15.5 x 10-inch box and one 2.5 x 15.5 x 10-inch box, document the establishment of the Southeast Museum of the American Indian in Marathon, Florida, and the later transfer of that institution's collection of American Indian artifacts to the Denver Museum of Natural History (now the Denver Museum of Nature & Science). The papers span the years from 1951 to 1980. The first part of the collection deals primarily with Francis and Mary Crane's establishment of the Southeast Museum; the travels the Cranes undertook to build their collection; the dealers with whom they worked; the building of the Southeast Museum; and its daily business. The collection's second part deals with the transfer of the artifacts to DMNH, including the evaluation of the artifacts; deeds of gift; and correspondence between Mary Crane and Christine Bonney, who was the registrar and secretary of the Southeast Museum and continued to work as registrar of artifacts after the materials were moved to DMNH. More specifically, the Southeast Museum founding portion of the collection contains a history of the Crane Foundation and a list of its directors and information about the collection itself, including invoices, supplier information, cataloging data and records of items considered for purchase. It also includes the records of the Southeast Museum's shop and its Native American suppliers, plus personal materials of Francis and Mary Crane, including records of early purchases, travel descriptions and Mary Crane's notebooks listing items purchased and documentation of their historic importance. Correspondence, in addition to that noted above between Mary Crane and Christine Bonney, includes letters between the Cranes and the Audubon Society, of which they were active members, and an alphabetized list of letters to and from various people regarding the collection and items in it. The portion of the collection dealing with the DMNH transfer includes materials such as inventories, evaluations and appraisals, attorneys' notes, supplier names and IRS information, correspondence, and other papers. Included are dedication remarks on the opening of one of the Crane galleries in 1975 and Mary Crane's notes on hotel stationary for her speech at the formal dedication in 1978 of the Francis V. and Mary W.A. Crane Hall of the North American Indian. Two deeds of gift to DMNH, dated 1976 and 1980, are also in this portion of the collection.

10 boxes.

Denver Museum of Nature & Science, Alfred M. Bailey Library