About the Charles Henry Caffin papers
A Finding Aid to the Charles Henry Caffin Papers, circa 1883-1973, in the Archives of American Art, by Catherine S. Gaines
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Biographical Information | Description of the Collection | How to Use the Collection | Series Descriptions
Biographical Information [+]
Charles Henry Caffin (1854-1918) was an art critic and lecturer, who was an early supporter of the Photo-Secessionists and modern art. After graduation from Oxford University, Caffin was associated with Ben Greet and His Shakespearean Players as an actor and stage manager for outdoor productions. He married Caroline Scurfield, an actress with the company. READ MORE
Description of the Collection
Overview - Scope and Contents
The Charles Henry Caffin papers measure 0.7 linear feet and are dated circa 1883-1973, and undated. They consist of family photographs by noted photographers Arnold Genthe, Frances Benjamin Johnston, Gertrude Kasebier, Edward Steichen, and Alfred Stieglitz. The photographs, circa 1883-circa1911, are of Charles Henry Caffin, wife Caroline, their daughters Donna and Freda, his mother Hariet C. Caffin, actor Ben Greet, and Greet and Caroline Scurfield (later Caffin). Printed materials include a scrapbook of Caffin's columns for the New York American, 1913-1915, autographed and illustrated published scripts for plays, and miscellaneous printed matter. Also found in the papers is transcript and a written summary of a 1973 interview with Caffin's daughter, Donna Layton, conducted by Wanda Corn and Deborah Loft concerning Charles Henry Caffin.
Arrangement and Series Description
The collection is arranged into three series. Photographs of people are arranged alphabetically by name, with each folder in rough chronological order. Series 2 and 3 are arranged in chronological order.
- Series 1: Photographs, circa 1883 - circa 1911 (Boxes 1-2, OV 3; 0.4 linear feet)
- Series 2: Scrapbook and Other Printed Material, 1907-1972, undated (Box 2; 0.3 linear feet)
- Series 3: Interview Transcript, 1973 (Box 2; 1 folder)
Subjects
This collection is indexed in the online catalog of the Archives of American Art under the following index terms. People, families and organizations are listed under "Names" when they are creators or contributors and under "Subjects" when they are the topic of collection contents.
- Subjects:
- Kennedy, Charles Rann, 1871- Servant in the house
- Andreyev, Leonid, 1871-1919. Sorrows of Belgium
- Greet, Ben, Sir, 1857-1936
- Subjects-Topical:
- Photography, Artistic
- Theater -- History -- 20th century
- Art, Modern -- 20th century
- Photographers
- Art critics -- New York (State) -- New York
- Types of Materials:
- Scrapbooks
- Interviews
- Photographs
- Names:
- Genthe, Arnold, 1869-1942 photographer
- Johnston, Frances Benjamin, 1864-1952 photographer
- Käsebier, Gertrude, 1852-1934 photographer
- Stieglitz, Alfred, 1864-1946 photographer
- Steichen, Edward, 1879-1973 photographer
- Layton, Donna Caffin
- Corn, Wanda M.
Provenance
In 1974, Donna Caffin Layton, daughter of Charles Caffin, donated family photographs by Arnold Genthe, Frances Benjamin Johnston, Gertrude Kasebier, and Edward Steichen; a scrapbook; miscellaneous printed matter including a program of Ben Greet's American Shakespeare tour; and an interview transcript. This gift was microfilmed on Reel 1052.
Stephen D. Rockstroh, Caffin's son-in-law, made a gift of additional material in 1985 that included 7 additional photographs (3 platinum prints by Gertrude Kasebier , a platinum print of Charles Henry Caffin by Alfred Stieglitz, circa 1911, and a photograph of a painting of Charles Caffin by Howard Hildebrand, undated, P.A. Juley, photographer), two published play scripts: Servant in the House by Charles Rann Kennedy and Sorrows of Belgium and 2 enclosed letters to Mrs. Caffin, 1920.
How the Collection was Processed
The collection was re-processed by Catherine S. Gaines in 2003, merging the earlier filmed 1974 gift and the 1985 unfilmed accession.
How to Use the Collection
Restrictions on Use
The Charles Caffin papers are owned by the Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution. Literary rights as possessed by the donor have been dedicated to public use for research, study, and scholarship. The collection is subject to all copyright laws.
The collection is open for research. Use requires an appointment and is limited to the Washington D.C. research office. Reel 1052 is available for interlibrary loan.
How to Cite this Collection
The Charles Caffin papers, circa 1883-1973. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
Series Descriptions
Series 1: Photographs, circa 1883 - circa 1911 (Box 1-2, OV 3; 0.4 linear feet)
Photographs are of Charles Henry Caffin, wife Caroline, their daughters Donna and Freda, his mother Hariet C. Caffin, actor Ben Greet, and Greet and Caroline Scurfield (later Caffin) by noted photographers Arnold Genthe, Frances Benjamin Johnston, Gertrude Kasebier, Edward Steichen, and Alfred Stieglitz. Also included is a photograph by Peter A. Juley of a painting of Charles Henry Caffin painted by Howard Hildebrand.
| Box |
|
|
|---|---|---|
| 1 (sol) | Caffin, Caroline(platinum, gum bichromate print by Edward Steichen, 1901; platinum print by Gertrude Kasebier, 1904; 2 platinum prints by Gertrude Kasebier, circa 1905), 1901-circa 1905 | |
| 1 (sol) | Caffin, Caroline with daughters Donna and Freda (platinum print by Gertrude Kasebier), 1905 | |
| 1 (sol) | Caffin, Charles Henry (2 platinum prints by Gertrude Kasebier, 1905), 1905 | |
| 1 (sol) | Caffin, Charles Henry,(see OV 3), circa 1911 | |
| 1 (sol) | Caffin, Donna and Freda (platinum print by Edward Steichen, 1901; 2 platinum prints by Gertrude Kasebier, 1905), 1901 and 1905 | |
| 1 (sol) | Caffin, Hariet C.(mother of Charles Henry Caffin; platinum print by Frances Benjamin Johnston), early 1900s | |
| 1 (sol) | Greet, Ben; Greet and Caroline Scurfield in As You Like It (Ben Greet silver gelatin print by Arnold Genthe, circa 1910-1920; Ben Greet and Caroline Scurfield albumen print by unknown photographer, circa 1883-1888), circa 1883, 1910 | |
| 1 (sol) | Portrait of Charles Caffin by Howard Hildebrand (P.A. Juley, photographer), undated |
| Box |
|
|
|---|---|---|
| 2 (hol) | Copy Photographs and Negatives (done by the Archives of American Art), circa 1883 - circa 1911, undated (6 folders) |
| Box |
|
|
|---|---|---|
| OV 3 | Caffin, Charles Henry (oversized platinum print by Alfred Stieglitz), circa 1911 |
Series 2: Scrapbook and Other Printed Material, 1908-1972, undated (Box 2; 0.3 linear feet)
Found here are a scrapbook of Caffin's columns for the New York American, a published copy of the play A Servant in the House by Charles Rann Kennedy inscribed to Freda Caffin, with plates autographed by cast members including Walter Hampden, Edith Wynne Matthison, and Tyrone Power, Sr. and a published copy of The Sorrows of Belgium, A Play in Six Scenes by Leonid Andreyev containing sketches, autographs, and inscriptions by artist friends and others, including George (Alfred) Avison, Solon Borglum, Roy Brown, John Harmon Cassel, Homer B. Conant, Leo F. Dorn, Bernhard Gutmann, Henry Salem Hubbell, Charles Reiffel, Charles Shackelton, and F. C. Yohn. Enclosed in the script are 2 letters, 1920, to Mrs. Caffin from playwright Gilbert Cannan. READ MORE
| Box |
|
|
|---|---|---|
| 2 (hol) | Scrapbook, 1913-1915 | |
| 2 (hol) | A Servant in the House by Charles Rann Kennedy, 1908 | |
| 2 (hol) | The Sorrows of Belgium: A Play in Six Scenes by Leonid Andreyev, 1915 | |
| 2 (hol) | Miscellaneous Printed Matter, 1972, undated |
Series 3: Interview Transcript, 1973 (Box 2; 1 folder)
A transcript and edited summary of an interview with Mrs. Donna Layton, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Caffin, by Wanda Corn and Deborah Loft, February 27, 1973, concerning Charles Henry Caffin.
| Box |
|
|
|---|---|---|
| 2 (hol) | Interview Transcript, 1973 |