About the Allen Tupper True and True family papers
A Finding Aid to the Allen Tupper True and True Family Papers, 1841-1987, in the Archives of American Art, by Jean Fitzgerald
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Biographical Information | Description of the Collection | How to Use the Collection | Series Descriptions
Biographical Information [+]
Allen Tupper True (1881-1955) was born in Colorado Springs, Colorado in 1881. He was a student at the University of Denver, and studied at the Corcoran School of Art, Washington, D.C. between 1901 and 1902. In 1902, he was accepted into Howard Pyle's classes in Chadd's Ford, Pennsylvania, and studied there until 1908, befriending classmates George Harding, Gordon McCouch, Thornton Oakley, and N.C. Wyeth. Through Pyle, True began his career as a magazine illustrator. READ MORE
Description of the Collection
Overview - Scope and Contents
The Allen Tupper True and True family papers date from 1841 to 1987 and measure 7.8 linear feet. The collection presents a good overview of True's personal life and and his career as mural painter and illustrator specializing in Western themes. Through art work, project files, photographs, and printed material, the collection offers a rich resource, both textually and visually of True's research and work on documenting early twentieth century Native Americans cultural traditions. The papers also document True's childhood and his relationship with his family through various family papers, such as correspondence, genealogies, subject files, photographs, and a scrapbook. The collection is a particularly rich resource for the study of Allen Tupper True's work, as well as original documentation of the American West and Native American culture.
Arrangement and Series Description
The collection is arranged into thirteen series according to material type. The contents of each series have been arranged chronologically.
- Series 1: Biographical Material, 1895-1964, undated (box 1, 7 folders)
- Series 2: Subject Files, 1873-1955 (box 1, 16 folders)
- Series 3: Correspondence, 1841-1956 (boxes 1-4, 3.5 linear ft.)
- Series 4: Business Records, 1903-1951 (box 4, 4 folders)
- Series 5: Notes, 1902-1920 (box 5, 10 folders)
- Series 6: Writings, 1896-1926 (box 5, 5 folders)
- Series 7: Artwork, 1897-1923 (boxes 5, 10, and OV folder, 0.5 linear ft.)
- Series 8: Project Files, 1912-1987 (box 5, 0.75 linear ft.)
- Series 9: Photographs, 1859-1950 (boxes 6-7, 1.5 linear ft.)
- Series 10: Scrapbook, 1934 (box 7, 1 volume)
- Series 11: Printed Material, 1875-1981 (box 7, 20 folders)
- Series 12: Artifacts, ca. 1863 (box 10, 9 items)
- Series 13: Glass Negatives, undated (boxes 8-9, 0.4 linear ft.)
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 "Subjects" when they are the topic of collection contents and under "Names" when they are creators or contributors.
- Subjects:
- Brangwyn, Frank, Sir, 1867-1956
- Pyle, Howard, 1853-1911
- Wyeth, N. C. (Newell Convers), 1882-1945
- Subjects-Topical:
- Indians of North America -- Portraits
- Mural painting and decoration, American
- Artists' studios -- Photographs
- Illustrators -- Colorado -- Denver
- Muralists -- Colorado -- Denver
- Types of Materials:
- Works of art
- Christmas cards
- Cartoons (working drawings)
- Diaries
- Drawings
- Illustrated letters
- Photographs
- Sketches
- Sketchbooks
- Names:
- Borglum, Gutzon, 1867-1941
Provenance
The Allen Tupper True and True family papers were donated in February and April 1988 by True's daughter Jane True Mueller and his son, Frank True.
How the Collection was Processed
The collection was processed and the finding aid written by Jean Fitzgerald, February 28, 1994. The finding aid was modified by Stephanie Ashley in 2002 during EAD conversion.
How to Use the Collection
Restrictions on Use
The Allen Tupper True and True family 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. Patrons must use microfilm copy.
Available Formats
The collection is available on microfilm reels 4891-4898. The microfilm is available for interlibrary loan.
How to Cite this Collection
The Allen Tupper True and True family papers, 1841-1987
Series Descriptions
Series 1: Biographical Material, 1895-1964, undated (box 1, 7 folders)
This series includes family genealogies, biographical accounts, passports, school papers, an award medal for horsemanship, membership cards, and copies of True's will.
| Box | Reel |
|
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4891 | True family genealogies, 1964, undated |
| 1 | 4891 | Biographical accounts for Allen Tupper True, 1959, undated |
| 1 | 4891 | Passports (4), 1923-1950 |
| 1 | 4891 | School papers, 1895-1899 |
| 1 | 4891 | Award medal for horsemanship, 1909 |
| 1 | 4891 | Membership cards (2), 1948-1949 |
| 1 | 4891 | Copies of True's will, 1926-1951 |
Series 2: Subject Files, 1873-1955 (box 1, 16 folders)
This series includes letters, journals and autobiographical accounts, notes, ephemera, printed material, and legal documents such as mining and stock certificates and wills, concerning members of the True family and organizations with which they were associated. READ MORE
| Box | Reel |
|
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4891 | Margaret Allen Tupper True (True's mother), 1873-1926 (5 folders) |
| 1 | 4891 | Henry Alphonso True (True's father), 1883-1925 (2 folders) |
| 1 | 4891 | Ira Goodrich True (True's uncle), 1904-1914 |
| 1 | 4891 | James Polk True (True's uncle), undated |
| 1 | 4891 | Mary Josephine True (True's aunt), 1888-1918 |
| 1 | 4891 | Eliza Tupper Wilkes (True's aunt), 1879-1917 |
| 1 | 4891 | James Beaman True (True's brother), 1878-1920 |
| 1 | 4891 | American Smelting & Refining Company, 1880-1916 |
| 1 | 4891 | Author's Lodge (Masons), 1908-1955 |
| 1 | 4891 | Cactus Club, 1929-1947 |
| 1 | 4891 | Central City Opera House Association, Colorado, 1933-1948 |
Series 3: Correspondence, 1841-1956 (boxes 1-4, 3.5 linear ft.)
This series is organized into two subseries:
- 3.1: Correspondence Between Family Members, 1841-1955
- 3.2: Correspondence With Business Associates, Colleagues, and Friends, 1902-1956
3.1: Correspondence Between Family Members, 1841-1955
This subseries documents True's thoughts concerning his career and the interaction among members of the True family. Various individuals discuss Tupper and True family business and events. Allen Tupper True describes his art classes at the Corcoran Gallery School, 1901-1902, Howard Pyle's class, 1902-1904, which included George Harding, Gordon McCouch, Thornton Oakley, and N. C. Wyeth, and his work with Frank Brangwyn in 1914. True also discusses his travels and projects. READ MORE
The files are arranged chronologically.
| Box | Reel |
|
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4891 | Correspondence between family members, 1841-1888, undated (11 folders) |
| 1 | 4892 | Correspondence between family members, 1888-1900 (6 folders) |
| Box | Reel |
|
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 4892 | Correspondence Between Family Members, 1901-Nov. 1913 (58 folders) |
| 2 | 4893 | Correspondence between Family Members, Nov. 1913-Jan. 1914 (6 folders) |
| Box | Reel |
|
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 4893 | Correspondence between Family Members, Feb. 1914-May 1935 (61 folders) |
| Box | Reel |
|
|---|---|---|
| 4 | 4894 | Correspondence Between Family Members, May 1935-1955 (37 folders) |
3.2: Correspondence With Business Associates, Colleagues, and Friends, 1902-1956,
This subseries focuses more directly on the events of True's career. Fourteen illustrated letters from True to his wife and daughter can also be found here. Notable correspondents are listed below. READ MORE
| Box | Reel |
|
|---|---|---|
| 4 | 4894-4895 | Correspondence With Business Associates, Colleagues, and Friends, 1901-1980, undated (36 folders) |
Series 4: Business Records, 1903-1951 (box 4, 4 folder)
This series consists of stocks and a deed for Colorado real estate, miscellaneous receipts, insurance policies, and a studio lease and inventory.
| Box | Reel |
|
|---|---|---|
| 4 | 4895 | Stocks and deed for Colorado real estate, 1903-1942 |
| 4 | 4895 | Receipts for miscellaneous goods and hotels, 1904-1946 |
| 4 | 4895 | Insurance policies, 1933-1949 |
| 4 | 4895 | Studio lease and inventory, 1951 |
Series 5: Notes, 1902-1920 (box 5, 10 folders)
This series include an address book, lists of art work, and seven notebooks documenting travel, work with Frank Brangwyn, and a record of mural work, and notes on technique. The travel journal include sketches and drawings.
| Box | Reel |
|
|---|---|---|
| 5 | 4895 | Address book, undated |
| 5 | 4895 | Chemistry notebook, undated |
| 5 | 4895 | "Notes in the Field" and notebook containing miscellaneous notes, undated |
| 5 | 4895 | Notebook containing thoughts and observations on travel to England, undated |
| 5 | 4895 | Notebook Cover, 1902-1915 |
| 5 | 4895 | Notebook containing thoughts and observations on Frank Brangwyn, 1902-1915 |
| 5 | 4895 | Notebook containing miscellaneous thoughts and observations, 1904-1908 |
| 5 | 4895 | Notebook containing a record of murals and notes on techniques, 1920 |
| 5 | 4895 | Lists of works, undated |
| 5 | 4895 | Miscellaneous notes, undated |
Series 6: Writings, 1896-1926 (box 5, 5 folders)
Material in this series consists of childhood writings, miscellaneous writings by True, and poems.
| Box | Reel |
|
|---|---|---|
| 5 | 4895 | Miscellaneous childhood writings, 1896-1899 |
| 5 | 4895 | "The Mountain Pony" by Allen Tupper True, 1906 |
| 5 | 4895 | Miscellaneous writings by True, 1906-ca. 1910 |
| 5 | 4895 | Essay by True on article from the Museum Journal, "Another Fresco from Moon Hill Monastery" by Helen Fernald, 1926 |
| 5 | 4895 | Poems, undated |
Series 7: Artwork, 1897-1923 (boxes 5, 10 and OV folder, 0.5 linear ft.)
This series consists of a sketchbook, cartoons and caricatures, sketches and drawings, paintings on cardboard, designs based on Native American pottery and artifacts, designs for murals in Denver Civic Center, the Colorado State Capitol, the U.S. National Bank building, Boulder Dam, and the Voorhies Memorial Arch in Denver. There are also original Christmas cards, illustrated letters in the Correspondence Series, an illustrated travel journal, a print by Frank Brangwyn, and miscellaneous art work by others.
| Box | Reel |
|
|---|---|---|
| 5 | 4895 | Sketchbook, undated |
| 5 | 4895 | Cartoons and caricatures (13), 1897-1898 |
| 5 | 4895 | Drawings (6) (see also sol box 10 ), undated |
| 5 | 4895 | Paintings (2) (see also ov folder), 1908 (2 folders) |
| 5 | 4895 | Designs based on Native American pottery (54) (see also sol box 10), undated (5 folders) |
| 5 | 4895 | Designs based on Native American artifacts (25) (see also sol box 10), 1923 |
| 5 | 4895 | Art work for Christmas cards (6 drawings), 1913-1921 |
| 5 | 4895 | Art work by Frank Brangwyn (1 print), undated |
| 5 | 4895 | Miscellaneous art work by others, undated |
Series 8: Project Files, 1912-1987 (box 5, 0.75 linear ft.)
This series contains letters, legal documents, printed material, and photographs concerning True's mural projects for the state capitol buildings of Colorado, Missouri, Nebraska, and Wyoming. READ MORE
| Box | Reel |
|
|---|---|---|
| 5 | 4895 | Unidentified mural, undated |
| 5 | 4895 | Colorado Psychopathic Hospital, undated |
| 5 | 4895 | Graland School, undated |
| 5 | 4895 | Waring Residence, undated |
| 5 | 4895 | Anne Evans House, Mural "Free Trappers," 1912 |
| 5 | 4895 | Dickinson Branch Library, Denver, Colorado, Murals: "Miners," "Trappers," and "Pioneers," 1912-1913 |
| 5 | 4895 | Warren Branch Library, Denver, Colorado, Mural: "Commerce of the Prairies," 1913 |
| 5 | 4895 | Panama-Pacific International Exposition, San Francisco, California, Union Oil Panorama, 1914-1915 |
| 5 | 4895 | Utah State Capitol, Salt Lake City, Utah, 1915-1919 |
| 5 | 4895 | Denver Public Library, Civic Center, Denver, Colorado, Murals: "Cliff Dwellers" and "Hopi Potter," 1916 |
| 5 | 4895 | Union Station, Denver, Colorado, 1916-1917 |
| 5 | 4895 | America Theatre, Denver, Colorado, Murals: "Indians" and "Trappers," 1916-1917 |
| 5 | 4895 | Hamilton County Court House, Cincinnati, Ohio, 1916-1918 |
| 5 | 4895 | Wyoming State Capitol, Cheyenne, Wyoming, Murals: "Frontier Cavalry Officer" ("The Soldier"), "Railroad Builders, Surveyors," "Pony Express Rider," "Indian Chief Cheyenne," "Stagecoach," "Cattlemen," "Trappers," 1917-1918 (includes 1 illustrated notebook) |
| 5 | 4895 | Montana National Bank, Billings, Montana, Mural: "The Buffalo Hunter," 1918 (includes 1 schematic drawing of location of murals) |
| 5 | 4895 |
Missouri State Capitol, Jefferson City, Missouri, Murals include: "Aborigines," "Buffalo Hunter," "Early Rivermen," "Free Trapper," "Missionary Explorers," "Pioneer Mother," "Railroad Builder," "A River Pilot," and "Spanish Governors," 1919-1925 (3 folders; includes 6 sketches, 1 photograph of a stagecoach carrying African-American soldiers, 5 photographs of riverboats, and 19 photographs of True and his murals) |
| 5 | 4895 |
Greek Theatre and Voories Memorial, Civic Center, Denver, Colorado, Murals: "The Trapper," "The Prospector," and "Bison," 1919-1925 (contains 1 schematic drawing of location of murals, and 2 oversize paintings of Bisons) |
| 5 | 4895 | Criminal Court Building, Denver, Colorado, 1920 |
| 5 | 4895 | Morey Junior High School, Denver, Colorado, 1920-1921 |
| 5 | 4895 |
Nebraska State Capitol, Lincoln, Nebraska (see also sol box 10), 1921-1954 (3 folders; includes 1 blueprint for location of murals, 2 sketches, and a schematic drawing of location of murals) |
| 5 | 4896 | Colorado National Bank, Denver, Colorado, Mural: "Indian Memories" (see also sol box 10), 1921-1987 |
| 5 | 4896 | Taylor Day Nursery, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 1922-1923 |
| 5 | 4896 | Colorado Springs Day Nursery, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 1924 |
| 5 | 4896 | Colorado State Capitol, Denver, Colorado (see also sol box 10), 1924-1940 (2 folders; includes 18 sketches) |
| 5 | 4896 | Cosmopolitan Hotel, Denver, Colorado, 1925-1926 |
| 5 | 4896 | U.S. National Bank Building, Denver, Colorado, 1925-1933 |
| 5 | 4896 | Washington State Capitol, Olympia, Washington (see also sol box 10), 1925-1948 (includes 1 blueprint) |
| 5 | 4896 | Mountain States Telephone and Telegraph Company Building, Denver, Colorado, Murals include: "Primitive Communication--The Smoke Signal," "Pioneer Communication--The Pony Express," "Mountain Construction," "The Crucible of Science," "The Wings of Thought," and "The Spirit of Service" (see also sol box 10), 1927-1929 (5 folders) |
| 5 | 4896 | Ingersoll Residence, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 1930 |
| 5 | 4896 | North Dakota State Capitol, Bismarck, North Dakota, 1931-1932 |
| 5 | 4896 | City and County Building, Denver, Colorado, 1931-1950 |
| 5 | 4896 | Colorado Room, Century of Progress Exposition, Chicago, Illinois, 1933 |
| 5 | 4896 | Boulder Dam Power Plant, Nevada-Arizona State Line (see also sol box 10 and project file for Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior), 1934-1938 (6 folders; includes 1 illustrated notebook) |
| 5 | 4896 | Golden Gate International Exposition, San Francisco, California, 1936 |
| 5 | 4896 | Brown Palace Hotel, Denver, Colorado, 1936-1937 |
| 5 | 4896 | Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior, Washington, D.C. (see project file for Boulder Dam Power Plant), 1940-1945 (8 folders) |
| 5 | 4896 | Colorado University Student Union, Boulder, Colorado, 1943-1953 |
Series 9: Photographs, 1859-1950 (boxes 6-7, 1.5 linear ft.)
This series includes photographs of True, his studios, his works, True family members, friends, residences, and reference photographs of Native Americans, cowboys, settlers, and other Western subjects. READ MORE
| Box | Reel |
|
|---|---|---|
| 6 | 4896 | Photographs of True family members, 1862-ca. 1900 |
| 6 | 4896 | Photographs of Tupper family members, 1888-1889 |
| 6 | 4896 | Photographs of Henry True and Margaret Tupper True, 1880-1890 |
| 6 | 4897 | Photographs of Allen Tupper True and family members, 1881-1950 (7 folders) |
| 6 | 4897 | Photographs of True and his various studios, (51) undated |
| 6 | 4897 |
Photographs of Howard Pyle's studio and classes, ca. 1902 (14 photographs including 1 cyanotype of: George Harding, Gordon M. McCouch, Thornton Oakley, Howard Pyle, Allen Tupper True, and N.C. Wyeth) |
| 6 | 4897 | Photograph of Frank Brangwyn and William Merritt Chase in London and photograph of Brangwyn's studio, 1914, undated |
| 6 | 4897 | Photographs of family friends, 1859-1933 |
| 6 | 4897 | Miscellaneous Friends, undated |
| 6 | 4897 | 10 Photographs of Victoria Kirby, undated, 1964 |
| 6 | 4897 | Terry the Dog, undated |
| 6 | 4897 | 5 Photographs of family residences, undated |
| 6 | 4897 | 6 Photographs of family places of business, ca. 1880-1894 |
| 6 | 4897 | Photograph Album I, undated |
| 6 | 4897 | Photograph Album II, undated |
| 6 | 4897 | 10 Photographs of exhibition installations, undated |
| 6 | 4897 | 5 Photographs of the Panama-Pacific Exposition, 1915 |
| 6 | 4897 | 4 Mexican border travel photographs, undated |
| 6 | 4897 | Pancho Villa and his men, undated |
| 6 | 4897 | 13 England travel photographs, ca. 1905 |
| 6 | 4897 | 20 Europe travel photographs, undated |
| 6 | 4897 | Model posing as Revolutionary War soldier, undated |
| 6 | 4897 | Pueblo architecture (160) (4 folders) |
| 6 | 4897 | Native Americans (2 folders) |
| Box | Reel |
|
|---|---|---|
| 7 | 4897 | Native Americans, cont. (3 folders) |
| 7 | 4897 | Miscellaneous houses, undated |
| 7 | 4897 | Miscellaneous towns and settlements, undated |
| 7 | 4897 | Miscellaneous saloon interiors, undated |
| 7 | 4897 | Cattlemen, undated |
| 7 | 4897 | Cowboy models, undated |
| 7 | 4897 | Horsemen/Horses, undated |
| 7 | 4897 | Rodeos, undated |
| 7 | 4897 | Hunters, undated |
| 7 | 4897 | Prospectors, undated |
| 7 | 4897 | Zoo animals, undated |
| 7 | 4897 | Boats/ships, undated |
| 7 | 4897 | Wagons/stage coaches/automobiles, undated |
| 7 | 4897 | Supply (wagon) trains, undated (3 folders) |
| 7 | 4897 | Lumber industry, undated |
| 7 | 4897 | Mining industry, 1909, undated |
| 7 | 4897 | Oil wells, undated |
| 7 | 4897 | Industrial sites, undated |
| 7 | 4897 | Landscapes/plants, undated |
| 7 | 4897 | Photographs of artwork by True, Native American themes, undated (2 folders) |
| 7 | 4897 | Photographs of artwork by True, Cowboy/settler themes, undated (3 folders) |
| 7 | 4897 | Photographs of artwork by True, Miscellaneous works by True, undated |
| 7 | 4897 | Photographs of artwork by Frank Brangwyn, 1913, undated |
| 7 | 4897 | Photographs of miscellaneous works by others 1930, undated (5 folders) |
Series 10: Scrapbook, 1934 (box 7, 1 volume)
| Box | Reel |
|
|---|---|---|
| 7 | 4898 | Scrapbook containing clippings of newspaper serial of Charles Dickens' "The Life of Our Lord," 1934 |
Series 11: Printed Material, 1875-1981 (box 7, 10 folders)
This series includes clippings, exhibition announcements and catalogs for True and for others, reproductions of works, programs, booklets, and miscellaneous items.
| Box | Reel |
|
|---|---|---|
| 7 | 4898 | Clippings, 1879-1981 (10 folders) |
| 7 | 4898 | Exhibition announcements and catalogs for True, 1908-1980 |
| 7 | 4898 | Exhibition announcements and catalogs for others, undated, 1908 |
| 7 | 4898 | Reproductions of works of art by True, undated |
| 7 | 4898 | Christmas cards designed by True, undated |
| 7 | 4898 | Programs, 1875-1950 |
| 7 | 4898 | Brochures, 1921-1939 |
| 7 | 4898 | Constitutions and by-laws for the Architectural League of New York and the National Society of Mural Painters, 1931, 1936 |
| 7 | 4898 | Booklets: "One Hundred Years of the Locomotive," "Art in Denver," and "The Rights of Man" by Harold Laski, 1916-1940 |
| 7 | 4898 | Picture postcards, undated |
| 7 | 4898 | Miscellaneous printed material, undated, 1950 |
Series 12: Artifacts, ca. 1863 (box 10, 9 items)
This series includes the following: five bullets and fragments, 2 buttons, a small piece of marble, and a fragment of a flat wooden stick that have not been microfilmed. They were housed together and accompanied by three notes reading: "Found by Henry on Look Out Mtn on Oct 1898 where the battle above the clouds was fought in 1863;" "Springfield rifle balls, Spanish American War;" and "Found on Chickamauga battlefield." Also found are the following, which have not been filmed:The following artifacts have not been microfilmed: a pocket knife with initials "FET;" two small pocket compasses; a metal badge saying "Columbian Exposition, 1893;" and a small, undecorated metal disk.
| Box | Reel |
|
|---|---|---|
| 10 (sol) | 4898 | Artifacts, ca. 1863 |
Series 13: Glass Negatives, undated (boxes 8-9, 0.4 linear ft.)
| Box | Reel |
|
|---|---|---|
| 8 (pam) | unfilmed | Allen Tupper True, undated |
| 8 (pam) | unfilmed | Paintings of Cowboys, undated (2 folders) |
| 8 (pam) | unfilmed | Paintings of Settlers, undated |
| 8 (pam) | unfilmed | Paintings of Native Americans, undated (2 folders) |
| 8 (pam) | unfilmed | Murals, undated (2 folders) |
| Box | Reel |
|
|---|---|---|
| 9 (pam) | unfilmed | Mural from Montana National Bank, undated |
| 9 (pam) | unfilmed | Warren Branch Library Mural, undated |
| 9 (pam) | unfilmed | American Theatre Murals, undated |
| 9 (pam) | unfilmed | Colorado National Bank Murals, undated (2 folders) |
| 9 (pam) | unfilmed | Denver Civic Center Murals, undated |
| 9 (pam) | unfilmed | Denver Public Library Mural, undated |