J. B. Neumann papers, 1905-1967

Neumann, J. B. (Jsrael Ber), b. 1887 d. 1961
Gallery director, Dealer, Publisher
New York, N.Y.

Collection size: 2.1 linear feet (on 9 microfilm reels)

Collection Summary: Correspondence, writings, printed material, and photographs relating to Neumann's work as a well-known art dealer in New York City during the second quarter of the century.

REELS NJBN 1-NJBN 5: Correspondence with many notable American and European artists, art critics, museum directors and others. [Correspondents are listed according to reel number].

REEL NJBN 1: Correspondents include George Ault, Milton Avery, Alfred Barr, Leonard Baskin, Maurice Becker, Eugene Berman, George Biddle, Oscar Bluemner, Ilya Bolotowsky, Adelyn Breeskin, Henri Burkhard, Bryson Burroughs, Alexander Calder, Mary Callery, Jean Charlot, Sheldon Chaney, Alfred Churchill, Joseph Cornell, Andrew Dasburg, Stuart Davis, Marcel Duchamp, Albert E. Einstein, Louis Eilshemius, Juliana R. Force, Arnold Friedman, Lee Gatch, Adolph Gottlieb, Thomas Handforth, George O. (Pop) Hart, Leon Hartl, Marsden Hartley, Alonzo Hauser, Zolton Hecht, Carl Holty, Ilonka Karasz, Bernard Karfiol, Karl Knaths, Benjamin Kopman, Walt Kuhn, Yasuo Kuniyoshi, Clare Leighton, Jean Liberte, Richard Lippold, Jacques Lipchitz and Louis Lozowick.

REEL NJBN 2: Loren MacIver, George L.K. Morris, Robert Motherwell, Ben Nicholson, Isamu Noguchi, George O'Keeffe, Jose C. Orozco, Walter Pach, Henry Poor, Abraham Rattner, Man Ray, Ad Reinhardt, Boardman Robinson, Arnold Ronnebeck, Anne Ryan, Jimmy Savo, Josef Scharl, Charles Sheeler, Joseph Solman, Moses Soyer, Eugene Speicher, Maurice Sterne, Alfred Stieglitz, Mark Tobey, Franklin C. Watkins, Max Weber, James L. Wells, Warren Wheelock, Arthur Young, Carl Zigrosser and William Zorach.

REEL NJBN 3: Josef Albers, Max Beckmann, Jean Charlot, Joseph Cornell, Sidney Delevante, Lee Gatch, Carl Holty, W. & Mrs. Nina Kandinsky, Karl Knaths, Marie Menken, Carl Milles, E. R. Robinson, Clifford Odets, Amedee Ozenfant, Hila Rebay, Abraham Rattner, Bernard Reder and Curt Valentin

REEL NJBN 4: Alexander Archipenko, Hans Arp, Marcus Behmer, Heinrich Campendonk, Marc Chagall, Lovis Corinth, Lyonel Feininger, Lion Feuchtwanger, Paul Gangolf, Marcel Gromaire, George Grosz, Gerhardt Hauptmann, Martin Heidegger, Jean Hélion, Emil Jannings, Wasily Kandinsky, Felix Klee, Manfred Lehmbruck, J. C. Orozco, Ida Rapaport-Chagall, Hilla Rebay, Claude Roger-Marx, Georges Rouault, Galka Scheyer, Gino Severini, Alfred Stieglitz, Ernst Toller, Forbes Watson, Max Weber and Stefan Zweig.

REEL NJBN 5: Jankel Adler, Josef Albers, Hans Arp, Alexander Archipenko, Baader, Hans Beckmann, Marcus Behmer, David Burliuk, Alexander Calder, Else Cassirer, Heinrich Campendonk, Marc and Ida Rapaport-Chagall, Lovis Corinth, Otto Dix, Katherine Dreier, Dulberg, Albert Einstein, James Y, Ewers, Lyonel Feininger, Lion Feuchtwanger, Conrad Felixmuller, Alfred Flechtheim, Leonard Frank, Eduard Fuchs, Paul Gangolf, Dr. Will Grohmann, Marcel Gromaire, Walter Gropius, Waldemar George, Stefan Grossman, Karl Glaser, Paul Guillaume, Wolfgang Gurlitt, R. Becker, Olaf Gulbansson, Peggy Guggenheim, George Grosz, Richard Harlfinger, H. Haller, Jean Hélion, Fritz Huf, Ludwig Hardt, Hofer, Jakob Hegner, Erich Heckel, Martin Heidegger, F. M. Jansen, Dr. Robert Jungk, R. Janthur, Jaeckel, Max Jacob, Emil Jannings, Wassily Kandinsky, Ernst L. Kirchner, Erich Klossowski and Oskar Kokoschka.

REELS N69/93-N69/94: Correspondence, including letters from William Valentiner; writings; clippings; obituary notice; New Art Circle catalogs, announcements; photographs of Neumann by Helen Balfour Morrison (ca. l950), Clarence White (1925), and Hans Namuth (ca. 1950), of Neumann with his wife by Foka, New York (ca. 1935), and one of Edvard Munch, 1905; and posters.

REEL 3533: Papers relating to Wassily Kandinsky, who was represented by Neumann, including a postcard from Kandinsky, 1921; correspondence with Nina Kandinsky; receipts, 1927 and one 1936 for a Kandinsky painting sold by Neumann; lists of works; exhibition announcement, 1936; and a clipping. [All but printed material and postcard were filmed on NJBN 3, fr. 130-164.]

REEL 3947: A scrapbook. 1925-1967, containing printed material, a letter, and a drawing, possibly by Neumann; and printed material.

UNMICROFILMED: Primarily printed material, including: announcements and catalogs for New Art Circle, 1924-1957; Artlover, "J.B. Neumann's Bilderhefte," and Artlover publications: exhibition catalogs and announcements, 1927-1967; 2 bound editions of World House Galleries catalogs, 1958-1960; 10 issues of "Americana," 1932-1933; "Art Front," 1936 March; and "New Masses," 1934 May 29 and 1936 Dec. 15. Also included are "Obituary for Curt Valentin," 1954; and a guestbook, 1929-ca. 1935.

Biographical/Historical Note: Art dealer, lecturer, gallery director, publisher; New York, N.Y. Directed New Art Circle. Published periodical Artlover and created the printing company Gehenna Press; b. 1887, Austria; d. 1961)

Correspondence (reels NJBN1-4) was lent for microfilming by Neumann's widow, Elsa Schmid, 1966-1969. Correspondence (reel NJBN5) was lent by Schmid to the Museum of Modern Art in 1962 for microfilming, and a copy of this film was later given to AAA. A small group of letters, mainly regarding Wassily Kandinsky, on reel NJBN 3, were later donated by Schmid's friend, Eva Lee, and refilmed, with a few additional items, on reel 3533. Schmid donated papers on reels N69/93-94 and the unmicrofilmed material 1967-1969. Groups of printed material were received from Joy Weber, Max Weber's daughter, in 1976, and Neil Richmond, 1978. Additional letters from Leonard Baskin to Neumann, (reel NJBN 1) previously lent for microfilming was given by Hellie Neuman, J.B. Neumann's granddaughter, in 2007.

How to Use this Collection

• Microfilm reels NJBN 1-5; N69/93-94; 3533; and 3947 available at Archives of American Art offices and through interlibrary loan.
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