Aline and Eero Saarinen papers, 1906-1977

Subseries consists of manuscripts, typescripts, notes, notecards and clippings of Aline Saarinen's writings. Her writings include: articles on art and architecture for The New York Times and other publications, including a manuscript of her article on Eero Saarinen with his annotations in the margins and her notebook from her interview with him; samples of her early art criticism and early writings, including some short stories and college essays; lectures and speeches on art, architecture and related topics, including ones on Eero Saarinen, art collectors and collecting, modern art, culture and visual arts, and writing biography; scripts for television shows; notes on project ideas and plans developed and presumably shared with her literary agent, Bernice Cozzens; and other creative writing such as fiction, a play, and poems (some of which may have been written by her and others of which may have been transcribed by her) and personal writing such as a piece on the suicide of woman she knew in passing, Ruth Gornick.

Writings are arranged alphabetically by type.

Series consists of files stemming from Aline Saarinen's work researching and writing her book, The Proud Possessors, which was published by Random House in 1958. Files consist of notes, manuscripts, correspondence, photographs and printed material on art collectors, as well the application for a Guggenheim grant (which was awarded to Saarinen in 1957), Eero Saarinen's notes on the book, a scrapbook of correspondence received in response to the publication of the book (of particular note is Peggy Guggenheim's negative response to the chapter on her), and clippings of reviews and other articles about the book after its publication. Among the correspondents are Bernard Berenson, Dorothy Miller, Bernice Cozzens, Albert Ten Eyck Gardner, Alfred H. Barr (?), Edward Steichen, Francis Brown, Hiram Haydn, Daniel Cotton Rich, John Goldsmith Phillips, George Heard Hamilton, Dorothy Sieberling, Saul Steinberg, Sam N. Behrman, Jean Lipman, Irving Hoffman, Electra Webb, Henry Allen Moe, Peggy Guggenheim, Alice B. Toklas, H. P. Roche, Cy Sulzberger, Clifford Odets, and Alfred A. Knopf.

The material on John Quinn includes correspondence between Saarinen and Jeanne Foster Roberts; letters to Foster from Quinn and his sister, Julia Anderson; a copy of a letter to Foster from William Butler Yeats and a drawing of Quinn possibly by Yeats; material relating to Roger Casement, Foster, and Florence Farr; and photographs of Quinn and Foster, and Quinn with Constantin Brancusi, Picasso and Mme Picasso, Henri Pierre Roche and Erik Satie.

The material on Edward Root includes correspondence between Root and his father, Elihu, dating from 1903 to 1936; letters to Root from Charles Culver, Robert de Forest, Frederick James Gregg, Ernest Lawson, George Luks, Duncan Phillips, and Grace Root, dating from 1909 to 1936; and copies of two letters to Edward Christiana, dated 1949.

Files are typically arranged according to format and then alphabetically according to name of collector.

Subseries consists of files stemming from Aline Saarinen's research for a planned, but never completed, biography of Stanford White "as an interpreter of the Age of Elegance." Included are: correspondence, notebooks, writings, scattered original material belonging to Bessie White, Stanford White and the firm of McKim, Mead and White, printed material, photographs, and architectural drawings.

Correspondence consists of letters exchanged with Aline Saarinen's literary agent, publisher, scholars, friends and relatives of White, and others, as well as responses to her inquiry about Stanford White published in The New York Times. Correspondence concerns book ideas, research inquiries, her struggles with the work, and related matters. Correspondents include: Bernice Cozzens, Random House, Wayne Andrews, Mrs. Lawrence Grant White (White's daughter-in-law), Welles Bosworth, R. W. G. Vail, Francis Brown, Edward Fowles, Van Wyck Brooks, and Evelyn Nesbit.

Correspondence is typically arranged chronologically, except for the extended correspondence with her literary agent which is arranged in its own file.

Notebooks contain Aline Saarinen's notes on various topics related to Stanford White gathered in the course of her research. Individual notebooks were removed from their original binders at some previous point, and are arranged alphabetically according to subject.

Writings include drafts and manuscripts of chapters for Saarinen's planned biography on White and her article on White for Life Magazine. Also found are scattered research notes, an outline of the planned biography, and various writings on White and architecture by others.

Original material includes certain scattered papers of Bessie White and Stanford White, and scattered office "files" of the architectural firm McKim, Mead and White, which were presumably accumulated by Aline Saarinen in the course of her research. Also found is a microfilm reel of the correspondence of Richard Grant White (approximately 25 letters) and Stanford White (1 letter) held by the Huntington Art Library.

The papers belonging to Bessie White consist of correspondence from her father-in-law, Richard Grant White; scrapbooks on the Washington Centennial and White's Washington Art, and on the Thaw Murder Trial; and written reminiscences of White. The papers belonging to Stanford White consist of lists, notes, and other documents. The McKim, Mead and White documents include memoranda and correspondence; files consisting of correspondence, contracts estimates, and descriptions for various projects (extensive documentation for the Whitelaw Reid residence can be found); and a record book.

Printed material collected by Aline Saarinen in the course of her research consists primarily of clippings and publications with articles on White, his buildings, and certain people associated with him. Also found is miscellaneous printed material on the Garden City Hotel, Newport, RI, and architecture.

Photographs include ones of Stanford White and his family, his clients, Anne, Louise, and Robert Cheney, and his one-time mistress, Evelyn Nesbit; and ones of buildings and residences designed by White or McKim, Mead and White, many of which were photographed by Wayne Andrews. Also found are photographs of interiors and slides and negatives of certain photographs of buildings and residences.

Included are reproductions and negatives of architectural drawings for various buildings and residences, which date from 1884 to 1903, designed by White or McKim, Mead and White.

Subseries consists of files kept by Aline Saarinen while working as a television correspondent for NBC on such shows as "Today", "Sunday", and "The Hunter-Brinkley Report", reporting on mainly art-related topics. Files include correspondence, printed material, notes, scripts, clippings, motion picture films and video transfers, and photographs. Also included are printed material on Eero Saarinen and photographs of his work.

Files are arranged alphabetically according to subject or format.

Subseries consists of files stemming from Aline Saarinen's research on various artists and relating to miscellaneous or unidentified projects. Files mostly include notes and correspondence. Of particular note is a letter from Georgia O'Keeffe referring to Saarinen's idea of "a color film story" about the artist.

Files are arranged alphabetically according to subject.

Subseries consists of files relating to Saarinen's participation on various committees, boards, and commissions, including the Design Advisory Committee for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) which recommended I. M. Pei's design for a standard air traffic control tower. Files include reports, minutes, printed material, correspondence, and photographs. Also found is correspondence and a partial manuscript for a proposed article on Najeeb Halaby of the FAA for Harper's Magazine.

Files are arranged in chronological order.