WAUOttenbergSimonUA6350.xml Guide to the Simon Ottenberg Papers 1949-2021 Ottenberg (Simon) Papers Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries 2022 (Last modified: 5/3/2024)
Allen Library BOX 352900 Seattle, Washington 98195-2900 Business Number: 206-543-1929 speccoll@uw.edu http://www.lib.washington.edu/specialcollections/
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2025-10-20. Description is written in: Undetermined, Code for undetermined script script. Finding aid based on DACS (Describing Archives: A Content Standard), 2nd Edition. Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries Simon Ottenberg papers Ottenberg, Simon, 1923-2023 6350 2.93 cubic feet 3 boxes and 2 vertical files 1949-2021 Papers of a University of Washington professor of anthropology Collection materials are in English.

Simon Ottenberg (1923-2023) was an anthologist and author who focused on art and social culture in West Africa, primarily the Afikpo village in southeastern Nigeria and Wara Wara Bafodea Chiefdom in northwest Sierre Leone. He was an Emeritus Professor of Anthropology at the University of Washington, where he taught for over three decades.

Ottenberg completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Wisconsin and his Ph.D. at Northwestern University, pausing his formal education for three years as he served in the Army during World War II. He collected African and Pacific Northwest Native art. Many of these pieces have been donated to the Seattle Art Museum, the Newark (NJ) Museum of Art, and the Burke Museum.

[Source: Simon Ottenberg Obituary. The Seattle Times. Accessed April 30, 2024. https://obituaries.seattletimes.com/obituary/simon-ottenberg-1089089249]

Organized into 3 accessions.

Accession No. 6350-001, Simon Ottenberg papers, 1985-2019 Accession No. 6350-002, Simon Ottenberg papers, 2005-2021 Accession No. 6350-003, Simon Ottenberg papers, 1949-2019

Research files for Ottenberg's book on the Coast Salish artist Ron Hilbert and for Ottenberg's manuscript Design and Music in a Changing Northern Sierra Leone Chiefdom, collection of ephemera on contemporary Northwest Coast Native American art, a 2005 speech "Memories of Past Times at Afikpo," and Ottenburg's curriculum vitae from 2021.

No restrictions on access. Analog and digital media is closed until evaluated.

Request at UW

Creator's copyrights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries Special Collections.

UW Ethnomusicology Archives: Simon Ottenberg Collection

Northwestern Archival and Manuscript Collections: Simon Ottenberg Papers

Smithsonian Institution: Simon Ottenberg

Design and Music in a Changing Northern Sierra Leone Chiefdom available in UW Special Collections. Search for the title through the UW Libraries Catalog .

 University of Washington. University Archives University Archives/Faculty Papers (University of Washington) Native Americans Fine Arts African Americans Anthropology Accession No. 6350-001: Simon Ottenberg papers, 1985-2019 1.65 cubic feet 2 boxes

Scope and Content: Research files for Ottenberg's book on the Coast Salish artist Ron Hilbert. Includes a collection of ephemera on contemporary Northwest Coast Native American art, artists, and their exhibitions.

Restrictions on Access: No restrictions on access. Analog and digital media is closed until evaluated.

Restrictions on Use: Creator's copyrights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries Special Collections.

Acquisition Info: Simon Ottenberg, 2021

 Personal papers Series 1 Series 1 curriculum vitae 2021 6350-001 Box 1 "On Collecting" 1999 6350-001 Box 1

Scope and Content: Talk given at Michigan State University African Studies Program

 Three NWC/Salish papers 2 files undated 6350-001 Box 1 Ron Hilbert files Series 2 Series 2 Ron Hilbert [cadesqideb]: The Life and Work of a Coast Salish Artist 2019 6350-001 Box 1 Coast Salish traditional art 6350-001 Box 1 Art: Introduction 6350-001 Box 1 Art: Watercolor/Acrylic 6350-001 Box 1 Art: Sculpture 6350-001 Box 1 Art: Linoleum and woodblock prints 6350-001 Box 1 Art: Metalwork 6350-001 Box 1 Biography: Galleries and museums 6350-001 Box 1 Biography: Obituary/memorials 6350-001 Box 1 Biography: Newspaper accounts 6350-001 Box 1 Biography: General 6350-001 Box 1 Cards 6350-001 Box 1 Photographs 2 compact discs 6350-001 Box 1 Art: Drawings 6350-001 Box 1 Art: From Ron's suitcase 6350-001 Box 1 Art: Small faces school 6350-001 Box 1 Art: Capitol Hill Collection 6350-001 Box 1 Art: Auction records 6350-001 Box 1 Art: Simon Ottenberg's collection 6350-001 Box 1 Burke Museum collection 6350-001 Box 1 Ron's Makah years 6350-001 Box 1 Photos of Ron Hilbert paper copies and printouts 6350-001 Box 1 Interviews 6350-001 Box 1 Notes and thoughts 6350-001 Box 1 Simon Ottenberg unpublished article 6350-001 Box 1 Coast Salish Indians--reference, general 6350-001 Box 1 References: Washington State 6350-001 Box 1 References: Canadian Salish 6350-001 Box 1 Reviews of the literature 6350-001 Box 1 Lushootseed research 6350-001 Box 1 Ron's prizes 6350-001 Box 1 Vi Hilbert about Ron Hilbert 6350-001 Box 1 Miscellaneous 6350-001 Box 1 Ephemera Series 3 Series 3 Ephemera collected on contemporary Northwest Coast Native American art, artists, and their exhibitions 1985-2006 6350-001 Box 1-2 Accession No. 6350-002: Simon Ottenberg papers, 2005-2021 1 vertical file

Scope and Content: Text of talk, "Memories of Past Times at Afikpo" (2005) and a version of Ottenberg's curriculum vitae (approximately 2021)

Restrictions on Access: Open to all users

Restrictions on Use: Creator's copyrights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries Special Collections.

Acquisition Info: Simon Ottenberg, 2022

 Simon Ottenberg papers 6350-002 Vertical File Accession No. 6350-003: Simon Ottenberg papers, 1949-2019 1.28 cubic feet 1 box

Scope and Content: Research files for Ottenberg's manuscript, The First Modern Artists in Southeast Nigeria.

Restrictions on Access: No restrictions on access.

Restrictions on Use: Creator's copyrights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries Special Collections.

Acquisition Info: Carol Ottenberg, 2024

 Ottenberg CV 6350-003 Box 1 Wrestling 8 slides 1952-2002 6350-003 Box 1 Limba Slides 2002 6350-003 Box 1 D. L. K. Nnachy 1961-1977 6350-003 Box 1 Ude-Ema: Correspondence 1963 6350-003 Box 1 First Artists General 1949 6350-003 Box 1 Ude-Ema: Publications in the Vernacular 2012 6350-003 Box 1 Ude-Ema Art 6350-003 Box 1 C. C. Ibeto 1962 6350-003 Box 1 A. P. Umana 1961-2015 6350-003 Box 1 Ude-Ema: Publications in English 2012 6350-003 Box 1 Early Modern Artists of Southeastern Nigeria 2019 6350-003 Box 1 Ude-Ema: Publication About Him 1979-2012 6350-003 Box 1 Overlooked Articles on Africa 6350-003 Box 1 Paul Huff: Correspondence 2018 6350-003 Box 1 First Modern Artists in Nigeria 2015-2016 6350-003 Box 1 Ude-Ema: Vitae 2011 6350-003 Box 1 Okolo 2017 6350-003 Box 1 Ude-Ema: References 2012 6350-003 Box 1 Emanuel J. A. Ulasi 1950-1962 6350-003 Box 1 G. I. Okolo 2015-2017 6350-003 Box 1 J. O. Ugoji 1962-2011 6350-003 Box 1 Eke Okaybulu 2015-2016 6350-003 Box 1 Mbaise Draft 6350-003 Box 1 Awka Carvings 2013-2015 6350-003 Box 1 Ben Enwonwu 2005-2016 6350-003 Box 1 Rowland Ndefo 1993-2004 6350-003 Box 1 Afi Ekong 1961-2017 6350-003 Box 1 Ubi Ikpi 6350-003 Box 1 Aniedi Okon Akpan 2015 6350-003 Box 1 Raffia 1981-2015 6350-003 Box 1 Lucky Wadiri 1961-2013 6350-003 Box 1 Akwete Cloth 2015-2016 6350-003 Box 1 Gabriel Ohara 2017 6350-003 Box 1 Jonah Chinyere Ashara 1963-2014 6350-003 Box 1 KaEgo Uche Okeke 2016 6350-003 Box 1 Uli Art 2016 6350-003 Box 1 Methodist College 2012 6350-003 Box 1 Nigerian Teacher 6350-003 Box 1 Sons of A. J. Ude-Ema 1991-2012 6350-003 Box 1 Ugep Artists 2013-2015 6350-003 Box 1 Jubilee Owei 1961-1963 6350-003 Box 1 Justine Kenwaaye Osakwe 6350-003 Box 1 Pottery 2016 6350-003 Box 1 Accession No. 6360-004: Simon Ottenberg photograph book, 2023 1 vertical file 1 vertical file

Scope and Content: Bound book of photographs of the Ottenberg family to celebrate Simon's 100th birthday.

Access Restrictions: No restrictions on access.

Use Restrictions: Status of creator's copyrights is unknown; restrictions may exist on copying, quotation, or publication. Users are responsible for researching copyright status before use.

Acquisition Information: Donated by Simon Ottenberg, July 2023

 Simon Ottenberg photograph book 6350-004 VF3287