James Prestini Collection

James Prestini Collection, 1950-1992

Overview of the Collection

Creator: Prestini, James, 1908-1993.
Title: James Prestini Collection
Dates: 1950-1992 (inclusive)
19501992
Quantity: 11 boxes, (9 linear feet)
Collection Number: UUS_COLL MSS 360
Summary: Correspondence and ephemera of James Prestini, separated from the Prestini Collection housed in the Art Book Room.
Repository: Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections and Archives Division
Special Collections & Archives
Merrill-Cazier Library
Utah State University
Logan, UT
84322-3000
Telephone: 4357978248
Fax: 4357972880
scweb@usu.edu
Access Restrictions: No restrictions on use, except: not available through interlibrary loan.
Languages: English, French, German, Japanese

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

James Prestini was born 13 January 1908 to Italian immigrant parents in Waterford, Connecticut. In 1930 he graduated from Yale University with a degree in mechanical engineering. Shortly thereafter he returned to Yale and received an education degree, then taught mathematics and woodworking at Lake Forest Academy near Chicago. While there he developed a love for woodturning. During the 1930s he created his famous wood turned bowls, cups, and trays. In 1939 he began teaching at what is now the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago.

When Prestini’s former student Professor Jesse Reichek suggested that he join him at the University of California at Berkeley in 1956, Prestini began teaching at Berkeley. While there he instructed beginning design classes and was instrumental in opening a design laboratory for architecture and design students. Throughout his career Prestini maintained a presence as an artist and craftsman. His wood and metal sculptures appear in museums across the globe. Prestini died 26 July 1993 at the age of 85.

Sources: Richard Peters, Jesse Reichek, Claude Stoller, and Alan Temko, "James L. Prestini, Architecture: Berkeley," University of California, California Digital Library, http://texts.cdlib.org/view?docId=hb5g50061q& doc.view=frames&chunk.id=div00080&toc.depth=1toc.id, accessed 15 June 2011.

"James L. Prestini, 85, Sculptor and Teacher," Obituary, New York Times, 31 July 1993, http://www.nytimes.com/1993/07/31/obituaries/james-l-prestini-85-sculptor-and-teacher.html, accessed 15 June 2011.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

This collection contains correspondence and ephemera of James Prestini that was removed from the Prestini Collection now housed in the Design Collection in the Art Book Room. The collection is divided into three series: Correspondence, Press Releases, and Subject Files. The Subject Files Series contains some photographs. Most of the collection material is written in English, but a few documents are written in French, German, and Japanese.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances.

Permission to publish material from the James Prestini Collection must be obtained from the Special Collections Manuscript Curator and/or the Special Collections Department Head.

Preferred Citation

Initial Citation: James Prestini Collection USU_COLL MSS 360, Box [ ]. Special Collections and Archives. Utah State University Merrill-Cazier Library. Logan, Utah.

Following Citations:USU_COLL MSS 360, USUSCA.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

Arranged into 3 series and 11 boxes.

Processing Note

Processed in June of 2011

Acquisition Information

This collection was donated to Utah State University libraries by Kathryn Caine Wanlass in 2004.

Custodial History

In 2004 George Wanlass purchased the collection from the Prestini estate. He then donated the collection to the library in the name of his mother Kathryn Caine Wanlass.

Separated Materials

This collection was removed from the Prestini Collection that is housed in the Art Book Room.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Correspondence, 1950-1992Return to Top

Container(s): Box 1

1 box

Personal and professional correspondence of James Prestini. The correspondence in folders 1-30 and 44-46 was removed from books in Prestini’s personal library which are housed in the Art Book Room. The catalog sheet of the book from which the correspondence was removed is inserted with the correspondence. The correspondence in folders 31-43 was removed from loose ephemera of James Prestini. These folders (31-43) are arranged alphabetically according to the first name of the correspondent.

Container(s)		Description	Dates
Box	Folder
1	1	Card from Avraham Wachman removed from Wachman's book Infinite Polyhedra	undated
1	2	Letter from Adelle M. Taylor removed from the book Betty Gold	1988 May 19
1	3	Postcard to James Prestini removed from the book Avant-Garde Polonaise: Urbanisme-Architecture: 1918-1939	1983 July 19
1	4	Letter from Marlborough-Gerson Gallery removed from the book David Smith	1970 May 27
1	5	Postcard from Theo removed from the book The Picasso Museum, Paris. Paintings, Papiers Collés, Picture Reliefs, Sculptures, and Ceramics	1985
1	6	Photograph, Henry Moore's sculpture removed from the book Homage to Henry Moore	1980 September 10
1	7	Postcard from Camy and birthday message from Jesse and Laure both removed from the book L'art des Cyclades : du Début à la Fin de L'âge du Bronze, 2500-1100 Avant Notre Ère	1983 August 31 and 1982 January 13
1	8	Postcard from Sandra removed from the book The Art of the Weathervane	1980 September
1	9	Postcard from “Libby” removed from the book Cezanne	1972 November 9
1	10	Postcard to James Prestini removed from the book Genius and Disaster: the Ten Creative Years of Vincent van Gogh	1982 January 13
1	11	Postcard to James Prestini removed from the book Art Treasures of the Uffizi and Pitti	1985 October
1	12	Autographed card signed by Sugar Ray Leonard removed from the book Nueva Visión de Gaudí	undated
1	13	Card from Kikutake Kiyonori removed from the book Kiyonori Kikutake : Works and Methods, 1956-1970. The file also contains loose papers in Japanese text.	undated
1	14	Postcard from Theo and postcard from Judith both removed from the book Notre-Dame of Paris	1986 and 1985 October 10
1	15	Postcard from Dorit removed from the book The Art of Old Peru	1984 September
1	16	Valentine card from “a secret admirer,” removed from the book American Furniture: Queen Anne and Chippendale Periods in the Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum	undated
1	17	Holiday card from Ken and Jane removed from the book Stuart Davis: American Painter	undated
1	18	Letter from Sidney Lawrence removed from the book Content: A Contemporary Focus, 1974-1984	1985 April 22
1	19	Note from Hanna removed from the book Emergency Poems	1985 April 22
1	20	Letter from Janette B. Rozene, Reference Librarian for the Museum of Modern Art removed from the book Arshile Gorky: Paintings, Drawings, Studies	1979 July 16
1	21	Letter from A.A. Cohn removed from the book Art of the October Revolution	1983 May 24
1	22	Holiday card from Burt and Elaine removed from the book Homage to Marc Chagall	1983 December
1	23	Letter from Van de Velde removed from the book Alfred Roth, Architect of Continuity	1950 November 14
1	24	Letter from E. Snorrason, biographical references, and article all removed from the book Standing and Sitting Posture, with Special Reference to the Construction of Chairs	1966
1	25	Postcard from Jesse and Laure removed from the book Paris: A Century of Change, 1878-1978	1986 May 23
1	26	Letter from James Prestini to Behring Auto Museum removed from the book Toulouse-Lautrec	1988 August 25
1	27	Letter from Judith S. Clancy to James Prestini, and postcard from Judith S. Clancy to M. Josh Reichek removed from the book Judith Clancy : Paris Vivant, le Point de Vue d'une Américaine : Dessins et Collages : Musée Carnavalet, 25 Avril-6 Juillet 1986.	1986
1	28	Postcard from Brad removed from the book Carnet de Trouville : Dessins et Notes de Voyage or A sketchbook from Trouville : Drawings and Travel Notes	1989
1	29	Letter from Harriet Nathan to Peter Selz removed from the book The States and the Arts: the California Arts Commission and the Emerging Federal-State Partnership	1974 May 21
1	30	Letter from Emad removed from the book My Old Sweetheart	1982 December 18
1	31	Postcard from Curtis	1982
1	32	Postcards from Dorit	1982-1985
1	33	Postcard from Isabel	1974
1	34	Postcards from Jesse and Laure	1980-1989
1	35	Judith Clancy Johns Correspondence	1978-1986
1	36	Postcard from Ken W.	1980
1	37	Lara Marx Correspondence	1975-1988
1	38	Letter from Peter Vanderwarker	1992
1	39	Postcard from Ray	undated
1	40	Postcard from Richard	1985
1	41	Note	undated
1	42	Postcard	1982
1	43	Postcard	1987
1	44	Postcard removed from the book Moments of Vision: The Stroboscopic Revolution in Photography	1948
1	45	Letter from Sarah Matheson removed from the book The Proceedings of an International Conference on Design Policy Held at the Royal College of Art, London, 20-30 July 1982	1984
1	46	Letters from R. Moraugoey and Photos removed from the book Sedie, Ditta Canciani	1955

Press Releases, 1972-1992Return to Top

Container(s): Box 2-3

2 boxes

Press releases, primarily announcing upcoming museum exhibitions, from ephemera of James Prestini. The press releases remain with the original material with which they were bound.They are arranged according to the museum or organization that issued the press release. In cases where multiple press releases are bound within the same folder, the material is foldered according to the museum that issued the press release that appears first in the folder.

Container(s)		Description	Dates
Box	Folder
2	1	American Pavilion	1986
2	2	Amon Carter Museum	1985
2	3	Art Institute of Chicago	1983-1991
2	4	Asian Art Museum of San Francisco	1989-1991
2	5	Baltimore Museum of Art	1986
2	6	Delaware Art Museum	1990
2	7	Detroit Institute of Arts	1985-1989
2	8	IBM Gallery of Science and Art	1977-1987
2	9	IBM Gallery of Science and Art	1988-1990
2	10	Japan Design Committee	1977
2	11	Kimbell Art Museum	1986
2	12	Los Angeles County Museum of Art	1989-1992
2	13	Museum of American Art Boston	1986
2	14	Museum of Fine Arts Boston	1990
2	15	Museum of Modern Art	1972-1984
3	1	Museum of Modern Art	1985-1986
3	2	National Gallery of Art	1980-1989
3	3	National Gallery of Art	1989-1992
3	4	Queens College	1984
3	5	San Francisco Museum of Modern Art	1982-1987
3	6	Smithsonian Institution	1987-1989
3	7	Smithsonian Institution	1990-1992
3	8	Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum	1981
3	9	Storm King Art Center	1988
3	10	Terra Museum of American Art	1985-1987
3	11	Tiffany & Co.	1987
3	12	Walker Art Center	1986-1988
3	13	Whitney Museum of American Art	1991

Correspondence, 1950-1992Return to Top

Container(s): Box 4-11

8 boxes

This series largely consists of articles, including newspaper clippings and photocopies, collected by James Prestini. The bulk of the subjects are in the realm of art and architecture, but some files include more broad topics like McDonald's or Darwinism. The files are arranged alphabetically by subject. Some correspondence and some photographs are scattered throughout this series. Seven folders that contain larger material have been pulled into one legal-sized box and one oversize box, and consequently are not in the original alphabetical order.

Container(s)		Description	Dates
Box	Folder
4	1	CC Craft Fair, 1990 Applications	1990
4	2	Christopher Alexander	undated
4	3	Aluminum Company of America (ALCOA)	undated
4	4	American Graphic Design	undated
4	5	The American Institute of Architects	undated
4	6	Antiques	undated
4	7	Architecture	undated
4	8	Architecture	undated
4	9	Architecture Series: Bibliography	undated
4	10	Architecture Series: Bibliography	undated
4	11	Architecture Series: Bibliography	undated
4	12	Association Française d'Action Artistique	undated
4	13	Automobile Safety Design Research
4	14	Berkeley Alumni	undated
4	15	The Berkeley Symposium of Kinetic Sculpture	undated
4	16	Berkeley’s Architectural Program Report	1987
4	17	Berkley Plaza Gallery	undated
4	18	Bethlehem Steel Corporation	undated
4	19	Boats	undated
4	20	Burpee Seeds	undated
4	18	Bethlehem Steel Corporation	undated
4	18	Bethlehem Steel Corporation	undated
4	18	Bethlehem Steel Corporation	undated
4	18	Bethlehem Steel Corporation	undated
4	18	Bethlehem Steel Corporation	undated
4	18	Bethlehem Steel Corporation	undated
4	18	Bethlehem Steel Corporation	undated
4	18	Bethlehem Steel Corporation	undated
4	18	Bethlehem Steel Corporation	undated
4	18	Bethlehem Steel Corporation	undated
4	18	Bethlehem Steel Corporation	undated
4	18	Bethlehem Steel Corporation	undated
4	18	Bethlehem Steel Corporation	undated
5	1	Wendell Castle	undated
5	2	Catalogs	undated
5	3	Center for the Study of Democratic Institutions	undated
5	4	Centre Georges Pompidou	undated
5	5	Chairs	undated
5	6	Chicago Architecture	undated
5	7	Judith Clancy	undated
5	8	Bill Clinton	undated
5	9	Constructivism	undated
5	10	Constructivism	undated
5	11	Contemporary American Industrial Art	undated
5	12	The Cooper-Hewitt Collections	undated
5	13	“Creative Problem Solving in Architecture”	undated
5	14	Charles Darwin	undated
5	15	Design Pamphlets	undated
5	16	John Dewey	undated
5	17	René Dubos	undated
5	18	Early American Carriages	undated
5	19	Ezra D. Ehrenkrantz	undated
5	20	Fashion	undated
5	21	The Ford Book of Styling	undated
5	22	Antoino Frasconi	undated
5	23	Sigmund Freud	undated
6	1	Edward Friedman	undated
6	2	Furniture	undated
6	3	Furniture	undated
6	4	John Kenneth Galbraith	undated
6	5	Gego	undated
6	6	Geometry	undated
6	7	GFI/Knoll Symposium	1979
6	8	Alberto Giacometti	undated
6	9	Diego Giacometti	undated
6	10	Global Architecture	undated
6	11	The Golden Gate Bridge	undated
6	12	Gidon Graetz	undated
6	13	Guggenheim	undated
6	14	Marianne Heske	undated
6	15	Human Engineering	undated
6	16	Ivan Illich	undated
6	17	Inclined Lettering	undated
6	18	Industrial Design Education Association (IDEA)	undated
6	19	Institute of Design	undated
6	20	Interiors	undated
6	21	Italy	undated
6	22	Japanese Garden	undated
6	23	Jasper Johns	undated
6	24	Carl Jung	undated
6	25	Donald J. Kobert, “The Experience of Scale”	undated
6	26	Misch Kohn	undated
6	27	Koncepts Cultural Gallery	undated
6	28	“Lectures on Design,” Martin H. Krieger	undated
6	29	Loose Material	undated
6	30	Machine Art	undated
6	31	"Man is the Measure: The Human Element in Design"	undated
6	32	Massachusetts Institute of Technology	undated
6	33	McDonald’s	undated
6	34	Mies van der Rohe	undated
6	35	Mies van der Rohe	undated
6	36	Mies van der Rohe	undated
6	37	Mies van der Rohe	undated
7	1	László Moholy-Nagy	undated
7	2	Sibyl Moholy-Nagy	undated
7	3	Lewis Mumford	undated
7	4	Gerald Murphy	undated
7	5	Museum of Modern Art	undated
7	6	Museum of Modern Art Calendars	1961-1984
7	7	Museum of Modern Art Pamphlets	undated
7	8	Museums	undated
7	9	Museums	undated
7	10	Ocean View High Rise Luxury Condominiums	undated
7	11	One-Liners	1983
7	12	One-Liners	1984
7	13	One-Liners	1984
7	14	One-Liners	1984
7	15	Paperclip Exhibition	undated
7	16	Ferdinand Penker	undated
7	17	Pablo Picasso	undated
8	1	Readings for San Francisco City College Architecture Class	undated
8	2	Readings for the Development of Experimental Design Criteria	undated
8	3	Jesse Reichek	undated
8	4	Jesse Reichek	undated
8	5	Horst Rittel	undated
8	6	Horst Rittel: Articles	undated
8	7	Alexander Rodchenko	undated
8	8	Rosetta Stone	undated
8	9	Medardo Rosso	undated
8	10	Eliel Saarinen	undated
8	11	San Francisco Museum of Art	undated
8	12	Santa Teresa Laboratory	undated
8	13	Sculpture	undated
8	14	Josep Lluis Sert	undated
8	15	Shakers	undated
8	16	Peter Shire	undated
8	17	David Smith	undated
8	18	Staatlichen Museen posters	undated
8	19	Nicolas de Staël	undated
8	20	Steelcase Design Partnership	undated
8	21	Saul Steinberg	undated
8	22	Gary Stephan	undated
8	23	Paul Strand	undated
8	24	Symmetry	undated
9	1	Systems of Ordering	undated
9	2	The Titanic	undated
9	3	Travel	undated
9	4	Cy Twombly	undated
9	5	University of California Syllabus Series	1954-1955
9	6	Lionello Venturi	undated
9	7	Vitra Design Museum	undated
9	8	Weimar	undated
9	9	Wolfgang Weingart	undated
9	10	Frank Lloyd Wright	undated
9	11	Frank Lloyd Wright	undated
9	12	Frank Lloyd Wright	undated
9	13	Frank Lloyd Wright	undated
9	14	Frank Lloyd Wright, Fallingwater	undated
9	15	Marguerite Yourcenar	undated
10	1	Automobiles	undated
10	2	Helen Frankenthaler	undated
10	3	Helen Frankenthaler	undated
10	4	Italy: The New Domestic Landscape	undated
10	5	Le Corbusier	undated
10	5	Le Corbusier	undated
10	6	"Summary of the History of Architecture"	undated
11	1	Design Publications	undated

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

Artists--Archives.

Personal Names

Prestini, James, 1908-1993--Correspondence.
Prestini, James, 1908-1993--Archives.

Form or Genre Terms

Clippings (Books, newspapers, etc.).
Postcards.
Press releases.
Printed ephemera.

Archives West Finding Aid

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