Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
James Prestini papers, 1950-1992
Overview of the Collection
- Title
- James Prestini papers
- Dates
- 1950-1992 (inclusive)19501992
- Quantity
- 11 boxes, (9 linear feet)
- Collection Number
- UUS_COLL MSS 360
- Summary
- This collection contains the correspondence and ephemera of James Prestini which were 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 July 26, 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 papers must be obtained from the Special Collections and Archives manuscript curator and/or the Special Collections and Archives department head.
Preferred Citation
Initial Citation: James Prestini papers 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
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
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
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.
Form or Genre Terms
- Clippings (Books, newspapers, etc.).
- Postcards.
- Press releases.
- Printed ephemera.
Finding aid/Register created by Kara Parker
2011
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
