UUS_mss360.xml Guide to the James Prestini papers 1950-1992 Prestini (James) papers 1950-1992 Finding aid/Register created by Kara Parker Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives ©2011
Merrill-Cazier Library Utah State University 3000 Old Main Hill Logan, Utah 84322-3000 Business Number: 435 797-8248 Fax Number: 435 797-2880 scweb@usu.edu https://archives.usu.edu/
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2024-06-03. Finding aid encoded in English. Finding aid based on DACS (Describing Archives: A Content Standard, 2nd Edition). 2009 Template information was updated to reflect Archives West best practice guidelines. Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives James Prestini papers UUS_COLL MSS 360 11 boxes 9 linear feet 1950-1992 This collection contains the correspondence and ephemera of James Prestini which were separated from the Prestini Collection housed in the Art Book Room. Material in English Material in French Material in German Material in Japanese

Processed in June of 2011.

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

No restrictions on use, except: not available through interlibrary loan.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Arranged into 3 series and 11 boxes.

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.

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

 Artists--Archives. Architecture Fine Arts Colleges and Universities Correspondence Printed ephemera. Clippings (Books, newspapers, etc.). Postcards. Press releases. Correspondence 1 box 1950-1992 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.

 Card from Avraham Wachman undated 1 1

removed from Wachman's book Infinite Polyhedra

 Letter from Adelle M. Taylor 1988 May 19 1 2

removed from the book Betty Gold

 Postcard to James Prestini 1983 July 19 1 3

removed from the book Avant-Garde Polonaise: Urbanisme-Architecture: 1918-1939

 Letter from Marlborough-Gerson Gallery 1970 May 27 1 4

removed from the book David Smith

 Postcard from Theo 1985 1 5

removed from the book The Picasso Museum, Paris. Paintings, Papiers Collés, Picture Reliefs, Sculptures, and Ceramics

 Photograph, Henry Moore's sculpture 1980 September 10 1 6

removed from the book Homage to Henry Moore

 Postcard from Camy and birthday message from Jesse and Laure 1983 August 31 and 1982 January 13 1 7

both removed from the book L'art des Cyclades : du Début à la Fin de L'âge du Bronze, 2500-1100 Avant Notre Ère

 Postcard from Sandra 1980 September 1 8

removed from the book The Art of the Weathervane

 Postcard from "Libby" 1972 November 9 1 9

removed from the book Cezanne

 Postcard to James Prestini 1982 January 13 1 10

removed from the book Genius and Disaster: the Ten Creative Years of Vincent van Gogh

 Postcard to James Prestini 1985 October 1 11

removed from the book Art Treasures of the Uffizi and Pitti

 Autographed card signed by Sugar Ray Leonard undated 1 12

removed from the book Nueva Visión de Gaudí

 Card from Kikutake Kiyonori undated 1 13

removed from the book Kiyonori Kikutake : Works and Methods, 1956-1970. The file also contains loose papers in Japanese text.

 Postcard from Theo and postcard from Judith 1986 and 1985 October 10 1 14

both removed from the book Notre-Dame of Paris

 Postcard from Dorit 1984 September 1 15

removed from the book The Art of Old Peru

 Valentine card from "a secret admirer," undated 1 16

removed from the book American Furniture: Queen Anne and Chippendale Periods in the Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum

 Holiday card from Ken and Jane undated 1 17

removed from the book Stuart Davis: American Painter

 Letter from Sidney Lawrence 1985 April 22 1 18

removed from the book Content: A Contemporary Focus, 1974-1984

 Note from Hanna 1985 April 22 1 19

removed from the book Emergency Poems

 Letter from Janette B. Rozene, Reference Librarian for the Museum of Modern Art 1979 July 16 1 20

removed from the book Arshile Gorky: Paintings, Drawings, Studies

 Letter from A.A. Cohn 1983 May 24 1 21

removed from the book Art of the October Revolution

 Holiday card from Burt and Elaine 1983 December 1 22

removed from the book Homage to Marc Chagall

 Letter from Van de Velde 1950 November 14 1 23

removed from the book Alfred Roth, Architect of Continuity

 Letter from E. Snorrason, biographical references, and article 1966 1 24

all removed from the book Standing and Sitting Posture, with Special Reference to the Construction of Chairs

 Postcard from Jesse and Laure 1986 May 23 1 25

removed from the book Paris: A Century of Change, 1878-1978

 Letter from James Prestini to Behring Auto Museum 1988 August 25 1 26

removed from the book Toulouse-Lautrec

 Letter from Judith S. Clancy to James Prestini, and postcard from Judith S. Clancy to M. Josh Reichek 1986 1 27

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.

 Postcard from Brad 1989 1 28

removed from the book Carnet de Trouville : Dessins et Notes de Voyage or A sketchbook from Trouville : Drawings and Travel Notes

 Letter from Harriet Nathan to Peter Selz 1974 May 21 1 29

removed from the book The States and the Arts: the California Arts Commission and the Emerging Federal-State Partnership

 Letter from Emad 1982 December 18 1 30

removed from the book My Old Sweetheart

 Postcard from Curtis 1982 1 31 Postcards from Dorit 1982-1985 1 32 Postcard from Isabel 1974 1 33 Postcards from Jesse and Laure 1980-1989 1 34 Judith Clancy Johns Correspondence 1978-1986 1 35 Postcard from Ken W. 1980 1 36 Lara Marx Correspondence 1975-1988 1 37 Letter from Peter Vanderwarker 1992 1 38 Postcard from Ray undated 1 39 Postcard from Richard 1985 1 40 Note undated 1 41 Postcard 1982 1 42 Postcard 1987 1 43 Postcard 1948 1 44

removed from the book Moments of Vision: The Stroboscopic Revolution in Photography

 Letter from Sarah Matheson 1984 1 45

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

 Letters from R. Moraugoey and Photos 1955 1 46

removed from the book Sedie, Ditta Canciani

 Press Releases 2 boxes 1972-1992 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.

 American Pavilion 1986 2 1 Amon Carter Museum 1985 2 2 Art Institute of Chicago 1983-1991 2 3 Asian Art Museum of San Francisco 1989-1991 2 4 Baltimore Museum of Art 1986 2 5 Delaware Art Museum 1990 2 6 Detroit Institute of Arts 1985-1989 2 7 IBM Gallery of Science and Art 1977-1987 2 8 IBM Gallery of Science and Art 1988-1990 2 9 Japan Design Committee 1977 2 10 Kimbell Art Museum 1986 2 11 Los Angeles County Museum of Art 1989-1992 2 12 Museum of American Art Boston 1986 2 13 Museum of Fine Arts Boston 1990 2 14 Museum of Modern Art 1972-1984 2 15 Museum of Modern Art 1985-1986 3 1 National Gallery of Art 1980-1989 3 2 National Gallery of Art 1989-1992 3 3 Queens College 1984 3 4 San Francisco Museum of Modern Art 1982-1987 3 5 Smithsonian Institution 1987-1989 3 6 Smithsonian Institution 1990-1992 3 7 Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum 1981 3 8 Storm King Art Center 1988 3 9 Terra Museum of American Art 1985-1987 3 10 Tiffany & Co. 1987 3 11 Walker Art Center 1986-1988 3 12 Whitney Museum of American Art 1991 3 13 Correspondence 8 boxes 1950-1992 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.

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