RIAMCO

Rhode Island Archival and Manuscript Collections Online

For Participating Institutions

Eliza G. Radeke records (02.01.7)

Rhode Island School of Design Archives

Fleet Library at RISD
2 College Street
Providence, RI 02903
Tel: 401-709-5922
Fax: 401-709-5932
email: risdarchives@risd.edu

Scope & content

This collection contains correspondence to and from Eliza Radeke, notes, speeches, a diary (1886-1887) and RISD records, 1860-1942, bulk 1880-1931. The records were collected by the Archives staff from a variety of sources, 1997-1999, and organized alphabetically by subject for ease of use. Subject files include Commencement speeches (bulk 1914-1928), correspondence regarding the hiring of Eleazer B. Homer as the first RISD Director, and a diary recording the difficulties surrounding the tenure of Gardner C. Anthony, Head of the Mechanical Department, 1886-1887.

The Museum records document the acquisition of the Museum's cast collection, the construction of the Japanese Gallery designed by Charles Platt (1903-1906), and Radeke's correspondence with artists and dealers including John LaFarge, Charles W. Stetson, Frank P. Sauerwein, and Sogo Matsumoto. Acquisitions documented by correspondence and receipts include peasant pottery, the Pendleton Collection, Japanese prints, American antiques, and Classical pieces.

The Wanskuck files contain primarily RISD corporate records including deeds, committee reports, and bequest records, 1860-1930, bulk 1890-1924. The records include deeds and correspondence for RISD properties, Radeke's Providence home, and land purchased by Dr. Radeke in Texas, bequest records, Endowment Committee reports (1902 and 1910), and financial records. The file descriptions' numbers in [brackets] refer to the lot numbers on the Providence Assessor's 1915 plat map #12. See Treasurer's records, 5.0, for associated documents.

The Arthur Leslie Green correspondence contains primarily letters between Eliza G. Radeke and Newport, RI collector/dealer Arthur Leslie Green regarding the purchase, care, and installation of Colonial furniture and wood room paneling, circa 1916-1931. The file labeled "Bills" contains letters, receipts, telegrams, and detailed lists of purchases. There is one file containing newspaper clippings including her obituary, a photograph of a portrait (person unknown), and an undated handwritten list describing Asian religious statues. The series contains one letter dated 1935 from Green to William S. Appleton, Society for the Preservation of New Englnd Antiquities, regarding the Weaver-Franklin House, Newport, RI. and telegrams from Green to the Museum of Art dated 1942. The papers are not in chronological order and many of Green's letters are not dated; however, the correspondence apparently began in 1916. See box 9, folder 3. Additional letters from this correspondence are found in the Museum of Art, Presidents' and Directors' correspondence, 1889-1966, bulk 1900-1948.