Finding Aid for the Juliette Tomlinson Research Files on Joseph Whiting Stock, circa 1970s-1987 MS.10

Summary Information

Repository
The Frick Collection/Frick Art Reference Library Archives10 East 71st Street
New York, NY, 10021
archives@frick.org
 © 2010 The Frick Collection. All rights reserved.
Creator
Tomlinson, Juliette, 1921-
Title
Juliette Tomlinson Research Files on Joseph Whiting Stock
ID
MS.10
Date
circa 1970s-1987
Extent
0.5 Linear feet  (1 box)
Abstract
This collection contains the correspondence and research of Juliette Tomlinson (1921-), author and former director of the Connecticut Valley Historical Museum in Springfield, Mass., on the American folk artist Joseph Whiting Stock (1815-1855). The files, compiled for her book, The Paintings and the Journal of Joseph Whiting Stock (1976), also contain research on Stock conducted after its publication. The collection is comprised of Tomlinson's correspondence regarding paintings by Stock, photocopies of Stock's personal documents and other biographical material, and some images.

Preferred Citation

Juliette Tomlinson Research Files on Joseph Whiting Stock. The Frick Collection/Frick Art Reference Library Archives.

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Biographical Note

Nineteenth-century American folk artist, Joseph Whiting Stock (1815-1855), began to study portrait painting at age eleven, after an accident left him paralyzed from the waist down. As his skill and popularity grew, he received many portrait requests and commissions. A customized wheelchair enabled him to travel and paint portraits throughout the New England states. At age 31, Stock began a detailed journal that recounted both his personal life and professional history, including a dated client and artwork roster, and fee list.

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Scope and Content Note

The Juliette Tomlinson Research Files on Joseph Whiting Stock document Tomlinson's research for the book she edited, The Paintings and the Journal of Joseph Whiting Stock, published by Wesleyan University Press in 1976. The papers date from the 1970s through 1987, and include photocopies of documents dated 1835-1855 and 1938. Document types include correspondence, notes, images, and photocopies of original documents. The majority of the photographs of Stock's artwork in the collection were transferred to the Frick Art Reference Library Photoarchive; however, a few Polaroid photographs remain.

Materials are arranged in two series: Series I: Joseph Whiting Stock Biographical Information, and Series II: Correspondence. Biographical Information contains photocopies of Stock's personal documents, estate records, and printed material. Items include excerpts from Stock's journal, obituaries, family records, articles, newspaper advertisements, and announcements. Also of interest is a biographical timeline of Stock's life from 1815-1846, compiled by Tomlinson. Series II contains correspondence between Tomlinson and art curators, antique dealers, and private art collectors and owners regarding the subject of Joseph Whiting Stock, his artwork, and the subjects of his art.

Tomlinson, Juliette (ed.). The Paintings and the Journal of Joseph Whiting Stock. Middletown, Conn.: Wesleyan University Press, 1976.

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Arrangement

Materials are arranged in two series:

Series I: Joseph Whiting Stock Biographical Information

Series II: Correspondence

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Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

These records are open for research under the conditions of The Frick Collection/Frick Art Reference Library Archives access policy. Contact the Archives Department for further information at archives@frick.org.

Provenance

Gift of Juliette Tomlinson, 1986, 1988.

Processing Information

Arranged and described by Tiffany Tyau-Wong, 2006; Shannon Yule, 2009.

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Controlled Access Headings

Genre(s)

  • Correspondence.
  • Research notes.

Personal Name(s)

  • Stock, Joseph Whiting, 1815-1855.

Subject(s)

  • Art--Provenance--Research.
  • Portrait painting, American.
  • Primitivism in art--United States.

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Collection Inventory

Series I: Joseph Whiting Stock Biographical Information, circa 1970s
 

This series consists of information detailing Joseph Whiting Stock's personal history, health issues, and professional life. Materials include a timeline of J.W. Stock's significant life events from 1815-1846 and a short list of J.W. Stock-attributed artwork (post-1846) compiled by Tomlinson; photographs of excerpts from J.W. Stock's journal; photocopies of advertisements and newspaper announcements for J. W. Stock's professional portrait services and the daguerreotype business he briefly co-partnered; copies of J.W. Stock's will, estate, and obituary notices; and negatives of select J.W. Stock artwork.

The bulk of this series consists of photocopies of documents dated 1835-1855 and 1938.
Box Folder Date
1 1

Biographical Information
 

Timeline of J.W. Stock's life events from 1815 to 1846 (by Tomlinson).

Photographs of select pages from J.W. Stock's journal.

List of paintings attributed to J.W. Stock in New Bedford, Mass. after the last entry in his journal.

A photographed rendering of the wheelchair customized by James Swan for J.W. Stock, and an article written by Dr. Swan for The Boston Medical and Surgical Journal (March 25, 1840) about J.W. Stock's paralysis, or "luxation of the last dorsal from the first lumbar vertebra."

Copies of announcements posted by J.W. Stock in the Daily Mercury (New Bedford, Mass.),  Springfield Gazette (Springfield, Mass.), and  Independent Republican (Goshen, N.Y.) to advertise his portrait services, 1842-1854.

Copy of an advertisement for Stock & Cooley's Portrait and Daguerrian Gallery.

Copies of announcements posted in various publications for Stock & Cooley's Portrait and Daguerrian Gallery, 1846-1849.

Copies of extracts from the Cooley Family Bible records.

Copy of J.W. Stock's will, 1854.

Inventory of estate of J.W. Stock, 1855.

Copy of J.W. Stock's obituary notice as submitted to the Springfield Daily Republican, dated Monday, July 2, 1855.

Copy of death notice of J.W. Stock as printed in Goshen, N.Y. newspaper.

Copy of land transaction records of John Stock (J.W. Stock's father), 1835-1855.

Copy of Antiques Magazine article by John. L. Clarke, Jr. about J.W. Stock, August, 1938.

Copy of "Springfield Water Cure" advertisement and article written by Howard Simpson, M.D.

 circa 1970s
1 2

Artwork
 

Negatives of Thomas H. Stock and Wilbur F. Stock, The Fisherman and His Dog, Portrait of John Stock, Humphrey H. Sowle, Cooley Baby with Rattle, and ten other unlabeled J.W. Stock works. Removed to cold storage.

One photograph of a rendering of Port Jervis, N.Y. by Salmon W. Corwin.

 undated

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Series II: Correspondence, 1976-1987
 

Contains correspondence between Tomlinson and art curators, antique dealers, and private art collectors and owners regarding the subject of Joseph Whiting Stock, his artwork, and the subjects of his art.

Arranged alphabetically by company name or individual correspondent's name.
Box Folder Date
1 3

Abbe, James T., Jr.
 

Re: Man and Wife from Cabotsville, Mass., speculated to be Mr. and Mrs. Bennet or Frost.

 1979-1980
1 4

America Hurrah Antiques, New York, N.Y.
 

Re: Child with Cat, Girl Holding Flowers, Unknown Woman, and a miniature in a "cracked frame." Photographs removed to Photoarchive.

 1976-1986
1 5

The Balch Institute for Ethnic Studies, Philadelphia, Pa.
 

Re: Man Holding The Liberator (also entitled  The Man With The Liberator) and speculation that the sitter was possibly Frederick Douglass. Past ownership, conditions, and preservation/conservation methods applied to the painting also discussed.

 1987
1 6

Barridoff Galleries, Portland, Maine
 

Correspondence with Robert J. Elowitch re a portrait of a boy or "a young girl who recently had scarlet fever."

 1983
1 7

Benton Gould, Houston, Tex.
 

Re: attribution request for Portrait of a Child with a Dog. Tomlinson verifies that the portrait was not by J.W. Stock. Photograph removed to Photoarchive.

 1986
1 8

Boyd, Helen A.
 

Tomlinson authenticated and provided physical descriptions and dates for the following J.W. Stock works: Letty A. Gurnee, Halstead Gurnee, Harriet Coleman, Hannah Gurnee, Letty Augusta Gurnee, John B. Gurnee, Letty Thew, John F. Coleman, and a miniature of an "unknown young man." Correspondence details the owner's (Boyd) proceedings with the paintings, particularly in regard to the Thew family.

 1978-1979, 1986
1 9

Brown, Corinne
 

Re: Portrait of a Man (John Gurnee Thew) and  Portrait of a Woman (Phoebe Odell Thew). Photographs removed to Photoarchive.

 1976
1 10

Cedar Rapids Art Center, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
 

Correspondence with Stan Wiederspan re Child with Cat, which Tomlinson attributed to J.W. Stock and speculated that the sitter might be George Baldwin's daughter painted in New Haven, Conn. Photograph removed to Photoarchive.

 1977
1 11

Clifton, Mildred
 

Re: Boy With Dog, portrait of Gardner Anderson Carpenter of Foxborough, Mass.

 1977-1980
1 12

Comenos Fine Arts, Boston, Mass.
 

Re: attribution request for a portrait of a boy with two rabbits. No response from Tomlinson in file.

 1987
1 13

Connecticut Valley Historical Museum, Springfield Mass.
 

 1983
1 14

Crossland, Lloyd
 

Re: attribution for a portrait of a woman wearing a dark gown holding a book.

 1979
1 15

Cummings, Diane
 

Re: Portrait of Unknown Man, attributed to J.W. Stock. Photographs removed to Photoarchive.

 1978
1 16

Dana E. Tillou Fine Paintings & Antiques, Buffalo, N.Y.
 

Re: Boy with Dog. Photograph removed to Photoarchive.

 1980
1 17

Deutsch, Davida
 

Re: attribution of three miniatures. One locket is inscribed "Rufus Morse Newhall: died March 22, 1849 AE 17 mos 4 Days" and the other side reads "Martha I. Newhall/ Lincoln Mass." The third miniature (brooch) reads "G.W. Stone/AE 7 mos." Photographs removed to Photoarchive.

 1979
1 18

Figliomeni, Michelle
 

Re: American artist, Salmon W. Corwin, protégé/assistant of J.W. Stock.

 1980
1 19

Frame, Emily B.
 

Re: artwork by an artist known as "The Gale Family Limner," which Frame believed was Salmon W. Corwin, J.W. Stock's protégé/assistant. Photographs removed to Photoarchive.

 1978
1 20

Gachot, Richard
 

Re: identity of sitter in Boy with Book and Apple. Photographs removed to Photoarchive.

 1978
1 21

Gavin, Charles E.
 

Re: Portrait of a Man and  Portrait of a Woman, speculated to be the Turner-Mason Family of Torrington, Conn.

 1978
1 23

Graether, John
 

Re: Bearded Man Holding Book and  Seated Woman, identified as the Wilcox family. Photographs removed to Photoarchive.

 1978
1 24

Gumz, Sharon
 

Re: portraits of Sophia Bigelow Belden and Lester Belden. Polaroids removed to Photoarchive.

 1979
1 25

Hirschl & Adler Folk, Northampton, Mass.
 

Correspondence with Frank J. Miele re Mary Elizabeth Holt (1838-1916).

 1987
1 26

Imbrie, Barbara Z.
 

Re: The Hancock Children of North Attleboro, Mass.

1986
1 27

Kennedy Galleries, Inc., New York, N.Y.
 

Correspondence with Rudolph G. Wunderlich re Unknown Man and  Unknown Woman. Photographs removed to Photoarchive.

 1979
1 28

Kern, Arthur B.
 

Correspondence between Arthur B. Kern and Betsy B. Jones (See also: Smith College Museum of Art) regarding Portrait of a Woman. Photograph removed to Photoarchive.

 1979
1 29

Ketcham, Ray
 

Re: attribution request for Portrait of a Young Man.

 1979
1 30

Klein, Seymour M.
 

 1980-1982
1 31

Lockwood, Josephine
 

Re: Mother with Two Children.

 1979, 1986
1 32

Marine Arts Gallery, Salem, Mass.
 

Re: The Marshall Children.

 1986
1 33

McManus, Bernie
 

Re: attribution of portrait of Jacob Hightman Auger. Photograph removed to Photoarchive.

 1978-1979
1 34

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, N.Y.
 

Correspondence with Dale T. Johnson re attribution of Double Portrait of A Boy and Girl and  The Artist's Children. Photographs removed to Photoarchive.

 1978-1979
1 35

Miles, Ellen
 

Re: attribution of double portrait of Mrs. William (Dorothy House) Samson [1812-1860] and William Henry Samson, Jr. [born c. 1840]. Photographs removed to Photoarchive.

 1980-1981
1 36

Moory, Gerald
 

 1976
1 37

Olde Hope Antiques, New Hope, Pa.
 

Correspondence with Patrick Bell re attribution of a portrait of a baby.

 1987
1 38

Pattersons, Los Gatos, Calif.
 

Re: valuation of William Martin and  Mrs. William Martin and Julia. Photographs removed to Photoarchive.

 1986
1 39

Perry, Carol
 

Re: the attribution of a portrait of a child. Tomlinson stated that the portrait was not by Stock.

 1987
1 40

Pollard, Ted
 

Re: attribution of a portrait of Pollard's great-great grandmother, Elizabeth Cushing Holmes, as a child. Includes detailed genealogical information about the Holmes family.

 1987-1988
1 41

Prickett, C.L.
 

Re: Amy Philpott and Girl in Red Dress. Photographs removed to Photoarchive.

 1980
1 42

Robert W. Skinner Inc., Boston, Mass.
 

Re: attribution of Young Bearded Man, Portrait of a Man in Uniform, and a portrait of a woman.

 1988
1 43

Rohdenburg, Ernest III
 

Re: portrait of Mrs. Henry Gray and child. Photograph removed to Photoarchive.

 1978
1 44

Ruth Troiani Fine Antiques, Pound Ridge, N.Y.
 

Re: Little Girl with Rattle, Little Girl with a Fish Bowl, and portraits of Fanny A. Wright and Amy Philpott.

 1977-1985
1 45

Scotti, Nino
 

 1982
1 46

Shaver, Madeleine
 

Re: paintings of the Korn family (Mr. and Mrs. Charles Korn and three of their children).

 1978
1 47

Smith College Museum of Art, Northampton, Mass.
 

Re: Boy with a Fishing Pole [John Wales (1832-1900)],  Boy with a Dog, Girl with a Reticule and Rose, Elizabeth Harthon, Ellen Belden, and  Martha Otis Bullock [also identified as Martha Randall].

 1978-1981
1 48

Sotheby's, New York, N.Y.
 

Re: authenticity of Two Children with Tea Set and  Georgina Easterbrook, Phoebe Odell Thew, John Gurnee Thew. Includes Sotheby's estimate, description, and subject information for Thew portraits. Photographs removed to Photoarchive.

 1979-1983
1 49

Steckler, Edward L.
 

Re: portraits of Joseph Davis and Abigail Davis from Providence, R.I. Includes black and white Polaroid photographs labeled William and Margaret Coleman.

 1982
1 50

Stephen Mazhoh & Co., Inc., New York, N.Y.
 

Re: Double Portrait of a Boy and a Girl and  Boy with Ball and Bat. Photograph removed to Photoarchive.

 1982
1 51

Swatkovsky, Andrew
 

 1984
1 52

Triller, Alice
 

Re: Redheaded Girl. Sitter was possibly from the Burrill family of North Brookfield, Mass. Photograph removed to Photoarchive.

 1977-1978
1 53

Tyler, Humphrey
 

Re: portraits of Abner Bull and his wife Maria Brinson Bull.

 1979
1 54

Wallace, Mary [Kit?]
 

Re: Wallace family portraits. Includes three Polaroids of the portrait of Mr. Wallace.

 1981
1 55

Washburn Gallery, New York, N.Y.
 

Re: Standing Boy with White Dog, which Tomlinson believed was painted by J.W. Stock in the 1840s. Photograph removed to Photoarchive.

 1980
1 56

Wilburne, [?] (Mrs.)
 

 1986
1 57

Wiltshire, William Ernest III
 

Re: Double Portrait of a Boy and Girl. Photograph removed to Photoarchive.

 1976

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